what's a director you don't vibe with, even though everyone else thinks they're a genius?

The TFS Reader Hotline post 📞

Welcome back to the TFS Reader Hotline, everyone — I hope you’re ready for some hot hot hot and timely takes about Oscar-winning director Paul Thomas Anderson (who, for the record, I absolutely adore).

This week’s submissions come from long-time reader, first time “caller” Matthew Brummund. This man has been through it, folks. From the depths of Terrence Malick-induced despair to the heights of Ted Lasso-inspired ugly crying, he's run the gamut of movie-related emotions. And lucky for us, he's decided to bare his soul on the Hotline for the world to see.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “But Sophie, aren’t you supposed to be providing some kind of insightful commentary on Matthew’s journey? Some grand philosophical musing on the nature of art and the human experience?”

And to that I say: bold of you to assume I have any insights to offer. I’m just here to make Tarantino jokes and project my own issues onto unsuspecting readers.

However, my curiosity is indeed unmatched. I’m always curious to hear people’s unfiltered thoughts on films and tv shows, but most often, I feel that something’s missing — something about the way we talk about why we like something, why they have a special place in our heart, and what that implies about us. I think we sometimes forget to discuss the effect that movies have on us, the changes they inspire, the things we process because of them, and the meaning we find through them.

This month’s submissions, coupled with my response, are all about that effect. And if reading about Matthew's breakdowns or my own rambling attempts at profundity makes you feel even a tiny bit less alone in your own struggles? Well, that's all any of us can really ask for.

So here’s to the movies that move us, the stories that shape us, and the Hotline confessions that remind us of the strange, sweet relief of feeling fully seen by another human being.

May we all be so lucky.

From Matthew Brummund:

PLOT ARMOR

Knight of Cups’ existentialism pulls me out of my depressive spirals and helps me push my personal reset button.

SPICY TALK

I don’t understand all the fuss over PTA’s films. I’ve tried and I’m sure they’re technically brilliant if I understood that side of movies, but they definitely don’t move me.

REALITY CHECK

Arrival the movie (& many of Ted Chiang’s stories) give me perspective on life and my place within it.

Runner Up: War for the Planet of the Apes - When Woody’s “The Colonel” states he had to “sacrifice his only son so that humanity could be saved” made me see some of my previous religious beliefs in a new and strange light.

TRIGGERED

Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 11 “Mom City”. I’ve had a difficult relationship with my mother and was not prepared for the ugly sobbing that overcame me as Ted cursed his mother out.

Sophie’s take:

Oh Matthew, you prince among men. There's so much to unpack here, so let's dive right in, shall we?