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Goodfellas (1990)
Film-making at its finest.
Martin Scorsese is hailed by many as the greatest living American filmmaker, but with the passing of Swedish master auteur Ingmar Bergman in 2007, I would argue that Scorsese is the greatest living filmmaker in the world. "Goodfellas" is a perfect example of the brilliance of Scorsese, as he takes his audience inside a world that is often misunderstood by the general population.
The film feels unbelievably authentic, not just because it's based on actual events, but because Scorsese understands this world as well as any filmmaker ever could. Growing up on the streets of Manhattan's Lower East Side, Scorsese had plenty of exposure to the violent world of the "Mafia." Scorsese understands better than anyone the destructive nature of the "mafia" lifestyle, but he also understands how appealing it can be. That is what makes "Goodfellas" such an incredibly powerful film, the fact that the characters are not portrayed as one-dimensional villains, but are presented as ordinary men who have been seduced by the lifestyle from an early age.
Scorsese does a masterful job of creating a world where death seems like an inevitability. The famous "Funny Guy" scene is one of the most powerful scenes in movie history because it so effectively captures the volatility of the mafia lifestyle. The truth is, your best friend one day, can become your worst enemy the next. Nothing gets in the way of business, and as a result, friendships are of secondary importance. No filmmaker is better at probing the psyches of violent men than Scorsese. He burrows into the world of the mafia and doesn't attempt to sugarcoat it, which results in a film that is incredibly violent and profane, but never gratuitous.
"Goodfellas" is not only a masterpiece and one of the greatest films of the 1990s, but it is further proof that Martin Scorsese is a filmmaker of incomparable talent.
The Practice (1997)
One of the greatest television dramas in history
The Practice is easily the greatest legal drama ever created. It stands as one the greatest shows of the 1990s. The cast was great from top to bottom, headlined by the exceptional Dylan McDermott, Steve Harris, and Cameron Manheim. David E. Kelley crafted a brilliant show with exceptional writing and great character development. It is a shame that the Practice did not find a larger audience (it was only in the top ten once) because it was definitely worth watching. Even though I was a little bit disappointed with the last two seasons of the show (with the exception of the great James Spader) it is still a classic.
I can't believe this show has an IMDb rating of only of 7.2 it deserves a 10.