Concidences

Several times in the past few days, different and unrelated people in different and unrelated settings have stated confidently that Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia is bloated, indulgent, depressing, and difficult to watch. This is strange to me because it's not a view I've heard espoused before, and suddenly it is presented as common wisdom we in the culture have all agreed upon. It's also strange because I find the movie hopeful, funny, and not especially slow or challenging.

I have been similarly surprised to hear people talk smack on Sneakers. I thought most of us liked that one.