Every Paul Thomas Anderson Movie, Ranked

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True American film directors with a distinct artistic vision are rare, largely because the film industry doesn’t prioritize them. Yet, Paul Thomas Anderson not only exists but consistently creates ambitious, unusual, and critically acclaimed movies. Remarkably, he manages to secure funding for these projects, even though they rarely become highly profitable. From his early days in 1993 – when he financed his first short film with tuition money and a credit card – PTA has been making the kind of movies Hollywood claims it doesn’t want, but somehow keeps producing. There’s even a story that one studio executive, bewildered about agreeing to fund Anderson’s latest film, was told it was simply his turn to do so.

Paul Thomas Anderson seems to operate outside of typical Hollywood logic, but it likely helps that he embodies the industry’s image. His career has continually returned to show business, exploring it through diverse films – from large ensemble pieces like *Magnolia* to unconventional love stories like *Phantom Thread*, the retro fun of *Licorice Pizza*, and the explicit world of *Boogie Nights*. This focus feels natural, given his connection to California. Anderson is a true storyteller of the Golden State, capturing both its glamorous dreams and harsh truths, especially within the San Fernando Valley, where he grew up. Many of his films portray the West as the ultimate place to chase the American dream – a landscape where both new and traditional ideas of success and fame are tested.

So, what are Wes Anderson’s best movies? He’s made some truly great films this century, and even his lesser-known works are enjoyable, making it hard to choose! With his new film, *One Battle After Another*, now in theaters, it’s a perfect time to revisit his filmography and decide for yourself.

10.
Hard Eight (1996)

Paul Thomas Anderson’s debut feature film, originally titled *Sydney* but released as *Hard Eight*, feels like a first effort – energetic and ambitious, but still finding its footing in its depiction of the tough world of casinos, sex work, and crime. Based on his 1993 short *Cigarettes & Coffee*, the film follows an experienced gambler named Sydney who mentors a young drifter. While Anderson was young when he made it, *Hard Eight* clearly shows his passion for and knowledge of films about the criminal underworld. The film is anchored by a remarkable performance from Philip Baker Hall as Sydney, a world-weary man who still surprises with moments of both kindness and violence. John C. Reilly is also strong as John, Sydney’s innocent protégé, and Gwyneth Paltrow plays Clementine, a damaged waitress who self-destructs despite a chance at happiness. Anderson’s talent for casting is particularly evident in Philip Seymour Hoffman’s memorable, brief appearance as a flamboyant gambler who provokes Sydney – a scene that foreshadows the fruitful collaborations to come between the director and many of the actors in this film.

9.
Licorice Pizza (2021)

Any concerns about the age gap and relationship between 15-year-old Gary Valentine and 25-year-old Alana Kane in *Licorice Pizza* are actually addressed within the film itself. Gary acts like an adult, while Alana wants to escape the complexities of adulthood. They connect not through romance, but because they’re both trying to be someone they’re not. More than a love story, the movie is a vibrant and detailed love letter to the San Fernando Valley in the 1970s. However, this film feels like a departure for Anderson because its charming scenes – like Harriet Sansom Harris’s blunt talent agent and Sean Penn’s motorcycle stunt – are overshadowed by a strong focus on nostalgia. Ultimately, *Licorice Pizza* feels like a flashy but unsatisfying conclusion, similar to Alana impulsively running into Gary’s arms during the movie’s quirky recreation of a Hollywood ending: a big moment that doesn’t quite land.

8.
Magnolia (1999)

Okay, let’s be real, Paul Thomas Anderson’s *Magnolia* is a bit… much. It’s got this older-generation, TV-star dad figure and a character dealing with addiction, and honestly, there’s a *lot* going on. It really feels like Anderson was trying to make a statement with this one – it’s nearly three hours long, packed with nine different storylines all happening in the San Fernando Valley, and it’s full of biblical allusions. But here’s the amazing thing: it mostly *works*. The themes of loneliness and longing connect these seemingly separate characters in a really powerful way. Tom Cruise is fantastic as this intensely focused, almost unsettling guy giving a speech, and Jason Robards delivers a heartbreaking performance as a father confronting his regrets. It’s over the top, yes, but that’s part of its charm – it’s like a massive cinematic power chord. Though, looking back, it feels like Anderson didn’t quite trust us to keep up. Julianne Moore is phenomenal in *Boogie Nights*, but her character here feels a little underserved, reduced to these big, dramatic moments. Still, even that culminates in one of the most unforgettable scenes ever – her pharmacy breakdown, yelling about being surrounded by sickness, is just… incredible.

7.
Inherent Vice (2014)

Paul Thomas Anderson has tackled Thomas Pynchon’s work twice, and his adaptation of *Inherent Vice* is the more accessible of the two. It’s a darkly comedic, sun-drenched noir film following private investigator Larry “Doc” Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) as he gets caught up in a bizarre and complex criminal case involving a missing developer, a mysterious cult, and drug trafficking. While often dismissed as a minor work by the director, or simply a rambling, pot-fueled story, *Inherent Vice* is actually deeply melancholic. The central mystery, if you can even call it that, serves as a way to introduce a host of memorable characters, including a hilariously over-the-top Josh Brolin and a standout performance by Hong Chau as a pragmatic massage parlor worker. Katherine Waterston, as Doc’s former lover Shasta, perfectly captures a sense of lost innocence. Set in 1970, the film shows the fading remnants of the Summer of Love, portraying Doc and Shasta not as carefree hippies, but as two people facing the sobering aftermath of a wild party and a huge cleanup.

6.
Punch-Drunk Love (2002)

Before Adam Sandler surprised audiences with his intense performance in *Uncut Gems*, *Punch-Drunk Love* reimagined him as a surprisingly endearing romantic lead. Sandler plays Barry Egan, a somewhat erratic salesman who collects coupons and is constantly fussed over by his seven sisters. While Barry struggles with anger and can be difficult to understand, he also possesses a clumsy sweetness that makes it believable why Lena Leonard (Emily Watson) would be drawn to him. The film showcases Paul Thomas Anderson’s ability to draw unique performances from actors, and looking back 23 years later, it’s clear *Punch-Drunk Love* represents a turning point in Anderson’s career – a bridge between his earlier, more straightforward work and the bolder, more experimental films he’d later create. The movie effectively puts you inside Barry’s anxious mind, where his self-doubt and worries are overwhelming. The film’s setting – from the industrial area where he works to his simple apartment – isn’t depressing, but rather reflects a life on the verge of change, as if Barry’s world could be completely transformed at any moment.

5.
One Battle After Another (2025)

Paul Thomas Anderson’s newest film marks his second try at adapting the work of Thomas Pynchon, but surprisingly, it’s also his most mainstream movie in years. It’s a fast-paced action-comedy featuring Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob Ferguson, a former activist who’s abandoned his radical past to protect his teenage daughter, Willa. The film borrows heavily from *Terminator 2*, with Sean Penn playing Colonel Lockjaw, a cartoonishly over-the-top military villain. However, it’s still distinctly an Anderson film, filled with his signature quirky details – like a secret society of white supremacists obsessed with Christmas, and Benicio del Toro as the leader of a network helping migrants. Even the action sequences feel uniquely his, such as a scene where del Toro calmly leads a group of women and children to safety through a tunnel while DiCaprio desperately searches for a phone charger. *One Battle After Another* is both exciting and darkly humorous, and it offers a refreshing, realistic view of the fight for a better future – portraying it as a continuous struggle with new generations taking up the cause.

5.
Boogie Nights (1997)

Perhaps the most brilliant casting decision Paul Thomas Anderson ever made was choosing Mark Wahlberg for the role of Dirk Diggler in *Boogie Nights*. Anderson recognized a potential in Wahlberg, who was only three years into his acting career after being known as the rapper Marky Mark, that Wahlberg himself doesn’t seem to acknowledge, given his reluctance to discuss the film. *Boogie Nights* follows Dirk’s journey through the golden age of adult films and its eventual decline with the rise of VHS. Like many of Anderson’s movies, it’s a story about loss and the bittersweet realization that good times don’t last. But it’s also a deeply compelling film about how the world of adult entertainment unexpectedly becomes a true, if unconventional, family for Dirk, with Amber Waves (Julianne Moore) and Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds) acting as flawed but loving parental figures. As he did in films like *Licorice Pizza* and *Magnolia*, Anderson finds more fascination in the fringes of Hollywood than in its glamorous core, and *Boogie Nights* perfectly illustrates this – showing an industry that, even at its peak, was destined to remain outside the mainstream.

3.
There Will Be Blood (2007)

The film *There Will Be Blood* opens with Daniel Plainview, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, working alone as a silver miner in New Mexico, desperately seeking wealth and a better life. In many ways, the film itself feels like that same struggle – an attempt to forge a unique cinematic style. On the surface, it’s a classic American story of a self-made man who achieves success through hard work and ambition at the beginning of the 20th century, only to discover that money doesn’t bring happiness. However, this description doesn’t capture how immersive and unusual the film truly is, with its silent opening scenes and haunting music. Plainview isn’t so much a fully realized person as an emptiness shaped like one. Day-Lewis portrays him as someone who has deliberately stripped away his humanity, becoming a primal force driven by an insatiable hunger. Unlike Anderson’s *Magnolia*, which loudly proclaimed its artistic goals, *There Will Be Blood* simply *is* a great American film, without needing to announce it.

2.
Phantom Thread (2017)

Paul Thomas Anderson’s *Phantom Thread* is a surprisingly romantic film, even featuring a scene where one character intentionally poisons another with mushrooms in an omelet! The moment Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) realizes Alma Elson (Vicky Krieps) has poisoned his food and *still* eats it while asking for a kiss is incredibly moving. The film beautifully captures the intense and confined world of a 1950s fashion house, portraying Reynolds as a controlling perfectionist who rules over his life with strict order. But at its heart, *Phantom Thread* is a love story told as a power struggle. Alma persistently breaks down the walls Reynolds has built around himself until he finally lets her in. Reynolds is a difficult man who uses his need for control to avoid emotional vulnerability, but Alma proves to be far more determined than he expects. She refuses to simply be another admirer and instead, the film celebrates relationships built on mutual compromise and the unique connection between two people whose quirks complement each other. When asked if the film is based on his own marriage to Maya Rudolph, Anderson admitted it’s “not really, but kind of sort of,” which perfectly captures the film’s subtly personal feel.

1.
The Master (2012)

Joaquin Phoenix delivers a truly unforgettable performance as Freddie Quell, a troubled Navy veteran struggling to adjust to life after war. Freddie is a raw, unpredictable character, driven by impulse and seemingly unable to hide his true feelings. This honesty attracts the attention of Lancaster Dodd, a charismatic but self-absorbed leader (played brilliantly by Philip Seymour Hoffman) who sees Freddie as both a symbol for his new belief system and a challenging test subject. Dodd hopes to prove his teachings can reach even the most chaotic individuals. While similar to other complex characters in Paul Thomas Anderson’s films, Freddie is purely instinctive. He drifts away from Dodd, only to eventually return for a surreal and powerful confrontation. Anderson consistently creates exceptional films, but *The Master* stands out as his most profound achievement-a deeply personal and uniquely intimate work of art. The film presents intensely human characters who also feel like figures from myth, offering a fresh, unsettling, and deeply moving perspective on the world.

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2025-09-25 18:57