Film reviews and commentary for those who love the movies.
Randy's Film Commentary and Reviews
Tag Archives: Leonardo DiCaprio
Synopsis: Martin Scorsese directs the story of New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort. From the American dream to corporate greed, Belfort goes from penny stocks and righteousness to IPOs and a life of corruption in the late 80s. Excess success and affluence in his early twenties as founder of the brokerage firm Stratton Oakmont warranted Belfort the title "The Wolf of Wall Street." — (C) Paramount
Leonardo DiCaprio (Jordan Belfort)
Jonah Hill (Donnie Azoff)
Margot Robbie (Naomi)
Matthew McConaughey (Mark Hanna)
Kyle Chandler (Patrick Denham)
Rob Reiner (Max Belfort)
Jon Favreau (Manny Riskin)
Cristin Milioti (Teresa)
Jean Dujardin (Jean-Jacques Saurel)
REVIEW: Martin Scorsese has directed a controversial, raw story, of greed, debauchery, and addiction, filled with humor, shock and lots of sex thrown in. The story is based on the autobiographical book, The wolf of Wall Street by Jordan Belfort, the founder of the brokerage firm Stratton Oakmont.
Within the first few minutes, the film introduces us to Belfort, played brilliantly by Leonardo DiCaprio, he describes his life as images depict him snorting blow off the posterior end of a prostitute, crashing his helicopter down on the front lawn of his Long Island mansion and various othe unbridled deeds of debauchery. The story grabs you and never lets you go, it is at once comedic and tragic.
The film in flashback , recounts a young married Belfort getting his first job on wall street where his naiveté is obvious. His boss Mark Hanna, played by Matthew McConaughey, takes Belfort under his wings and explains the ropes of large commissions in what is possibly the funniest luncheon moment I have ever seen. Hanna starts to do a primal chant, to raise his energy and urges Belfort to do the same. He also urges Belfort to do cocaine as an brain opener followed by self release to temper the energy. The scene is hilarious and starts Belfort on his road to greed, addictions and debauchery.
When Belfort loses his job, due to the stock market crash of the 1980's, remembered as black Monday, he finds a job as a penny stock salesman in his home town on Long Island. He literally becomes their best salesman ever, 50% commissions on every sale, he decides to start his own company. He puts together a team of cronies and phonies, which also happen to be some of the best character actors around, the first person he recruits is a nebbish, Donnie Azoff, played hysterically by Jonah Hill. The two of them create an empire of selling selling junk stocks to the rich by first offering them blue chip stocks to gain their confidence. The commissions they make are staggering and the money seems to pour in.
Belfort creates the firm of Stratton Oakmont as his success continues. He hires con-artists and salespeople with no brokerage background and makes them all millionaires with his schemes. As a reward he throws big parties with hookers, drinking ,drugs and becomes the leader and spokesman of his cult of believers. His addictions grow exponentially with his power and greed, he and his cohorts partake in bacchanalian orgies, he downs Quaaludes like candy, divorces his home town wife, marries a super model, is stalked by the FBI for insider trading and so on and so forth. Scorsese does not miss any sordid or hilarious detail. One question comes to mind, is this comedy about American business as usual? If so, should we as a species ask ourselves what motivates people to act this way and is this a true look at who we really are?
The film never disappoints and has a energy and a style that only Scorsese can deliver. DiCaprio is becoming a true super-star and his bravura performance, supported by a superb ensemble of character actors, makes this a must see, to believe film. Some people may be offended by the themes of misogyny and addiction, but the film does deliver with a one-two punch. The film has been nominated for a best picture Oscar for the upcoming 2014 academy awards.
Tags: Academy Awards, cinema, cinema commentary, Cinema Review, Cinema Reviews, commentary, entertainment, film, films, Jonah Hill, Leonardo DiCaprio, martin scorsese, Movies, Oscars, The Wolf of Wall Street
Categories Comedy, drama, Movie Reviews
Synopsis: Baz Luhrmann directs a lavish version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gasby. Leonardo DiCaprio, plays Jay Gatsby, a mysterious man who spends half a decade building a monument to the woman he loves.
Leonardo DiCaprio (Jay Gatsby)
Tobey Maguire (Nick Carraway)
Joel Edgerton (Tom Buchanan)
Carey Mulligan (Daisy Buchanan),
Isla Fisher (Myrtle Wilson)
Jason Clarke (George Wilson)
Elizabeth Debicki (Jordan Baker)
Amitabh Bachchan (Meyer Wolfsheim)
Review: Considering Baz Luhrmann's excesses in his version of Romeo and Juliet, also starring Leonardo DiCapro and his visual excesses on his film Moulin Rouge, we are also visually overwhelmed by all the sites and sounds of this version of Gatsby. The film runs 2 hours and 40 minutes and it is a long time to be bombarded with fireworks, stunning set design and loud music. On the other hand the same can be said for a Cecil B. Demille extravaganza. What Luhrman does do, and brilliantly I might add, is let us inside the 1920's world of Gatsby and his obsession for one woman, the excessive parties and fireworks are just a distraction. Luhrmann also has an apparent appreciation for the source material, when the film gets more serious there are certain moments of diologue and proes right out of Fitzgerald's novel.
The story is told in flashback from the point of view of Gatsby's friend, Nick Carraway, played by Toby Maguire. Maguire, as an actor, plays naive young men changed by extraordinary circumstances extremely well. He is seen as a recovering alcoholic in a psychiatric hospital telling his story to his doctor. When Carraway reaches an impass and won't talk about his dealings with Gatsby, the doctor encourages him to write about it. This is when the story unfolds as Carraway, who is writing a journal, narrates his writings.
DiCaprio is Gatsby, a mysterious, rich, quiet man owns an estate on Long Island. He throws extravagant parties, collects art, fills his house with strangers and music, but no one has seen him. Rumors abound about his background, he killed a man, his family was prominent and he inherited their fortune, he went to Oxford etc. DiCaprio has a boyish charm and a knowing smile that perfectly encapsulates the Gatsby of the novel.
Daisy Buchanan, Gatsby's love interest is played by Cary Mulligan, she is both beautiful and complicated. She love's Gatsby but is married to a bigot and a brutish adulterer, the rich, Tom Buchanan.
Joel Edgerton plays Tom Buchanan's menacing bigotry and unfaithfulness with a frightening edge. He loves his wife, Daisy, but his brutish ways keeps her at a distance. It is here that the conflicts in their marriage arise.
There are many secrets to Gatsby as well as to Daisy and her relationship with him. Each piece of the puzzle fits together as new revelations about Gatsby are uncovered or shared with Carraway. The story is fascinating and holds your attention.
The use of 3D was very effective in the story telling, from the beginning titles that literally draw you into Gatsby's world, to Carraway's typing prose that at times fill the screen with fonts that fall like snow. The 3D enhances the majesty of Gatsby's mansion and well as the musical numbers that are reminiscent of Buzby Berkley.
I must say that as good a movie as this is it falls short of being a great movie. The film, which takes us to a post WWI New York during the roaring 20's, is visually recreated with style, mood and the design of the time. When you are taken into that world a big piece of the picture is the sounds and music of the time and place. Luhrmann chose to juxtapose jazz sounds with the loud beats of Jay-Z, covers by Beyonce and Andre 3000,.and Fergie. Frankly this is a distraction when you are mentally focused on the 1920's décor, color and costumes. For an example of the contrasts at work here, the scene where Carraway meets Gatsby for the first time, there are cross cuts from Carraway's face, to the fireworks at the party, to Gatsby himself looking out over the Long Island Sound, the music is Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and the moment is a brilliant use of the language of film. On the other hand as the music swells at a huge Gatsby party, the musician who is reminiscent of the Jazz Great Cab Calloway, sings a hip-hop belter that is so out of place, you are immediately removed from the time and space the film represents. Luhrmann understands everyone will not like his use of say Fergie singing, so you have to ask is he doing justice to the story or trying to sell us a mix we can find on ITunes, or a Blu-ray DVD version of a long music video?
The movie's cast of actors more than makes up for the flaws in the musical soundtrack and the story is a classic of modern literature. So for today's young audience I say, you know what a DVD is, they used to call them books. On the other hand, if this is what it takes to get a young audience to appreciate a novel like Gatsby, then go for it.
Tags: Baz Luhrmann, Carey Mulligan, cinema, Cinema Review, commentary, entertainment, F. Scott Fitzgerald, film, Joel Edgerton, Leonardo DiCaprio, Movies, reviews, The Great Gatsby, Toby McGuire
Categories drama, Summer Blockbusters
REVIEW: It is hard to find fault with a movie that needs to be seen on the big screen, it is hard to find fault with the masterpiece of compelling story telling that unfolds before you and it is impossible to fault John Cameron who we all know directed the movie, for using artistic license in his portrayals of the real people who sailed the Titanic.
The ill fated love story between Jack Dawson and Rose Dewitt Bukater is arguably one of the most romantic in screen history. In it's 1997 initial release the film grossed over two billion world wide, to show you it's staying power it has made $88.2 million internationally this weekend alone, and has become the highest-earning debut in China of all time with $58 million.
Cameron uses 3D in subtle ways to give the feeling of actually being on the ship. The clarity is remarkable and no cheap in your face moments were used. Cameron and his technicians have used the effects much in the same way he did in Avatar adding to the realism of the story and not detracting from it.
Gloria Stuart as old Rose brings tears to your eyes in her telling of her love story and also uses the telling as a catharsis to find absolution over the painful memory of losing Jack Dawson to the waters in the freezing Atlantic. She sums up her feelings by saying "1500 people were out in the ocean that night after Titanic sank out from under us. 20 ships floated nearby and only one came back. One. Six people were saved from the ocean, myself included. Six. 700 people waited in the boats nearby. Waiting to die, waiting to live. Waiting for an absolution that would never come." Rose finds her absolution in the memorable moment when she throws the 'Heart" diamond into the water, giving her heart to the memory of Jack Dawson, only to find him waiting for her by the clock as she passes into absolution.
Kate Winslet portrayal as young Rose is just the right balance of independence, toughness and frailty. We feel for her every time she tries to deny her feelings for Jack and we cry when she finally succumbs to them.
Billy Zane as Cal Hockley plays arrogance and conceit well. He reminds us of the nature of wall street tycoons and bankers where money can buy everything. Well almost, Rose his betrothed, so he thinks, will have none of it.
Leonardo DiCaprio's Jack Dawson is the youthful exuberance we should all have in life. He takes in each new experience as a blessing and we want so much for him to win Rose's heart.
Whatever facts Cameron played with to tell the story is inconsequential. Titanic in 1997 was and still is in 2012 a masterpiece of craftsmanship and the 3D only enhances the experience. Don't miss it.
(Some scenes may be too intense for the very young)
Tags: cinema, commentary, film, James Cameron, Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Movies, reviews, Titanic 3D
Categories Movie Reviews, Uncategorized
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