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The great state of New Jersey is the focus of our next pairing, starting with a film about, arguably, it's most famous city! In 1980's "Atlantic City," director Louis Malle tells the story of two struggling individuals living in "the Las Vegas of the East." Lou (Burt Lancaster) is a former mob strongman, still protecting Grace (Kate Reid), a woman he was assigned to look after some 40 years earlier. Their relationship is strained and Grace is ungrateful, but Lou finds solace in watching his next-door neighbor, Sally (Susan Sarandon) through their respective kitchen windows. Sally works at a seafood restaurant in one of the Atlantic City casinos and is taking classes to become a dealer. When her husband estranged husband Dave (Robert Joy) and her sister Chrissie (Hollis McLaren), who is pregnant with Dave's baby, show up, Sally finds she can't turn them away. Dave and Chrissie, however, make her life miserable, especially when it becomes apparent that Dave is on the run from someone and has stolen a large amount of druges. As these characters' stories begin to blur and intertwine, the true effect of living in this particular city starts to reveal itself in ways no one wished for or saw coming.

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The second time travel film takes us in a radically different direction story-wise. In 2012's "Looper," directed by Rian Johnson, we learn that sometime in the future, time travel is realized. Unfortunately, it's used exclusively by organized crime to dispose of bodies in the past where they'll never be found. Those who are stationed in the past to kill the mob's victims are called "Loopers." After learning about the culture of Loopers, we also learn about what it means to have your loop "closed," i.e. being told to terminate your future self, after which you are allowed to retire, given a small fortune, and released to live out the rest of your life however you wish, knowing you will be killed at a certain future date and time. But what happens when a Looper decides they don't want to be retired? Looper Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) receives orders to kill his future self, Old Joe (Bruce Willis). Old Joe, however, is in love with his soulmate and doesn't want to lose her, so he figures out a plan to take down the psychopath terminating Loopers and tries to convince Joe to join him for it. Unfortunately, the boss of the Looper, Abe (Jeff Daniels) has a responsibility to see that all closed loops actually happen, setting up a confrontation that doesn't end up going as you expect it to. Lots of turns and twists usually make a great time travel story, and this one is no exception! Also starring Emily Blunt, Paul Dano, Noah Segan, and Piper Perabo! Plus, the trio reveal which two films focusing on the dangers of alcohol make up the next two pairings!

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It's time travel movies for this pairing, and two very different looks at the phenomenon (although both have an actor in common)! First up, director Terry Gilliam, of Monty Python fame, leads us on a whirlwind trip that may or may not actually be time travel in 1995's "12 Monkeys!" James Cole (Bruce Willis) is a prisoner in a strange, futuristic institution. One day, he's volunteered for something no one has ever returned from, according to his next-cell-neighbor, Jose (Jon Seda). Cole is sent to the surface to observe and report back, since scientists are still trying to solve the issue of the virulent plague that killed 99% of humanity a couple decades ago. After proving himself useful, he's again volunteered to be sent back in time for more information. He's supposed to end up in 1996, the year the virus was released, but instead ends up in 1990. There, he's quickly institutionalized after appearing quite insane, where he meets fellow inmate Jeffrey Goines (Brad Pitt) and sympathetic psychiatrist Dr. Kathryn Railly (Madeleine Stowe). He manages to escape, only to be yanked back to the future, then sent downtime again, this time to 1996, where he pursues the origin of the plague and convinces Dr. Railly that he's actually not insane. Or is he? Are the trips to and from the future real or are they just delusions, part of the manifestation of his mental illness? Also starring Christopher Meloni, Christopher Plummer, and Frank Gorshin!

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The second film in our tribute to the late Val Kilmer may be the finest work in his filmography! Directed by George P. Cosmatos and written by Kevin Jarre, 1993's "Tombstone" tells the story of the Earp family. After retiring as a peace officer, Wyatt (Kurt Russell) has brought his brothers Morgan (Bill Paxton) and Virgil (Sam Elliott) together in Tombstone, Arizona, to retire and become entrepreneurs. Also joining him, and seeking a dry climate in the hopes of relieving his tuberculosis, is Doc Holliday (Kilmer). What stands in their way are the Cowboy, a vicious gang of exiled Texas outlaws, lead by Curly Bill Brocius (Powers Booth) and his right-hand, Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn). After a troupe of actors, featuring Josephine Marcus (Dana Delany) and Mr. Fabian (Billy Zane) comes to town, an attraction between Josephine and Wyatt springs to life, drawing the two closer and closer, even though Josephine is dating the county sheriff Behan (Jon Tenny) and Wyatt is technically married to Mattie (Dana Wheeler-Nicholson). After the Cowboys' lawlessness wears down Virgil's reticence to get involved, he becomes the Sheriff of Tombstone, drafting Morgan as his deputy. This sets up the historic conflict at the OK Corral, and marks the beginning of the final conflict between the Earps and their allies, and the Cowboys. Also starring Charlton Heston, Jason Priestley, Stephen Lang, Thomas Haden Church, Paula Malcomson, Lisa Collins, and Joanna Pacula. Plus, the gents the two time-travel films that make up the next pairing!

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