MAGNOLIA Explained | Frogs, Songs, And What It All Means 

Thank you for this. After 23 years I finally found someone who 100% gets this masterpiece.

I have to disagree with your analysis of Stanley's fate. I think he successfully rebukes his fate and dives into his reading material as the frogs fall around him not because he is preparing for another episode of the quiz show (it seems obvious to me he wouldn't be invited back anyways), but because of his real love of learning. The performance was shed and all that remains is his true passion for knowledge. He is one of the lucky leaves of the Magnolia flower which successfully escape their fate, in my opinion.

Magnolia was one of those movies that took me by surprise. Loved every moment of it.

This is one of the very few films that made me cry. It really resonated with me. I had a very profound experience watching it for the first time and every time I watch it I fall more and more in love with the masterpiece it is. I showed it to a friend who just didn’t get it and it broke my heart. It’s one of PTA’s best. I could go on for hours about it, but those who get it are my kind of people.

This was such a treat! I’ve always considered Magnolia a top-tier film in a general sense because of the general quality, but I can’t say I ever understood the “point”. The past few months I’ve been struggling with personal issues and thinking deeply about life, and certain scenes and characters from this film kept bubbling into my awareness. So I decided to finally watch an “explainer” about what the hell it was all about. Man, you really knocked it out of the park! A lot of what you say was already on the tip of my tongue as I wrestled with these themes of fate/free will/determinism, etc. Your video here is as much a masterpiece as the film itself!

Your channel is so underrated, you’ve made some of my favorite film analysis on the platform

Very well done, I love it! BTW, have you ever recognized that in the end with the frog rain scene, there is no one but the protagonists. No one is walking or running away from the frogs. Not a single car is driving.Not a single person at the gas station, not even a cashier. It's completely empty but the protagonists. At the time in about 2000 when I watched it, I found it very spooky

He certainly brought out the very best from his actors. Very impressive. Many scenes brought tears to my eyes.

it"s been a year since this was posted, but I have to tell you, it made me so happy to find it. I've never heard of another person who analyzed this film as much as I have. I applaud you. Thnaks for opening my eyes to even more character insight than I thought possible. THANK YOU!!

I've understood this movie since it came out and I'm so happy that someone else gets it. Incredible analysis. It even points out a few things I missed. Yes, this film is genius but it's even more than that. It has a purpose. It's a shame we're still stuck where we were as a people back when it was made.

I have literally never posted a response to anything on social media. I’m a 52 yr old male who has been obsessed with movies since the early 80s. I saw Magnolia in the theater back in ‘99, and remember hearing the confusion being expressed by other viewers that night. For me, after LOVING Boogie Nights, the film at first felt like a slight disappointment. Over the years, I watched it a few more times and felt more drawn in than I had initially. Now, after seeing this video, I am convinced that this is my favorite PTA offering behind Boogie Nights and There Will Be Blood. Thank you so much for providing this analysis - it opened my eyes to so much more than I had ever considered. It cements my more recent opinion that this film is a masterpiece, and deserves a place in the collection of all-time best PTA productions.

It's rare to find a movie in which the acting and soundtrack in perfect. This is one of them.I remember showing this to my gf and her mom for the first time and they didn't get it. lol they just thought it was weird. Glad someone else understands and feels the same way as me. Totally enjoyed this video !! Great insight from this amazing movie. It will always be in my top 5 movies of all time ! I just subscribed !

Thank you for beautifully articulating why I love this movie.

Wow. This has to be the best analysis of a film I've ever seen. So well written and worded. Typically I tend to stay away from other people's thoughts on movies and come to conclusions myself, and I only intended to watch a few minutes of this, but before I knew it I was through the whole thing. I'm going to send this to some friends as soon as they watch the actual movie haha.

This deserves more views... It made me truly appreciate Magnolia, great analysis. Thanks & shoutout from Istanbul, Turkey! :)

Seriously happy I stumbled across your channel, once again, brother. Such insight and thoughtful pontification. Shit made my evening. Ima rewatch Magnolia. Thank you for sharing

Just watched it for the first time. Great analysis. Appreciate the effort you made to make this video very much. Thank you.

This analysis was as amazing as the movie itself! Thank you so much for making this!

When I first saw the movie - night before Thanksgiving, I seem to remember - I felt like I was watching a movie directed at me. Oh, a lot of it I didn't connect with, but I loved the dialogue, the acting and just the scope of it. By the time the frogs came, it was somehow like it had to end that way. It didn't immediately make narrative sense to me, but it felt right. Something apocalyptic was washing away their sins.

I just rewatched this yesterday after not seeing it since it came out. Back then I was like 19 and didn’t understand one minute of it 😂 rewatching now was a profound experience!! I came to RU-vid seeking a good video essay and you didn’t disappoint!!! What an amazing way to discuss these topics, the nuance, and the detail you showed me was just phenomenal!! Thank you!!

Donny was already returning the money when the frogs fell. Even worse “cosmic irony”. He was punished for doing the right thing.

This is such an an amazing analysis it made me appreciate so many parts of the film I didn’t before

One of my favorite movies of all time. It IS a true masterpiece.

Thank you for all your effort. It's one of my favorite movies. The Ringer did this in their "Rewatchable" series and suggested that this movie was PTA's "most flawed" movie...they suggested that it's too long and that some character stories could be lost and it wouldn't affect the overall story. I think they're nuts. This is a masterpiece and I wouldn't lose a second of it.

Great work! This is one of the classics I never got around to watching, but you've inspired me to give it a shot this weekend.

Excellent Work! You MUST become a top-ranked tuber! Thank You.

Man! This movie is a masterpiece for sure! Thank you for your brilliant analysis. The best that I´ve found on RU-vid! Great job!

Wow. Magnolia is one of my all time favourite movies. It stayed with me for weeks afterwards. I haven’t watched it for years and watching this has made want to seek it out and watch it again. I just wish I could watch it for the 1st time again! I was riveted by your take on it. Subscribed.

I cannot thank you 🙏 enough for creating this for the world to see & maybe finally understand a little bit better one of the greatest films of all time

I have loved this movie sense it came out and maybe didn’t fully understand it all but thought mostly the same about it as you did this was helpful with some things so thank you and I REALLY LOVE THIS MOVIE and I really like you!!!! PLEASE KEEP MAKING THESE

Your channel is amazing. Thank you for your insights and hard work. Please, keep up!

Magnolia is one of my top 10 faves but the frogs always confused me, but I accepted it anyway. Thank you so much for finally kinda explaining it (especially the 8 2 connection). And Aimee Mann’s “Wise Up” is such an amazing song as is Jon Brion’s soundtrack. I happily subscribed to your channel.

This is such a deep analysis deeply appreciative and I loved every minute of it I said most of this stuff never took it too deep this is my favorite Paul Thomas Anderson film my third favorite films of all time and no matter what they say it is his best and I think he agrees that it is his best as well not only that one of the best films ever made

Fantastic analysis. Just shared with my film group after watching this film. Please keep it up! It was so thorough and right on target in my opinion!

A brilliant video essay about a brilliant film, thank you! I really enjoyed watching this and will be watching more of your content

amazing review and analysis i whole heartedly loved it and appreciate the amount of time and care you put in to not only tell us your opinion but to shed light on the little or big things that i for one missed in my first viewing. i do hope that you continue making these videos and you and the video was fantastic. much love

This was amazing, thank you! There are untold forces acting on us at all times, and if we could somehow become aware of all those forces it would then be obvious we could have never done anything else.

Just lovee it. Thanks. My favourite movie of all. Learned about myself so much. ❤

Now this is film analysis. Excellent film and analysis video. So much to think about, really impressive work, thanks for creating

I knew I was missing some huge aspect of this movie and you just explained it so beautifully. Now I'm off to binge the rest of your videos, in hopes that it will appease The Algorithm.

I don't think Stanley going back to the library means he doesn't grow or change. We're shown that he reads about other child prodigies and wunderkinds. I interpreted that as him learning about himself and how he's seen by the world, and perhaps after learning the not-so-great adulthoods children like himself have (see Danny) he decides to try to fight against that by standing up to his father. To me the final scene with his dad was showing his dad's lack of care rather than Stanley not growing.

This video essay is itself a masterwork. It’s as good and deep and moving as pretty much any film or novel I’ve read. I love it each time I watch it.

ive seen this movie 40 times easy and it still gets me when they start singing. And when Claudia ends it with the direct look at the camera...This movie taught me what a director actually does or can do.

I totally agree about the symbolism with the dogs and watching this made me expand on what you said. It was shown that the particular dog died because of the morphine Phil dropped, and when I saw them both be covered with the blanket at the end, I thought that they were connected somehow, like somethint was dying with Earl. Now I realize that as you said the dog dying was the death of Franks old traits, it can also symbolize the traits that his father had when he was younger that made him the way he was, and with his father dying, the dog died the same way, ingesting morphine, killing the physical embodiment of the trait Frank had that his father gave him.

46:06 and onwards to the end is absolute beauty. The coarseness in his voice and the ethereal voice of Aimee Mann in the background, too many v's. Congratulations for making a masterpiece of a review. 🎉

A little hint: "Phil" comes from old greek "Philos", what means "friend" but also "be dear/pleasent". I think, this name is deliberately chosen. Good analysis. It's nice to see, that Magnolia is still appreciated. Thank you!😊

First this movie made my day and now your explaination made it even better, Thanks!!

Great video man, a lot of insight to the film. A shame you dont have more views.

Keep making videos, you deserve more views!

This is one of my favorite films and you did it justice. Thank you.

Very good. Well done mate.

Beautiful, my favorite movie Ever. Always cry to it, and this great analysis was no exception.

This inspired me to rewatch magnolia and I saw it from a different POV. It has a similar "exuberance" to Boogy Nights, but it's like ... Exuberant tragedy lol

Very good video and review. Thank you.

this is my favorite film and the second time i've listened to your summary. thanks 🙏

One of the greatest achievements in the history of Art...

im so glad you made this, thanks

The performances in this movie are so real, so unbelievably incredible. You’re seeing people who reach the end of their rope and at their most unhinged. Just every single actor is at their best, but I really, really took notice of Julianne Moore here. Amazing.

Thank you so much for this analysis. I saw it when it came out and watched it again yesterday. So much has changed in the media landscape but the profound message and storytelling still cuts through. The layers and interwoven subtleties you explore prove what a masterpiece this is

That was such a nice wrap up to a wonderful movie video essay

Really well done! 👏 👏 👏 this movie is an absolute masterpiece!

I love this movie and all it's randomness and possibly of explanations. It's like life. Mystic.

Thanks for that, great vid! Keep it up.

My confusion with the movie came from the fact that we had a 10 minute preamble about coincidence that brings the fate of a few people to a common knot. But the movie is more about, as you mentioned in the video, trauma and trying to escape your fate. And I think that that's why critics did not like the ending when it came out. If the beginning stories were set up a little bit different or left out entirely no one would have issues with the unfolding of everything. Great video and I'm glad you didn't quit.

I've seen this movie so many times I couldn't even count and it's one of my favorites, but I did learn a few things by watching your videos so I thank you for that. I love all the Aimee Mann songs , but wise up makes me cry so bad I just can't even listen to it as much as I love it. I have to say my favorite line in the whole movie which cracked me up is when the cop is looking through the lady's house and he finds the body and she goes that ain't mine.

God dude ! Thank you so much. I've watched the film this evening ; I've liked it, really. But your lighting brings more much thoughts about it. Keep on lovin cinema. Chears

This movie is absolutely crazy with how meticulously constructed it is and how everything fits together perfectly.

Nice video, I watched the whole thing, keep it up! I will check out some of your other movie analysis videos too. I would request you cover The Master or Tree of Life

The shooting script with the cut Worm storyline is online if you haven't seen it yet. Dixon and Worm see Stanley in a diner after the library scene and decide to con/rob him. Worm approaches Stanley with a sob story and convinces him to give him some money (his game show winnings I presume). Dixon eventually pulls the gun on Stanley after the rain of frogs, but Worm decides against it and they leave. Dixon dumps the pistol as the drive away. Worm's sob-story of his (step)father beating him is probably based in truth, and that's why he committed the murder. That's the oppressor Dixon is referring to in his rap, metaphors aside.

I`ve already subscribed, thanks to your video on, Children of men. Magnolia, is my favourite film.

Bro no way that you JUST posted this video after I saw this on tik tok. And decided to look it up

Great analysis... thank you.

Fucking love the way you put the ending - its all out of our control - i think people dont get this too much... people WANT control. I use this movie to remind me that i cannot control anything in my life and that I should just try and enjoy the ride.

Great video! I love Paul Thomas Anderson’s work but Magnolia was never at the top for me. I’ve always had a huge amount of respect for it, but mostly on a technical level. You’ve made me want to revisit it and see it in a different light. Thank you for making this

I come back to this video almost every month. Sometimes I rewatch the entire thing, but most times it is for the beautiful philosophical summary at the end. It grounds me to the universe. It's always raining frogs. 🐸 🙂

This is the first DVD I bought after I saw it at the cinema when it first came out. I thought it was about trying to forget your past but on reflection, the past never forgets you. When I think about things I said or did, I shake and make a fist. If someone doesn't like me I think it's because of my personality that I try so hard to hide and change. I've lost weight, wear makeup all the time, pretty clothes all the time, read, watch old films and read books and watch documentaries and I've travelled all over the place to sound smart, always laugh and try to be fun, try to look happy and I've never been in a relationship of all my 64 years that has lasted more than 2 months. This movie showed me I can never escape the past but I can try to be happy. That has to be enough.

This was a really amazing breakdown of a movie I adore! I just was looking for a breakdown of the rap, but I’m glad I decided to watch the whole video. So worth it!

Great retrospective ❤

I love your analysis. Very much because it aligns with my perspective on the whole shebang. I'd just add that life isn't predetermined but determined. And that it is not that "I," or " you,"or "we" that do not have free will but that there is no free will because there is no "I" to have it. Everything is just happening. To no one. And if there is any experience of an "I," which seems to be the case for the vast majority of us, that's just what is happening. To no one.

Thank you so much for this! It’s amazing! I didn’t go through all the comments, but if it’s not mentioned- I’ve come to understand that the ‘raining frogs’ thing is something that happened. A tornado go sweeping along, and over a pond full of frogs. Carries them along in the sky until… and down they come, wherever. Has anyone else heard this?

one of my all-time fav

So many layers...thank you... so much to unpack jesus

This channel is a hidden gem

I Love this movie, and I Think you produced a great analysis

Great Video, thank you

The ending is beautiful!

By the way, love your channel.

That is one excellent explication of one of the most humanistic films about the upside-down world where the only way to hold on is to give up.

This is a film I always go see whenever it has a re-screening at my local arthouse theatre, and it seems like every time I come away with a different reading of "what does it all mean!?"

Very good analysis of the Anderson's best film by far. He would actually have to win an Oscar, just like for -There Will Be Blood. Both movies didn't get an Oscar, for the simple reason. Both told truths that are unreasonable to a wider audience.

I think it’s interesting how the “angel” character seems completely unfazed by the frog rain. Stanley just says “it happens” and Phil states a fact, he’s a bit surprised but overall he just says “it’s raining frogs”. It’s also those characters that seem to be aware they have control over their lives. It’s a nice detail. Great video!

Super helpful! Thank you!

Magnolia makes me think of those weird moments in life, like say you have a song that for some reason is stuck in your head, a song you havent heard in years, then you jump in the car and turn the radio on and the song literally comes on as soon as you get in and drive. Its moments like that, that makes me wonder about fate and how we are all universally connected.

Oh yes, I like the movie and I like that you are trying to analyze it, otherwise I wouldn´t be writing here now. But I see the American Life and how people are trying to have a place in it, mastery displayed in a film, more that their early traumas. You are right that Phil has no identity, no trauma that defines him, no victim, and Dixon is still too young to have developed symptoms, as Claudia. So it “is just one of those things” and “it goes on and on” and you have to “give up”... Thanks again!

Frog rain may seem absurd, but in real life sudden disasters like earthquakes or hurricanes or war do bring people together in unexpected ways.

That 'dog reference! with Cruise's character is a genius catch! Never considered it until now

Glad to discover your channel.

Great job, I adore this film, and btw, the Supertramp song playing was , the logical song, not, goodbye stranger. "There are times when all the world's asleep , the questions run so deep for such a simple man..."

It did make sense and I will share. ❤

Thank you so much, It was an awesome video essay.