The Great Gatsby is better than great, it's amazing.

Rating: 9/10 (28 August 2013)

When I first saw the trailer for The Great Gatsby, I don't know what got me so excited, but it did. I haven't read the book, and really didn't know what the movie was about, but the previews got me excited. Again, I went into the movie not sure what to expect, but I came out knowing full well what it was, and how good it was.
This movie is defined by a few things, one of the big ones being the story, and the artistic direction of the film. The story, told through the eyes of writer Nick Carraway, is a tragic love tale full of conspiracy, lies, and drama. The plot is very engaging to say the least, and the initial mystery behind the plot is entertaining. But what adds to the story is the film's wonderfully executed artistic design, portraying a captivating 1920's New York which is full of beautiful locations, colorful scenery, and an overall immersing atmosphere. High- energy parties filled with celebration and dancing, beautiful cars, and more. The movie displays a city in it's hay-day, and it is wonderful. The film's soundtrack also went in a different direction, opting for a modern day sound with modern day music instead of going 1920's with the music. And in turn, the soundtrack helps the movie more than hurts it, only adding to the sense of artistic beauty this movie provides. In an artistic sense, the movie is very captivating.
The other large reason for this film's success is because of the extraordinary talents of the cast. The best actor that has never won an Oscar, Leonardo DiCaprio, plays the lead role as Jay Gatsby, and boy did it seem like another Oscar-winning performance to me. DiCaprio's acting wonders are on full display here, portraying a truly phenomenal character. Gatsby is a complicated, mysterious, lovable, colorful, emotional, and powerful character, and Leo nails the role to near perfection. This is some of the best work I've seen DiCaprio do, and that's pretty good going up against heavy hitters like Inception, The Departed, and Titanic among others. The supporting cast is equally as wonderful as well. The aforementioned Nick Carraway is played by Tobey Maguire, and his importance is more than just telling the story. He is a great character supporting player to DiCaprio's stellar performance, providing some laughs, emotion, and being the middle man in the overall story. Carey Mulligan plays the love interest to two characters, and also displays a complicated and emotional character, providing a depth to the story that makes you want to care. All said, the acting was pure gold, and brought the movie to life.
I at times felt that the movie rushed a tad too fast, not giving viewers quite enough time to digest what was going on, but for the majority of the 143 minute run time, the pacing was solid.
The movie finishes with a shocking conclusion (for people who haven't read the book) that really ended in a much different fashion than I expected. It was refreshing to be able to not have the movie figured out within the fist 30 or so minutes, keeping me interested in the story and how everything was going to play out.
For me personally, I love nothing more than being immersed in a movie. I love it when I feel like I'm part of the story a movie is telling and I want to feel the emotions running through the film, no matter what they are. The Great Gatsby gives me my wish by displaying a fantastically beautiful and artistic setting, that has my eyes just wanting to see more and more of what's on the screen. The acting is sensational, the story is mysterious and interesting, the score is fun and powerful, and to reiterate again, the movie is simply captivating.
9/10