Hard Eight

*“shaka-lakka-doo, shaka-lakka-doobey-doobey-doo. Shaka-lakka-doo” * I’m finishing up PTA’s filmography this week, only Phantom Thread (saving it for last), Licorice Pizza, and Inherent Vice left. Jumping around instead of watching in order has really highlighted just how different his films are from one another. Still, there are threads you can trace across all of them. Going back to Hard Eight, his debut, you can already see the potential. Some of the long takes are just a pleasure to watch, and the story feels both tight and intriguing. The hour and a half runtime makes it an easy, enjoyable watch too. PTA’s become one of my favorite directors over the past year, and I’m glad he finally got the recognition he deserves for OBAA, which, as of now, is my favorite of his.   Also… Philip Seymour Hoffman was a fucking treasure. Every scene he’s in feels electric. He’s only in Hard Eight for a few minutes, but he had me laughing like crazy. God, I miss him.