FREAK FILMS: MAGNOLIA

Exodus 8:2 - "And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs."
In every generation there are films that define us, that define the future of cinema. Films that may not be universally loved. In fact, it is often the case that the film is simply too far ahead of its time to be understood by everyone. But, as time goes on, there is no way to deny the impact that they have had on films that have come since.
This is a very special edition of Freak Films, as this is a review of a film very near and dear to my heart: Magnolia. I can remember the day I saw Magnolia for the first time. It had been a very long day of classes, which had been preceded by no sleep. I remember sitting there in the theater, waiting for it to start, wondering if I would even be able to make it through without falling asleep.
I knew from the first time I saw the preview with Jon Brion’s haunting score that I wanted to see it, in spite of the fact that I hated Tom Cruise. I didn’t even know if it would be good. It was too hard to figure out what exactly Magnolia was about from its mysterious trailer. I had seen P.T. Anderson’s Boogie Nights and thought it was good, but didn’t really understand what all the hype was about until after I saw Magnolia and went back to revisit it. The lights dimmed, a few previews, and then-- BAM!-- Magnolia kicked in.
I simply do not have the vocabulary or writing skill to explain to you what this movie did to me. I can only say that every time I have gone to a movie since then, the dimming of the lights fills me with a feeling like that of reaching the top of a roller coaster-- that brief moment where your heart leaps just before gravity takes hold and throws you toward the ground. Every time I have gone to the theater since then, I pray that I will have an experience like Magnolia.
Magnolia is hope to me. It is all the quirkiness, darkness, and beauty that is life. It is beginnings and endings. It is a symphony. Magnolia touches you in places that you may not want to be touched. It opens wounds, it makes you think about death, love, and how the choices of the past determine the course of your future. In short, Magnolia is a masterpiece. It is the Citizen Kane of our generation. The acting is amazing, the style of the film is awe-inspiring, and the soundtrack is absolutely perfect.
With every viewing you find something new, whether it’s counting the number of times the number "82" appears, or the layers of the soundtrack. There are so many levels and nuances to the performances, you will be shocked that the whole cast didn’t sweep the Oscars.
I beg you, if you have never experienced this film, to watch it. Open your heart and mind, have some tissues handy, and be ready to be amazed.
"And the book says: 'We may be through with the past, but the past ain’t through with us.'"
Postscript: The year Magnolia came out, Aimee Mann was nominated for an Academy Award for her song, “Save Me”. Unfortunately, she lost out to Phil Collins for his crap work on Disney's Tarzan. Mr. Collins, the fact that you could even accept this award and not give it to Aimee Mann, who possesses ten times your talent, is a crime against all of humanity. I would just like to take these few sentences to say fuck you. I hope you die alone and in great pain, you miserable hack.
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