Weekly Movie Challenge

Paul Thomas Anderson

Biography

Paul Thomas Anderson (born June 26, 1970) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Born in Los Angeles, Anderson developed an interest in filmmaking from a young age. An alumnus of the Sundance Institute, Anderson is famous for making often epic psychological drama films which often take place in San Fernando Valley and deal with characters seeking after redemption, forgiveness or loss; they also use wide framing as well as realistic or gritty cinematography. Anderson made his feature film debut with Hard Eight (1996). He found critical and commercial success with Boogie Nights (1997), set in the Golden Age of Porn, and received further accolades with Magnolia (1999), an ensemble piece set in the San Fernando Valley, and Punch-Drunk Love (2002), a romantic comedy-drama film.

Anderson's 2007 film There Will Be Blood, about an oil prospector during the Southern California oil boom, achieved major critical and commercial success and was often cited as one of the greatest films of the 2000s. This was followed by The Master (2012) and Inherent Vice (2014). Anderson's eighth film, Phantom Thread, was released in 2017. He has directed music videos for artists including Fiona Apple, Radiohead, Haim, Joanna Newsom, Aimee Mann, Jon Brion and Michael Penn, and has also directed a documentary, Junun (2015), about the making of the album in India. More recently, he directed a short film accompanying Thom Yorke's Anima (2019), released on Netflix and in select IMAX theatres.

Anderson's films are often characterized by their depiction of flawed and desperate characters, explorations of themes such as dysfunctional families, alienation and loneliness, a bold visual style that uses moving camera and long takes, and memorable use of music. He is noted for his frequent collaborations with actors Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Melora Walters, John C. Reilly, Joaquin Phoenix and Daniel Day-Lewis, cinematographer Robert Elswit, costume designer Mark Bridges, and composers Jon Brion and Jonny Greenwood. His films have consistently garnered critical acclaim. Anderson has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, one Golden Globe Award and five BAFTA Awards, and has won a Best Director Award at Cannes, both Golden and a Silver Bear at Berlin and a Silver Lion at Venice.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Paul Thomas Anderson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Actor

Minority Report

2002

as Bus Passenger (uncredited)

Magnolia

1999

as Man Confiscating Sign (uncredited)

Documentaries

"Sr."

2022

as Self (archive footage)

A Christmas Eve Conversation With Quentin Tarantino & Paul Thomas Anderson

2015

as Self

Junun

2015

as Self (voice) (uncredited)

Chryskylodon Blues

2015

as Self

Altman

2014

as Self

That Moment: Magnolia Diary

2000

as Self

Wadd: The Life & Times of John C. Holmes

1999

as Self

Production Assistant

1992

as self

Directing

The Battle of Baktan Cross

2025

Director

Licorice Pizza

2021

Director

Anima

2019

Director

Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh

2018

Additional Second Assistant Director

Phantom Thread

2017

Director

HAIM / Valentine

2017

Director

Daydreaming

2016

Director

Radiohead - Daydreaming

2016

Director

Junun

2015

Director

Inherent Vice

2014

Director

The Master

2012

Director

There Will Be Blood

2007

Director

Mattress Man Commercial

2003

Director

Couch

2003

Director

Ballchewer

2002

Director

Punch-Drunk Love

2002

Director

Magnolia

1999

Director

The Jon Brion Show

1999

Director

Flagpole Special

1998

Director

Boogie Nights

1997

Director

Hard Eight

1997

Director

Cigarettes & Coffee

1993

Director

Production Assistant

1992

Director

The Dirk Diggler Story

1988

Director

Production

The Battle of Baktan Cross

2025

Producer

Licorice Pizza

2021

Producer

Anima

2019

Producer

Waterlily Jaguar

2018

Executive Producer

Phantom Thread

2017

Producer

Inherent Vice

2014

Producer

The Master

2012

Producer

There Will Be Blood

2007

Producer

Punch-Drunk Love

2002

Producer

Magnolia

1999

Producer

Boogie Nights

1997

Producer

Writing

The Battle of Baktan Cross

2025

Screenplay

Napoleon

2023

Script Consultant

Licorice Pizza

2021

Writer

Phantom Thread

2017

Writer

Inherent Vice

2014

Writer

The Master

2012

Writer

There Will Be Blood

2007

Screenplay

Couch

2003

Writer

Punch-Drunk Love

2002

Screenplay

Corky Romano

2001

Script Editor

Magnolia

1999

Writer

Flagpole Special

1998

Writer

Boogie Nights

1997

Writer

Hard Eight

1997

Screenplay

Cigarettes & Coffee

1993

Writer

The Dirk Diggler Story

1988

Writer

Paul Thomas Anderson

Actor

Videos

Documentaries

Directing

Production

Writing

Camera

Crew