She's angry that Magnolia is not a traditional film with clever tie-in's and reassuring plot contrivances. And Ebert is so correct, the whole point of the movie is that life is chaos interpreted as order, randomness disguised as coincidence,and chance encounters mistaken for serendipity. The opening monologue is a sarcastic rib, a trick of the unreliable narrator, a bark worthy of P. T. Barnum. Such is the wisdom of Magnolia.
Matt Berry - I've never quite been able to decide on my opinion of Magnolia, but I've always appreciated it for what it is on some level -- what you just said summed things up clearly & made me appreciate it even more than before
Magnolia is the most traditional drama film there is. Incredibly banal and predictable family shit that we all know of. Along with pompous classical music.
The fact that she was expecting all the stories to come together in that cliche'd way is so fucking hilarious when you think about it. As Roger said, she literally missed THE WHOLE GODDAMN POINT OF THE MOVIE. The thing that makes this movie a masterpiece and a classic is that instead of all the stories tying together as you predict them to and as tons of other less-intelligent movies have done, instead it throws at you one of the most left-feild, unexpected, utterly unique final sequences in cinematic history as if to say "hey guess what! in life things dont just tie up together in a nice little ribbon, in life crazy unexpected, unplanned shit happens."
@@dannygestri9479 Exactly. I don't understand why so many people in comments seem to think the stories aren't aligned / tied together. *THEY ARE* Maybe everybody just takes it for granted now... but I remember the joy of the very first time I watched Magnolia - the jigsaw puzzle of how all the characters were INDEED connected and interwoven, reveals itself slowly but surely, as the movie progresses. All the characters are a mere "1 degree of separation" from each other. But you don't know that at the beginning. As for the stories "coming together at the end" ... as far as I've always been concerned - *THEY DO* That is what the frogs were for !!! All those separate storylines - suddenly merge in one common event that everybody experiences at the same time. I always thought this. I still can't believe the critic lady, and so many commentors here, don't seem to get this...
It’s not that deep though! It’s insulting to the audience. The director made no bold or artistic claims about life. It was very run of the mill, pretentious . As a film it is SO overrated . I’m seeing a common theme in his films....
That's the beauty of Paul Anderson. He doesn't preach in his movies. You have to search for what it means to YOU. Art is not didactic. Art asks questions. Sometimes those questions are answered and sometimes they are not. A former art teacher of mine told me if Everyone's loves it be careful. Don't be seduced by praise.
exactly. i've been learning there's immense truth in how much art triggers us because it means it hit a nerve in us, which is the whole point anyway. there has to be space and room for interpretation - every great writer NEEDS to know how much description to give and how much to leave out so the reader can fill it in with his own imagination. if every damn word is written, there is no space for the reader to feel as if he even NEEDS to be friends with the character(S).
@Sam oh man really? I thought Julianne Moore's performance was the best part next to Tom Cruise. What exactly did you find terrible about her performance? Also, I didn't get the frog part at first. Now I think it means that anything can anything can happen. Hence when the camera goes right to the picture and it says, "But it did happen." I think it was also a way to bring the people together, which worked. But then again, you're entitled to your opinion. A movies not great if everyone likes it.
There's a particular brilliance in Tom Cruise's false responses during the interview. His subtle stalls and body language before providing the false answers. So good.
absolutely. you can perfectly feel the feelings of the character with each raised eyebrow, with each movement of the head, with each click of the tongue and each glance. And that silent stare he gives the reporter while she was tolding him to tell the truth, my God! always gives me fucking chills...
I haven't seen Magnolia in a very long time, but this is one of those movies that just sticks with me. One of the things that keeps reminding me of this film is the timeless music of Aimee Mann. It has to be one of the best movie soundtracks in history.
the only time the characters really fuse together is when they are all singing the lyrics to that single ballad mid-film. Very chilling scene. Just emotionally lost and connected at the same time.
"What it transforms at the end is our expectation that every movie has to be dead in the water and be predictable and be formulaic and in the way we expect it to. This movie is alive and free to surprise us!" This should be the last word.
She's more like the interviewer at the beginning. The critic had it's reasons and morals, yet was fair enough to let herself be convinced of the talent displayed by Thomson's play and gave it a review she thought was deserving.
I think they are,in some way,opposite. This woman expected a formulaic generic conclusion to movies while the critic in The Birdman looked for style and uniqueness and was angered that Riggan was going to bring his non-event acting to Broadway.
this is one of those times when I can say ebert deserves to be known as THE film critic. this is one of the most complex movies ever made and he got it.
This movie is still incredibly good. I didn't even see it for the first time until about 2010 or 2011 and it was as fresh and timely and invigorating and wonderful as anything. Paul Thomas Anderson is fantastic. And dear Philip Seymour Hoffman will be greatly missed.
No one who truly loves film should ever look negatively upon a movie that breaks from the Hollywood tradition of linear, cause and effect storytelling the way Magnolia does and sure as hell, no one who's career is dedicated to writing about and critiquing movies. I've seen this many times, her stupidity never ceases to astound me.
@@curly_wyn no, but it certainly makes them more interesting. What makes magnolia great isn't the fact that it breaks the formula. It's the way it utilizes its chaotic structure to tell us a beautiful story, a real story.
Magnolia is 1 of my favorite dramas. The climax is so out there , & huge that a person wonders what happened to the resolution of the stories?! Tom Cruise is fabulous in this movie.
I'm a woman, and Magnolia is my favorite movie of all time. I have never been more moved by a film. Every performance was brilliant. Every beat was perfect, & every emotion it evoked cut me to the quick. I will love PTA forever for giving us this beautiful, cinematic gift.
I saw this review when it was aired, and I remember clearly that it's the most upset I've ever been at a movie reviewer. I had seen Magnolia just a few days prior, and it was one of the most profound experiences I've ever had at the movies. A little later in the review (the entirety of it isn't posted), she said it didn't meet the criteria for a great film. CRITERIA. Yes, she actually used that word. It's fun to watch this again because I appreciated the daggers Ebert was glaring at her.
Seriously. No joke. When this was in theaters it got so many people asking for refunds after 20 minutes into the film. A lot of people just couldn't get it. I loved it. Was probably my favorite film that year.
No film has moved me so greatly or provoked so much thought in my mind on the first viewing like Magnolia, it truly is a transcendental force of nature and it has been in my top 5 favourite films ever since
I think Magnolia is P.T Anderson's best movie. The building tension between stories was definitely there, and I appreciated it's innovative narrative, unusual music and engaging filmmaking. It is a divisive piece of cinema l, but I thought it was powerful and resonant in its own way.
Wow, how can she call herself a film critic? I could see my mom thinking along these lines, but come on lady, stop being so simple. This is a masterpiece.
"But Joyce that's the WHOLE POINT!" It makes me laugh every time, she just doesn't get it. She's not even listening to counterpoints... I really can't stand her lol
Roger Ebert actually explains his views on the film, whereas she just comes out with broad statements, like:"The film's a mess.", as she refuses to listen to the logical and great points he's making, because they don't coincide with hers. Ignorance and arrogance at its finest.
it's not that the stories all come together in that frog and rain scene, it's that all those stories come to closure thanks to that you may say magical out of the blue moment. life has these rare moments, rare but it happens. I think that's what's underlined there. hope
I saw this in the theater when it came out, I've watched it maybe twice since but so much of it is crystal clear in my mind- that's the sign of an effective movie- stays with you
When I was 11 years old I snuck into my mother’s “secret” vhs collection of things she recorded off HBO. They had no notes or writing on them. I took one of them to my room and put it in my vcr after everyone went to bed. I didn’t know what I would see but I was excited and felt like I was doing something super taboo. I watched Magnolia in the middle of the night, from start to finish as an 11 year old. When I read a critics review of it, he mentioned that months and even years later he can admit that his life was changed because he saw Magnolia. I couldn’t agree more. Although I didn’t fully grasp everything that was going on with the intertwining plot, it was an informative and magical experience, and I’m thankful for my curiosity even though I was doing something I shouldn’t have been doing. The opening of the film with all the different instances of chance and fate really blew my mind. When frogs started falling from the sky, I was in amazement. It opened up my mind to wonder of movies like no child entertainment I think could. To this day, the greatest film I have ever seen, and my all time favorite. Although now I have watched it 1,000 times. Thank you PTA.
this movie reached me on an emotional level that ive yet to find in any other piece of cinema. Yeah other great movies have invoked great emotions to match them but ive never been on such an existential rollercoaster as i had been watching this movie.
There are movies that you watch that blow you away on first viewing, but after that you cannot find a reason to want to watch it again. Then there are movies like Magnolia which simply cannot be appreciated in one viewing, there is far too much going on in it to understand at once. But each time I watch it I get more out of it and that is why it is one of my favorite movies of all time. The first time I saw it I was fascinated by parts, confused by parts, intrigued by parts. The scene where all the characters were apart but all singing to "Wise up" is what really made me sit up and say, "Oh, wow, this is amazing!". I knew there was a lot of meaning in this and when it was over I couldn't wait to watch it again.
Ahh, Joyce Kulhawik... She was our local TV entertainment host in Boston in the 80s. Notorious for not getting it. I remember her negative review of Terminator, and after seeing it thinking, ok, she's not to be trusted.
I forgot how much I loved this movie. After recently revisiting the film, just for kicks I looked up what my old go-to critic Ebert had to say -no surprise, he loved it. Joyce Kulhawik was Roger's co-host in the clip. If you found the film messy or ambitiously unsuccessful, Joyce has a blog called joyceschoices you may enjoy. Personally, from the opening scene, to the close w/ Aimee Mann's 'Save Me' playing us out... it's near perfect. All killer, no filler. "Life Itself" is next on my list.
I Love that Roger loved this film !! He forgot to mention William H Macy’s part which was also brilliant, funny, and sad. This film in its own right is a Masterpiece, in my opinion 👍🏼
Wait a second, let's analyze this woman's critique: "I really thought (IE: "EXPECTED) that all these stories would have come together in some sort of UNEXPECTED synergistic way that would have been some sort of epiphany..." So let me get this straight, you were expecting the unexpected (let it be known that she implies that "unexpected" = good at this point), and then when it was even MORE unexpected than you expected, because it did something completely different, that = flaw? Seems legit.
I watched this live & thought the exact same thing @ the time. It was right there in front of her & she missed it. Brilliant film. Poor review on many levels from her POV.
I was doing my student teaching to become a high school English teacher the year Magnolia came out. I told my host teacher how much I loved this film. Her advanced senior class, apropos of nothing, told her not to go see it because it was terrible. She paused a moment, and said, "Someone told me they liked it." Then she remembered, and looked at me. "Wasn't it you?" And so I had to defend it. The students said all those people wouldn't be able to sing the same song at the same time, and the one guy was almost dead, so couldn't be singing. That's when I had to explain that it wasn't literally all those people singing--it was symbolic way of showing how they were all in dark places in their lives. But they just didn't get it. Now I am teaching these same classes at the same school. My host teacher retired years ago, and is now 80 years old. She saw the movie after my recommendation...and loved it. She defended it to her students as well.
This movie is a masterpiece. The build up and spiral of chaosness at the end is brilliantly spun through all the characters with a score that is just genius.
The fact that Roger could see the beauty in this film is why Roger has gone down as one of the greatest movie reviewers of all time and why Joyce Kulhawik is somebody you have to Google to make sure she's still relevant.
John G. Hill She was an ass. She also loved Gladiator the next year. Glad she wasn't the permanent replacement. Also, notice Roger unbuttoned his top shirt again?
We are talking Magnolia, not Titanic, and although I didn't think it was that great a film, I knew it would be popular because it was an experience for many. Everybody has a right not to like something, film, music, whatever, but if you have a disagreeable personality, you won't be on the air for long, with the exception of hateful jerks like Sean Hannity.
If you hated her condescending laugh then you would have hated the early seasons of At the Movies. Siskel and Ebert were huge dicks to each other and Ebert gave a lot of condescending laughs to Gene and vice versa.
"I really thought that all these stories would have come together in some sort of unexpected synergistic way that would have been some sort of epiphany..." And the fact that it didn't happen is the whole point of the damn movie. I don't understand how someone so simple can be a movie critic, does she only review romantic comedies and shit that goes according to plan?
From a cocky, macho man in Act I to a blubbering little boy wanting his Dad in the finale. Amazing evolution. People talk a lot about so-and-so being robbed at the Oscars all the time. I think Caine winning over Cruise is the most egregious.
Judging by some of the comments below, i would easily surmise that Gene Siskel is equally missed. Gene, you are missed, too, though imagining that you and Roger debating raucously on the latest fare again brings a smile.
The film is about randomness that ain't so random.........that's the whole point of it. Almost every character gets a temporary resolution, almost every character finds something cathartic, but as the view, you know that won't last long -- life goes on.
"It makes....no...sense". Given the person critiquing it, that's an endorsement to see it if there ever was one. I loved this movie. You either have an imagination when you see this film, or you don't. The director and writer actually give people more credit for being human beings capable of empathy and redemption than they deserve....
This woman saw the scene where all the characters sit alone singing the same song, showing that we are never truly alone no matter how much we think we are and that we are bound by our fears and angers and loves and passions………and she STILL said she didn’t like it. Well, to each their own I guess
Paul Thomas Anderson is a master storyteller and that's what this movie is all about. Telling a story. But it's not everybody's cup of tea. And I can fully understand somebody not liking this film or somebody not being able to finish watching this film. The cast in this movie is unbelievable. Not a weak Link in the chain. Definitely one of the best movies I have ever seen in my life. Next to boogie Nights which is by the same director and writer. I think this movie is especially for the person who thinks he or she has seen it all on the screen. But if you haven't seen magnolia then you have not seen it all because this movie is the all. 🙋
love seeing Ebert go to bat for this film. im only 20 years late but I watched it for the first time last night and was somewhere on the fence between both of their view points. after seeing this video he sold me. I love it.
One of my favorite At The Movies segments EVER! When the female critic starts speaking and it cuts to Ebert you can tell everything going on in his head there, like 'Oh you wanna REALLY fight?' I've had these arguments with people over films before, especially the 'THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT!' and they still don't get it. (But I still respect their opinion and don't think they are wrong and blahblahblah')
I have watched Roger Ebert reviewing films for decades, sometimes with Gene Siskel, sometimes with Richard Roeper, but I have never seen an exchange this SPIRITED! It is amazing to hear Roger go on and on about how much and why he loves the film and for her to sharply rebuke him: "I didn't like it. It makes NO sense!" Roger's face falls as his eyes bug out. PRICELESS! 😂
I love how most people's criticism of the film boils down to "I thought this would happen instead. The thing I expected didn't happen and I don't like that"
There is literally no "look" on his face. Just a "listening" expression. You could have picked 2 dozen spots where he was incredulous but you picked the one where he looked like he was perusing the MacDonalds menu. And 63 retards agreed hahaha.
I remember how sad I was when Gene Siskel died and the fact that he didn't live to see Kubrick's last film. Oh fuck, he didn't live to see Magnolia? Now I know there's no God. I could be wrong. I hope I am... and I hope he's sitting next to Gene Siskel watching a pristine, 35 mm print of P. T. A. 's greatest film right now.
Saw this for first time last night. Never heard of it before so went in blind. One of my favorite movies now. Every performance was great and the part where (spoiler) started raining from the sky was beautiful and weird. My favorite character was John C Reilly but everyone did a great job, Cruise, Hoffman etc.
I love the look on Ebert's face when she calls the film a mess.
He be like "This bitch." :P
It’s like he just vomited in his mouth a little 😂
its a beautifull mess if it is
It’s a face that screams, I wish Siskel was still here.
same reaction I had
She's angry that Magnolia is not a traditional film with clever tie-in's and reassuring plot contrivances. And Ebert is so correct, the whole point of the movie is that life is chaos interpreted as order, randomness disguised as coincidence,and chance encounters mistaken for serendipity. The opening monologue is a sarcastic rib, a trick of the unreliable narrator, a bark worthy of P. T. Barnum. Such is the wisdom of Magnolia.
+Matt Berry Perfectly summed up :) Already wish I was back in the cinema watching it on a pristine 35mm print as I was Thursday
+Matt Berry Are you thee Matt Berry?
Probably is, you know..
Matt Berry - I've never quite been able to decide on my opinion of Magnolia, but I've always appreciated it for what it is on some level -- what you just said summed things up clearly & made me appreciate it even more than before
Magnolia is the most traditional drama film there is. Incredibly banal and predictable family shit that we all know of. Along with pompous classical music.
The fact that she was expecting all the stories to come together in that cliche'd way is so fucking hilarious when you think about it. As Roger said, she literally missed THE WHOLE GODDAMN POINT OF THE MOVIE. The thing that makes this movie a masterpiece and a classic is that instead of all the stories tying together as you predict them to and as tons of other less-intelligent movies have done, instead it throws at you one of the most left-feild, unexpected, utterly unique final sequences in cinematic history as if to say "hey guess what! in life things dont just tie up together in a nice little ribbon, in life crazy unexpected, unplanned shit happens."
Well then, why the coincidental stories at the start?
@@jackdaniels2905 one word: deception
The fascinating part to me is that the stories DO converge and she doesn't seem to realize it.
@@dannygestri9479 Exactly. I don't understand why so many people in comments seem to think the stories aren't aligned / tied together. *THEY ARE* Maybe everybody just takes it for granted now... but I remember the joy of the very first time I watched Magnolia - the jigsaw puzzle of how all the characters were INDEED connected and interwoven, reveals itself slowly but surely, as the movie progresses. All the characters are a mere "1 degree of separation" from each other. But you don't know that at the beginning. As for the stories "coming together at the end" ... as far as I've always been concerned - *THEY DO* That is what the frogs were for !!! All those separate storylines - suddenly merge in one common event that everybody experiences at the same time. I always thought this. I still can't believe the critic lady, and so many commentors here, don't seem to get this...
It’s not that deep though! It’s insulting to the audience. The director made no bold or artistic claims about life. It was very run of the mill, pretentious . As a film it is SO overrated . I’m seeing a common theme in his films....
That's the beauty of Paul Anderson. He doesn't preach in his movies. You have to search for what it means to YOU. Art is not didactic. Art asks questions. Sometimes those questions are answered and sometimes they are not. A former art teacher of mine told me if Everyone's loves it be careful. Don't be seduced by praise.
exactly. i've been learning there's immense truth in how much art triggers us because it means it hit a nerve in us, which is the whole point anyway.
there has to be space and room for interpretation - every great writer NEEDS to know how much description to give and how much to leave out so the reader can fill it in with his own imagination. if every damn word is written, there is no space for the reader to feel as if he even NEEDS to be friends with the character(S).
@Sam I think it means that people are flawed and noone is perfect.
@Sam oh man really? I thought Julianne Moore's performance was the best part next to Tom Cruise. What exactly did you find terrible about her performance?
Also, I didn't get the frog part at first. Now I think it means that anything can anything can happen. Hence when the camera goes right to the picture and it says, "But it did happen." I think it was also a way to bring the people together, which worked. But then again, you're entitled to your opinion. A movies not great if everyone likes it.
@Sam I will. Thanks for the link. Also, I respect your opinion on the movie.
Don’t tell art why it can and can’t be!
You don’t own art!
I believe art can be anything it wants to be; no ceiling.
Who’s with me?
Ebert in the beginning: This is one of the best films of the year
Woman: It almost sounds like you like this film?
She heard what he said, she just chose to try and be a smart ass about it.
Cooper And at that moment Roger longed for Gene even more lol
@@blakeandcamp nice catch..... What a moron she is
I love how the response to her criticism was in the film: "But it did happen. This is a thing that happens."
Roockie creative writing mistake. "Why did you put that in the story?" Because it really happened."
Who cares. It's fiction. It has to work as such.
Ethan Davidson I'm sure Paul Thomas Anderson could learn a lot from your sage advice. I mean only two of his five Oscar nominations are for writing.
LAVATORR I believe 3 are for writing (Boogie Nights, Magnolia and There Will Be Blood).
jhop4life Well then he needs Ethan Davidson's wisdom now more than ever.
Patrick Dyer and well deserved in my opinion
Roger Ebert was the man. RIP.
The guy literally lost his face.
There's a particular brilliance in Tom Cruise's false responses during the interview. His subtle stalls and body language before providing the false answers. So good.
absolutely. you can perfectly feel the feelings of the character with each raised eyebrow, with each movement of the head, with each click of the tongue and each glance. And that silent stare he gives the reporter while she was tolding him to tell the truth, my God! always gives me fucking chills...
i know this lady. she's the one who called the cops on my kids birthday party
LOL!
Joyce?
Lololols
Lol
It must have made no sense to her.
Fact: He understands the move, he got the point, she does not.
Love magnolia: its in my top 10 movies of my life!
It's in my top ten as well.
It's in my top 5
@@jothishprabu8 my top 5 as well
* movie / terrible woman reviewer
I haven't seen Magnolia in a very long time, but this is one of those movies that just sticks with me. One of the things that keeps reminding me of this film is the timeless music of Aimee Mann. It has to be one of the best movie soundtracks in history.
the only time the characters really fuse together is when they are all singing the lyrics to that single ballad mid-film. Very chilling scene. Just emotionally lost and connected at the same time.
Love the Wise Up scene it’s brilliant
"What it transforms at the end is our expectation that every movie has to be dead in the water and be predictable and be formulaic and in the way we expect it to. This movie is alive and free to surprise us!"
This should be the last word.
Well put
that's the kind of woman that Riggan Thomson talks to in Birdman
skchalivetlnd, now there's a shallow, albeit articulate, response.
Well, the woman here is kinda worse, cuz the woman did ultimately give the play a rave review.
She's more like the interviewer at the beginning. The critic had it's reasons and morals, yet was fair enough to let herself be convinced of the talent displayed by Thomson's play and gave it a review she thought was deserving.
I think they are,in some way,opposite. This woman expected a formulaic generic conclusion to movies while the critic in The Birdman looked for style and uniqueness and was angered that Riggan was going to bring his non-event acting to Broadway.
“You risk nothing, nothing nothing nothing”
3:02 The facial expressions of Roger says everything.
Ebert's face @ 2:58 is saying "You are worse than Siskel"
damn thats true
Hahaha absolutely.
+Onmysheet It is actually at 3:02. lol
Gene would have loved this movie. He was the perfect foil for Ebert, as I'm sure Ebert recognized. This person OTOH ... yuck.
Gene would've probably made it his favorite film of 1999.
this is one of those times when I can say ebert deserves to be known as THE film critic. this is one of the most complex movies ever made and he got it.
Such passion from Roger Ebert! Love the man. We were so lucky to have him.
This movie is still incredibly good. I didn't even see it for the first time until about 2010 or 2011 and it was as fresh and timely and invigorating and wonderful as anything. Paul Thomas Anderson is fantastic. And dear Philip Seymour Hoffman will be greatly missed.
i watched it again yesterday and its still Tom Cruises best ever role
No one who truly loves film should ever look negatively upon a movie that breaks from the Hollywood tradition of linear, cause and effect storytelling the way Magnolia does and sure as hell, no one who's career is dedicated to writing about and critiquing movies. I've seen this many times, her stupidity never ceases to astound me.
We should allowed to criticize those movies as well too. A film breaking away from Hollywood tradition in and of itself doesn’t make it good.
@@curly_wyn no, but it certainly makes them more interesting. What makes magnolia great isn't the fact that it breaks the formula. It's the way it utilizes its chaotic structure to tell us a beautiful story, a real story.
Roger Ebert nailed it.
"Frogs and men" I love the way he said that. Great movie.
Yeah, it is a clue to what happens without giving it away.
lol he threw in a spoiler without actually spoiling the movie.
Ebert's a legend! Haha the lady "It makes no sense" WTF :D
Luke Koebele I wonder if she ever figured it out.
+ThuggzBunney Probably not. She's close-minded.
Magnolia is 1 of my favorite dramas. The climax is so out there , & huge that a person wonders what happened to the resolution of the stories?! Tom Cruise is fabulous in this movie.
I'm a woman, and Magnolia is my favorite movie of all time. I have never been more moved by a film. Every performance was brilliant. Every beat was perfect, & every emotion it evoked cut me to the quick. I will love PTA forever for giving us this beautiful, cinematic gift.
I saw this review when it was aired, and I remember clearly that it's the most upset I've ever been at a movie reviewer. I had seen Magnolia just a few days prior, and it was one of the most profound experiences I've ever had at the movies. A little later in the review (the entirety of it isn't posted), she said it didn't meet the criteria for a great film. CRITERIA. Yes, she actually used that word. It's fun to watch this again because I appreciated the daggers Ebert was glaring at her.
Seriously. No joke. When this was in theaters it got so many people asking for refunds after 20 minutes into the film. A lot of people just couldn't get it. I loved it. Was probably my favorite film that year.
She’s absolutely right. I would’ve asked for a refund too.
This movie reminded me of an acid trip
No film has moved me so greatly or provoked so much thought in my mind on the first viewing like Magnolia, it truly is a transcendental force of nature and it has been in my top 5 favourite films ever since
What are your other most favourite films?
I think Magnolia is P.T Anderson's best movie. The building tension between stories was definitely there, and I appreciated it's innovative narrative, unusual music and engaging filmmaking. It is a divisive piece of cinema l, but I thought it was powerful and resonant in its own way.
Nope Every film he’s made this Century has surpassed it
@@randywhite3947 you're crazy
anderson's best is boogie nights, there will be blood, magnolia
@@jameswilliams-zr8co Yes, but the other way around: Magnolia, There Will Be Blood, Boogie Nights
@@kosmosyche no, boogie nights is his best movie, than magnolia..
Wow, how can she call herself a film critic? I could see my mom thinking along these lines, but come on lady, stop being so simple. This is a masterpiece.
I was thinking the same thing. A lot of people probably had her reaction.
They shouldn't be film critics.
"But Joyce that's the WHOLE POINT!"
It makes me laugh every time, she just doesn't get it. She's not even listening to counterpoints... I really can't stand her lol
Joyce would be the "Karen" of today.
How could she give this movie a thumbs down... unreal
Roger Ebert actually explains his views on the film, whereas she just comes out with broad statements, like:"The film's a mess.", as she refuses to listen to the logical and great points he's making, because they don't coincide with hers. Ignorance and arrogance at its finest.
it's not that the stories all come together in that frog and rain scene, it's that all those stories come to closure thanks to that you may say magical out of the blue moment. life has these rare moments, rare but it happens. I think that's what's underlined there. hope
I saw this in the theater when it came out, I've watched it maybe twice since but so much of it is crystal clear in my mind- that's the sign of an effective movie- stays with you
"It makes no sense"... That's the point!!! Life is chaos.
Bruh that's not what this movie is about
@@jothishprabu8 WRONG!
NEXT ISSUE!!
When I was 11 years old I snuck into my mother’s “secret” vhs collection of things she recorded off HBO. They had no notes or writing on them. I took one of them to my room and put it in my vcr after everyone went to bed. I didn’t know what I would see but I was excited and felt like I was doing something super taboo. I watched Magnolia in the middle of the night, from start to finish as an 11 year old. When I read a critics review of it, he mentioned that months and even years later he can admit that his life was changed because he saw Magnolia. I couldn’t agree more. Although I didn’t fully grasp everything that was going on with the intertwining plot, it was an informative and magical experience, and I’m thankful for my curiosity even though I was doing something I shouldn’t have been doing. The opening of the film with all the different instances of chance and fate really blew my mind. When frogs started falling from the sky, I was in amazement. It opened up my mind to wonder of movies like no child entertainment I think could. To this day, the greatest film I have ever seen, and my all time favorite. Although now I have watched it 1,000 times. Thank you PTA.
this movie reached me on an emotional level that ive yet to find in any other piece of cinema. Yeah other great movies have invoked great emotions to match them but ive never been on such an existential rollercoaster as i had been watching this movie.
I would recommend wholeheartedly that you take a chance on cloud Atlas
There are movies that you watch that blow you away on first viewing, but after that you cannot find a reason to want to watch it again. Then there are movies like Magnolia which simply cannot be appreciated in one viewing, there is far too much going on in it to understand at once. But each time I watch it I get more out of it and that is why it is one of my favorite movies of all time. The first time I saw it I was fascinated by parts, confused by parts, intrigued by parts. The scene where all the characters were apart but all singing to "Wise up" is what really made me sit up and say, "Oh, wow, this is amazing!". I knew there was a lot of meaning in this and when it was over I couldn't wait to watch it again.
ebert knows... ebert KNOWS
Amongst the best films ever.
Ahh, Joyce Kulhawik... She was our local TV entertainment host in Boston in the 80s. Notorious for not getting it. I remember her negative review of Terminator, and after seeing it thinking, ok, she's not to be trusted.
One of the best movies ever.
In my top 10. there is nothing about this movie that misses.
I forgot how much I loved this movie. After recently revisiting the film, just for kicks I looked up what my old go-to critic Ebert had to say -no surprise, he loved it. Joyce Kulhawik was Roger's co-host in the clip. If you found the film messy or ambitiously unsuccessful, Joyce has a blog called joyceschoices you may enjoy. Personally, from the opening scene, to the close w/ Aimee Mann's 'Save Me' playing us out... it's near perfect. All killer, no filler. "Life Itself" is next on my list.
I Love that Roger loved this film !! He forgot to mention William H Macy’s part which was also brilliant, funny, and sad. This film in its own right is a Masterpiece, in my opinion 👍🏼
Wait a second, let's analyze this woman's critique:
"I really thought (IE: "EXPECTED) that all these stories would have come together in some sort of UNEXPECTED synergistic way that would have been some sort of epiphany..."
So let me get this straight, you were expecting the unexpected (let it be known that she implies that "unexpected" = good at this point), and then when it was even MORE unexpected than you expected, because it did something completely different, that = flaw? Seems legit.
ClassicFilmGuy She was expecting the stories to come together in a certain way, but they didn't, and she didn't like that.
What can you expect?
That was a great aaron sorkin esk critique.
I watched this live & thought the exact same thing @ the time. It was right there in front of her & she missed it. Brilliant film. Poor review on many levels from her POV.
I saw this on VHS by myself. It came on two tapes. Was totally blown away.
I was doing my student teaching to become a high school English teacher the year Magnolia came out. I told my host teacher how much I loved this film. Her advanced senior class, apropos of nothing, told her not to go see it because it was terrible. She paused a moment, and said, "Someone told me they liked it." Then she remembered, and looked at me. "Wasn't it you?" And so I had to defend it. The students said all those people wouldn't be able to sing the same song at the same time, and the one guy was almost dead, so couldn't be singing. That's when I had to explain that it wasn't literally all those people singing--it was symbolic way of showing how they were all in dark places in their lives. But they just didn't get it. Now I am teaching these same classes at the same school. My host teacher retired years ago, and is now 80 years old. She saw the movie after my recommendation...and loved it. She defended it to her students as well.
One of my favorite movies. Actually one of the only performances of Tom Cruise that I really enjoyed.
This movie is a masterpiece. The build up and spiral of chaosness at the end is brilliantly spun through all the characters with a score that is just genius.
Magnolia’s a favorite movie of mine and it’s so satisfying seeing Ebert shut her down like this.
The fact that Roger could see the beauty in this film is why Roger has gone down as one of the greatest movie reviewers of all time and why Joyce Kulhawik is somebody you have to Google to make sure she's still relevant.
Admittedly, I have no idea who she is. And I’m not inclined to even Google her.
One of my favorite movies. I always knew I was going to get my money's worth when I viewed a he gave a thumbs up to.
How Ebert's face goes from jubilation to total disgust in half a second @2:57 Love!
I actually hated this movie the first time I saw it. Then watched it again like five years later and absolutely LOVED it. It's a masterpiece
Oh man I love the look of unabashed rage and fury in his face when she starts talking about how bad she thought the film was. RIP Roger
Its a great movie because every actor in this movie gets a chance to cry.
Boy, I really hated that woman because of the condescending laugh she throws out at Roger. She doesn't have a clue.
John G. Hill She was an ass. She also loved Gladiator the next year. Glad she wasn't the permanent replacement. Also, notice Roger unbuttoned his top shirt again?
Maybe she has a clue. Titanic is a terrible plot, with bloopers hidden behind a big budget for clothes and music, and sheeple cant see it either.
We are talking Magnolia, not Titanic, and although I didn't think it was that great a film, I knew it would be popular because it was an experience for many. Everybody has a right not to like something, film, music, whatever, but if you have a disagreeable personality, you won't be on the air for long, with the exception of hateful jerks like Sean Hannity.
If you hated her condescending laugh then you would have hated the early seasons of At the Movies. Siskel and Ebert were huge dicks to each other and Ebert gave a lot of condescending laughs to Gene and vice versa.
You hated her because she is a woman. If Siskel gave him that laugh you wouldn't care. Men are allowed to have such laughs, women are not.
If people are going to learn to appreciate and forgive each other... it's going to take a miracle.
I love how Roger Ebert keeps fighting for our similar opinions! I'm on a role with watching these great Ebert film discussions.
One of my all time favorite films
best movie ever. nothing else so heartfelt and true was ever made.
Agreed.I find this film to be epic!
+George Inotowok Amen, thank you. It is truly unique and sublime.
“This film is a mess…” thats right. So it is life and unexpected. Period. And the message is very clear and well done in the picture about that
"I really thought that all these stories would have come together in some sort of unexpected synergistic way that would have been some sort of epiphany..."
And the fact that it didn't happen is the whole point of the damn movie. I don't understand how someone so simple can be a movie critic, does she only review romantic comedies and shit that goes according to plan?
Well then why show that fuckin preface to start the movie.
@@jackdaniels2905 Misdirection... and you fell for it.
Love his passion for this excellent film!
When I saw Magnolia at the theater more than half the audience walked out. I haven't seen it since it came out. Guess it's time to watch it again.
Wow, yeah, it’s not a film for everyone I must admit and it’s pretty long at 188 minutes (even PTA says now he should have cut 30 minutes off it).
Magnolia is definitily one of the best movies of Paul Thomas Anderson
This women is what is wrong with the world.
Many artists won’t amount to anything because of people like her.
She better go to watch marvel or transformers films honestly.
@@gorgonzola151those weren’t a thing then
Both this & Punch-Drunk-Love are his best films to date.
Best acting job Tom Cruise ever did.....
Superb acting.
From a cocky, macho man in Act I to a blubbering little boy wanting his Dad in the finale. Amazing evolution. People talk a lot about so-and-so being robbed at the Oscars all the time. I think Caine winning over Cruise is the most egregious.
Magnolia is masterpiece she doesn't know what shes talking about, this film made perfect sense, great writing, great action, great direction.
I feel deep sadness that this woman is incapable of separating her personal from appraising the movie! It hit me like a hammer that’s genius!
My favourite movie of all time
I did not always agree with Ebert's reviews but I always enjoyed his perspective.
Roger, you are greatly missed.
Judging by some of the comments below, i would easily surmise that Gene Siskel is equally missed.
Gene, you are missed, too, though imagining that you and Roger debating raucously on the latest fare again brings a smile.
Thanks for the diatribe !
P.S. Try to imagine yourself having more tolerance for others.
P.P.S. Also, don't assume you know what others believe.
The film is about randomness that ain't so random.........that's the whole point of it. Almost every character gets a temporary resolution, almost every character finds something cathartic, but as the view, you know that won't last long -- life goes on.
"It makes....no...sense". Given the person critiquing it, that's an endorsement to see it if there ever was one.
I loved this movie. You either have an imagination when you see this film, or you don't. The director and writer actually give people more credit for being human beings capable of empathy and redemption than they deserve....
Oh yeah! Best movie of the year! So much better than Fight Club!
Yeah definitely
Perfect movie. The Wise Up scene is one of the most beautiful film-scenes i film history.
He explained that so well!
I really miss Ebert on TV, Siskel, too. But Ebert's voice continues on Twitter, online, and in his books.
This woman saw the scene where all the characters sit alone singing the same song, showing that we are never truly alone no matter how much we think we are and that we are bound by our fears and angers and loves and passions………and she STILL said she didn’t like it. Well, to each their own I guess
Paul Thomas Anderson is a master storyteller and that's what this movie is all about. Telling a story. But it's not everybody's cup of tea. And I can fully understand somebody not liking this film or somebody not being able to finish watching this film. The cast in this movie is unbelievable. Not a weak Link in the chain. Definitely one of the best movies I have ever seen in my life. Next to boogie Nights which is by the same director and writer. I think this movie is especially for the person who thinks he or she has seen it all on the screen. But if you haven't seen magnolia then you have not seen it all because this movie is the all. 🙋
Unique and great film! One of Tom Cruise's best performances!
love seeing Ebert go to bat for this film. im only 20 years late but I watched it for the first time last night and was somewhere on the fence between both of their view points. after seeing this video he sold me. I love it.
One of my favorite At The Movies segments EVER! When the female critic starts speaking and it cuts to Ebert you can tell everything going on in his head there, like 'Oh you wanna REALLY fight?' I've had these arguments with people over films before, especially the 'THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT!' and they still don't get it. (But I still respect their opinion and don't think they are wrong and blahblahblah')
MAGNOLIA IS A MUST SEE FILM FOR ANYONE INTO MOVIES
Being different while still being good quality is achieving excellence. Anderson did this spectacularly in all of his films.
I love this movie and I miss Roger Ebert......
I expected the ending would be Cruise drop kicking frogs. .
I have watched Roger Ebert reviewing films for decades, sometimes with Gene Siskel, sometimes with Richard Roeper, but I have never seen an exchange this SPIRITED! It is amazing to hear Roger go on and on about how much and why he loves the film and for her to sharply rebuke him: "I didn't like it. It makes NO sense!"
Roger's face falls as his eyes bug out. PRICELESS!
😂
Wow, she REALLY didn't get the transformative effect that the, er, "Biblical Event" had upon the characters??!
Will always be one of my all time favourites, spellbinding
3:02 That Ebert expression is priceless haha.
This film gets better every time I see. I can see why PTA thinks of it as his favorite film.
"it make's no sense." hahahahahhaahaha
Kyle Hammitt *makes
I love how most people's criticism of the film boils down to "I thought this would happen instead. The thing I expected didn't happen and I don't like that"
Ebert's look at 2:57, "This woman has no idea what she is talking about and she completely missed the point of the movie."
holy shit.
Ah Jesus, she said 'synergy'
Hilarious! That is exactly what I thought when he looked at her. "She completely doesn't get it." A brilliant movie.
There is literally no "look" on his face. Just a "listening" expression. You could have picked 2 dozen spots where he was incredulous but you picked the one where he looked like he was perusing the MacDonalds menu. And 63 retards agreed hahaha.
Dan Miller ha ha.
_”It makes no sense.”_
A narrow-minded and almost always inaccurate statement.
It makes no sense, that she would be asked back.
The movie was amazing, and thats it.
I remember how sad I was when Gene Siskel died and the fact that he didn't live to see Kubrick's last film. Oh fuck, he didn't live to see Magnolia? Now I know there's no God. I could be wrong. I hope I am... and I hope he's sitting next to Gene Siskel watching a pristine, 35 mm print of P. T. A. 's greatest film right now.
Saw this for first time last night. Never heard of it before so went in blind. One of my favorite movies now. Every performance was great and the part where (spoiler) started raining from the sky was beautiful and weird. My favorite character was John C Reilly but everyone did a great job, Cruise, Hoffman etc.
The film didn't make any sense. That's why it was so realistic and so great!
It made a lotta sense to me
IronicKismet Can we get an IQ check??
How Julianne got snubbed for a Best Supporting Actress nomination is beyond me. The pharmacy scene is legendary.
Girlfriend missed the point entirely.
@GFrank Magnolia is a masterpiece. Sorry you didn't get it.
Agree with Ebert. One of my favorite movies.
It was painful having to watch Ebert deal with these un-learned co-hosts during that period.