One Battle After Another

The Black Oil

Leo's next big gig. Late September release.

More trailer stuff next week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u-2yB8GJ-Q

The Black Oil

Full trailer's up. No fear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feOQFKv2Lw4

Iguarantee

This does not look entertaining.

johnny_ultimate

LOL not sure how Paul Thomas Anderson convinced a studio to part with a $140 million budget based on the entirety of his career to date, but I am extremely grateful that he did. Always exciting to get to see a new PTA, even if the finances involved are insane.

Romario11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304266#Comment_123304266

Why do you say that? He has directed a good few very successful films. Surely the man who wrote and directed There will be Blood and Phantom Thread would be worthy of a mere 140 mil from a studio!

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123305237#Comment_123305237

He's well worth it, but it is about 3 or 4 times his usual budgets, and his films tend not to make big box offices — There Will be Blood earned about 75m worldwide, while Phantom Thread got just under 50m worldwide. Still though, this one does look to be maybe aiming for a wider audience, and in the context of an awful lot of other recent big releases 140m isn't too bad.

johnny_ultimate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123305237#Comment_123305237

I mean, he's one of the best American filmmakers working today, and as a cinephile I'm very keen to see what he does with a much bigger budget than he's ever had before. But a quick glance at how much PTA films usually make show it's an objectivly insane bet from Warner Bros if they expect to make any money back :)

Romario11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123305323#Comment_123305323

Ah I wasn't aware this was his biggest budget. Its amazing how it works in film these days with multiples of that being spent on garbage but one of the top filmmakers who will likely give produce of great substance and critical acclaim, is a high risk for half the budget of the garbage!

It will be interesting to see what he's able to do with the extra cash.

Xofpod

Hadn't heard anything about this till I saw the trailer in the cinema during the week. His movies are always worth watching but I'm similarly scratching my head re the budget. Can they realistically expect to even make their budget back or are they chasing awards, for whatever reason? Kind of seems like a streamer move to make, not a studio that's relying on box office. Or am I missing something?

Also, while I like the look of the trailer, hard to see where 140m is going. Although I suppose Leo's 20m takes a fair chunk of that… Shades of Joker 2 here.

speedboatchase

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123494056#Comment_123494056

To be fair, Warner Bros took a lot of big punts on original or new-to-cinema IP this year, and Minecraft and Sinners have already paid off. So even if this isn't a blockbuster, maybe they won't be deterred from investing in great filmmakers over the next few years.

The Black Oil

This trailer goes all in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQUPdVxZNPk

The Black Oil

5 stars across the Guardian, Empire and BBC.

El Duda

https://twitter.com/TheMovieBadger/status/1968351942398333313

I think it might be good

johnny_ultimate

FYI for anyone looking to see this in Dublin: the IFI has a 70mm print. Don’t see any other film versions screening anywhere in Ireland, though alas not many cinemas left with film projectors.

Roll on Friday.

howdydoo83

Approved. Surprised at people laughing so much during my viewing.

Vudgie

I liked it a lot, far from perfect and some strange pacing. Saying that, some of the set pieces are great and there’s incredible cinematography at times.

It definitely won’t be for everyone, and it’s long!

johnny_ultimate

Anderson absolutely nailed this one. I mean, he usually does nail pretty much everything he tries, but to make such a textually dense film that flows like a dream and overflows with laugh out loud moments, imaginative setpieces and biting satire (without ever descending to glibness) is really an achievement.

Just a film where you can soak in the filmmaking prowess. The editing - driven by Greenwood’s inspired score and perfectly pitched needle drops - manages to bring together lots of characters, subplots and tonal swings into a pacy, dynamic wonder. It moves in weird little movements and chapters, some with bold swings, but never feels inconsistent. So many smart framing choices, from Anderson’s trademark long tracking shots (one particular sequence as del Toro walks DiCaprio through an apartment complex really highlights that ability to create a long, flowing stretch of visual storytelling) to two of the more creatively staged car chases I’ve seen - all singing in VistaVision. The performances from DiCaprio and Penn manage to be funny and tragic (or, more accurately, despicable in Penn’s case), del Toro is hilarious, while Infiniti and Taylor are well up to what’s asked for them in less ‘big’ performances.

A perfect film for this moment in American history too. Its world of disillusioned revolutionaries and pathetic, rich white supremacists (‘Christmas Adventurers Club’ made me laugh almost every time they said it) feels very well tuned to 2025, despite a script that would have originated a few years ago and a source novel inspiration from decades ago. But despite (or because of) that sharp relevance and satire, this is Anderson’s most crowdpleasing film yet: full of action, laughs, setpieces and many feats of audacious filmmaking. Honestly, it might just be his best yet - no small thing from the director of There Will Be Blood and (a personal favourite) Punch Drunk Love. A triumph.

GreatScott2024

Went to see it in the new Nutrgrove cinema, which was great.

The film itself was brilliant in IMO. The review above is pretty much nail on the head stuff.

DiCaprio and Penn were excellent in it, Del Toro too even though he's not in it as much as the other two.

Highly recommend seeing this one in the cinema. Might even go again.