WOLF OF WALL STREET

Today, for the first time, I used a theater's captioning device to watch a film.  What a marvelous piece of technology!  I hope one day it will no longer be as bulky as it currently is (and I know they've slimmed down a lot) so I wont feel self-conscious wearing it.

WOLF OF WALL STREET: Five out of five stars.

"I should've become a stock broker," was my prevailing thought as I watched DiCaprio's character, Jordan Belfort, sink deep into depravity.  I understand the criticisms of the film glorifying excess and criminality but all crime films these days do.  WOLF OF WALL STREET is unique in that instead of representing gangsters and mobsters it focuses on brokers.

Anchored by DiCaprio's strong performance WOLF OF WALL STREET is easily one of the funniest movies I've ever had the opportunity to see.  The Quaalude scene alone is a masterclass in physical comedy and should be shown in acting classes everywhere.  Jonah Hill's own performance is brilliant though no one shines brighter on screen than the luminous Margot Robbie as Jordan Belfort's paramour.

Filled with more tits and ass that you'll ever need, scenes of doing blow in a hooker's asshole, S&M, orgies, public sex, voyeurism, Jonah Hill's fake penis, and drugs drugs drugs drugs this is not a film for the faint of heart or the conservative of value and I fucking loved it for it.  Scorcese's directing makes every depraved beat shine - of particular amusement were the scenes shot when Belfort was high on one illicit substance or another - various continuity errors intercut with clever scene transitions throw you off balance enough to feel stoned yourself.

My only fault with this film was the running time - three hours of excess.  While some scenes could have easily been trimmed down to bring the film under two and a half hours I am glad the decision was made not to.  I have heard of longer cuts of the film and I do hope they are released one day.

Brilliant brilliant brilliant film.  Can't stop thinking about it!

Film List:
January 1: THERE WILL BE BLOOD (5/5)
January 2: BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (3.5/5)
January 3: THE ARTIST (5/5)
January 4: THE KING'S SPEECH (2.5/5)
January 5: UPSTREAM COLOR (5/5)
January 7: THE PIANIST (4.5/5)
January 8: DRINKING BUDDIES: (4/5)

January 9: THE LONE RANGER: (1/5)

                 FAST & FURIOUS 6: (3/5/5)
January 10: THE IRON LADY (1.5/5)
January 11: THE FIRST GRADER (3/5)
January 12: THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY (4/5)
January 13: GOOD BURGER (2.5/5)
January 14: HOFFA (2.5/5)
January 15: J. EDGAR (3.5/5)
January 16: WOLF OF WALL STREET (5/5)