Phantom Thread (2017)

From Paul Thomas Anderson, one of our most hypnotic directors comes Phantom Thread, a cinematic slow burn of a movie, it's a period drama about a high strung fashion designer in early 1950's England (Daniel Day-Lewis) and the foreign born waitress (Vicky Krieps) with whom he develops a very complicated relationship. Beautiful music, cinematography and costuming, it's somehow both an understated work as well as lurid melodrama. The re-teaming of Anderson and Day-Lewis from There Will Be Blood was much anticipated, and while lacking the same intensity of the earlier movie, this has its fair share of subtle charms. Krieps admirably holds her own with her near legendary male lead. This movie lulled me into a false sense of security and then really surprised me. One of my favorites of 2017. ****