Tag: Martin Scorsese

GUILTY BY SUSPICION (1991)

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Written & Directed By: Irwin Winkler
Cinematography: Michael Ballhaus 
Editor: Priscilla Nedd 

Cast: Robert DeNiro, Annette Benning, Patricia Wettig, Chris Cooper, George Wendt, Adam Baldwin, Tom Sizemore, Martin Scorsese, Barry Primus, Sam Wanamaker, Luke Edwards, Ben Piazza, Stuart Margolin, Roxann Biggs, Allan Rich, Illenana Douglas, Stephen Root, Jon Tenney, Jonathan Ames 

David Merrill, a successful director, has spent the last couple of years working on movies overseas. He returns right in the middle of the McCarthy-era Communist witch-hunt that was sweeping through Hollywood. When first approached by the ‘inquisitors’ he rebuffs them, not realizing how much influence they have. He soon finds that he can’t get work, having been blacklisted for failing to cooperate. However, if he will just tell them what they want to know, he can go back to work.

This might be a career-best for director Irwin  Winkler. This Is obviously an in-house passion project for Robert DeNiro and his production company bringing in friends to help make and be in the movie (Martin Scorsese and Barry Primus) it offers Scorsese one of his very few acting roles.

The film dramatizes the Hollywood blacklist from a deeply personal level of the characters who were not only involved but destroyed by it and the different ways and levels the government was going after them. 

The destruction of the blacklist even though it was truly ultimately a witch hunt that didn’t truly amount to much except for the lives it destroyed and upped the standing of certain politicians. Maybe even allowed the government to punish the stars and studios for having more of a moral code.

The film comes across as an artifact, seeing so many well-known actors of today who play smaller supporting roles.

This ends up being like a ROCKY movie in the way the House of unAmerican Activities keeps stalking Deniro’s character and questioning any of his employers or anyone he associates with. So you anticipate once he finally is in front of the committee.

We see how it destroys his career and his friends around him. As they either are willing to betray, sell out, or drop out ultimately. For something many didn’t even take seriously in their past. Some even used it as leverage for revenge against others who they feel wronged them. 

The film is a drama that at times works more like a thriller. As it is just as chilling as it happened in real life. It’s scary and no physical weapons are used just hints and accusations. 

It hit home with me as with so many characters who thought Deniro’s character would be a team player. He cares more about movies particularly his than anything or anyone around him. Even though most people in his life seem to like him and be in the business. 

The FBI agents following him seem like the agents in THE MATRIX emotionless and remind the audience of Deniro’s roles in crime pictures as they seem to relentlessly stalk him just trying to find any little thing to nail him or put him away. It offers DeNiro one of his most affable roles. 

The character of Bert Alan, a producer played by Barry Primus seems out of place as he seems more like a 1980s mobster in 1950’s Hollywood.

Watching how an old female ingenue discovery goes from seduction to scared to disgusted. Before trying to finally bribe him to go away. Shows how powerful and scary the blacklist was in its heyday 

The film tries to be an epic on the subject from the point of view of a victim’s point of view but not An overview. 

This also brings one back to a time and place when movies looked like they might have been prestige but were also made due to the lead actor’s strength and popularity as an actor. Guaranteeing that there will be an audience for the film. Not so much based on popularity it metrics of money-making.

Really a power move trying to spank those who are more successful and who they feel have more influence. Feeling like they are putting them in their place and saving the American people from the influence of the powerful they actually believe to be anti-government. Like they wouldn’t be after being persecuted for nothing really. The betrayal of friends begging him to let them inform on him to save their own skins by naming someone.

In the end, it still leaves time for a powerful speech. This is my kind of history movie.

GRADE: B

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (2013)

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Directed by: Martin Scorsese 
Written By: Terence Winter 
Based on the Book “The Wolf Of Wall Street” By: Jordan Belfort 
Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto
Editor: Thelma Schoonmaker

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robie, Matthew McConaughey, Jon Bernthal, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jon Favreau, Shea Whigham, Jean Dujardin, Joanna Lumley, Cristin Milioti, Aya Cash, Christine Ebersole, Ethan Suplee,  P.J. Byrne, Kenneth Choi, Jake Hoffman, Rizwan Manji, Thomas Middleditch, Fran Lebowitz 

Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stock-broker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.

This film at heart is more of a dark comedy than a drama. Yes, it’s based on a true story and there are many victims in this tale who barely get any attention. As the film’s protagonist is the con-man who ripped them off, but the film feels like no matter what it wants us to root for him and feel for him overall.

Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of his best performances and one of his out-and-out funny comedic performances. As we have never seen him this loose and open in a performance. that truly astonishes

 It’s not only him the film is filled with recognizable actors playing real-life people but while they are characters and three-dimensional they are also played so big that they come off naturally more comedic. Even though their crimes hurt many. As Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, and Jon Berenthal all have their times to shine and at least a scene to highlight. 

At a certain point, they are doing so many illegal things that you can barely tell what is right and what is wrong. As the business they build seems to get off on debauchery and the film treats it as both revelatory letting us participate In The mayhem and experience the 1980’s excess but also giving us enough details to see it as a cautionary tale and see the harsh aftermath for some.

This also is Margot Robbie’s debut and introduction to the public as a sex symbol. Just as Charlize Theron made her debut in the movie 2 DAYS IN THE VALLEY. Here at first, you notice Ms. Robbie’s looks then you notice she is actually quite a good actress and one of the memorable ingredients to this movie. 

Now this tale could have been told in a smaller way but just like the main character it must be told larger than life and feel rather epic in size. As it is a rare film where we kind of root for the bad guys. Even if we know they are horrible. As we have been following them from the beginning and in essence living the life of excess with them in the film. So that even when we see them do bad things we have a weakness for them and want to see them succeed even at the expense of others. 

The film feels like a crime spree as it is episodic as we are taken throughout the crimes and how the businessmen stay afloat and the deals they have to make to keep laundering their money and stay on top. The film even follows their international adventures that open up the film to be more global and have more consequences. As they have their overseas adventures. Even with the law on their tails embodied by a character played by Kyle Chandler who seems to be incorruptible and always right behind.

The film even though his character later In The film asks if it is worth it. Being honest and in the straight and narrow. Still having to scrape by when you could easily turn a blind eye, do the wrong thing, and live in Luxury. 

This is the most electrifying and energetic director Martin Scorsese has been with a film. Also, his first film has come close to a comedy since AFTER HOURS. Though the film condemns the characters. The film also has a lot of fun with them. Leaving behind plenty of classic moments. 

The film gets to glorify and highlight the 80’s and 90’s excess and over-the-top nature of business and the stock market. A kind of juvenile version of the movie WALL STREET, but just as powerful and memorable. Only here do you see more behavior outside of the office than necessarily the more business side. Which marks the film all the more attractive. 

In the end, even for a somber tale,  the film is a good time. A misogynistic fantasy that offers what happens after you wake up from the dream and have to pay for it. As the film presents its a tale with the highs like being on drugs but then eventually you have to come down and sober up and the pain of what sobering up feels like. 

GRADE: A

CASINO (1995)

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Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Written By: Nicholas Pileggi & Martin Scorsese
Based on the Book “Casino” By: Nicholas Pileggi
Cinematography: Robert Richardson 
Editor: Thelma Schoonmaker 

Cast: Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci, Sharon Stone, James Woods, Frank Vincent, Don Rickles, Alan King, Kevin Pollak, Pasquale Cajano, Richard Riehle, L.Q. Jones, John Bloom, Dick Smothers, Vinny Vella, Melissa Prophet, Bill Allison, Steve Allen, Jayne Meadows, Frankie Avalon, Jerry Vale, 

A tale of greed, deception, money, power, and murder occur between two best friends: a mafia enforcer and a casino executive compete against each other over a gambling empire, and over a fast-living and fast-loving socialite.

This movie is a grand opera. Though its stage seems grand, you can tell at heart it has a central story that is a drama. That concerns a core small group but their actions affect way too many for it to barely be noticed. It charts everyone’s downfall. As really the film is a tragedy.

It feels like it might pack too much into the story and take as it tries to be partially a history lesson. As well as tell a story to these particular characters and how their Affairs and behavior brought down or exposed the mafia in Las Vegas. 

Now while this film is epic and told In Quite the same way what makes it so strong and magical is how much in the small details everything feels right and paid close attention to. It might not be as satisfying a gangster film as his previous film GOODFELLAS, but this is more a tale of greed and corruption that happens to have gangsters in it.

Everything presented here is over the top, even the cast. Which is peppered with Las Vegas entertainers in various roles. As well as big names sprinkled throughout. 

The film stays true to the true story being told but also has many subplots that might seem like distractions at first but eventually come together to show that these minute seeming trivialities are what makes everything come together to a clash eventually. 

Sharon Stone has never been better than Playing ginger. The hustler wife to Robert DeNiro’s casino runner. At first idealistic beauty and then is slowly addicted to alcohol and drugs who proves to be a bad bet for him. Who has always been a winner and picked them and as soon as he gets involved with her. Slowly things begin to crumble due to excess and ego.

It has been a little too familiar for Joe Pesci playing a likable killer sociopath again who is as funny as he is scary. Even though a different temperament and Robert DeNiro is quieter and less violent a character but more know it. Whose ego is his worst problem.

While this film Shows how Las Vegas and the mob rules Las Vegas with an iron fist. So that the house always won. It also shows how things have changed over time and how drugs and morals began to affect everything. Went so far as to include an ending where at the time they show how my body Vegas has changed and that the time they ruled was the end of an era. Even if corrupt how much fun it was or could be.

This film is certainly a grand vision painted with a paintbrush of all colors. As cinematographer Robert Richardson seems to go all out with lenses, filters, scopes to emphasize how crazy and exact things were at the time. At that point usually worked for director Oliver Stone. This was his first collaboration with Martin Scorsese and it seems a match made it. Heaven especially with this tale.

Though for as big as the film is it couldn’t be told any other way. Even when it tries to stay on certain stories and characters it can’t help but give the audience the whole picture so that they can understand exactly what all went into actions and decisions. Even throughout the film the narration changes to certain characters, even minor ones to help explain situations.

The soundtrack almost runs over each other in the changing scenes, moods, and tones. Though always seem to be playing the right song and cue 

While not exactly a masterpiece this is a big picture. That is hard to describe but it has all the elements that are needed for a soap opera only here treated more seriously. Filled with flawed and shady characters where the only close to innocent ones are just less shady than others.

The film tries to show that not all that glitters is gold and even if you try and gold plate it the tarnish is never quite fixed.

GRADE: B