This film keeps getting better the more I think about it, certainly worthy of the best film of the year title, much more worthy than the last two years. I will say this is the best movie since Inglourious Basterds for me.

I did not realize the perils of modern society until I saw Leo do a line out of a girl's ass.

LISTS!

1. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
2. Django Unchained (2012)
3. The Social Network (2010)
4. The Muppets (2011)

The cocaine represented the struggling middle class, the ass was our country, the woman was the mindless business executives hungering for the next great job promotion, and Leo was the 1%. Very glad you caught that as well.

These are your favourite films of the last 4 years?

Yes

Did you like a 2009 more than The Wolf? Just wondered why you didn't include that year and before..

Just this decade

http://blog.wenn.com/all-news/leonardo- ... ll-street/

I think why this is such a success is that this movie understands what it is. My main fault with it is that it too closely follows the formula of Goodfellas, when this film isn't a study of wall street like Goodfellas was a study of the Italian mafia, this was a story of excess. In the article posted, Leonardo DiCaprio compares his performance to that of Caligula. I can certainly see the comparisons. Both are men of such alarming levels of hedonism that neither are famous for their reigns of terror, but rather for their excess of life at the expense of others. To me, this is more fresh than your typical, I'm rich and corrupt, but am secretly tormented by my success. Nah neither give a damn about any of that, they just enjoy the life. When Jordan chooses to return to his company when he is given an exit, he does it, not for the love of his job, but the love of his merry band of thieves. He enjoys the life not the profession. In fact, for a brief moment, we get one of the best shots of the year, where Jordan's father looks at the crowd in the office, jumping and hooting in celebration, and for a brief moment we are taken out from Jordan's charm and we see just how demented everyone has become. Max is a simple middle class man, who just wants to make his son happy. He hasn't bought into the hedonism, but everyone else in that room has, and its a madhouse.

And if Jordan is one of the most powerful men in a country that chooses money as its source of power, we must stop and think, that these are the people who run our country. Not only out of Wall Street, but out of Hollywood, out of sports, out of things that rake in obscene amounts of cash, not through hard work, or even Marxist exploitation, but out shallow charisma.

The more I stop and think about this movie, the better it becomes. I have my one big fault, but I put this film firmly behind Goodfellas as the second best of Marty's career. It is a shame he won't win for this, but I can see why. This is a very polarizing film for obvious reasons. I mean it objectifies women to an alarming degree (with purpose mind you, but most people ignore artistic purpose on these types of subjects), and isn't exactly dressed in the nicest tuxedo. However, it is a bigger shame that Marty won for the Departed, one of his more simple-minded films that hits its themes far too harshly on the nose. I mean a rat as the last shot of the film? Come on, either for with no subtly or use it, because there was too obvious. This is an artist who's created some all time great works, and it is his popcorn flick that wins. I suppose if Wolf won, then people would complain about his comedy being the winner. But then Wolf being a comedy at the level that it was showcases, to me, that Marty is still an innovator and a fantastic artist far more than the Departed.

Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street is about addiction to excess and power. The drugs, sex and money make Jordan Belfort meet his dream of becoming a king.

Although Wolf’s placement in “Musical or Comedy” at the Golden Globe awards originally seemed dubious, I feel this placement is deserved. Wolf is at its best, an uproarious comedy. The sheer brash and arrogance of its males, sharp dialog and performances create one of the biggest laughter-causers of the year.

Despite its dark subject matter about a drug addict who’s ruined innocent lives, Scorsese’s approach is light storytelling. As if his equivalent to Steven Spielberg’s Leonardo DiCaprio starring “Catch Me If You Can”, Scorsese is in gunslinger mode. Many scenes are not essential to the plot or Belfort’s story, but to be entertaining fun. Matching its subjects’ goals, The Wolf of Wall Street is about pumping the audience’s veins with stimulant and fun. The Wolf of Wall Street is the world through Jordan Belfort’s excess-obsessed mind.

Yet there is a downside to this. Character development is lacking, many supporting characters are portrayed in a surface fashion. Margot Robbie’s Naomi is both introduced and resolved in a shallow rather than human fashion. Jonah Hill’s Donnie is a microcosm of the film’s strengths and weaknesses. While a scene stealer and entertaining, Donnie is not developed as a person nor integral to the plot. His role is the fun of his scenes themselves.

The Wolf of Wall Street is worth appreciating for its uniquely exuberant, stimulant storytelling. From a filmmaking, acting and writing perspective its one of the years strongest. However Scorsese’s commitment to lightness and fun storytelling makes one wonder how the darker version would have turned out. Few projects Scorsese has taken on have had the potential The Wolf of Wall Street has. That Wolf is not one of his truest home runs, may represent a missed opportunity.

Wow this was a fun movie. I couldn't believe it was 3 hours long. I never noticed. Leo and Hill are amazing in this movie. The delayed Quaaludes scene is awesome. It made me want to watch Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

A-

it's #1

It is.

It's not holding up that well on repeat viewings for me.

That, I can believe.

Nothing special. B.