Friday, March 29, 2024

Scientology Movie “The Master” Gets Raves After L.A. Surprise Screening

Share

Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master”– said to be based on the story of L. Ron Hubbard inventing Scientology–got a surprise screening the other night in Santa Monica. Guests at an American Cinematheque screening of “The Shining” were told to stay and see a new film. Apparently they got an eye full. After the screening, posts on Twitter and the imdb.com message board for the film were unanimous in their rave reviews.

The comments are consistent with the trailers, which look like a Paul Thomas Anderson movie as told by Terrence Malick–very dreamy and imaginative. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Adams all got high marks, and there is much talk of awards, etc.

“The Master” opens on September 14th, but first plays the Venice and Toronto film festivals. Hoffman, who’s already won an Oscar, will wind up competing with Daniel Day Lewis, who won his Oscar for “There Will Be Blood,” an Anderson movie. DDL stars as Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg’s movie about the Civil War president. That will also make at least three men in the awards season with three-part names–PTA, PSH, and DDL.

Quick answer to a reader’s comment: No, it’s not mocked.

Previous stories:

http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/07/27/scientology-ambush-the-master-moved-up-for-release-by-a-month

http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/07/10/katie-and-toms-quick-divorce-did-not-shut-down-the-scientology-investigations

http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/07/05/scientology-chiefs-niece-speaks-up-in-support-of-katie-holmes

http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/07/02/tom-cruise-wont-be-getting-any-help-from-lisa-marie-presley

http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/07/01/rupert-murdoch-attacks-scientology-tom-cruise-evil

Some Tweets:

Michael Gallagher ‏@TotallySketch

Just saw “The Master”. A movie has never made me feel quite like this one did. I can’t describe it or even rate it. I am speechless.
Jim Hemphill ‏@JimmyHemphill

Still absorbing last night’s sneak of #THEMASTER70MM at the Aero. Best American film of the last 10 years. @SidGrauman, you did it again!
Matthew Roth ‏@Super_Matts

THE MASTER is…interesting…I’ll be thinking about it for days #THEMASTER70MM J Phoenix and P S Hoffman are out of this world
michael whittle ‏@michaelwhittle

Possibly the best film watching experience I’ve ever had. #THEMASTER70MM

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
spot_img

Read more

In Other News