the master is 5 years old. Thoughts now?

A film that has only grown on me more with time; I used to consider it a lesser PTA, and now I think I'd rank it in his top three, and it comfortably has a place in my top ten of the decade. It's a brilliant character study that perfectly captures postwar disillusionment and spiritual identity. It's meditative, haunting, and even comic in all the right places, all adding up to a cinematic trip unlike anything else. Jonny's score, Malaimare's cinematography, and the leading duo make for one killer trinity of excellence, with Joaquin giving the best performance in a film of the decade so far. A mesmerizing film and an often transcendent experience. Really need to re-visit it soon. 

From a lesser filmmaker, it would easily be their magnum opus... the fact that it's not PTA's speaks volumes to his talent. Such a great movie.

5 years later, still one of the finest of the decade and PTA's ultimate magnum opus. Such a beautifully subtle and compelling look into despair, fulfillment,and loneliness. Johnny Greenwood's score is haunting, it's certainly PTA's most visually-stimulating film, and I do truly believe that Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman's performances have to be up there with some of the most sensational, effective acting this medium has ever seen. Overall, it's damn-near perfect.

In my t-10. It's visually the most beautiful film I've ever seen. Acting is top notch. Its effing brilliant in all regards. My second favorite PTA

Great performances, but it's hardly my kind of film, too slow and a bit confusing. It really looks great though. I think it's do for a rewatch, I haven't seen since it came out on DVD / Blu-ray.

Elaborate.

Update - as of 2020 I would swap my ranking of The Master and Magnolia, the former now being my definite favorite from PTA. Also have only grown to love it even more with time

Exactly. Its freewheeling, organic nature is what makes it work as well as it does. It perfectly captures that aimless postwar ennui Freddie is feeling as well as the idea that Dodd is, indeed, "making it up as he goes along."

I feel like it's fake experimental, and boring as shit.  Apocalypse Now has issues, and isn't as good as the first two Godfathers IMO, but it's doing things I haven't seen in a film before or since.  The Master feels to me like the work of someone who gave up trying.  There's so much mental energy and invention in something like Boogie Nights, despite the Scorsese rip-off aspect, and so little in The Master.  He's scrambling for inspiration, and only managed it for one scene, IMHO.  And audiences ditched him.  The idea that Wes Anderson would become more commercially successful than PTA would have seemed hilarious to me in 1998.