Casino (2006, HD DVD)

In the whole scheme of mob/mafia movies, I d have to say that Martin Scorsese s Casino ranks in the top ten, (okay, maybe even top 5) of all time best organized crime flicks. The massive talent and the unforgettable characters in Casino stand out and the film screams I m Way More Than Interesting! from start to finish. We are privy to the goings on in Las Vegas when the mob still controlled the hotels. As they sat on their thrones in Kansas City, Las Vegas continued to put food on their tables and dirty money in their pockets.

We are introduced to Sam 'Ace' Rothstein, (Robert DeNiro), who is the golden boy according to the Powers That Be. They would like Rothstein to take the manager s position at the Tangiers hotel. Sam is hesitant at first. The story is narrated by Rothstein and his childhood friend Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci), who comes into play a little later. As Nicky explains, Sam is given a great honour by the Guys in Kansas City but he still tries to get out of it. Sam is very cautious and very conservative, and he is just what the Tangiers wants and needs.

Nicky Santoro is, to put it quite necessarily- bad news. As Sam says (when it s his turn to narrate), No matter how big a guy might be, Nicky would take him on. You beat Nicky with fists, he comes back with a bat. You beat him with a knife, he comes back with a gun. And you beat him with a gun, you better kill him, because he'll keep comin' back and back until one of you is dead. The bosses in Kansas City thought it would be a good idea for Nicky to go stay in Vegas so that he could help Sam run things.

In the mean time, Sam meets Ginger (Sharon Stone) and immediately falls in love. Same loves her, even though Ginger is still in love with her disgusting, smarmy ex boyfriend Lester (James Woods). Sam believes that he can eventually break her of Lester, and he trusts her with everything that he has. Despite her good judgment and street smarts, Ginger cannot seem to forget Lester, no matter how hard she tries.

Nicky comes to Las Vegas and he soon creates problems for himself and for Sam. He is a bully, he gets in fights and he steals from people s homes, he gets a bad reputation at the casinos and he becomes black listed. Federal Agents watch him constantly as he is a suspect in some disappearances in Vegas, and Sam wants him to stay away from the Tangiers because he doesn t want any problems due to Nicky. Of course Nicky gets upset with Sam over this, and the friends start to get into a dangerous game of back stabbing one another.

We follow the characters during the rise and fall of the Tangiers, and through their time as profitable mafia in Las Vegas. However, like Sam says, No one stays at the top forever.

Casino pulls the audience into it s Mafioso clutches. Those who love movies like The Godfather and Scorsese s earlier masterpiece, Goodfellas, will especially like Casino. We actually are blessed with the dynamic DeNiro and Pesci duo once again in Casino, and the violence and sex and expletives fly.

We like Sam Rothstein and we want him to do well. We want he and Ginger to make it as a couple. We hurt from Sam when Ginger caters to her two-bit derelict ex-boyfriend and we love Ginger just as much as Sam does. The glamorous life of millionaires in Vegas piques our curiosity and the four-room closets filled with jewels and mink coats are magnificent and telling. We don t like Nicky and we wish nothing more for Nicky to leave Sam and Ginger alone. Nicky enjoys causing problems in all aspects of his own life and in the lives of others. Scorsese adds such a rich element of humanity in this film, and it separates a sort of disgust for the foundations of the mob with the actual people who are involved. Those people happen to have feelings and considerations. They are able to love and to care.

Casino was made in 1995 and it was an Academy Award worthy film. Sharon Stone was nominated for Best Actress. (She won the Golden Globe) Scorsese was nominated for the Best Director Golden Globe, but he did not win. I think DeNiro and Pesci got the short end of the Globe/Oscar stick, so to speak. They easily gave Oscar winning performances. There is no one more believable than Joe Pesci as a hard nosed, tough wise guy with an obvious Napoleon complex.

Casino explains how the mafia had a grip on the Vegas casinos and also shows how (step by step) money is brought into the casino as legitimate and how it s taken out and dispersed amongst organized crime. The narration is fascinating, and it s a realistic account of the hold that organized crime had over legalized gambling.

I have to say that there is not one minute of boredom in all 178 minutes of this Scorsese Classic. Combining drama, crime and romance, Casino is one of the best films I ve seen. I wouldn t recommend this film to anyone who feels uncomfortable around extreme profanity, nor for those who don t like gore (shooting, blood and guts). However, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys mob movies, especially Goodfellas.

5 great big stars