Casino

Casino is up there for one of Scorsese's finest..But I can't help but feel like I'm watching Goodfellas again. Not that I didn't like Goodfellas, I loved it, but I feel as if Scorsese took the phrase 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it" too literally. From the use of narration, the stylings of Pesci and De Niro, and the iconic murder montage, where we wonder about the fate of our main character, just to name a few. I can also identify the source of The Wolf of Wall Street's style now. . It's still such a great film, from the characters to the dialogue to the action, it has everything and more that you would want from a mobster film. I feel like I'm in Vegas, from the sounds, the sights, and the color that just makes me want to gamble my tuition on black. Always bet on black. .That shot of Pesci driving in the desert off the reflection of De Niro's glasses was perfect. The shots looking down on the crowds flooding the poker and roulette tables were like watching birds pick at the crumbs of bread being thrown at the ground. The chips flying in the air as Ace finds his new love interest, Ginger, are memorable. And who can forget Pesci putting that guy in the vice!.De Niro and Pesci kill it as always because they are just so capable to the type of story that Scorsese wants to tell. But Sharon Stone did such a great job playing this woman who is controlled by a man whom she hates to love, but keeps coming back to. Toxicity in marriage in the mob & mafia is common, Carmela & Tony, Kay & Michael, etc. But I feel Scorsese does a good job of making Ginger her own character and not just an attachment to Ace. .I have more to say, but this film already gets talked about as much as it is, so I'll keep it simple for once. .It's entertaining, it's dramatic, it keeps you wanting more. And that's all I can ask when I'm watching a movie that's over 3 hours long. Though some parts of this film do drag, once we get to the fallout of Ginger and Ace's "marriage," From the meltdown that brings down the king's running Vegas to that iconic murder montage. This shows how good Scorsese is at pairing murder with classic rock music. .Absolute Cinema! 4.5/5