Magnolia (1999) *RAINED* With Various Themes! - First Time Watching - Movie Reaction/Review

[@jamiebollenbacher4762]

I love everything about this movie, but one of my favorite things about it is how realistic the dialogue can be. People are speaking in broken sentences, just as they do in real life. Good examples are the conversations between Claudia and Jim on their date, or Earl's entire monologue, where he's even switching between past and present tense as he explains his regret. Every once in awhile they play this one on tv (if you have cable, of course), and every time I decide to put it on just for a little while, but I ALWAYS get sucked back in and stay until the end all over again. Because, just like you pointed out, each scene with each character sucks you in and you become compelled and invested. It's a great rewatch, too! And yes, the acting is absolutely incredible.

[@PolferiferusII]

I only saw it once when it came out and put it into my (ever-revolving) "top 10" list. Then, over time it slipped my mind. I'm so glad they reacted to it, as now I want to see it again! In the off chance you've never read books by Kurt Vonnegut, mayI highly recommend them to you! I would guess that you'd enjoy them quite a lot. This movie strongly gives me what I feel when I read him; similar themes of unresolved detritus from the past haunting people and unconciously effecting their actions, sometimes figuring things out, sometimes not, artifice, authenticity, grace, forgiveness, doubt, and absurdity. His style is like the dilogue in this movie, being both conversational and meaningful, but not without you, the reader, not having to process it first; and it never preaches, as the author himself is still trying to figure it out as well. There's a lot more I could go on and on about, as he's one of my favorite authors, but I have to stop somewhere. Lastly, I'll just say, for me, his best books were _God Bless You, Mr Rosewater,_ _Mother Night,_ _Cat's Cradle,_ _Breakfast of Champions,_ and _The Sirens of Titan._ Saying that, I can't think of a bad one. They're still all very good! Peace!

[@PolferiferusII]

*That first book I listed has the comma in the title, not two seperate titles. Just looked at how I wrote it and realized it might be confusing.

[@Ethan-yz7lc]

This soundtrack has always been in my playlist rotation. In fact, Save Me and Wise Up were playing just this morning when i hit random on my music.

[@spicoli4217]

Never saw this coming. Favourite movie ever

[@rodbacote8607]

The rain of frogs is inspired by a couple of things. One is biblical as there is a rain of frogs in the book of Exodus in reference to forgiveness and redemption. It's also based on an actual phenomenon when frogs get caught up in a tornado that went over a body of water and then fall from the sky.

[@jillgehrke]

This is one of my favorite movies and Tom Cruise performance. The entire cast is brilliant!

[@ct6852]

I think it's his only Oscar nomination.

[@jillgehrke]

@@ct6852 He was also nominated for Born on the 4th of July and Jerry Maguire.

[@ct6852]

@@jillgehrke Oh that's right! Forgot about those. Pretty sure he'll get the Lifetime Achievement Award if he never wins.

[@michiganjfrog366]

Magnolia has been in my top five favorite movie list since 1999... The soundtrack featuring all the Aimee Mann songs is amazing too. "Save Me" what's nominated for an academy award and a Grammy 😁 when Claudia smiles at the end... I still cry every time

[@PolferiferusII]

I absolutely love Aimee Mann, and every one of her creative endeavors, but _Magnolia,_ to me, is definitely her best album! ❤

[@PolferiferusII]

Keep in mind, no actor can immitate those emotions expressed in this, or any performance you watch; it can only be experienced, and that's what good actors have to put themselves through. That's why they have such mad respect for one another.

[@prestuvius]

One of my favorite movies of all time. Incredible dialogue, performances, camerawork, editing, and music.

[@Replicaate]

One of my favorite films of all time, by one of my favorite directors of all time, featuring one of my favorite ensemble casts of all time, and one of my favorite Tom Cruise performances of all time! You guys are spoiling me halfway through the week, you really are!

[@dipankarjoshi3828]

Oscar snub. Tom Cruise gave the performance for the ages. Academy wasn't able to see him as a supporting due to him being a lead moviestar. Tom Cruise truly is the greatest moviestar of all time

[@True_Canuck_1]

Tom Cruise, did, however, win a Best Supporting actor Golden Globe for his performance.

[@ct6852]

I'm so corny but I love the scene where they're all singing to the same song...gets me every time. The idea of all these characters in crisis and breaking down comforting themselves to the same obscure Aimee Mann song is a cool idea. And emotional. PTA is a great director.

[@isabelsilva62023]

This and "Born on the 4th of July" are probably Tom Cruise's best roles ever, those that truly show his talent, the scene with Jason Robards might be his best acting. And then of course there is Les Grossman...🙂 There is only one other channel I have seen react to this masterpiece, thank you guys!

[@annewoodard6803]

The movie was shot in parts in my neighborhood. The bar with Henry Gibson and William H Macy is called “The Fox Fire” and it’s on Magnolia Blvd in the Valley. A good friend is sitting in the background. Also one of the best soundtracks ever.

[@ct6852]

That's where the director is from. Was the street name changed after the movie came out?

[@Lmaoh5150]

@@ct6852The movie is named after the street

[@ct6852]

@@Lmaoh5150 Oh cool. I never knew that.

[@ryantrevino1999]

There's a great reason beyond the frogs falling. The director father died a few years before this film. At the funeral he couldn't understand why or how. His dad passed away. His cousin or friend just came out saying. "FROGS COULD FALL FROM THE SKY AND WE COULDN'T EXPLAIN IT." Same reason why people we love die. It happens and we are shocked and can't explain why. The director remembered that and put it in the film.

[@NoCreamedCorn]

Cam: “I don’t want to make predictions about it because I don’t want to sound dumb.” Also Cam: “He’s going to f^ck that peanut butter sandwich!”

[@Ethan-yz7lc]

So what? I fuck peanut butter sandwiches all the time. 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@siobhan5486]

That's honestly a good prediction

[@mytravels8685]

Yup. It was like watching two stupid kids watching a film

[@LonnieMoore-u8p]

Jason Robards, 2 time oscar winner, played Big Earl (Tom Cruise's character's father). In real life Robards was dying of brain cancer. When the director called Robards and offered him the role,Robards confided his health problem and hooked to IVs. Paul Anderson said,"Great that will save money on props." Robards said, "I want to work this son of a bitch."

[@raha78]

He had lung cancer, not brain cancer.

[@LonnieMoore-u8p]

Thank you for the correction.

[@chrislavoie2844]

I literally gasped when I saw that you guys had done a reaction to this. It's an amazing movie, but the deus ex machina of the frogs (as well as the Aimee Mann song that's sung in the middle) really does turn some people off. I think it's brilliant, and I'm glad you guys reacted the way you did. You were spot-on about the score and the acting. Everything about this film is incredible, and it should have won more Oscars than it did.

[@myfreakyvalentine]

"Punch Drunk Love" is definitely another PTA movie to check out. Also, another ensemble kind of movie in the vein of Magnolia is Robert Altman's "Short Cuts". Both great movies in their own right.

[@raha78]

The phone number for Seduce and Destroy was a real number in 1999. I called it and it was a message with Tom Cruise in character advertising the program.

[@Nightmarigny]

This is one of his masterpieces. Boogie Nights and The Master. There Will Be Blood. The Master is Top 10 of all time for me, though. I hate Tom Cruise and his horrifying cult, but there is no doubt that he is a brilliant actor. This is his best work.

[@dwhitman3092]

Agree.

[@auntvesuvi3872]

Thanks, Cameron! Thanks, Isaiah! 🐸 Paul Thomas Anderson's history of directorial excellence will become evermore apparent.

[@findingpeace4life290]

I love this movie and the soundtrack.

[@seansersmylie]

Wow, great choice dudes!!!

[@domnuney1]

One of my favorite movies of all time! Check out how many times the numbers 8 and 2 show up on screen over the course of the film. It happens a lot. At least three times in the first 10 minutes. And later when the game show is about to start, there's someone in the the studio audience holding up a sign that says Exodus 8:2. In the Bible, the passage Exodus 8:2 reads: "If you do not let my people go, I will plague your city with frogs."

[@retrotero76]

Much more than 3 times. Some are weird (like the cables on the rooftop etc...)

[@csilt]

I remember seeing this back in the day. Definitely put Paul Thomas Anderson on my radar. I actually have heard of stories of frogs falling from the sky from a distant tornado. Tornadoes can loft debris hundreds of miles from the location of the tornado up to 40,000 feet up and sometimes even higher.

[@she_who_dares9713]

Man. Everything about this movie is awesome. The best cast ensemble and one of my favorite Tom Cruise performances.

[@pennythpmas5787]

Yes. Look it up. Sometimes it rains frogs and fish!

[@sergiodavila5269]

This is a masterpiece y’all!!! Tom Cruise’s scene with his father dying is so emotionally jarring, it kills me EVERY time 😔

[@blotcho84]

What a special movie. I agree, the final frame gave me goosebumps. Great reaction, as always!

[@savage_skirt5386]

Gray-haired man, sitting next to William H Macy at the bar is Henry Gibson, who voiced Wilbur in the original Charlotte's Web

[@Starbits7]

Apparently 187 is code for Murder. This movie was a trip. Well done. Another weird movie with Tom Cruise is Vanilla Sky. But the quiz show portion immediately made me think of the movie Quiz Show (1994) (obviously lol). An amazing movie you should watch

[@SS4Luxray]

When Rose confronts Jimmy about Claudia… that scene did it for me 👏🏾👏🏾 and Tom Cruise gave the best performance of his career in this film

[@eddie_77]

This one was one phenomenal movie when it came out in 1999. Tom Cruise was a beast and one of his best roles. Great reaction guys!

[@MelissaDisha]

Wow! You guys! I've never seen this movie before. It was really intense! What a ride. My emotions were so up and down. I need to lay down now! 😂 Great job, guys! Waterspouts 🌪 can pick up fish, frogs, and all kinds of crap. Then it all comes down miles away after being aloft in the air!

[@savage_skirt5386]

Fantastic final performance from the great Jason Robards (Earl)

[@malaware5341]

" I thought this was a new thing" It's kind of been slowly developing since dawn of the internet

[@charrid56maclean]

Great reaction! I love the zoomy remark. The frogs bring everyone together🐸. You 2 are wise beyond your years and give me hope for the future. You really got it. The frog thing has really happened before.

[@bnwinsf]

The brilliant Aimee Mann should have won the best song Oscar that year for Save Me (I think Phil Collins won for a terrible song in a silly Tarzan Disney movie...Ugh). Her music is integral to this film. Fun fact..... Aimee Mann played the nihilist in The Big Lebowski who contributed her toe to the extortion scheme.

[@blotcho84]

Agreed! Aimee Mann's Magnolia contributions were so iconic

[@PolferiferusII]

What you said about the Oscar: what a crime! Aimee Mann gets overlooked by far too many. If anyone's "music saves lives", it's hers!

[@angelagraves865]

I love this movie! Such great acting. This is the first movie where I noticed Melora Walters, who I now absolutely love.

[@SeanandDev1]

Another caretaker/not as haunted character is PSH’s Phil Parma. PTA made this film in the aftermath of his own father’s death. Ernie Anderson was an omnipresent voiceover/announcer through his career. For a period of time he was basically the voice of ABC, very recognizable as the announcer of the Bob Saget episodes of Funniest Home Videos. In addition, he was the announcer for the early seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation and an early comedy partner for the infamous comedic actor Tim Conway. This was the great actor, Jason Robards (Earl Partridge), last film role before his passing. And he was actually suffering from the cancer (lung, just as the character is) that would eventually take his life when this was filmed. You can’t go wrong with much of PTA’s filmography. I especially recommend Boogie Nights, Hard Eight, There Will Be Blood, and Punch-Drunk Love.

[@izzonj]

Sorry i missed this reaction when it came out. You guys impressed me with how you recieved and appreciated it. Magnolia refers to Magnolia Blvd, in LA, which connects all the characters with each other. The frogs were just a thing that happened to change all the characters at once. It could have been anything, so why not frogs raining from the sky! BTW, the frogs were all rubber models with a few mechanical ones thrown in to crawl around

[@davidwilkins5932]

Great reaction! This represents everything I look for in a reaction. Thanks for the extended commentary, and not cutting the movie segment itself too short. With far too many examples, there isn’t enough meat on the bone. (Not yours, but the work of others.)

[@kevinmassey1164]

Tip of the hat for reacting to this film. It’s one that has stuck with me since first seeing it. I think it’s amazing

[@bobgable2691]

Old Testament .Plague of Frogs

[@weatherlou]

One of my favorite movies of all time and with music that actually meant something to the movie.

[@wolfeflambe]

You two will love Boogie Nights. Much of the cast from Magnolia are in it. PTA is a top tier director.

[@justinhareld6800]

Magnolia is my favorite movie!!! So glad you both covered it and "got it". I find a lot of people who watch this movie don't get it, so I was pleasantly surprised that you understood it completely. Was a pleasure to watch guys. Raining frogs is meant as a symbolic cleansing. There have been reported cases in history of raining frogs. Raining frogs originates from the Bible. Tom Cruise lost the Best Supporting Actor Oscar that year. It is considered one of biggest Oscar snubs that he didn't win. At the time in 1999, this was considered one of the best movies ever made, but it didn't really gain much traction in mainstream movie goers. Paul Thomas Anderson is a genius, I encourage you to watch many of his other famous movies; Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, The Master, Inherent Vice, Licorice Pizza.

[@TheOdMan]

One of my favorite movies of all time, and I'd have a hard time telling you why. It's more a feeling I get when I watch it, something like melancholy mixed with nostalgia and a slow creeping fear of.... something. I love this damn movie. Edit: And oh yeah Julianne Moore gives one of my favorite performances in this movie as well, in fact the entire damn cast is insanely good in this.

[@NoCreamedCorn]

No explanation for the frogs. “These things just happen.” You should definitely be doing more modern classics like this! Not that there are any quite like *this* but PT Anderson has some others worth watching, especially There Will Be Blood. More Coen brothers (Blood Simple, Miller’s Crossing, Barton Fink) would be appreciated. And how about Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige? I loved this reaction gentlemen!

[@TJinMO]

Good job on this one!!! Great insight.

[@Larooster87]

My dudes, this is the greatest film I have ever seen, I’m so glad you watched it. Keep it up!

[@AxelGizmo]

Very intelligent and emotional reaction. You nailed it!

[@timh3576]

35:05 Ricky Jay, one of the best sleight of hand magicians

[@SeanandDev1]

One of the books on Stanley’s table of books is Ricky Jay’s Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women: Unique, Eccentric and Amazing Entertainers. Jay is also the narrator of the film.

[@timh3576]

@@SeanandDev1 I didnt catch that! Good one!

[@teddyfrisco5915]

Great video and commentary!! 1999 was a heck of a year for cinema.. what if you guys did a little side list of only films made that year?

[@mistakenot...4012]

Good catch on that line Cam. Spot on.

[@chrislittle2797]

Great vid. The acting in Magnolia is off the scale, although I think Julianne Moore goes a bit "soap opera" with her hysteria. Cruise should have won best supporting actor, he's never been better.

[@PerfectHandProductions]

Since you're watching PTA films, it's time for one of the best films of the century, There Will Be Blood.

[@mrmagnus420]

I mean since you did this movie and experienced a PT Anderson movie, you guys gotta do Boogie Nights!!

[@pablosonic892]

I drove 8 hours to see a 3 hour movie in '99. This was that movie. Michael Caine won best Supporting Actor that year for The Cider House Rules beating out Tom Cruise for this role. It's one of the great travesties of wrong call wiffs in Academy Awards history. Michael Caine in that movie was wonderful. But Tom didn't just give that years best performance. Cruise swung for immortality and got it. It's lightning in a bottle. We've since had 25 years of Tom becoming the American Jackie Chan guy. But, once upon a time, he was this. Tom was That Guy. I think he still is. The good news the projects he's announced with the auteurs attached is him once again shifting gears and making a long awaited return to small big art house swing dramatic roles with Avant Garde talents. When Tom goes for it in a quality part with an A list director, it's poetry in motion and that in and of itself is its own amazing deaf-defying stunt. Pfft. Frog Team 6. B*tch, you almost made me smile..... ;)

[@Replicaate]

I too am hyped for Cruise's return to scenery chewing serious cinema. I love me some Top Gun and Mission Impossible - TG:M and Fallout have been some of my favorite action movies of the last 2 decades - but man, if he goes back to doing stuff like Magnolia or Born on the 4th of July in his old age, I am THERE for it.

[@AdamtheGrey02]

I saw this back in '99 in the theatres. All the actors in this were fantastic.

[@ct6852]

How did it do at the box office?

[@AdamtheGrey02]

@@ct6852 Wiki says it hit around 48.5 million with a 37 million budget. At the time I didn't think it was some box office. We travelled to one of the further theatres to see it. May have been a limited release then or we'd just go to different theatres just to mix it up a bit. I recall it was a later movie, around 10pm. I don't believe there were that many people there.

[@tolen2006]

Very nice of you to get to PTA. Hopefully we'll see more reactions from his filmography, such as There Will Be Blood (Daniel Day-Lewis at his most method), Boogie Nights, Punch-Drunk Love (Sandler's most underrated performance) and The Master. 🐸

[@CameronBrooks]

A lot of people walked out of the theater when I saw this

[@mansour2420]

You guys are legends 🔥

[@jasoncinema]

It really is a fucking masterpiece, and I feel like it’s sadly been forgotten and under appreciated, both in the cultural and cinema zeitgeist, and the careers of Tom Cruise and Paul Thomas Anderson.

[@SPT1]

Director was like 29 when he did this. We are all failures but try to enjoy your lifes still :D Also the score is excellent but it's nothing compared to Once Upon a Time in America's score. Watch that if you can, another long and great movie.

[@pricemoore2022]

Awesome reaction of my favorite movie!!!!!!😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@GregorioGrasselli1972]

By P.T. Anderson I saw and recommend "Punch drunk love" and "Licorice pizza" (the craziest driving in reverse in history). I saw but didn't like "There will be blood". Also, Gabriele Muccino's "L'ultimo bacio" is substantially a "Magnolia" about love, very well done: fantastic writing, acting, music, editing, direction.

[@terryemery4348]

So glad to see a reaction to this brilliant movie!

[@larrybee]

Not sure if you seen it but this is the same Director that did Boogey Nights. You guys need to check it out. Pretty much the same cast. This movie is amazing, always loved this movie.

[@JoeDatorCartoonist]

I used to have one of the prop frogs from this movie. They made thousands of them and you used to be able to get them really cheap. I had to get rid of it because it was made of sticky, oily rubber and I couldn’t find any way to store it.

[@13terapyn]

Consider the movie "The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things."

[@AndrewSmithArt]

If you guys like this film, you’ll definitely love Boogie Nights. In my opinion, the best PT Anderson film The same feel as Magnolia, but with comedy.

[@retrotero76]

After a little break, it is time for an actual masterpiece! Instant click!

[@threeminuteshate]

I had the same reaction in the theater to the drop-kicking dogs line.

[@rucksackzen]

1:04:39. Yup! It has been documented before 😂

[@chuckles7618]

Time to watch Boogie Nights

[@robovike]

when the reactor's instincts are so, so terribly off at the very start, but then they find their groove.

[@JasonDziura]

Your both amazing to watch 😊, so much fun

[@maverickslb80]

Tom Cruise is a brilliant actor.

[@eduardo_corrochio]

Now I'm curious: What was with the fits of laughter here when the frogs fell .... is that the usual response when people watch this film today? I remember seeing this movie and the whole room was silent when this happened. I didn't think that the rain scene was meant to be funny. Was I wrong? Thanks.

[@threeminuteshate]

OMG these young’uns have never “it’s 187 on an undercover cop.” I need to make sure I have my last will & testament squared away.

[@DerGeek]

Great reaction, well worth the length.

[@michaelkb8783]

Wow, About to watch. Thanks to Ryan for recommending.Love this film. Tom Cruise should have won the Best Actor Oscar for this one.

[@shasta810]

this is basically a week imitation of the brilliant Robert Altman film Nashville from 1975

[@wham-shirt-trimmer]

Please watch Licorice Pizza and Boogie Nights.

[@nuworldremix]

more Paul Thomas Anderson movies, let’s go!

[@frepotheman2333]

'In the Bible's Book of Exodus, God casts down a rain of frogs on the Egyptians for their refusal to free the Israelites, leading to it becoming a popular narrative device when exploring themes of forgiveness and redemption, such as in Magnolia.' - Google

[@muffinamy83]

My all-time favorite film.

[@mdavidmullins]

It indeed really can rain frogs.

[@digu97]

my favorite Movie of all time

[@SeanandDev1]

Do: The Killing, The Night of the Hunter, The Last Detail, Being There, Apocalypse Now (Theatrical Version), Poltergeist, Full Metal Jacket, Raising Arizona, Dead Calm, Dead Alive (Braindead), Alive, Sneakers, Flirting With Disaster, Boogie Nights, The Game, Existenz, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Deadwood : The Complete Series (36 episodes + 1 movie), There Will Be Blood, Zodiac, The VVitch, Mother!, Green Room, The Lighthouse, and Annihilation.

[@kevinmassey1164]

Regret….forgiveness

[@DanielBautista-ju7wz]

Please react to PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE next! Directed by the director of Boogie Nights and Magnolia. And it’s a dramatic Adam Sandler film.

[@GDL8234]

Welcome to PTA. :)

[@dahveed72]

So self indulget but so good. PTA figuring shit out.

[@diarrheagondola]

About 6 minutes in, Cam is bobbing his head but it's completely silent.

[@jh5131]

Hope you guys can do Vanilla Sky another awesome Cruise film

[@damaniqphillip2756]

Nice

[@obscillesk]

Good god man, out of some bad intros, that was like mythically bad, keep it up :P Also, that Aimee Mann soundtrack is just perfect for this movie

[@leon327]

It's as if PTA predicted Andrew Tate with Tom Cruises character.