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Casino > Goodfellas

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Casino is one of the best Martin Scorsese flicks, surpassing his own 'Goodfellas' in virtually every area of storytelling, including cast, character development, pace, and coherent monlogue. Not to suggest that Goodfellas is undeserving of any praise relative to Casino - it is a very close race, but one in where Casino ultimately triumphs.

I just saw it again last night, after watching Goodfellas on Netflix a few weeks earlier. My god, Joe Pesci delivered the performance of his career, as did Sharon Stone, who would earn an Academy Award nomination for her performance in Casino. To me, the defining difference between the two is that Casino presented monologues from multiple characters, mainly the characters of Ace Rothstein and Nicky Santoro, while the monologue in Goodfellas was limited to only the character of Henry Hill, whom I started to despise during the course of the movie.

Not a very popular opinion, as Goodfellas is long regarded as the pinnacle of Scorsese's gangster film portfolio, but it's truthfully the stud of the litter.
 
I've seen both countless times, and I can't outright say that you are wrong. The main problem with Casino is that it's perhaps 20 minutes too long. I think it could use some tightening up. I think Casino is vastly underrated, and I could go either way between the two movies.
 
Which one did you watch first, OP?


I think Casino has better acting. But after watching Goodfellas first, Casino felt too much of the same thing (tonally).
 
Casino is Scorsese's MGS4. Completely overdone, the amount of pop rock montages/sequences is fucking obnoxious, and the characters are not nearly as interesting and layered as in Goodfellas.
 
Casino is Scorsese's MGS4. Completely overdone, the amount of pop rock montages/sequences is fucking obnoxious, and the characters are not nearly as interesting and layered as in Goodfellas.

What? Joe Pesci was brilliant in Casino. He easily surpassed his performance from Goodfellas.

ToxicAdam said:
Which one did you watch first, OP?

I've seen both numerous times.
 
I also agree with you OP, I saw Casino first so maybe that is why. Easily one of my all time favorite movies I can watch over and over. (And I have)
 
I agree. Casino is by far my favourite of the two, and it's basically flawless. Goodfellas is still a masterpiece, though
 
I can watch Casino all day. Love that movie to death

You said it with Sharon Stone + Joe Pesci, outstanding performances. I thought James Woods was great too but he was just playing James Woods.
 
Casino is one of the most boring movies I have EVER seen, and Ive seen a lot of shit.

joe-pesci011.jpg
 
I'm with the OP. Love Casino. I have no desire to ever watch Goodfellas again, but watch Casino from time to time.
 
I use to think the same thing OP until I watched Goodfellas with a couple of friends and as soon I put it on we were captivated the whole time through. Note my friends were hesitant to watch it before I put it on. Goodfellas probably has some of the best pacing I've seen in a movie.
 
Goodfellas goes off the rails when Pesci dies. The last 30-45 minutes is kinda boring. Ending's bad, too.

I do actually prefer Casino. The final act is better paced then the equlivent in Goodfellers.

This, basically.

I acknowledge Casino to be the better movie but would prefer to re-watch Goodfellas. I think Goodfellas has a more interesting cast of characters, probably better music to fit the atmosphere (love that Lufthansa heist aftermath) and is one day some of the kids from the neighborhood times more quotable.
 
You took your boots off? You put your feet on the table? You shit-kicking, stinky, horse-manure-smellin' motherfucker you. You fuck me up over there, I'll stick you in a hole in the fuckin' desert.
 
Casino is a better movie. Goodfellas is a better story. I like watching Casino because it looks so slick. Goodfellas seems a bit more personal and less of an arts project.
 
Another vote for Casino. I love Joe Pesci in this movie. I rewatch Casino rather frequently, can't say the same about Goodfellas.
 
Both are great and I'm not a big Ray Liotta fan so maybe the OP is right.

Edit: But Goodfellas has the best De Niro smoking scene ever so maybe it takes the cake.
 
I agree, but I've seen Casino upwards of five times and I haven't even seen Goodfellas all the way through in one sitting, so my opinion is kinda uninformed :/
 
Love Casino and prefer it to Goodfellas. I did watch it first by like 10 years though. Found it much harder to really give a shit about any of the characters in GF.
 
I'll agree to a certain extend. Casino has a better lead and doesn't falter off with the finale.

But Goodfellas first 3/4 is above anything in Casino too.
 
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