I think that Boogie Nights is one of the best movies I have ever seen. It moves well, is interesting, funny and tragic. The performances by Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, William H. Macy, Heather Graham and cast are phenomenal, particularly (in my opinion) Macy's and Moore's. This movie, and in particular the pool party scenes, reminded me of what life was like in the early 70's at least in crazy places like Los Angeles and in Marin County, California, where I lived at that time. The excesses in drugs, sex, and all around insanity resonated with me as a child of the sixties. (I wonder, did anyone else feel this way?) I think the director/ writer of this movie must be a brilliantly talented person, and still do though having since seen Magnolia I found it to be not as seamless as Boogie Nights. Magnolia had some superb writing and performances as well as an important message (though I'm still a bit mystified as to the exact nature of that messsage--anyone care to comment?) and just the attempt by J.T. Andersen along with the more even(in my opinion) Boogie Nights prove that he is a star---perhaps one of the greatest stars by far... 