DVD Talk review of '3 Women' (Blu-ray)
 

I read Christopher McQuain's DVD review of 3 Women at http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=50527 and...

I think this is a very good, accurate review of Altman's enigmatic, quirky masterpiece. It is a spot-on review, in fact, of a film most people just find baffling or frustrating. I enjoyed reading it, and it sums up my own opinion of the film quite nicely.

The only point I would definitely have to disagree with is in Mr. McQuain's opening paragraph, where he gives his overview of Altman's work overall. In particular, his assertion that PT Anderson's "Magnolia" improves on Altman's "Short Cuts (though he admits to liking both). I like both films, as well. But I think Altman's "Short Cuts", itself based on Raymond Carver short stories, is leaps and bounds better than Anderson's excessive, self-indulgent imitation of Altman (with a little Scorsese thrown in, as well). I believed the "Short Cuts" people, the characters, were real, fleshed-out characters. I never believed any of "Magnolia"'s overblown, overly-dialated caricatures. Nor did I care for them. I just enjoyed the flamboyant filmmaking (which itself, as I've said, was largely lifted from Scorsese and Altman). I love much of Anderson's work (especially "There Will Be Blood" and "Punch Drunk Love") but "Magnolia" is my least favorite film of his, although I still think it's quite entertaining. I also disagree with Mr. McQuain's classification of "M*A*S*H" as "sophomoric". Though I love his shout-out to lesser-known, equally great Altman works, like "McCabe and Mrs. Miller" and "The Long Goodbye". I'd throw in "Thieves Like Us" and "California Split", as well. The 70s truly were Altman's peak period, although I think "The Player" and "Short Cuts" were late career masterpieces, as well.

Again, though, I enjoyed the review of "3 Women"!