Great Film overall

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

If you enjoyed There Will Be Blood, Inherent Vice, or Boogie Nights, you will like Phantom Thread. There are so many connections between these four movies that it isn't surprising they share a lot of common characteristics - long takes; soft, natural lighting; an emphasis on indoor scenes; and camera studies of characters' faces. These are all signs of movies from Paul Thomas Anderson who wrote and directed all four of these films. Not surprisingly, this isn't his first nomination, having received writing and/or directing nominations for all four of these films as well as Magnolia.And he frequently brings his own team together for these films. Composer Jonny Greenwood, who received a nomination for the excellent original music in Phantom Thread, also composed the music for There Will Be Blood and Inherent Vice. Mark Bridges, who won the costume award for this movie, also did the costumes for all three of Anderson's other big movies as well as winning the Costume Design Oscar for The Artist in 2012. Clearly, this group of film makers have been making this kind of movie together for several decades.And don't forget Daniel Day-Lewis, who was nominated for Leading Actor in this movie. He Won the Oscar for There Will be Blood, and so has a rewarding relationship with Anderson that goes back more than a decade. An accomplished actor, Day-Lewis has received Oscar nominations for five other movies, and won the acting Oscar for Lincoln, and My Left Foot. Casting him as Reynolds Woodcock in this movie was a perfect choice as Day-Lewis has a great knack for playing powerful men, who retain tragic flaws. Day-Lewis has the uncanny ability to project both strength and cautious vulnerability which gives his characters just the right amount of empathy.In Phantom Thread, Day-Lewis had the good fortune to play off of two powerful supporting performances. Newcomer Vicky Krieps plays his muse and love interest. I can't say I've seen her in any previous movies, but I suspect we will be rewarded in future movies. She has a wonderful ability to project emotion with her face and can exhibit joy and sadness with inflections in her eyes. In tense, emotion-laden scenes with Day-Lewis, she can hold her own. I'm kind of surprised she didn't receive her own nomination.Probably, though, the studio wisely reserved the supporting actress nod for Lesley Manville who did a terrific turn as Woodcock's sister and business partner. Although this is her first Oscar nomination, she is an accomplished actress on stage and British television. She has a terrific scene with Alma, Krieps' character, early in the movie where she actually smells her almost like she's a bouquet of flowers. The scene establishes not just her uncanny and sophisticated sensibilities, but also expresses her powerful position as Woodcock's second-in-command. She has several other turns of equal ability.Jonny Greenwood's original score dominates the movie and seems nearly perfect. It is difficult to pin down exactly what year the movie is supposed to take place, although there are clues that suggest sometime in the mid-50s. Greenwood's music takes a lot of themes from 50s big band music, classical music, and 50s movie backgrounds. After working with Thomas for two decades, he has managed to understand his message and here he creates music that helps maintain the tensions between all three personalities.Although I haven't done the comparisons with the other nominees yet, I'm kind of surprised that this movie won the Costume Design Award. Perhaps it is because the movie is about a dress designer, so the costume guild rewarded the movie more because it was about one of their own. Of course, the dresses he designs for Alma and the British royalty who use his services are beautiful, I don't know that they are exceptionally so. But it is definitely true that he makes Alma look stunning several times over. So maybe the award is deserved. (I must admit that costumes and makeup are two awards where I don't feel much competence in judging!)Ultimately, though, this is Anderson's movie, and its successes, and failures, fall on him!. As the writer and director, the movie is his brainchild from conception to delivery. The movie definitely has some good points. It is a powerful personality study that delves into one particular man with a curious combination of strengths and weaknesses. He does a great job in developing Woodcock's character, and, although we may not fully like him, we do gain a sufficient understanding that we can respect him. His use of the two women, his sister and his muse and lover, to more fully explore his complexities is commendable.But in the end, and especially at the end of the movie, I don't think it works as well as it might have. Without giving away some critical plot points, there is a climactic development between Alma and Reynolds that just isn't consistent. We know that Reynolds discovers something important about Alma, but the film doesn't tell us how he got there - the development of the plot point almost seems like a scene or two is missing. And yet it is exactly this development that determines the final outcome of the couple's relationship, and the denouement of the movie plot. As a result, I felt bewildered and uncomfortable - Anderson just sort of abandoned me out in the ozone somewhere. It is a difficult scene and I think both Day-Lewis and Krieps had hard times understanding it themselves, and yet it is perhaps the most important scene in the movie.But it might be the case that this was just me. Out of the 27 movies nominated for this year's general Oscars awards, Phantom Thread received the highest IMDB audience rating and the fifth highest critics metascore. The audience reaction, in particular, surprises me as this is not, generally, the kind of movie that kindles positive audience reactions. It is a beautiful movie to watch, but can be slow at times, focusing on personalities, not actions. Couple that with, what for me was an unsatisfying ending, and you get a curious set of ratings. (Nice to occasionally have things that remain unexplained.)

Daniel Day-Lewis at his very very best. Proving once more that he is arguably the finest actor of his generation. As in his performances in There Will Be Blood and Lincoln, every second he is on the screen is a wonder to behold and every sound he utters is believable and real. He will indeed be missed. The support from Vicky Krieps and Lesley Manville work perfectly. The script, costumes, sets, lighting and cinematography are faultless. But what lets this film down is the score which although at times is sublime, is at others, intrusive. Someone should have told Jonny Greenwood that sometimes, 'Less Is More'. Given their collaboration on so many projects previously it sounds as if that person is not Paul Thomas Anderson. If only Malcolm Arnold were still alive and composing.

I went to see "Phantom Thread" with a little bit of expectations, the "last movie" of Daniel Day-Lewis and another one from Paul Thomas Anderson, of who I haven't seen yet his entire filmography, it looked promising and it didn't disappoint me. The film is one of the most beautiful I saw from 2017 and also from many recent years, this word (beautiful) simplifies a very complex and well done film, and maybe many people won't think as me because of the plot and that's something I can understand but in my opinion is all the little and big components of the film which make it a brilliant piece of art.Let's begin with the big components, first: Daniel Day-Lewis. What can I say? He is one of the best actors in the world and maybe in the history of cinema, and he proof this in every second of this film, literally, in every second. Since the firsts scenes he appears you can see the enormous category he has, takes when we only are watching him combing his hair, shaving, dressing and polishing his shoes. Then his performance only improves and improves, portraying a very deep and complicated character. Sometimes charming, sometimes rude... A very complete performance. His co-protagonists don't stay far, principally Lesley Manville (who plays Cyril), his performance as a strong woman that even controls Reynolds is incredible, she's practically the leader between the Woodcock's siblings. Vicky Krieps performance is also good, Alma has also many faces, sometimes fragile and dependent, and then the opposite, strong and independent with non necessity of Reynolds.And we see all this special characters accompanied with Jonny Greenwood's music, wonderful and beautiful, maybe the best soundtrack in a movie from 2017. The piano represents all the beauty and horror in the film. And other aspects that for me are very well done are the photography (that is supposedly made by the same Paul Thomas Anderson) and the costume design (in charge of Mark Bridges) which are incredible in every part of the film.If someone, apart of Daniel Day-Lewis, has to take all the applause is, obviously, the director: Paul Thomas Anderson. Wonderful director and writer, the script of this film is what make it so incredible, the characters and the plot, and then there's how he takes all this to the cinematographic language. The takes, the composition of the takes is terrific, how he puts the camera makes him one of the best director of our times. There is three takes I want to highlight, because I think proof what I say; the first one is when occurs the "parade" with the presentation of some dresses in the house of Woodcock, the "camera in hand" when Alma goes out is beautiful made, with a great harmony and, accompanied with the music, you can feel the tension that Reynolds feels. The second is a long take, no cuts, when Cyril goes to see the work that the ladies are doing with the dress (after Reynolds falls, ruining it) we have a long take of Cyril walking around the table, stopping when she started, with Alma behind. This long take is beautiful, it is soft and quiet and has a great illumination. Last, is the take when Reynolds is recover and goes to see Alma in the couch, the camera frame shows Alma, Reynolds and the dress (that it's finish), the camera moves toward Reynolds and Alma, leaving the dress while Reynolds proposes marriage to Alma, then there's only they, we don't see the dress.For end this review, of this wonderful movie, I think this is the perfect goodbye (if it is) for Daniel Day-Lewis, a career of successful that we won't forget. And is also perfect for Paul Thomas Anderson, consolidating himself as a master of directing, and I hope one day everyone recognize this.

Beautiful film, that captivated me in the first hour. However just as Woodcock tires of his muse, i tired of this in the second half.Lesley Manville is great (she always is), but for me the revelation is Vicky Krieps. Yet she received no Oscar nomination?Beautiful Jonny Greenwood score though.