Casino (1995)

When considering Scorsese's impressive career and specifically his collection of mafia films, Casino is surprisingly different from the others (Goodfellas, Mean Streets). The energy is still there. The quick cuts and rock n roll, the drugs and beautiful women. Watching any scene from this film is a dead giveaway of who made it. Yet, Casino's focus is more Las Vegas than anything else. It tells the story of how Las Vegas ended up being too strong a drink for the eastern men who tried to settle it. Sam Rothstein (De Niro) wants nothing else than to run the casino he was gifted by the gods but made man Nicky Santoro (Pesci) sees Las Vegas as untapped territory. Both of these men end up ruining their lives but that's no secret. The film starts with it's ending like most Scorsese films. The best thing about Casino is that it exposes a bigger underworld. One that eats goodfellas for breakfast. And all we can do is watch it burn. This would be the last mafia film Scorsese would make before returning with The Departed in 2006, which is it's own beast and a new narrative style for Scorsese. Casino was a fitting end to the 80's and 90's mafia classics from Scorsese. He ends it by saying- look, there's so much more corruption out there. Stop being a sheep. Open your eyes. And don't fuck your partners wife or the gods will fuck you.

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