The Master

WOW, I mentioned the PSH-Plemons linearity writing about I'm Thinking of Ending Things completely forgetting about this film. Maybe it's obvious, or maybe some causation beyond correlation.

The Master had better be inferior to its predecessor, but the progression makes sense. Filmmaker makes something subdued from which no one can look away, and follows up with something more esoteric and inscrutable, a stylistic sequel and exaggeration of the former. The Master while ecstatic lacks some control of the former. A tired comparison, No Country for Old Men shut up typical Coenisms for a higher cause, and There Will Be Blood similar -- but centripetal auteurs can't but polarize fast, washing in whirlpools of self: The Master loses control a little. Nevertheless, the filmmaker's vision is too dominant not to be exciting. He's fearless without becoming boringly contrary. He's smart enough to indulge himself without snuffing his fire. I said Django was overindulgent ego-flailing. I've never seen a PTA movie like that, but this is his analogue. Yet I think the movie is terrific, a balance of exciting and calculated. That's something about PTA: he's too simultaneously intelligent and passionate about humans to deliver anything but awesome movies for me. I need to watch Phantom Thread, and rewatch/finish Inherent Vice, and rewatch Boogie Nights, and Punch-Drunk Love. I think The Master is totally awesome. I remembered more of it than I wanted, so I'm not jumping out of my seat this time, and anyway it could never join my top top echelon of movies -- but it's up there in the clouds. And with such a mean character!