CATEGORY: MOVIE // SCORE: 9.5/10
> Fight Club
A pretty cool action movie that has the fights, explosions, and anti-capitalism themes. There was a whole genre like this back then. "The system is a lie, and we’re just slaves." Seriously, what happened to that? Did working hours get any lighter? Did they start giving Saturdays off after Fight Club? 9.5/10 for nostalgia from high school.
CATEGORY: MOVIE // SCORE: 8/10
> Scarface
This turned out to be a flashy movie about a Cuban guy turning Florida upside down. Al Pacino and crime movies go together like GTA and drugs. However, it feels like the film was meant to be longer, and they cut out a few key scenes to make it shorter. It feels like I’m watching it on TBS. 8/10.
CATEGORY: MOVIE // SCORE: 10/10
> GoodFellas
This is the beautiful film that got me into crime movies. It introduced me to Robert De Niro. The plot, the cinematography, the acting, they all create a perfect 10/10 vibe for me.
CATEGORY: MOVIE // SCORE: 9/10
> Casino
A great film where Joe Pesci goes all out, even overshadowing De Niro. When I first watched it, it felt like a sequel to GoodFellas, but that doesn’t make it bad. It follows a solid formula like Wendy’s does. 9/10.
CATEGORY: MOVIE // SCORE: 8/10
> American Psycho
This is an excellent movie about character development. Patrick Bateman is one of the best examples of the "tatamae" idea; we owe that to the director and Mr. Bale. Even in those days when everything was affordable, the film captures how people still struggled to find peace, engaged in pissing contests, became desensitized, and focused only on themselves. Yet, paradoxically, everyone felt the spotlight effect. 8/10.
CATEGORY: MOVIE // SCORE: 11/10
> The Godfather: Part 2
To sum up how good this movie is: "Better than The Godfather." 11/10.
CATEGORY: MOVIE // SCORE: 10/10
> The Godfather
The second-best movie of all time. 10/10.
CATEGORY: MOVIE // SCORE: 7/10
> Donnie Brasco
I credit this film to Benjamin Ruggiero (Al Pacino), who really carried it, not Donnie. I found the story and cinematography very successful. Honestly, I think it's better than Titanic and Good Will Hunting. Depp fans, leave my blog! 7/10.
CATEGORY: MOVIE // SCORE: 8/10
> Dog Day Afternoon
Do I really need to explain how big of an Al Pacino fan I am? This movie is definitely a cult classic among crime films. It’s Al Pacino’s unappreciated gem. 8/10.
CATEGORY: SERIES // SCORE: 10/10
> Breaking Bad
It might sound silly to you, but I can smell the scent of a tatamae in this series, too. Everyone in the show is an anti-hero. We’re all on the same page about that, right? Even the Narcotics Officer attacks a “civilian”; a woman who accuses her husband of selling drugs is cheating on him and evading taxes. There’s a man who’s sensitive toward children, but he’s also poisoning them with meth. Lydia is afraid of seeing blood, but she’s funding bloody gang wars. The list goes on and on. Amid this parade of anti-heroes, we witness the slow and treacherous rise, and equally swift fall-of a rather ordinary man. The screenplay is nearly flawless, the acting is unexpectedly good, the atmosphere, the music… and most importantly, that spirit. That’s why, for me, this series is the best of all time.
