Movie-A-Day #78: GoodFellas

[KingLouieLouie]

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Martin Scorsese's 1990 masterpiece GoodFellas immortalizes the hilarious, horrifying life of actual gangster Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), from his teen years on the streets of New York to his anonymous exile under the Witness Protection Program. The director's kinetic style is perfect for recounting Hill's ruthless rise to power in the 1950s as well as his drugged-out fall in the late 1970s; in fact, no one has ever rendered the mental dislocation of cocaine better than Scorsese. Scorsese uses period music perfectly, not just to summon a particular time but to set a precise mood. GoodFellas is at least as good as The Godfather without being in the least derivative of it. Joe Pesci's psycho improvisation of Mobster Tommy DeVito ignited Pesci as a star, Lorraine Bracco scores the performance of her life as the love of Hill's life, and every supporting role, from Paul Sorvino to Robert De Niro, is a miracle.

Personal Note: What can I possibly say about this movie? A true masterpiece bar none! Ranks along with any of "The Godfather" installments as my favorite "Gangster" movie of all-time. Liotta and Bracco were at their best... Plus, De Niro and Pesci are two of my top ten favorite actors.. One of the rare movies of this genre that I can watch non-stop and still feel how riveting each and every time....

 

[Chaplin]

This is just an amazing movie--very good, and unfortunately it had the misfortune of going against Dances With Wolves--ironically, the same type of thing happened in 1997 when Titanic beat out LA Confidential for Best Picture.

I always thought, however, that Goodfellas was a tad long, but that can be said for almost every Scorsese movie ever made. I like the movie, and it is one of his best, but it isn't his absolute best, IMO. I think Raging Bull, Taxi Driver and Last Temptation of Christ are better, but not by much.

 

[Renz]

Great movie! Not quite on par with The Godfather or The Godfather II though IMO.

 

[mdamien13]

I really like this movie. My only beef with it would have to be that it loses some of its luster towards the end. It was more interesting when it was showing the glory days of being a wiseguy.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Originally posted by Renz
Great movie! Not quite on par with The Godfather or The Godfather II though IMO.

I never understood the lore of the Godfather movies - they are very good movies but the heaps of praise they get never made sense to me - Goodfellas is hands down my favorite mob films and one of the my favorite ever - The movie is mesmerizing.

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by cheesebeef
I never understood the lore of the Godfather movies - the very good god movies but the heaps of praise they get never made sense to me - Goodfellas is hands down my favorite mob films and one of the my favorite ever - The movie is mesmerizing.

Wow, I disagree. You hear that Godfather is one of the best ever, and then you watch it, and you have to agree. Goodfellas is certainly up there, but there aren't many movies better than Godfather.

 

[AZCB34]

Goodfellas is awesome. I love the gangster theme movies and this one is by far my favorite (I haven't taken the time to watch Godfather...YET!!!)

I do agree with mdamien in that it strays off the glorious time of being a wiseguy but since it is based on a true story, I understand the need for it to cover all the ground. Great flick!

"What can I say, I'm a good shot."

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by AZCB34
Goodfellas is awesome. I love the gangster theme movies and this one is by far my favorite (I haven't taken the time to watch Godfather...YET!!!)

You love gangster movies but haven't taken the time to watch Godfather??

 

[AZCB34]

Originally posted by Chaplin
You love gangster movies but haven't taken the time to watch Godfather??

Weird huh? I always mean to but then get sidetracked. Someday...hopefully soon. Have to cautious about what I watch with a 4 year old and 18 month old running around.

 

[DbaxJ]

The thing about this movie is that it is truely "realistic" in the sense of its characters behavior, what makes them tick, and such. Coming from a family very well versed in the ways of the wiseguy, many of my relatives LOVE this movie and relate to it. This is by far my personal favorite mob flick!!!

 

[dodie53]

wow. what a movie.

it was great.

i'm going to watch the godfather maybe next week,
is there some other gangster movies that is worthy watching?

 

[Mulli]

Good. But I liked Casino better. I think Pesci and De Niro are better in Casinso as well.

 

[Bada0Bing]

Casino was awesome, but I think Goodfellas was a notch better. Definitely in my top 10.

dodie, have you seen Scarface?

 

[Mulli]

Casino was awesome, but I think Goodfellas was a notch better. Definitely in my top 10.

dodie, have you seen Scarface?

I just watched Casino for the first time. I loved it. I will have to watch Goodfellas again. It might be that it is too hard to pick between the two.

 

[Bada0Bing]

I rewatched Casino about a year ago. I had forgotten how brutal some of those scenes were, especially the one near the end in the field.

 

[Mulli]

I rewatched Casino about a year ago. I had forgotten how brutal some of those scenes were, especially the one near the end in the field.

Historical note:

In real life, the mob was from Chicago and not from Kansas City. And the brothers were beat up at a farm and then driven out to the field to be buried out in the field.

 

[Renz]

Goodfellas > Casino.

Probably Scorsese's best film.

 

[Dr. Jones]

To me.... When I watch Goodfellas I think.... DAMN! That was an awesome movie!!!!

When I watch Casino, I think..... Wow.... a Las Vegas version of Goodfellas. How nice.

That's the difference to me. Goodfellas is the better flick to IMO.

 

[dodie53]

Casino was awesome, but I think Goodfellas was a notch better. Definitely in my top 10.

dodie, have you seen Scarface?

i haven't watched scarface,

is it good?

what about casino?

 

[abomb]

Goodfellas > Casino.

Just rewatched it on Saturday. What a great film.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Goodfellas > Casino.

in a landslide... although I think Casino is a very very good film as well.

Probably Scorsese's best film.

agreed. It's probably in my top 5 films of all time. Raging Bull would probably be my choice for Marty's 2nd best film... then Taxi Driver.

How Goodfellas lost any Academy Award it was up for that year is mind-boggling to me. I know some may say this is heresy, but I consider it the greatest crime/mob movie of all time... yes, better than both Godfather 1 and 2.

edit: how did I know that when I looked at page 1 of this thread I'd find I already wrote all of the above?

it's criminal that Kevin Costner won Best Director for Dances over Marty.

 

[abomb]

agreed. It's probably in my top 5 films of all time. Raging Bull would probably be my choice for Marty's 2nd best film... then Taxi Driver.

I have both of those up next, sitting on top of my Xbox360 in their little Netflix envelopes.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I have both of those up next, sitting on top of my Xbox360 in their little Netflix envelopes.

Abomb, you've never seen any of those movies? Let me throw a Marty curveball at you along with those... AFTER HOURS. It is NOTHING like his other movies, but is sheer brilliance in it's asburditist take on NY in the 80's.

 

[Gee!]

For cheesey

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/f12/taxi-driver-113460.html?highlight=taxi+driver

 

[cardsfanmd]

Good. But I liked Casino better. I think Pesci and De Niro are better in Casinso as well.

Casino was awesome, but I think Goodfellas was a notch better. Definitely in my top 10.

dodie, have you seen Scarface?

I just watched Casino for the first time. I loved it. I will have to watch Goodfellas again. It might be that it is too hard to pick between the two.

I rewatched Casino about a year ago. I had forgotten how brutal some of those scenes were, especially the one near the end in the field.

I hate you Mulli, as I was going through this thread getting ready to say that Casino was the better flick too. The best part was how many different types of gansters there were in the film. You had DeNiro being smart and reserved (aside from falling for Sharon Stone's ********) and Pesci just basically saying "I am gonna do this. Take it how you want, but get the ---- out of my way."

Goodfellas was depressing in the end. Though its a great flick it left me pissed off.