1. The Master Is Ahead Of Its Time
If anything, writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson has made a film that will be talked about for years to come. It might just be that his latest masterpiece is not ready to be digested quite yet, at least before the Academy votes are in. The Master is a film that needs to be seen more than once to be appreciated, both to marvel at the beautiful cinematography and brilliant performances, but also to absorb what Anderson is trying to say in a complex story about the trials of war, family and loyalty. An ideal situation would be for the Academy members to watch this film once, discuss it, and then watch it again. The Master cannot be summarized in one viewing, and in their haste of trying to see every film nominated, this gem might go unappreciated. The best bet at The Master taking home an Oscar is Anderson's masterful and poetic original screenplay, the blueprint for this epic. The Best Original Screenplay award has been dubbed "The Citizen Kane Award" over the years, honoring a film for its daring and influential impact on cinema, instead of awarding it the mainstream Best Picture Oscar (Sunset Boulevard, Dog Day Afternoon, Network, Pulp Fiction and, yes, Citizen Kane are some of the winners of this award). If Anderson's screenplay is recognized (his 3rd nomination in this category), all of the lost buzz, controversy and scandal might prove to have been worth it after all.
What did you make of The Master? Does it deserve more love? Let us know in the comments section below.