Mac's Movies

UK Release Date:  23 February 1996 Certification:  18 Director:  Martin Scorsese Cast:   Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Kevin Pollak, Don Rickles, Sharon Stone, Frank Vincent, James Woods Rating:   75 % Review: Heralding the end of Martin Scorsese's obsession with deteriorating gangsters in a crime filled filmography spanning as far back as Mean Streets in 1973 before delving into a mix of religious epics and traditionalist biopics, Casino feels like a mesh of Scorsese's previous work. There's nothing truly original about the story, certain scenes reminiscent of Goodfellas , but Scorsese ensures that the film remains entertaining.  There is no doubt that the second and third act of Casino are a riveting watch but in fairness this film takes a while to become truly invested in. A slow introduction beckons the audience to eventually behold the downfall of these characters - making for a tremendous end with a sluggish start.  Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci c...

UK Release Date:  05 December 1997 Certification:  15 Director:  James Mangold Cast:  Peter Berg, Noah Emmerich, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Robert Patrick, Michael Rapaport, Sylvester Stallone, Frank Vincent Rating:   66% Review: 1997's Cop L and is a film of its time. Back when investigations into the police force were seen on screen every few months - Internal Affairs , L.A. Confidential and Training Day . Cop Land may lack originality, but for the most part it's a solid crime film.  The cast is stacked. Full of big name, A-list actors akin to that of one of Scorsese's works. Yet, it's Sylvester Stallone that steals the show with a terrific performance. Sheriff, Freddy Heflin, hindered by being partially deaf is portrayed superbly by Stallone. Emotionless, unwavering and torn by inner turmoil. The audience is continuously  rooting for Heflin despite his unadventurous persona. Harvey Keitel and Robert Patrick are both decent enough v...

UK Release Date:  19 February 1981 Certification:  18 Director:  Martin Scorsese Cast:  Nicholas Colasanto, Mario Gallo, Cathy Moriarty, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Frank Vincent Rating:   87 % Review: The film that saved both Martin Scorsese's career and life. A biography of Jake LaMotta's life, one of the most famous boxers of his time - for both the right and wrong reasons -  Raging Bull  is a character study masked as a sports film. From a filmmaking standpoint this is outstanding. Some exceptional camerawork which isn't really a surprise considering it's Scorsese. The way he shoots that dolly of LaMotta whilst he's in the ring is absolutely iconic, emphasising his descent into madness and inability to deal with both jealousy and anger. That whole scene in fact is simply riveting cinema.  The decision to have the film play out in black and white benefitted the viewing experience for me. Distinguishing Raging Bull from other works of the t...

UK Release Date: 26 October 1990 Certification: 18 Director: Martin Scorsese Cast: Lorraine Bracco, Tony Darrow, Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Frank Sivero, Paul Sorvino, Mike Starr, Frank Vincent  Rating:   92 % "As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster." Review: Goodfellas is the ultimate crime flick. Despite the rushed conclusion (my opinion) Martin Scorsese's film, based on a true story, is often considered as one of the best of all time.  Criminally, this is my first viewing of a Scorsese feature. With instant classics like  Taxi Driver  and  Raging Bull  as well as modern classics like  The Departed  and  The Wolf of Wall Street , he's viewed as one of the greatest directors of all time. I think what makes him stand out is his reliance on returning actors (Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci back then and Leonardo DiCaprio since the 2000's).  What makes Goodfellas not only an iconic movie but an a...

UK Release Date:   04 October 2019 Certification:  15 Director:  Todd Phillips Cast:  Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Robert De Niro, Joaquin Phoenix Rating:  92% "Smile, though your heart is aching." Review: Joker  tells the origin story of Arthur Fleck who through the tribulations of society becomes the Joker. It's brilliant use of the unreliable narrator leaves you thinking about what truly happened for weeks to come.  There's only one place to start when talking about Joker and that's Joaquin Phoenix - It's his movie. His performance is one of the greatest that I've ever seen and he's still no where near as good as Heath Ledger was. I think he just about deserved his Oscar over Matt Damon for Ford v Ferrari - who somehow neither him or Christian Bale received a nomination for their roles.  It's uncomfortable to look at Arthur, he's so lean but so menacing - I can totally buy his descent into madness and depression. ...

UK Release Date: 02 February 1996 Certification: 15 Director: Michael Mann Cast: Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, Val Kilmer, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Natalie Portman, Tom Sizemore, Wes Studi, Diana Venora, Jon Voight Rating:  97 % Don't let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner. Review: Based on a true story, crime-heist classic,  Heat , sees acting legends Robert De Niro and Al Pacino come face to face on the big screen for the first time as a cunning bank robber (Neil McCauley) and a hardened cop (Vincent Hanna) respectively.  There has never been a pair of actors people have wanted to see on screen more than Robert De Niro and Al Pacino and the end result definitely lived up to people's excitement. Al Pacino just about stood out to me as I thought he had brilliant comedic timing in the role. However, the scene most remembered in Heat is the diner scene, where inst...