re: "The Master" is HORRIBLE - don't waste time/money on this POS

What's wrong with cartoons?

And, no, I didn't like Boogie Nights. It's aimless in its second half. I realize the William H Macy character's suicide is supposed to be a major tonal turning point of the film, but it's also the point the narrative structure just completely falls apart. Anderson has so many balls in the air, and he can't pull them together.

Julianne Moore, who I love BTW, has her big attempt to get her kids back, which of course fails for rather obvious reasons. Then she has that breakdown and we're supposed to feel sympathy for her, but why? Because we "know" her? she shouldn't be within a mile of her children, and the court makes sure she isn't. That's not tragic at all. She is a selfish, hedonistic person and then she suffers the consequences for these decisions, with children who are entirely off screen. Oh, it's a big deal because we made a plot thread about it halfway through the film? It's like if the Godfather had introduced Fredo right before the betrayal. It wouldn't have matetred and it would've felt tacked on, like it was.

Dirk Diggler isn't tragic because he lacks awareness, really. Things happen to him, but he's not an agent of change. He's the Forrest Gump of porn stars, just sliding through the events. I simply don't care about him in any meaningful way.

Great performances. Emminently quotable. Total narrative mess.