10 Greatest Moments In Paul Thomas Anderson Movies

1. The Final Moments (Magnolia)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdajEccNZSM The moment I'm specifically referring to is when Aimee Mann's Save Me starts while Jim Kurring is driving and the scene transitions to show him talking with Claudia. The reason I placed this scene at #1 is its impact on the viewer. After watching 3 hours of pain and misery, this final moment of the film is not only a huge relief but one of those rare moments in a movie that make you appreciate life for not only the good moments but also the bad. The scene is filmed brilliantly with the camera, at first, being at a distance from Claudia but very slowly making its way to a close up on her face. It's the subtlety of this moment that makes it so emotionally moving since it draws you into the scene and puts the viewer right there with Claudia so you feel close to her. After seeing her miserable for the entire film and never even begin to crack a smile, the final moment of Magnolia when she looks directly into the camera and smiles one of the most uplifting smiles in film history. It's in this very moment that you realize she'll be okay and that life is worth living no matter how bad it might get. Truly inspiring. Like this article? Let us know in the comments section below.