Based on his 30-minute, 8mm short film shot in high school in 1988, Paul Thomas Anderson’s second feature was a mega hit, making him an industry superstar, and single-handedly resurrected the washed-up film career of Burt Reynolds—who took home the Golden Globe (and an Oscar nomination) for his portrayal of a porn director who discovers the monumentally well-endowed Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg). A harshly satirical yet incredibly humane look at the '70s adult industry, Boogie Nights also features standout performances by Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, William H. Macy and Philip Seymour Hoffman. There’s a heap load of cheap sex, powdery drugs and groovy rock ‘n roll on hand as well, of course, putting an effectively glossy sheen on the dark underbelly of the Golden Age of Porn.
Wed., April 18, 7:30 p.m., 2012
