It’s a sign of the expertise at work here that the 180 minute long film literally flies by. It’s also helped along by Leonardo DiCaprio’s most manic performance yet. If you thought he was full on in Django Unchained, he ramps it up ten fold here. Quite a few of the support cast members also turn in career defining roles. This includes Jonah Hill, who get the mix of powerful and pathetic just right and Aussie soap star Margot Robbie’s clothing optional performance that proves her place on the big screen.

A number of critics have taken Scorsese to task for glorifying all the drug use and sexist behavior. They must have been watching another film because never has a film showed so vividly how this kind of hedonist lifestyle fuelled by debauchery and excess leads to empty and hollow lives, big money or not. If you read about the real world characters from this period in Wall Street’s history it might even be considered tame by comparison.

In the 365 days that have just gone past (2013) it was a year in film that set a high water mark for both great films and great performances. Even in this crowded company, The Wolf Of Wall Street stands out and should be included in anyone’s list of must see movies.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/roadshow

Whether it’s wolves, bulls, butchers or taxi drivers, Scorsese’s complicated anti-heroes navigate mean streets of their own morality, torn between rebellion and acceptance, sin and redemption. While his characters spiral out of control, Scorsese captures every frame with masterly control.

SCORSESE, drawn from his personal collection, explores his inspirations, creative process and key collaborations, offering comprehensive insight into Scorsese’s career as an unparalleled screen stylist and a tireless champion of cinema.

Growing up in New York’s Little Italy and suffering from acute asthma, Scorsese’s childhood was spent looking down at the world from his window and up at the screen in his local cinema. While determined to make movies that honoured the Hollywood and European traditions he loved, his films inevitably reflect his own experience.

Featuring over 600 objects and a rich selection of footage from across the director’s work in film, documentary and television, SCORSESE invites fans, cinephiles and culture buffs to explore the world of one of the most influential directors of our time.

An exhibition conceived and organised by the Die Deutsche Kinemathek – Museum für Film und Fernsehen, Berlin.

Scorsese Exhibition
26 May – 18 September 2016
ACMI – Melbourne
www.acmi.net.au

Will Smith plays a hyper intelligent and suavely smooth career con man with one major flaw and it’s one you have to wait until film’s end to assess. He plays off the somewhat naive Jess, played by Margot Robbie in her first major role after her breakout appearance in The Wolf of Wall Street.

In line with most flicks of this ilk, there is a large group of co-conspirators and victims and it’s very enjoyable to find out which is which. The sets and background locations are also very attractive and they become a key element to the story. This helps to make things easier to take when they dumb down the science for ease of storytelling (the auto racing science is preposterous).

You always have to be careful when reviewing films of this type so as not to give anything away, so just to end with minimum disclosure, Focus is slick, sexy and keeps you guessing until the very end and with so many con films ending up just conning the audience, it’s success is admirable.

Rob Hudson
www.focusmovie.com