A masterpiece beyond what anyone could imagine

Rating: 10/10 (27 August 2017)

As far back as I could remember, movies like Star Wars, Pulp Fiction, The Dark Knight, Fight Club, The Shawshank Redemption, as well as all the many amazing films that I've been blessed with when I was kid. But to me, Goodfellas was the movie that made me want to make movies that inspire, shock, emote, and floor audiences beyond the theater. So the first time when I heard that Martin Scorsese was making a movie about historical Japan based on a book he read even before making Goodfellas. So some time later, the movie was released and I tried to see it in theaters mainly because I thought it was amazing that we still get the chance to see a Martin Scorsese in theaters(seriously think about it, how awesome that is!). Unfortunately I couldn't see it the few theaters that it was in because life is unfair, but that didn't stop me from buying the Blu-Ray, along with Arrival. I even tried to watch it on the biggest TV in my house and then turn off all the lights to replicate the feel of the movie theater.
Then I watched it and I got to say, I had no idea what to expect but after letting the film sit with me after a while, I can definitely say that this film is in the same league as the classics that gave Martin Scorsese his status & love for over the 5 decades.
The cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto is pure eye candy for those who crave amazing storytelling, the editing by Thelma Schoonmaker is gold standard of how to edit a film, the casting, the production design, just about every single aspect & effort put into this film was beyond worth it. The acting and directing on display is the template I'll be following for movies that I'll hopefully get to make in the future.
To me this is a movie that needs to be discussed especially today, not because of how the world is today but for truly understand why we do what do, what does it mean to be human, etc.
In the film we get to someone who is at the top of his game but as he progresses down so far, it's just absolutely heartbreaking. I could explain more but you HAVE to watch it for yourself. This is a film that will last forever, and infinitely better than moonlight or La La Land.