Every Paul Thomas Anderson movie is an event. Following his underrated 1996 debut film “Hard Eight,” Anderson emerged as a major auteur with 1997’s “Boogie Nights,” and he’s been at the forefront of American cinema ever since. Pretty much every Anderson movie has a devoted group of fans who would declare it his greatest work, so a list of the best Anderson movies could include almost any sampling of his films.
I tend to prefer Anderson’s intimate stories over his overblown epics, but even the epics often have tender relationships at their core. Every Anderson movie has something to recommend it, but the best bring together disparate elements in unexpectedly satisfying ways.
