Hard Eight (1996)
Paul Thomas Anderson’s neo-noir debut forged relationships with actors Philip Seymour Hoffman, John C Reilly, Philip Baker Hall and Melora Walters, who would each appear in multiple Anderson movies.
Boogie Nights (1997)
Based on a mockumentary Anderson made while he was still in high school, Boogie Nights told the schoolboy-pleasing rise-and-fall story of anatomically blessed porn star Dirk Diggler, played by Mark Wahlberg in a masterful comic performance.
Magnolia (1999)
A vast ensemble cast added the likes of Tom Cruise to Anderson’s stable in this complex, interwoven tale of life in the San Fernando Valley.
Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
The rehabilitation of Adam Sandler started with this rom-com about a desperately lonely novelty item manufacturer and Emily Watson’s Lena, the object of his affection.
There Will Be Blood (2007)
This epic movie is about ruthless Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his attempt to get rich from oil – and the destruction it causes.
The Master (2012)
Anderson’s tale of a World War II veteran rising through the ranks in a quasi-religious organisation was the first fiction film to be shot and released in 70mm in 16 years.
Inherent Vice (2014)
It takes a black belt-level filmmaker to tackle the often-thought-unfilmable work of author Thomas Pynchon. But having dabbled with elements in The Master, Anderson cast Joaquin Phoenix as the star of a full Pynchon adaptation and proved the doubters wrong.
Phantom Thread (2017)
Having filmed almost exclusively in his native San Fernando Valley, a shift to England brought a brand new feel to this mesmerising period drama about Daniel Day Lewis’s obsessive dressmaker and the muse he marries and torments.
Licorice Pizza (2021)
Set in the glorious, sun-kissed San Fernando Valley of 1973, Alana Haim and Philip Seymour Hoffman’s son, Cooper, make their acting debut in a coming-of-age movie that’s being hailed as an instant classic.