The Departed (2006)

Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring an all-star cast including Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCapprio, Jack Nicholson, and many others, this is a crime thriller with an interesting concept. The plot has to do with two young men who were in the Massachusetts Police Academy. One is tailored by the Irish mobster Frank Costello to become a mole within the police. The other is called upon to infiltrate the mob before he graduates. Thus begins their dangerous assignments as each tires to find the rat in the other organization while also working to stay out of reproach. Costigan is able to get close to the vile Costello while Sullivan is part of the Special Investigation Unit and also begins a relationship with a psychologist. They must secretly keep contact with the other side but it becomes increasingly treacherous with one encounter leading to a chase and another in the death of a police captain. The heat is on as both men try and reveal the other mole. During a cocaine pick up Costello is traced to the spot and a chaotic shootout ensues. Everything seems calm again and yet Constello's mole is still around and bent on erasing Costigan from record. They agree to meet on a roof top and from that point on the film moves so rapidly it is almost impossible to take in what happens. Everything seems confused and corrupted but ultimately it does not pay to be a rat. This film has a lot of coarse language and violence but in Scorsese's hands it is still an intriguing film to watch.

4.5/5 Stars

Taxi Driver (1976)

Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film stars Robert De Niro with Jodie Foster and Cybil Sheppard. The story opens with a Vietnam vet, Travis Bickle (De Niro) who takes a job as a taxi driver. Travis is a quiet and lonely man who is turned off by the scum and filth he sees on the streets of New York. He becomes enthralled with a beautiful campaign worker who eventually turns him off. Then he also comes in contact with a young girl who makes her living working the streets. His frustration deepens and he begins to work out and collect weapons. It becomes obvious he is about to explode and after an initial failed attempt he does  just that. However, ironically the aftermath leaves him as a hero. Travis is an interesting character because you feel sorry for him and yet he does things that are truly wrong. I found Bernard Hermann's score, the voice-over narration, and the cryptic ending all to be interesting parts of this film.

4.5/5 Stars

The Aviator (2004)

Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo Dicapprio with a good ensemble cast, this biopic chronicle the life of Howard Hughes. The story begins when the ambitious young man begins to direct an epic movie that is nearly a disaster. After his success, we witness the life of this director, playboy, and above all aviator. He makes Scarface and then later The Outlaw. He has relationships with Katharine Hepburn (Cate Blanchet), a young teenage girl, and Ava Garner (Kate Beckinsdale). Then during the war he designs new planes and afterwards Hughes faces his greatest challenge. He is on the brink of disaster in his competition with Pan-Am and he is the subject of a near-damaging senate hearing. All the while his obsessive compulsive disorder gets worse. I found this film fascinating because I knew very little about Hughes. As a director himself, Scorsese also seemed to have sympathy for the man and also admiration for the olden days.

4.5/5 Stars

Goodfellas (1990)

Starring Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci with direction by Martin Scorcese, the film follows the true story of Henry Hill and his life as a mobster. Early on in the 50s Hentry began doing work for the influential mobster Paulie (Paul Sorvino). He began skipping school and slowly begins making a lucrative living with the mob.  Soon he meets Jimmy Conway (De Niro) who loves to hijack trucks as well as the foul-mouthed, quick-tempered robber Tommy DeVito (Pesci). Over time Henry becomes successful after an Air France robbery and eventually he gets married to a woman named Karen (Lorraine Bracco). However, Henry gets caught up in a murder and he also starts seeing another woman. He still has problems but he begins a lucrative drug trade and the Lufthansa heist is pulled. The heat is on and Henry is eventually caught and decides to rat on his friends. He is then forced to live life as a nobody. I appreciated the period music, voice over, tracking shots, and freeze frames. The language of DeVito and others is tiresome but it shows how inherently corrupt they are.

                                                           5/5 Stars

Raging Bull (1980)

This autobiographical boxing film directed by Martin Scorsese, stars Robert De Niro, Kathy Moriarty, and Joe Pesci. The film begins with a flashback to 1941 when Jake LaMotta (De Niro) lost a close fight. However, after that loss he begins his run for the middle weight title. Despite a difficult marriage, Jake's brother and manager introduces him to the young and beautiful Vickie. He continues to fight and in 1947 he is married once again. LaMotta has his share of troubles in the ring but he eventually becomes champion. At the same time his personal life is in a shambles thanks to his constant jealousy and paranoia towards his wife and brother. First, he is estranged from Joey and his career declines. Then after his retirement, Vickie files for a divorce. His days are spent entertaining in nightclubs as a washed up boxer. I enjoyed the reference to On the Waterfront at the end and despite the coarse language, the film had good characters, cinematography, and directing. LaMotta's life is one that I hope no one would have to experience because there is so much pain and anger in it.

                                                         5/5 Stars