"I have a lot of love to give. I just don't know where to put it."

I was putting off going to sleep, so I checked the DVD shelf for movies I hadn't seen in awhile, and ended up putting in Magnolia. I didn't watch all of it, just certain scenes. I've owned it a long time, but I think I've only watched it all the way through twice. It's a bit of a sit-through, but man, is it impressive. A case could certainly be made against the movie, but you've got to admit that it's ballsy. Paul Thomas Anderson is many things, but he is not timid. To use a labored sports metaphor, he swings for the fences. And I'd pick an uneven, ballsy movie over one that's solid but takes no chances. Of course, it helps that the acting in Magnolia is uniformly excellent.

And God, is it heartbreaking. Constantly heartbreaking. When Stanley wets his pants on the game show? Or William H. Macy proclaims his love for the bartender? Or when John C. Reily loses his gun and starts begging God to help him find it? Augh! Yeah, it's a hell of a movie.