All 10 Paul Thomas Anderson Movies, Ranked by Entertainment Value

The film industry breathed a collective sigh when Paul Thomas Anderson finally became an Oscar winner, an accolade many felt he had long deserved. Emerging from the new wave of American independent filmmaking in the 1990s, Anderson has built a reputation for making critically acclaimed films that are also entertaining.

Impressively, he has made ten features so far, none of which could be described as bad. At the lower end of the list sit Inherent Vice, Hard Eight, and Punch-Drunk Love. Inherent Vice is Anderson’s most confusing and self-indulgent film, a neo-noir adaptation of Thomas Pynchon best enjoyed by coasting on vibes and the electric performances of Josh Brolin, Benicio del Toro, and Joaquin Phoenix.

Hard Eight announced Anderson’s gifts with a smart script and a strong cast, anchored by Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, and an early Philip Seymour Hoffman turn. Punch-Drunk Love reframed Adam Sandler and proved Hoffman could steal scenes as a hilariously abrasive mattress-store owner.

United States

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