One Battle After Another also confirms PTA's love for commercial movies where one plot point was his riff on Mission: Impossible. The entire gag where Bob is on the phone trying to get the rendezvous point but cannot remember the password was apparently inspired by PTA thinking, "What would happen if Ethan Hunt forgot the code words used in spy exchanges?"
Another wonderful piece of writing, Sophie. You made me want to go back and rewatch all the PTA films I've already seen-- which is nearly all of them-- in anticipation of seeing his latest one. On another note, I don't think it matters what passport those of us in the West have in our pockets these days-- we're all just immigrants waiting to be cast out or lemmings marching in formation towards the cliff's edge.
Great essay. I agree with your assessment of PTA and I’ve always seen his filmography as essentially one long thesis about ~America~, with There Will Be Blood being one of the best films about America ever made. I saw OBAA last night and while it is definitely “of the moment,” I think it also understands that American society has always existed in tension between fascist and revolutionary energies - it’s part of the country’s foundational condition, and it’s especially bad right now but it’s not new. Which is why I think the movie is able to be both exhausted and hopeful at the same time.
Last Monday night, when I came out of The Grove’s almost full big-screen 14, I was strangely floating, having been carried along breakneck through indeed one battle after another to an ending laced with hope. Feeling fueled as by endorphins.
Immediately to the urinals (I’m older, 2’48” has consequence) where I asked my sidefellows, did you see it? did you like it? Yes and yes, very yes. Pretty much all in that tiled chamber seemed to be floating as well. Then to the little scanner for auto-validation and the same questions to those waiting their turn and yes and yes and multi thumbs up. PTA certainly met their moment and mine too.
Now I’ve read your thesis and now I know why my Monday came out the way it did. Certainly I hadn’t examined it with your clarity and depth.
Truth and insight after truth and insight, all delivered in crisp delicious prose. I love the writing in front of me and its writer from afar.
May that tentative unexpected shared sense of possibility PTA's finale engendered in me and in that audience bring millions to the streets next Saturday as we celebrate No King’s 2 peacefully and insistently “so that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”
Dear Sophie -- Fuck, this essay is brilliant. And you're one hell of a diagnostician yourself, playing the long game with both his films and the world we all share in common. I've got nothing to add but standing ovation and a grin so enormous you could see that shit from space.
Question: where does PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE fall, for you, in all of this? Cuz it's one of my favorites in a roster of nothing but favorites. And I suspect its absence here is more a quick segue to your next profound point than a dismissal of its place in PTA's cosmological scheme of things. Possibly because you wanted to save the hope beat for last, as the film it most resembles is ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER? Or have I just fallen off the logic flume here?
LEMME KNOW!!! And thanks for the jaw-dropping incisiveness laced throughout your kickass prose! This was truly inspired and inspiring writing. I got smarter by the paragraph.
Omg thank you so much, John 🥹 That's a great observation - I love the film too. The omission was definitely not intentional, it just came down to time. I wanted to get the piece out in a timely manner so I thought PDL was the film that fit my narrative the least so I decided to cut it. If I had more time, I'd love to think how it's themes of isolation/social phobia go back to 2002 and contemporary events of the time. Perhaps something to ponder on…
One Battle After Another also confirms PTA's love for commercial movies where one plot point was his riff on Mission: Impossible. The entire gag where Bob is on the phone trying to get the rendezvous point but cannot remember the password was apparently inspired by PTA thinking, "What would happen if Ethan Hunt forgot the code words used in spy exchanges?"
Another wonderful piece of writing, Sophie. You made me want to go back and rewatch all the PTA films I've already seen-- which is nearly all of them-- in anticipation of seeing his latest one. On another note, I don't think it matters what passport those of us in the West have in our pockets these days-- we're all just immigrants waiting to be cast out or lemmings marching in formation towards the cliff's edge.
Great essay. I agree with your assessment of PTA and I’ve always seen his filmography as essentially one long thesis about ~America~, with There Will Be Blood being one of the best films about America ever made. I saw OBAA last night and while it is definitely “of the moment,” I think it also understands that American society has always existed in tension between fascist and revolutionary energies - it’s part of the country’s foundational condition, and it’s especially bad right now but it’s not new. Which is why I think the movie is able to be both exhausted and hopeful at the same time.
Last Monday night, when I came out of The Grove’s almost full big-screen 14, I was strangely floating, having been carried along breakneck through indeed one battle after another to an ending laced with hope. Feeling fueled as by endorphins.
Immediately to the urinals (I’m older, 2’48” has consequence) where I asked my sidefellows, did you see it? did you like it? Yes and yes, very yes. Pretty much all in that tiled chamber seemed to be floating as well. Then to the little scanner for auto-validation and the same questions to those waiting their turn and yes and yes and multi thumbs up. PTA certainly met their moment and mine too.
Now I’ve read your thesis and now I know why my Monday came out the way it did. Certainly I hadn’t examined it with your clarity and depth.
Truth and insight after truth and insight, all delivered in crisp delicious prose. I love the writing in front of me and its writer from afar.
May that tentative unexpected shared sense of possibility PTA's finale engendered in me and in that audience bring millions to the streets next Saturday as we celebrate No King’s 2 peacefully and insistently “so that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”
Dear Sophie -- Fuck, this essay is brilliant. And you're one hell of a diagnostician yourself, playing the long game with both his films and the world we all share in common. I've got nothing to add but standing ovation and a grin so enormous you could see that shit from space.
Question: where does PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE fall, for you, in all of this? Cuz it's one of my favorites in a roster of nothing but favorites. And I suspect its absence here is more a quick segue to your next profound point than a dismissal of its place in PTA's cosmological scheme of things. Possibly because you wanted to save the hope beat for last, as the film it most resembles is ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER? Or have I just fallen off the logic flume here?
LEMME KNOW!!! And thanks for the jaw-dropping incisiveness laced throughout your kickass prose! This was truly inspired and inspiring writing. I got smarter by the paragraph.
Yer still-loudly applaudin' pal in the trenches,
Skipp
Omg thank you so much, John 🥹 That's a great observation - I love the film too. The omission was definitely not intentional, it just came down to time. I wanted to get the piece out in a timely manner so I thought PDL was the film that fit my narrative the least so I decided to cut it. If I had more time, I'd love to think how it's themes of isolation/social phobia go back to 2002 and contemporary events of the time. Perhaps something to ponder on…
Thanks so much again!!