On the other hand, “Boogie Nights” is even more ambitious and provides a much more enjoyable experience as PTA explores the seedy world of the porn industry in the late 70s and early 80s. Like all his movies, the film is visually spectacular as PTA recreates the tacky world of the period, while introducing us to a series of memorable characters caught up in the wild world of porn. Unlike many of PTA’s other films, however, “Boogie Nights” also tells a coherent story that skillfully weaves together the lives of his characters and holds the audience’s attention through the end.

I recently re-watched the film for the umpteenth time and came away with several impressions:

Comeback Role for Burt Reynolds

The casting decisions here are flawless, and it all starts with Burt Reynolds as Jack Horner, the porn director who wants to be taken seriously as a filmmaker. Jack lives in a large, mid-century modern house with a large pool and bar in the back. It’s perfect for parties and porn shoots and just big enough for some of his regular actors and actresses to live there. Burt was 61 when he shot this film, sporting a salt & pepper hair piece and beard. He’s older and looks distinguished but still has sex appeal and loads of charisma. Jack serves as a sort of father-figure to the younger actors and actresses and Burt’s understated and nuanced portrayal of Jack is critical to this film. With that context, it was quite shocking to learn that Burt hated working with PTA and disliked the film.

The plot follows the rise and fall of a young, well-endowed kid who dreams of being a star. Mark Wahlberg does a fine job playing Eddie. He’s a sweet and friendly kid working as a dishwasher in a club in the Valley when Jack discovers him. He then takes on the stage name of Dirk Diggler, joining the band of misfits starring in Jack’s films.

Compelling Female Characters

The female characters in this film aren’t just pretty faces and nude bodies used to titillate the audience. Of course, the actresses are beautiful, and we get realistic glimpses of how their jobs involve having sex on film, but their stories are an essential part of Dirk’s journey and the world created by PTM.

Julianne Moore is brilliant and fearless in her role as Maggie. It’s a crime that she wasn’t nominated for an Oscar for her performance. Maggie is a veteran actress in the adult business and lives in Jack’s house, taking on the role of “mother” to the younger talent. Meanwhile, her chosen profession and drug use has led her husband to win full custody of their child.

Heather Graham plays the beautiful Rollergirl, a high school dropout who enthusiastically embraces her role as the all-natural blonde bombshell of porn. Her nude scenes as she strips down to have sex with Dirk for the first time is an obvious fan favorite. Then the camera cuts to Jack as he calmly and approvingly watches his young talent have sex on the couch in front of him.

Rollergirl’s story takes a dark turn later, offering another example of the damage this industry does to some who get involved. Meanwhile, others fare better and find a path to escape the porn business. Becky Barnett (Nicole Ari Parker) finds a husband who runs an auto parts store, while Jessie (Melora Walters) gets pregnant with Buck (Don Cheadle) along with a lucky break in life.

Plenty of Laughs

Along with telling a coherent story, PTA injects a healthy dose of humor into the characters and story of “Boogie Nights,” making it come across as less pretentious and self-indulgent than his other films.

Dirk has a sweet disposition until fame and drugs take their toll, but he’s an uneducated idiot. He’s sidekick in Jack’s porn empire, Reed Rothchild (John C. Reilly), is only slightly less clueless. Their “dumb and dumber” routine throughout the film leads to some hilarious scenes, starting with their first interaction by Jack’s pool. Their cringe-worthy scenes at the recording studio are priceless.

Don Cheadle’s Buck is also one of the funnier characters in the film as he ditches his black cowboy look for a ridiculous Rick James wig. Philip Seymour Hoffman is hilarious as Scotty every time he’s on the screen.

Rich Supporting Characters

There are so many layers to this film, and practically everyone in the supporting cast gets the opportunity to steal a scene or two with a memorable performance. Robert Ridgley is brilliant as The Colonel, the creepy financier of Jack’s film. The legendary Philip Baker Hall delivers an unforgettable scene as his character Floyd explains to Jack how the porn industry will be moving to videotape.

Iconic Soundtrack

PTA expertly creates the look at feel of the time period, punctuated by a fantastic soundtrack featuring pop, disco and soul hits from the late seventies and early eighties. One soundtrack was issued at the time of the film’s release, with another released the following year.

Several clips stand out. We’re introduced to Scotty with the playful “You Sexy Thing” by Hot Chocolate as Philip Seymour Hoffman brilliantly and awkwardly reveals his man crush on Dirk when he meets him by the pool. Watch the scene here.

Later we’re introduced to more characters at the New Year’s Eve party at Jack’s home with the opening guitar riff from the iconic “Driver’s Seat” by Sniff ‘n’ the Tears. The song kicks off as Philip Baker Hall makes his entrance as Floyd in his powder blue suit and runs into The Colonel. The song continues in the background until we get the classic entrance of the Todd Parker character played by Thomas Jane. Enjoy the scene here.

One of the more bizarre scenes of the film has a young and skinny Alfred Molina singing along to “Jessie’s Girl” by Rock Springfield as Dirk and his clueless friends find themselves in a dangerous situation. The film could have gone off the rails here but PTA pulls it together and makes it all work.

PTA wraps things up in a neat bow at the end, making this by far his most enjoyable and compelling film.

It’s rare to hear a director be honest and point out a flaw in another director’s work. But Quentin Tarantino isn’t your average director.

Here’s a clip of Tarantino discussing “Bookie Nights,” a film he says he loves, directed by his friend Paul Thomas Anderson.

Tarantino discusses the Burt Reynold’s character, the obvious inspiration for his character and a line from the movie. What Tarantino says makes a lot of sense, and it’s a fair criticism of one small part of an otherwise great movie. And it’s refreshing to hear him be honest about it.

Casinos and Hollywood have a lot in common — bright lights, glamorous people, and the allure of fame and fortune. It makes sense, then, that some of Hollywood’s most memorable and well-received releases center on the world of casinos. Take a look at 5 of the best casino movies ever made and the characters that brought them to life:

Casino – 1995

This film had a big title to live up to and big-name stars like Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Sharon Stone to help carry it. The stars aren’t what makes the movie such a hit, though. It’s the behind-the-scenes portrayal of a mob-run casino that is so captivating. Fans on IMDB.com rank it as the most popular among all casino films. Gambling is a big part of the movie, of course, and slot machines, sports books, table games, and more are featured prominently. The movie made $116 million in the box office.

Rounders – 1998

Regarded as one of the best poker movies ever made, this Matt Damon cult classic follows a yet-unknown player as he tries to get a friend out of debt and make bankroll to enter the World Series of Poker. The authenticity is what fans praise most – from the realistic hands played to the subtle poker lingo exchanged between players. The film brought in $22.9 million at its box office release.

Casino Royale – 2006

Is there anything cooler than James Bond sitting at a poker table? This film was highly-anticipated for its introduction of modern-day Bond portrayed by Daniel Craig and the casino tie-in made him even edgy to fans. According to some critics the film could have benefitted from coaching from a poker expert because of two unrealistic card showdowns between Bond and villain Le Chiffre (portrayed by Mads Mikkelsen). Still, fans weren’t complaining. The film brought in a whopping $599 million USD and ushered in the modern-day age of Bond on the big screen.

The Gambler – 1974

This thrilling casino movie was later remade by Mark Wahlberg but it’s tough to top the original. The film follows Axel Freed (played by James Caan) and he tries to figure out how to pay back $44,000 in gambling debts. The storyline is about more than gambling, however, and delves into the psychology of addiction of all kids. Indiewire says that the film “nails the paranoia of its dark corners and the stylish seduction of winning.”

Hard Eight – 1996

This independent film is based on the Paul Thomas Anderson short film “Cigarettes and Coffee” and expands Anderson’s thoughts to full-length (he directed both). It follows John (played by John C. Reilly) as he tries to win enough in a casino to bury his recently deceased mother. Along the way he meets a hardened veteran gambler who mentors him to success – in gambling and in life. It all falls apart tragically, though, leading viewers on an emotional journey. This film was so well received because of its ability to touch on universal emotions, like grief and intimidation, and how all of that can be tied into a few hours in a casino.

The critics love the film as well, as you can see from the 85% rating from Rotten Tomatoes. Yet the audience rating is only 62%, so this is one of those films that impresses the critics with its artistic achievement but doesn’t entertain as many fans.

Perhaps the film is misunderstood by some, but after having seen it, it strikes me as grossly overrated. Frankly the film is boring as hell. The acting is superb, particularly the performance of Joaquin Phoenix, but Philip Seymour Hoffman‘s talent is wasted here. His character, Lancaster Dodd, is supposed to be the master, yet his appeal as a cult leader isn’t convincing. It’s not because Hoffman can’t pull off the role. It’s just that Anderson gives him absolutely nothing interesting to say. It’s all gibberish, and thus the entire premise of the film falls apart.

You have to see it for yourself to make up your mind, but I suggest you save your self the money. Save your money on the poster as well. Perhaps you can watch the film later on HBO. At least you won’t feel like you got ripped off.

Ferrell plays Nick Halsey, an alcoholic who loses his job at the beginning of the film and, after an ill-advised revenge against his boss, Gary (Glenn Howerton), returns home to discover that his wife has left him. Not only that, she has locked him out of the house, frozen their joint bank account, and left all of his possessions out on the front lawn. Nick is understandably upset, and reacts in the defeated way that has apparently become his life’s standard recourse: he buys a lot of beer and camps out in his La-Z-Boy on the lawn for the night. In the morning, having exhausted his beer supply and unable to find his car keys, he borrows a bicycle from his twelve-year-old neighbor, Kenny Loftus (Christopher Jordan Wallace), and heads down to the convenience store for more beer while Kenny keeps an eye on his stuff.

Nick also befriends his new neighbor, Samantha (Rebecca Hall), a beautiful young photographer who has just moved by herself from New York, where her husband is wrapping things up at his company, planning to join her in Arizona as soon as possible. There are hints that their marriage is on the rocks, as when she tells Nick early on that her husband wants to name their unborn baby (with whom she is currently pregnant) Jack, after himself, a practice she thinks is “kind of ridiculous.” I found this especially ironic knowing that the excellent young actor who plays Kenny is in fact the son of the other Christopher Wallace, best known as The Notorious B.I.G. We also meet Nick’s friend and former Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor, Frank Garcia (Michael Pena), when he rescues Nick from arrest by virtue of the fact that Frank is himself a higher-ranking officer than the ones sent to Nick’s house on a complaint from his neighbors.

Frank allows Nick to remain living on his lawn for the next few days under the pretense that he is holding a yard sale; after that, if Nick can’t get himself together, Frank will have no choice but to take him to jail. Clearly, this is not a plot-driven film, but that is not to say it isn’t a very well-structured one; the yard sale provides the forward thrust for Nick’s attempt to get his life back on track, and subtle details pay off in unexpected ways throughout. It is to the great credit of first-time writer-director Dan Rush that the film never takes the easy or expected routes, and it also takes its time in developing its characters and their relationships, all of which are nuanced and believable. The approach is well-suited to the author of its source material, the great Raymond Carver, and the film finds a perfect balance between poignancy and humor, both of which are equally effective when employed.

Hidden Netflix Gems is a new feature designed to help readers answer that burning question, “What should I watch tonight?” It will be updated every Saturday before the sun goes down.