"ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER" - MINI-REVIEW
Writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER is an irreverent, rapturous, rip-roaring gonzo masterpiece. Even though we are only at the beginning of the fall movie season, there may not be a better film this year (and yes, that’s in a year that also includes the movie SINNERS).
After a decade of, let’s say, exceedingly well-made “desserts” (which are still better than most films), this is Anderson at his most hard-hitting and relevant, with the most resources at his disposal to date (a budget of over $100 million), and not only is every dollar on screen, it is very rich in other ways. The film is on target, action-packed, absolutely hilarious (and not just PTA-funny) and often heartwarming, even while your pulse is racing. As a burnout former revolutionary, Leonardo DiCaprio does some of his best, most organic, funniest work to date, and as his daughter, newcomer Chase Infiniti is a star. It also boasts a top-five Sean Penn performance that’s a cross between John Wayne and Popeye, stunning VistaVision cinematography that captures the massive scope with a certain film grain that evokes 70s thrillers, and a David Shire-adjacent paranoid score by Jonny Greenwood designed to work your last nerve. 
The whole thing seems effortless (I’m sure the inventive, dynamite car chase wasn’t!), and is such a wild ride. 
See it, and see it in the premium formats if you can (VistaVision, IMAX, 70mm, and the like).
Viva la Revolución!
Zach is a proud member of the Minnesota Film Critics Association (MNFCA). For more info about Zach, the organization, or to read other great reviews from other great Minnesota-based film critics, click here: https://mnfilmcriticalliance.wordpress.com/