3. Magnolia
Paul Thomas Anderson's flair for epic movie making has never been more present than it is in Magnolia. When the studio told him his next project after Boogie Nights could be whatever he wanted he really ran with his new found freedom after being so restricted with Hard Eight just a few years prior. The result is one of those films that could only have been made by a director who knows exactly what he's doing and the fact that this is only Anderson's third film is baffling to me. Can you name any other director of Anderson's generation who made a film as grand as Magnolia so early in their career or in their career at all? Magnolia is one of those films that deals with some of the biggest themes in life and translates them perfectly into the medium of cinema. The film deals with life, death, love, hate and father/child relationships(a recurring theme in all of Anderson's films) yet these themes never seem out of grasp of the viewer. Magnolia is one of those movies that leaves you feeling exhausted once it's over yet more appreciative of your life. An amazing accomplishment that is unparalleled by any of Anderson's peers.