The Master (2012)

If you are interested in getting ahead on Academy Award movies, go see this one.  I would say it has strong chances for nominations in the Best Pic, Best Director, Actor (probably 2 nominees) and Supporting Actress categories.  There's a lot of bang for your buck here.

Joaquin Phoenix plays Freddie Quell, who drifts around after WWII doing odd jobs and brewing hard liquor out of all manner of ingredients (lighter fluid, for example).  He is definitely an alcoholic, but he is not right in some other way as well, though his mental issue is not named.

Freddie eventually runs into Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the leader of a religious group called The Cause.  Lancaster is called Master, and he is the epitome of a charismatic leader.  Freddie is indoctrinated into the group and travels with them.  He witnesses their way of life and their followers, and the inner workings of the group.  But Freddie is a wild card.  He loves Dodd, but he may not entirely believe in him.

The acting here is top rung.  Philip S-H is magnetic, but I was riveted by Joaquin.  He embodies a twisted, twitchy, misshapen man who has very little control over his emotions, body or reactions to life.  Amy Adams is Dodd's wife, Peggy, and she is the icy voice of reason - control? - behind the public face of Dodd.

My mom thought this was the most disturbing movie she has seen in years.  I agree.  When you watch it, pay attention to the music.  Sometimes it really seemed to evoke torture.  Paul Thomas Anderson wrote and directed this, and he took his game to a whole different level with this one.  Pretty cool.