I can't think of another film director at the present moment who can explore the subtleties of human nature quite like Paul Thomas Anderson. This man is responsible for more than one of my all time favorite films, he magically tells a story like no other. I think that part of the appeal lies within his tricky subject matter and his extreme attention to detail in nearly every aspect of the filming process. But I'd have to say that the main reason his films connect so well is because no matter how off the wall his presentation may be, his films are always grounded in reality, as odd as that may seem. Not only was Punch-Drunk Love one of the best films of 2002, it also happens to be one of the most overlooked, which is a real shame. Columbia Pictures in association with PT Anderson himself, have just brought Punch-Drunk Love onto the DVD format in a 2-disc Superbit special edition, and since I picked up the film the other day, I've watched it no less than 3 times (in 3 days) - this should certainly tell you something.

Trying to pin down a Paul Thomas Anderson film in a couple of paragraphs is like trying to order a side of pork at a Jewish delicatessen, in other words, it ain't gonna happen folks. There's really not much I can say about this film that won't sound stupid, pretentious or nonsensical. But for the sake of consistency, I'll do my darndest. The story centers around an eccentric, nervous young fella named Barry Egan (Adam Sandler). There are many aspects about Barry's life that we are not spoon fed, we have to try to dig as deep as we can to really get a proper handle on his situation. He owns his own business, which appears to deal with novelty plungers (?). Barry's a social misfit, who looks like he'd have a tough time ordering a sandwich, let alone asking a girl out on a date. To make matters even worse, he's got 7 domineering sisters who just don't know when to say when.

One evening Barry calls a sex line on a whim, an act that opens up a whole heap of trouble for the already awkward guy as the low-lifes behind the phone sex line (including the mattress man played by Philip Seymour Hoffman) try to extort money from the already vulnerable Barry. In the mean time, one of Barry's sisters's has been unsuccessfully trying to set Barry up with one of her co-workers, Lena. Eventually, Barry does wind up getting together with Lena and mutual feelings do indeed begin to develop (as bizarre as it may seem). In addition to the confused emotions he's feeling for Lena and his problems with the mattress man, Barry's also been collecting pudding cups to use in conjunction with an odd airline promotion (?). All of this eventually finds Barry in Hawaii in an attempt to catch up with Lena (to declare his love) while she's on a business trip herself. Along the way there are multiple run ins with the mattress man and his goons. Will Barry be able to find any semblance of happiness through his exploits (and his phone sex past), but most important of all, will it involve Lena?

I told you it was an odd film, odd but somehow miraculously brilliant and engrossing at the same time. The real key here lies within Paul Thomas Anderson's true talents as a filmmaker and the fact that no one else is making films quite like his. Punch-Drunk Love is executed in such a way, that you're guaranteed to have never seen anything quite like it before. No matter how familiar you may think it sounds, Punch-Drunk Love IS indeed different in many ways. Taking risks is what PT Anderson is all about and while Punch-Drunk Love is not nearly as complicated as his previous film, Magnolia, it's still not an easy film to digest and really does demand an attentive viewer.

While I've never really been a huge fan of Adam Sandler, I haven't really been able to tolerate him much since Billy Madison or Happy Gilmore. However, in Punch-Drunk Love he seems to fit quite nicely, and proves that he's capable of just a bit more. While I don't think that this film is gonna turn around his career it's nice to know that he was able to make it work. Besides, I think he's happy enough where he is, making 20-million a picture. There's no telling how many Punch-Drunk Love's he'd have to make to match that. Emily Watson is as charming as ever as Lena while Anderson also surrounds himself with a great ensemble cast including a few familiar faces as well, including Hoffman and Luis Guzmán as Barry's assistant.

Released as a Superbit 2-disc set, Punch-Drunk Love makes an impressive appearance on DVD. Superbit basically means that the disc the film is on features nothing but the film, no extras. This way, the desired bit rate can be reached and the film may be presented with optimal picture and sound quality. Were they successful? Sure. However, don't go in looking for a highly glossed over Hollywood production, because that's not the way that PT Anderson desired the film to look. Be prepared for odd lighting schemes, stark whites and some scenes that feature a real gritty quality. Overall the transfer is quite appealing with no evidence of print damage, solid colors (that I'm sure are true to the director's vision) and no evidence of artifacting.

Audio is presented in either a Dolby Digital EX or DTS tracks. Both audio tracks feature subdued surrounds until it's time for them to kick in, and when it's necessary, they really do kick in. The sublime score sounds phenomenal, the audio really compliments the image quality quite nicely.

Extras laid out on disc-2 include Blossoms and Blood a short piece by Anderson (featuring Sandler and Watson), 12 Scopitones (you'll know when you see), 3 trailers, a mattress man commercial and 2 deleted scenes (one of which is comprised of multiple phone calls from Barry's sisters) and an optional, random play all feature for the extras that run about 1/2 hour in its entirety. Oh yeah, did I mention the optional Korean subtitles?

For anyone who's gotten nervous while ordering a sandwich in a deli, or for those of us who wouldn't touch the latest Affleck, Bullock, Lopez, Hugh Grant googolplex love story, Punch-Drunk Love is for you. Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love - if I ever met PT Anderson on the street, I'd just like to shake his hand and thank him for making 4 of my favorite films, here's to number 5.