Batman Vs Superman

4/10

ed - this review has mild spoilers

Batman vs Superman is arguably the biggest superhero film disappointment yet. It had the potential to be incredible but unfortunately, because the people who made it opted for spectacle as opposed to meaningful storytelling, it is pretty much D.O.A. Directed by Zack Snyder, BvS is a failure that dooms the DC cinematic universe before it has even begun in earnest. The dialogue is cheesy, the plot is lame, the narrative doesn’t make sense and it does not in any way breed confidence about DC Comics and Warner Brothers’ potential to deliver stories about this stable of iconic heroes at a level that even comes close to the excellence of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The best description I have found of the plot is that Batman vs Superman “is about a billionaire vigilante who picks a fight with a super-powered alien for accidentally toppling one of his skyscrapers” (see footnote) and then stops hurting him because because he realises that their mothers both share the same name. Most of the performances in this film are deeply one-dimensional and campy, barring Ben Affleck as Batman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, whose extremely brief screen time brings some kind of joy to otherwise grim proceedings.

This film also happens to have Jessie Eisenberg playing Lex Luthor as an over-the-top combination of evil Mark Zuckerberg and the Riddler. Lex is a billionaire genius villain who has a penchant for peeing in jars and delivering over the top platitudes about gods and devils. Amy Adams plays Lois Lane, reprising her role from Man of Steel wherein she is used as a convenient excuse for superman to appear and show some kind of pathos, and to move objects from place to place to further the story. Jeremy Irons' snarky, and frankly irritating, take on Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler, should probably go down as the character's worst ever representation on-screen.

Some may say that it is wrong to compare the Marvel Cinematic Universe to DC’s attempts to establish their own cinematic playground, because it’s a different universe with different characters. But to be fair, Marvel have at least prioritized the right things in their world building, such as well-rounded character over senseless spectacle, such as narrative tightness over indulging fanboys at every turn, such as necessary bouts of humour over total grim apocalypse.  The most important difference is this: Marvel make good movies that make sense. I was about 6 scenes into Batman vs Superman before I knew what was going on. Whole scenes in this film were totally extraneous to the plot, and were simply put in to indulge the base instincts of fans, including an alternate universe scene that was unnecessary.

Easter Eggs, which refer to teasers for upcoming films or hidden characters, and their use in Batman V Superman is a great manifestation of the difference between Marvel’s and DC’s cinematic efforts. Marvel uses Easter eggs sparingly to excite, surprise and delight fans, and place pre-eminence of actual storytelling and character development. When I saw Howard the Duck at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy, I laughed. In this film, the Easter eggs are obvious and inconsequential to the plot, thus becoming boring and underwhelming. The best example is when they introduce clips of each future member of the Justice League on a computer screen. It should've been cool but it wasn't. I didn’t gasp for joy. I just cringed and shook my head.

So what is good about this film? It is watchable. The spectacle and action are, at times, enthralling. The showdown between Batman and Superman is well executed. Ben Affleck delivers a new take of Batman, who is psychotic and kills people (totally unlike the source material), but he sells it well and it works.

I don’t think this is a good film at all, but I will accept that it’s not THE WORST comic book movie of all time. It’s not as bad as pointy-nippled George Clooney and the deeply punny Arnold Schwarzenegger in Batman & Robin, but it’s definitely at the same level as Batman Forever, Amazing Spider-Man 2 and X-Men 3. The film smacks of self-indulgent writers, directors and studios who are infatuated with their conception of what they think the fans want. They think audiences want senseless action and amazing special effects. But they’re wrong – audiences want to have a good time watching characters they care about do amazing things. Unfortunately, Snyder and Warner Brothers have not made a film for the fans. It’s a film that indicates that these stakeholders, who were entrusted with precious and iconic stories to tell, only care about indulging their own egos. All they have done is regressed these iconic characters and in doing so, have established a DC universe that is lame, cliché ridden, campish and that frankly does not make any sense.

Watch this film if you liked: Elektra, Man of Steel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, X-Men 3, Spiderman 3, Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Green Lantern... or pretty much every crap super hero film ever. 

Credit to 
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald's review

Hail, Caesar!

7.5/10

The Coen Brothers’ latest jaunt, Hail Caesar is a comedy with an intelligent and absurdist sense of humor. The film follows Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin), a studio head, as he navigates a number of crises relating to his films, his performers as well as his personal life. The film is set up to be a homage to old Hollywood circa 1950, where films used to be made on a studio lot, regardless of whether that was a biblical epic, or a drama or a western. 

Diverse characters are used to bring this to life, including standouts such as Alden Ehrenreich who is hilarious as Hobie Doyle, a happy-go-lucky cowboy who cannot extend his skills beyond the western genre, and the multi-talented Channing Tatum who shows off his numerous skills in an impressive song-and-dance sequence.

The film benefits from great writing and engaging and humorous dialogue, but its limitation is that it feels more like a patchwork of different narratives that are not explored in enough depth to become ultimately fulfilling. As far as the Coen brothers go, this film, while of a high standard, made it apparent that they are still playing it safe - they know what works for them and are not looking to push beyond it. That being said, there is a lot to admire in this film, and I think it is worth a watch. I would compare this film, favourably I might add, to Burn after Reading. 

Watch this if you liked: Burn After Reading, Ben-Hur, True Grit, LA Confidential

Deadpool

7.5/10

The 2016 season of the superhero is upon us. With Civil War, X-Men: Apocalypse, Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad, and Doctor Strange on the horizon, 2016 is shaping up to be a seminal year for the genre. Yet, ironically, the year kicks off with a hero that is in its very essence designed to subvert the genre, Deadpool, the fourth wall breaking, Merc with a mouth. This film is basically Ryan Reynolds riffing on the superhero genre and making fart and sex jokes, while basically killing everyone who isn’t a good guy in brutal fashion. The biggest surprise of all of it, is that it is buckets of awesome non-stop fun. 

My only pseudo criticism is that I don’t know if there was a distinction between the character (Deadpool) and the Actor (Ryan Reynolds) begins, so intertwined are their characters. The movie left me questioning whether Deadpool would feel if he wasn’t played by Ryan Reynolds. How much would a new actor dominate or take over the character? I think I want to see Deadpool portrayed by different actors all the time, just to keep it fresh.  It’s this meta question that plagues me, but it’s a meta kind of film so I’m even over my own self-doubt.  

Deadpool is slick, foul mouthed, cartoonish and meta – but it’s a damn fun time.

Watch this if you liked: Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant Man, X-Men: Days of Future Past

The Revenant

8.5/10

Based on a true story of a frontier scout who was mauled by a grizzly and survived on his own in the wilderness, the Revenant is visual, visceral and hard-hitting. Alejandro Inarritu’s frontier epic is filled with gorgeous, naturally lit nature shots that give the film transcendence. Leonardo DiCaprio’s grunting and deeply believable performance, which sees him get annihilated the whole film and survive incredible odds, may not be his best role ever, yet it provided the revenant with an emotional core like no other.

I enjoyed the Revenant – it reminded me of Terence Malick Films, specifically “the New World” and “Days of Heaven”. Amidst all the action, it communicated a powerful message about the abuse of nature and indigenous cultures, and how these forces in-turn abuse and scar the oppressors. It was deep, had powerful action sequences and didn’t drag.

Recommended.

Watch this if you liked: The New World, Days of Heaven, Unforgiven

Introducing the Brave Ideas Podcast (or how I manifested a small dream)

In the past 2 years, I have listened to many podcasts about many topics. From marketing to poetry, from wrestling to history, podcasts are an invaluable learning tool and an essential time maximiser. I love how interesting and insightful they are, how convenient it is, and most importantly, how easy it is to learn something new without even trying. 

I was inspired to make my own podcast, but didn't know where to start, or what it would be about. It felt distant and far off. It felt like an intangible fantasy. 

In January, I had a brainwave. While I listen to a number of marketing intelligence podcasts, I noticed that this was not something that was currently being done by agencies in South Africa. Given my position as a digital strategist at Aqua, I realized that a podcast could not only be the fulfillment of a personal desire, but could possibly support my agency in creating a base of thought leadership content that could be packaged for the benefit of Aqua employees and the broader industry.

Thus, after few months of proposals, meetings, presentations and demo recordings, and with the support of my colleagues, we launched the Brave Ideas Podcast. The podcast is all about bringing to light innovations in the realms of digital and marketing, as inspired by the great minds who work at Aqua. The logo is a table with a box on it, symbolizing that the show is ultimately the sum of what Aqua’s thought leaders can bring to the table. 

The journey of this brave idea is just beginning. There are still many episodes to be made, many ideas to talk about. My lasting hope though is that whoever wants to listen, finds the content accessible, interesting but most importantly learns something. 

What does it mean for me? 

It’s too soon to say, but what I can tell you is that there is no greater satisfaction than manifesting a personal ambition through nothing but the power of one’s own will and determination.

Please listen and enjoy. You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes. 

You can also e-mail me at braveideas@aquaonline.com. 

Episode 1: Lean and Agile Advertising with Kim Li



Episode 2: Designing for the Future with Celso Borges

Soldiers in the Social Media War: Josh Broomberg and his impact on the South African Jewish Community

As a South African Jew, a proud Zionist and former student of King David Victory Park, I want to commend Josh Broomberg and his peers for their principled and humane stand in solidarity with Palestinian suffering. Young people standing up for what they believe is a behaviour that should be encouraged, not only in the Jewish community, but in South Africa and the world at large. While I’m not sure that taking a photograph with a keffiyeh, which to many supporters of Israel is symbolic of the agenda of Hamas, was an ideal way to represent the Jewish and Zionist ethos of King David Victory Park, I don’t see how the action itself was inflammatory enough to warrant the kind of vitriol, threats and anger that the photograph received from elements of the Jewish community. Fortunately, the criticism garnered by the boys has been matched by outpouring of support from across the rainbow nation: former head prefects and students of King David, members of the Jewish Community, and the rest of South African society.

So I guess the questions on everyone’s lips are:

Why did certain members of the Jewish community come out so strongly against Broomberg’s photograph? Why, within a day of posting the image, did a petition appear calling for King David Victory Park to dismiss him as deputy head boy and revoke his honours blazer? What is actually going on in the Jewish Community that it would viciously attack a teenager who took a stand for humanity?

As with all the other discussions pertaining to this conflict, the truth is…complicated.

The first point to make is that, for the most part, we are a community that is not only proud to live in a democratic and free South Africa but proud to live in world where Israel exists. For Jews the world over, the existence of the state of Israel is our trump card against anti-Semitism. It provides us with a sense of security that we have somewhere to go should atrocities like the Nazi Holocaust ever happen again.  In addition, the way that Israel has developed in its short 65 year life span is a marvel to most of us.  This is a modern country with a thriving economy, a rich culture and language, a hub of technological innovation and real spiritual significance. Israel is the Jewish Homeland – the one place on this planet, where the religious and cultural ideologies of the Jewish People are reflected in the everyday life of people who live there. For South African Jews, Israel is a key part of our Jewish identities, and more than that, Israel’s right to exist is not a question that we should have to answer for.

The second point is that the media and, in particular, social media has brought the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to South Africa. There can be no doubt that Facebook has become the new battleground of Operation: Protective Edge.  Those within the community who are passionate advocates for Israel find themselves profoundly on the defensive. Confronted with widespread support for the Palestinian cause and basically non-existent support for Israel from the South African public, coupled with 1 or two scary posts from ANC members, such as Rene Smit, social media manager of the ANC Western Cape, posting a picture of Hitler with the words “Yes Man, you were right” or Jessie Duarte’s comparison of Israel’s action in Gaza to that of Nazi Germany, these social media soldiers are doing their best in a tough environment to combat powerful anti-Israel sentiment and real anti-Semitism.

Thirdly, we don’t like it when Pro-Palestinian activists criticise Israel, but it’s some next-level-shit when it’s one of our own. There are numerous examples of South African Jews critical of the policies of the Israeli Government, who have become Persona Non Grata in the mainstream Jewish community. South African Jews like ANC veteran Ronnie Kasrils and Judge Richard Goldstone, who led the highly critical UN fact finding mission on the 2009 Gaza Conflict, have been pretty much excluded from Jewish life in our community. A powerful example of this was when Judge Goldstone was nearly prevented from attending the Barmitzvah of his own grandson in Johannesburg, owing to a threatened protest by angered members of the community. The problem that the broader community has with Jews that are critical of Israel is that they hold a mirror to our entrenched dogma and they force us to interrogate our own entrenched belief systems about Israel. As a community, we tend to ignore the fact that both Israel and South Africa are democracies with a multitude of different views from across the political spectrum. Somehow we can’t replicate that same diversity or openness ourselves.

But surely no one could have imagined that our inability to handle criticism from our own could have backfired on the community so badly. An online persona known only as “Concerned Zionist South Africa”, an anonymous digital manifestation of right wing extremist Zionism, has been on a one-man name and shame campaign in the Jewish community. The only difference from a conventional name and shame is that he’s not targeting adults with fully formed opinions, instead he’s targeting the youth of our community. The ultimate target of his name and shame campaign is Habonim Dror, a liberal Zionist youth movement that creates an environment for youth in which debate and openness are paramount to establishing their own Jewish identity. A by-product of this approach to open mindedness is that a generation of young adults is emerging, who have the ability to think critically about the policies and actions of the Israeli Government.  Some of this new generation have emerged as strong activists for human rights and Palestinian freedom. Others have emerged a strong Zionists and communal leaders.

The response of “Concerned Zionist SA” to his perceived corruption of the youth by Habonim Dror was to create and distribute a video conjecturing about its leadership’s so-called anti-Israel beliefs and lack of empathy with Israeli causes.  This “Concerned Zionist SA” is also the person responsible for starting the petition to remove Josh Broomberg as deputy head boy and revoking his honours blazer. Essentially, an anonymous extremist, without any affiliation to any Jewish community body, has been on a single minded mission to character assassinate any teenager or young adult who may be openly critical of the state of Israel. He is doing this in order to prove his point that a Zionist youth movement is an enemy of the state of Israel, and by extension, an enemy of the Jewish Community. Without any meaningful attempt  to condemn or control him by the Jewish communal leadership, this anonymous character has been allowed to run rampant, spreading misinformation and sowing division amongst the community.

The worrying thing is that this one person, this “Concerned Zionist”, has now fed the social media monster. The 2000 odd supporters of the petition that he generated to have Broomberg dismissed from his role have had their say in a hugely vocal and disturbing manner, and, in-turn, have damaged the perception of the Jewish Community by the South African public. This emotive and hysterical attempt to punish a dissenting voice has now made Josh Broomberg front page news and a national hero, with the by-product of making the broader Jewish community come across as deeply intolerant. I sympathise deeply with the members of the community who signed the petition – they have been manipulated by an anonymous extremist into taking an unnecessary and irresponsible position that compromises our united defence of the Israeli position and our fight against anti-Semitism.

So what, if anything, can we take out of this whole scandal?

Josh Broomberg has held up a mirror to our community and forced us to examine how we treat inquisitive young people who challenge our entrenched dogmas. We have learnt that there are scared and hysterical people in our community who are struggling to deal with the social media war that is ensuing all around us. We have also learnt that there are one or two noxious extremists who are stewing hatred within our community through irresponsible propaganda and the targeting of young people with views that go against the mainstream narrative and are critical of Israel.

However, we have also learnt some positive things. We have learnt that there is an exciting new generation of leaders coming through in our community who are willing to take a stand for humanity. We have learnt that there is a large majority in the Jewish community who will rally for and support Broomberg and other young people who are independent thinkers. And with that, I think there is a real sense of hope and optimism that with these brave youngsters and an open-minded community behind them, we can evolve our advocacy for Israel to a space where we can actually drive towards achieving the only meaningful solution – two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and harmony.

Days of the Viral Present

The movie watching experience has changed. Today, huge blockbusters are supported by major marketing budgets in order to create buzz and drive box office success. Blockbuster films, such as Nolan's Batman series and Prometheus, have employed digital and social media marketing to create major excitement in the online space. Not only has this trend resulted in awesome digital experiences, but they are also beginning to extend the story of a film beyond the confines of its running time by creating a serious amount of narrative depth. X-Men: Days of Future Past had a potent viral marketing campaign that has supported it to become the highest grossing X-Men film in history. 

Here are the key moments:

Trask Industries

In the post-credits scene in The Wolverine, we were given a standard marvel teaser of the upcoming X-Men: Days of the Future Past. But if you were watching closely, you would have noticed  there was a video playing on screens in the airport terminal. That video was an advertisement for Trask Industries, who would become the primary antagonists of Days of Future Past. While glimpsed briefly in The Wolverine, the advert was released, in full, online with an accompanying corporate website.  The video was watched 2,540,288 times.  

The Bent Bullet

The next phase of the viral marketing of X-Men: Days of The Future Past was an actual rewrite of history. Coming 3 days after the actual anniversary of JFK’s assassination, a conspiracy theory emerged online positing Erik Lensherr aka Magneto as JFK’s assassin. A viral video announced the theory, which was supported by reams of very factual looking evidence at thebentbullet.com.  The key take-out about this video is that it become a valuable plot point in the film itself, and plays a role in filling in the blanks between the events of X-Men: First Class and Days of the Future Past. The video received 1 610 006 views.

25 Moments

The final phase of Days of Future Past viral marketing was released 6 weeks before the release of the film. 25 Moments focused on the building the historical narrative of the universe in which the apocalyptic future becomes a reality. Combining modern historical events with X-Men cinematic continuity, this site is basically the prologue to X-Men: Days of the Future Past. It was accompanied by a YouTube video (as seen above), which received 406 000 views.

In Conclusion

The viral marketing for X-Men: Days of Future Past was superb in that not only did it create hype but it also enhanced the film itself without giving too much away about the story. Film studios have worked out how to use viral marketing in a coherent and long term way to build mass excitement for the film. The effectiveness of this approach can be seen in the fact that X-Men: Days of Future Past is now the highest grossing X-Men film ever. We are truly living in the days of the viral present. (see what i did there) 

P.S. Here’s a super cool Instagram teaser that was used to announce a forthcoming trailer reveal.

X-Men: Days of Future Past (An X-Fan's Review)

9.5/10

In 1995, a local comic book publisher (whose name I can’t recall) began printing X-Men Comics and selling them at your local CNA for R4.95. In the year or 2 that it existed, that publishing company played its part in hooking in a generation of South African comic fans, including yours truly.  As I got deeper into the mythology of the X-Men, I began discovering more grand story-lines: Age of Apocalypse, The Phoenix Saga, Onslaught, Inferno and Days of the Future Past (see image below). Back then, we could not imagine that stories of this epicness could ever be effectively represented on the big screen.

the cover of Uncanny X-Men #141 

Today, we live in a time where the difference between the printed page and the big screen is indistinct; where we can now watch the greatest story-lines in the 50 year history of X-Men brought to life on the big screen infused not only with the power of its source material but also the skill, coherence and grandeur of modern cinematic storytelling. X-Men: Days of Future Past is what happens when film makers get it right and craft a piece of X-Fan heaven.

A thrill ride of mutant powers, time travel, alternate universes, social commentary and giant killer robots, Days of the Future Past represents everything that is good about the superhero genre and everything good about what it will become. The strong performances by the ensemble cast, the incredible special effects, well-paced screenplay and reverence to the source material makes Days of the Future Past the most ambitious, but arguably the greatest, comic book film made to date.

While there are definitely issues to criticize and questions to ask, there is just so much to be excited about in the scale and ambition of this film, and what it means for the X-Men film franchise going forward. There isn't one true X-Fan who wouldn't appreciate what Bryan Singer has just achieved here. This is our childhood being brought to life on the big screen in a way that no one has done before.

Bring on X-Men: Apocalypse.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

8.5/10

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a marginally superior follow-up to The First Avenger but also the best of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Phase 2 films thus far, exceeding Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World. The plot is pretty simple. We follow Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) as he gets dragged into an international spy conspiracy. A wholly unpredictable and high stakes thrill ride ensues pitting Captain America and his allies against a plethora of expected and unexpected enemies.

Chris Evans has truly made the mask and shield of Captain America his own, and is ably supported by Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johannson as familiar favourites Black Widow and Nick Fury. The film gives these supporting Avengers an opportunity to deepen their connection with audiences. We are introduced to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) who dons a winged exoskeleton to become the Falcon. Robert Redford has a starring turn playing Alexander Pierce, a senior S.H.I.E.L.D. bigwig with a dark secret. And then of course, there is the titular villain, The Winter Soldier, a powerful mercenary shrouded in mystery. The reveal of his identity is sure to surprise some people (not me, cause I've read the comics).  MMA fans will be pleased to see the well known fighter Georges St. Pierre on form in a cameo role as Batroc, an Algerian mercenary.

The reason for my adulation of this film is simple. The Winter Soldier not only challenges the entire superhero genre by creating an action-packed espionage thriller, but it also shatters whatever preconceptions of what we think will eventually happen in the MCU. Surprising and exciting, The Winter Soldier relies on a smart narrative, slick action and powerful character development to put the entire superhero genre on notice. There is no doubt that Marvel are totally dominant in the superhero space and are only becoming stronger with every film. I can't wait for Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Inside Llewyn Davis

8/10

I went with a group of friends to watch Inside Llewyn Davis, a period drama set in the early 60s about the eponymous folk singer-songwriter. The reviews were mixed. The first school of thought was that the film was slow and filled with melancholy, a meandering and ultimately depressing view of the struggle of Llewyn Davis (played by debutant Oscar Isaac).  The other school of thought suggest that the film captured a sense of the mood of its time, was supported magnificently by an excellent soundtrack and  maintained the quirkiness and symbolism that one would associate with a Coen Brothers' film.

I belong to the second school of thought. Isaac brings to life the angst and dogmatic worldview of the tormented performer, whose frustration at not having made his dream come true causes him to lash out at the people around him. The ensemble, which includes Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, Garrett Hedlund, Coen Bros Favourite John Goodman amongst numerous other familiar faces, counterpoint Davis' angst by providing him with a swirl of different challenges and scenarios. The second half of the movie, while meandering, is infused with a rich symbolism and a sense of foreboding that leaves you unsure as to Llewyn's ultimate destiny.

From a Coen Brother's perspective, this film feel likes A Serious Man merged with O Brother Where Art Thou. What does this mean? Well, if The Big Lebowski is your frame of reference for what constitutes a good Coen Brother's film, then unfortunately this film won't meet your expectations. It's good, not great. Truth be told, the Coen Brother's haven't made anything great for quite a long while.

This movie is worth a watch if you're an art house snob (like me) and love the Coen Brothers (like me). If not, you're probably better off watching the new Robocop.

12 Years A Slave

9/10

Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave is a gripping and brutal film detailing the story of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free man living a successful and happy life in liberal state of New York during 1820s, who was abducted and sold into bondage where he spent 12 years as a slave.

It's a pretty simple premise vividly brought to life by Steve Mcqueen, who infuses this brutality with a cinematic beauty that I have not seen for years. The cinematography is nothing short of spectacular, acting as an emotional counterpoint that sensitizes the audiences to the brutal treatment. In addition, the use (or non-use) of sound adds real drama to the unfolding events. Ejiofor is outstanding as Northup, truly bringing to life the pathos of a man who must submit to injustice in order to survive and see his family again. Michael Fassbender and Benedict Cumberbatch bring different sensitivities to their portrayals of the owners, but it is Fassbender's characterization of the cruel Epps that really brings home the insane sense of possession that Slave owner's felt over their property.

The film has widely been praised and is a front runner to sweep the Academy Awards. I feel that these kudos are well deserved.

Highly Recommended.

The Wolf of Wall Street

9/10

Disclaimer - This review has some high level analysis/spoilers so read on at your peril

Martin Scorcese's The Wolf of Wall Street is a biopic about the rise and fall of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio), a stock broker who made untold millions through stock fraud. The narrative of the film follows Belfort and his team of brokers at Stratton Oakmont, as they merge an uncanny sales ability with the debauched Wall Street financial industry to create what can possibly be understood as a hedonistic monstrosity. An orgy of drugs, alcohol and sex ensues ends up leading to severe consequences...but consequences affecting who?  The key question asked by the film is around who are the winners and losers of all this mayhem. I'm still not clear.

The Wolf of Wall Street is a quintessential piece of Americana, highlighting the power of greed and lust in shaping the modern of American dream of the late 20th Century. Belfort and his team of brokers are beneficiaries of a broken financial system that encourages the swindling of the average joe, and their success results in hedonistic experiences akin to the orgies of Ancient Rome. The debauchery is unbelievable and almost cartoonish, leaving the audience questioning whether such madness is even possible.

This story is pulled off magnificently by the outstanding cast, led by virtuoso performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill, and supported by awesome turns from Rob Reiner, Matthew McConaughey and numerous others. Scorcese is on form as usual, with strong visuals, editing and script merging well to produce a well paced and engaging film in spite of its 3 hour running time. On the negative side, I did feel the film was almost too lighthearted for its subject matter, and didn't leave the audience much room to feel angry at Belfort and his team for swindling the masses. I think the film asks tough questions about the values of the financial industry and the status of the modern American Dream in light of the capitalist anarchy at play.

The bottom line is that the Wolf of Wall Street is so fun, so thrilling and so inspiring in the worst possible way that its will probably be the the Scarface of the 21st Century, inspiring a new generation to aim for the total debauched greed that it glorifies.

Highly Recommended.