Money Power & Greed

Rating: 8/10 (10 December 2011)

Goodfellas (1990) Cast Robert De Niro as James (Jimmy) Conway
Ray Liotta as Henry Hill
Joe Pesci as Tommy Devito
Lorainne Bracco as Karen Hill
Paul Sorvino as Paul Cicero
Frank Sivero as Frank Carbone
Tony Darrow as Sunny Bunz
Mike Star as Frenchy
Frank Vincent as Billy Batts
Goodfellas is a biography of Henry Hill a gangster or more like a crook with mob ties who finds his way as a kid into organized criminal lifestyle. The plot of this film is based around power, money & greed which would in all likely hood is the down fall of the main character in this film, including Henry himself.
Jimmy (Robert De Niro) would be a gangster that Henry looked up to. He liked jimmy style, in fact throughout the film you will see Henry dress like him and even begin to enter the rooms as he did commanding respect, flashing cash, a sort of Mans man attitude.
Paulie (Paul Sorvino) on the other hand never actually did anything in the film be was feared by the gangsters alike. You never see Paulie get his hand dirty yet he does wind up in prison just as the others do.
Tommy (Joe Pesci) was a lunatic, who not only did dirt but found it enjoyable, didn't blink an eye at killing someone for almost anything, a total out of control enforcer.
These guys will be the guys Henry would have as his role models the editing and narration of the film made it a really good biopic. Editing was done as an inside out technique, it would show action happening then it would back up to explain how and why? Directed by Martin Scorsese who has done such films as The Departed & newly Shutter Island this film won a slew of accolades'. Including 2 Oscars, a truly incredible portrayal of a true life event. Written by Nicholas Pileggi in which the screen play was based on his book "Wise Guy". He also did another biography film known as Casino, another gangster base film. Directed by Martin Scorsese again. Sound quality would be different for both. In Goodfellas it would use Dolby Surround sound but in Casino DTS stereo quality was used.
Lighting techniques were kind of dark, but gave a really good feel for secrecy, and confidential meetings, it came across well in the film. I would rate this feel as a must see film.