Boogie Nights
After finishing the first two seasons of The Bear, I decided to start the month off right with Boogie Nights in 70mm. I can binge shows while checking off essential films on my list but I almost don’t have the energy to do so. As a film lover first and foremost however, I want to visit movie theaters as much as possible. <PERSON> gets credit for pushing the envelope for filmmakers to get the films that they wanted to make made in the 90s. Deservedly so, because I feel his influence on Boogie Nights more than ever. <PERSON> to <PERSON> to <PERSON> is one way to describe PTA’s run from 1997-2002 (the third pick being a reference to the iconic WTF with Marc Maron episode). <PERSON>’s influence is all over his sophomore and junior efforts, but there is also so many PTA-isms (the changing in film stock carried over to Licorice Pizza, the game show production in Magnolia mirroring the porn film crew here, San Fernando, mommy issues, etc.).
The coke infused frenzy, the intersecting storylines, crazy shit going down at the end of act one and two in addition to three, etc., it all feels <PERSON>-esque. 83
He was of course biting from <PERSON>, <PERSON>, <PERSON> and all the other greats but there really was a 90s film culture that you felt with each big auteur release. <PERSON>, <PERSON>, <PERSON> and <PERSON> (massive applause when <PERSON> appeared. R.I.P.). all garnered major laughs from the audience, and the shocking scenes really gutted a majority of people seeing it for the first time (I was as shocked as you to hear that many there hadn’t seen it before. Yes, I’m a nerd who’s seen this twenty dozen times, but still! We need to teach film in school guys, I don’t care if you’re a rocket scientist. Art appreciation matters). Can’t ever get tired of this movie. Bring on the jazz epic, <PERSON>.
1997 Ranked
<PERSON> Ranked 378