New York, 1970

Rating: 10/10 (3 February 2006)

How could a single movie accomplish all of this? It is the pinnacle of Ray Liotta's career. Joe Pesci is immortalized a gangster. It deepened Robert Deniro's already legendary acting career. It permanently embedded the name Martin Scorese in the minds of millions of fans as an awe inspiring director.
"And when the cops, when they assigned a whole army to stop Jimmy, what'd he do? He made 'em partners."
Goodfellas did many things extremely well. How could anyone like, or even feel sorry for any of the gangsters in this movie? I find myself wondering how that could happen? But that's the genius of this movie, actors, writers, and director. Some how it's acceptable to like these characters. Yet in reality they are really despicable, violent people.
"...It was among the Italians. It was real grease ball sh*t."
Goodfellas is based on a true story possibly best known as involving the Lufthansa Airport heist in 1970. It's told primarily through the eyes of Henry Hill, who joins up with Paul Cicero as part of Cicero's crew.
"When they found Carbone in the meat truck, he was frozen so stiff it took them three days to thaw him out for the autopsy."
The story begins with young Henry, who has already figured out that he's going to be a gangster. As the story progresses, Henry is taken in by the crew and gains their trust, deservingly so. He eventually meets Tommy Devito and Jimmy Conway, partners who Hill will be with through the end.
Materialism is rampant throughout the story, definitely it's a significant icon in this story. They all lead a rather lavish lifestyle, and are all willing to do whatever it takes to maintain it.
Ultimately as they lifestyles rely more heavily on income and violence, this eventually leads to the crews self-destruction. They have drowned in their own excess.
"See, your murderers come with smiles, they come as your friends, the people who've cared for you all of your life. And they always seem to come at a time that you're at your weakest and most in need of their help."
This is an epic cinematic event. In 1990, the events which this movie is based on were much fresher in the minds of Americans. However age hasn't changed the absolute top notch production this movie is. It is a spectacle of film art from beginning to end. The dialog is fantastic. Acting is fluent and very believable. The cinematographic aspects of this movie are as good as it get's. There's also a killer soundtrack.
I've been a fan of this movie since I first watched in the early 90s. I will be a fan of this movie for the rest of my life.
10/10