Round of 64 (Tier 3): Once Upon a Time in America vs. The Master

Round one is here. 61 years of film with 3 convenient ties. What film will come out on top?

For this round, we start with:

ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA, Sergio Leone's final film about the futility of violence and its long-term repercussions. While gangster films almost always feature the mobsters suffering their downfall, here we see it was never even that great to begin with.

Against...

THE MASTER, a warning about the ways in which cults and movements can entice people who have a gap in their life. Lancaster Dodd is an obvious fraud to many, but for those who refuse to accept reality as it is see a kindred spirit in a man who claims to have the knowledge.

The winner will move on to the next round. The full bracket is attached below.

 

Every time I see The Master, I like it more. I actually haven't seen Once Upon a Time in America in so long that I should really see it again.

 

I haven’t seen OUATIA, I won’t vote since The Master will win anyway

 

Same

 

The Master by a wide margin. OUATIA is definitely worth a watch, though, despite the intimidating runtime.

 

Hoffman had a tendency to overact and hog the screen with the wrong filmmakers, but he really did some of his very best work with Anderson. That anger and incoherence is just under the surface of all conmen, and after just a little prodding and questioning he erupts. We were robbed of so many more great works by his passing.

 

Once Upon a Time is a masterpiece but going with The Master by an edge. Says more to me about how much I think of the The Master, kind of surprised myself when given this choice.

 

PSH was the best actor living while he was alive.

 

With 79 percent of the vote, The Master will face Starship Troopers in the Round of 32.