On W List of Movie Reviews
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Wall Street (1987)
Rate:
10
Viewed:
6/03, 3/05, 6/06, 2/10, 5/12, 1/16, 9/19, 8/24
6/06:
One of the most underrated movies of all time, Wall Street is a true representation of what the big bucks of the 80's
were all about that still lingers today.
I have seen the film so many times that I'm surprised it's not universally regarded as a classic. Look everywhere today:
greed rules and capitalism is king. Who can ever forget the timeless performance by Michael Douglas?
The ever-quotable Gordon Gekko is my favorite character, but there are others who are equally perfect: Bud Fox, Lou Mannheim,
and Carl Fox. While Bud is obviously impressed by Gordon Gekko, the other two don't share his perspective about life because
money isn't everything. Taking shortcuts is often the quickest route to ruination. Sadly, people nowadays are obsessed with
money as if it's the answer to everything.
All in all, Wall Street is more culturally relevant today than it was in the 80's.
2/10:
Once again, Wall Street is a phenomenal film.
Michael Douglas is chilling as Gordon Gekko and steals every scene. The most famous line, which still gives me
goosebumps, is when Gordon Gekko proclaimed "greed, for lack of a better word, is good." Charles Sheen gives a more mature
performance in Wall Street than Platoon by emoting in appropriate ways. The
dealings between him and his father are nothing short of perfection.
All in all, Wall Street keeps getting better every time I see it.
5/12:
Sporting a Pat Riley hairdo, Michael Douglas, as the über famous Gordon Gekko, chews up every scene by imparting his
ever pearls of wisdom such as:
"When I get a hold of the son of a bitch who leaked this, I'm gonna tear his eyeballs out, and I'm gonna suck his fucking
skull."
"It's not a question of enough, pal. It's a zero sum game, somebody wins, somebody loses. Money itself isn't lost or made;
it's simply transferred from one perception to another."
"Mixed emotions, buddy. Like Larry Wildman going off a cliff in my new Maserati."
"That's right, you, the stockholder. And you are all being royally screwed over by these, these bureaucrats, with their
luncheons, their hunting and fishing trips, their corporate jets, and golden parachutes."
"The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed
clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for
money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar
Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the U.S.A. Thank you very much."
"I don't throw darts at a board. I bet on sure things. Read Sun-tzu, The Art of War. Every battle is won before it's
ever fought."
"If you need a friend, get a dog."
"The most valuable commodity I know of is information."
"You see that building? I bought that building ten years ago. My first real estate deal. Sold it two years later, made an
$800,000 profit. It was better than sex. At the time, I thought that was all the money in the world. Now, it's a day's pay."
"Ever wonder why fund managers can't beat the S&P 500? 'Cause they're sheep, and sheep get slaughtered."
"Yeah, not bad for a City College boy. I bought my way in, now all these Ivy league schmucks are sucking my kneecaps."
"It's all about bucks, kid. The rest is conversation."
"I've never seen a painting that captures the beauty of the ocean at a moment like this."
"That's the one thing you have to remember about WASPs: they love animals and hate people."
"I create nothing. I own."
"Money never sleeps, pal. Just made 800,000 in Hong Kong gold. It's been wired to you. Play with it. You've done good, but
you gotta keep doing good. I've showed you how the game works. Now, school's out."
"Lunch is for wimps."
"I look at a hundred deals a day. I pick one."
"I'm talking about liquid. Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars,
buddy. A player. Or nothing."
"Capitalism at its finest."
Ladies and gentlemen, that's why Michael Douglas won the Oscar for Best Actor of 1988. It's simply one of the greatest
performances ever.
All in all, I bow down to Gordon Gekko because I'm not worthy.
1/16:
Michael Douglas is the greatest.
9/19:
Wall Street is among films of the decade for the 80's.
8/24:
I'm calling it now: Wall Street is the best film of the decade, and it remains relevant as ever.