Rating: 
Summary: misleading and untrue
Review: Making money in the movie market is good and honest while making money at the financial market is a crime? That is why "greed is good" is a phrase that can only be said by someone who does not have any ability to deal in the financial markets and so has to practice fraudulent insider information? That is not capitalism, that is crime. But I guess that in Mr. Stone's eyes it's the same. If you are a socialist you'll love this movie. If as in my case you are a libertarian, and you are looking for a true vision of HONEST stock market entrepreneurs you will not find it here. "Other People's Money" is a much better, and truthful insight.
Rating: 
Summary: Duty and Honour in the Reagan era
Review: A young stockbroker, played by Charlie Sheen, is divided between his loyalty to his father (portrayed by his off-screen father Martin Sheen) and the desire to rise in the stock market by participating in various illegal, and inevitably dangerous, activities. Oliver Stone directs with almost a journalist's eye for the losses, the defeats, the shady goings-on, the scandals and the honours that transpired in the "me" decade of economic collapse amidst mounting corporate ambitions and dreams of avarice. The moral and psychological dimension, especially in Sheen's character's Faustian aspirations in conflict with his conscience, is superbly wrought as well, and the performance of Michael Douglas (who won a Best Actor Oscar, 1987) as the megalomaniacal stock-market shark, Gordon Gekko, Sheen's mentor, was undoubtably the pinnacle of his career.
Rating: 
Summary: The world according to Oliver Stone
Review: Bud Fox (Martin Sheen) is a young, naive, wall street trader who will do anything to get to the big leagues. This means showing up every day to Gordon Gekko's (Wall Street mogul played by Michael Douglas) office to beg Gekko's personal secretary to let him inside. Finally, she takes pity on him and lets him in to see Gekko. Amazingly Bud has little to offer but the same spiel he uses for his cold calls. Then he remembers - a piece of inside information about his father's airline. Gordon finds Bud a bit green but takes a liking to a reminder of his younger self. After the first deal Gekko trains Bud to be the ruthless expert inside trader. "Information" is what Gordon has a monopoly on. And novice traders, company employees and their management are "victims" of Gordon's insider game. Of course here is where Oliver Stone shows his own naivete. Is this the only way to make money on Wall Street? One would think that like Bud Fox we would have to secretly shadow a billionaire investor to the ends of the earth and engage in industrial espionage to get in on his next deal before it went public. Well would it not be easier to have walked around a few cities in the western US and witnessed people lining up for Starbucks coffee. Had you acted on this observation six years ago and purchased the stock you would be quite wealthy today. Perhaps a little honest effort and common sense might be a more effective strategy. Really though the movie is a feel good film for Stones liberal audience - which is apparent in many of the reviews. It is certainly nice to believe that the only way to make money in this world is to assume a ruthless posture and evil plan for taking from others (unless of course you're from Hollywood and your money is the sweetest smelling on the planet). That way Stone's liberal audience can feel good about themselves. Imagine having to think that many wealthy people exhibit strong personal disciplines like hard work, courage, and initiative and that these people have created wealth for themselves and others through legitimate means. Of course then you have little excuse for your own pathetic life. You might have to get up off your lazy rear end and actually do something for yourself. I certainly don't apply these comments to Stone. Stone is simply a hypocrite. He works hard and makes money capitalist style by selling a movie that attacks capitalism. In any case the movie was entertaining. So three stars to Stone who talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk (to his credit). P.S. If you want to see a good movie about Wall Street that fairly treats both sides of the issue try "Other People's Money."
Rating:
Summary: Stone's unwilling praise of capitalism
Review: What Oliver Stone attempted to make - in a naive and narrow-minded way - was a critique of capitalism. Instead, he directed a film which is watched over and over again, and admired, by Capitalist Pigs like myself. What a nasty surprise to Mr Stone. This DVD features a documentary - quite good and fully justifying the purchase of DVD even if you already have a video, if only to learn Oliver Stone's socialist views told in his own words. The man actually believes that people who don't work in companies should not be allowed to own them - and he actually says that! You don't often hear such a naive socialist rhetoric these days. And then Douglas tells us how disappointed he is every time someone approaches him and confesses that the film was an inspiration for them to get into finance, stock market and fast-track lifestyle. Oh no. Another contender for hypocrisy prize. For anyone who remembers the depiction of Blue Star airline and its oh-so-heroic, oh-so-honest trade union people as primitive, shallow and one-dimensional, it will be very interesting to see that Stone and Sheen actually put a lot of their thought and effort into it. Who knew. If they had not been trying, could this depiction have been any more lame? I am pleased, in a kind of wicked way, that an attempt to attack capitalism turned out to be a collection of the most powerful quotes ("money never sleeps", "lunch is for wimps" and the ultimate "greed is good") and ideological Bible of the people whom Oliver Stone despises most. Similarly, all the self-righteous trade-union "honest men" got a nightmare of a treatment - from someone who was just trying to glorify them. With friends like these, who needs enemies - and with enemies like these, who needs friends? Capitalism has never had a better advocate than this millionaire pinko director. Thanks Oliver Stone from all of us, Capitalist Pigs.
Rating: 
Summary: The Period Piece Of The 80's
Review: The quote from Gekko says it all....... " Greed Is Good " And in a sense that is what this movie is all about, to some degree. The opening titles to such a fantastic city as New York is matched in size and demeanor with Frank Sinatra along side singing. Stone's masterpiece follows really the rise, and very big fall, of Bud Fox ( Played by Charlie Sheen ). Sheen is a coldcalling, struggling broker at a securities firm in NY with the aspirations of being " The Elephant...The Player " on the other end of the phone with the money and the power to call all the shots. To get there however is a totally different affair all together... In short, not to give too much away from this fabulous movie, Fox chases the golden ticket by persistently calling the self made Wall St. legend Gordon Gekko ( played fabulously by Michael Douglas, the thought of Richard Gere in this role is ridiculous now! ). Fox's persistence finally pays off with Gekko taking him in and teaching him the in's and out's of the insidering trading game, " The most valuable commoditity I know of is information " quotes Gekko and it is exceptionally true in society at any time perioid. This masterpiece of a film really pays homage well to the yuppie, bull market era of the 80's. I remember the 1st time I ever saw it and the fast paced desire it gave me to want to be a trader in New York, buy buy!! Sell sell! A lovely fact of this movie is that fact that is hasn't really dated that much, the clothes, cars, computers and haircuts are about all that really date it. On the technical aspect of it, the picture is wonderfully clean and crisp in almost every scene. The sound, the Dolby Dig 5.1, feels abit synthetic...but after all this is a movie that was made in '87 years before 5.1 was ever a thought to movie makers. However, it's not a action movie so the sound should not matter as long as you can hear the dialogue. The documentary about Wall St., and the commentary by Oliver Stone, are wonderfully inciteful and worth viewing at least once if not more. On the whole the disc is a MUST own. The story and the characters are what drive and enthrall you in this movie. Douglas's performance alone as Gordon Gekko is worth the price of the disc to see again and again....
Rating:
Summary: Wealth's triumph and tragedy explored
Review: First off I definitely don't view Gordon Gecko (GG) as either a sinner or a saint. In my mind there is considerable merit in much of the wisdom that GG espouses. One of my favorite lines from the film has to be when Buddy (Charlie Sheen) asks GG 'What about hard work?' Gecko's response is right on the money and histerical at the same time. Gecko's ethics may be lacking but his sense of what is truly reality in our society is absolutely correct and should be pondered and learned from. And then you have the contrast of Martin Sheen's character who is just your average typical hard working blue collar guy (commendable). But he like so many others like him is at the mercy of the true powers that be. THERE IS A HAPPY MEDIUM BETWEEN THE TWO. Each has its own merits. That is what I personally strive for. Charlie Sheen is fabulous. He displays so much honesty in every scene whether it's snorting coke with a hooker, schmoozing secretaries to gain entrance, or utter deflation as he is being arrested. Michael Douglas gives one of my favorite performances ever. It's a real thrill to see the hope and naive exuberance of youth be contrasted with stark reality of truth. One of my top 10 favorite films of all time.
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Summary: The Spirit of the 80's
Review: This is one of the few films that truly captures the spirit of greed that was rampant on wall street in the 1980's an absolute must see. Michel Douglas finest performance in my opinion. It shows how difficult it was to avoid the tempations of insider trading during Wall Streets most scandolous decade.
Rating:
Summary: This investment is worth it
Review: WALL STREET is a great movie! It has been quite a while since I have seen the film and I had forgotten just how spectacular the performances by Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen are. Douglas owns Gordon Gecko.Sheen, as Budd Fox, gives one of his best performances the proper depth. Director Stone traded the jungles of Vietnam in Platoon for the concrete jungle of the business world in his typical kenetic style The story of greed and power at the peak of the stock market craze of the 80s hasn't become dated at all. The extras include an all new documentary that among other things includes info on why actress Daryl Hannah was unhappy with her role. The disc also has a pretty good commentary track by Stone. Check it out
Rating:
Summary: one the definitive films of the '80s finally on DVD!
Review: WALL STREET has always been one of my favourite Oliver Stone films. it crackles with the same intense, acerbic dialogue as SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS. from his "Greed is good" speech to the way he handles day to day deals with ruthless efficiency, you can see how Michael Douglas nailed this role of the ultimate amoral insider and deservedly won the Oscar that year for Best Actor. after watching this film on a crappy pan and scam VHS tape, it is so gratifying to finally see this film given a proper DVD treatment. the transfer is crisp and clear with good sound but the real selling points are the fascinating documentary -- which features Douglas and Charlie Sheen and their views and thoughts of the film after all this time -- and Stone's informative and candid audio commentary. for someone like myself who has seen this film a zillion times, listening to Stone's observations on his movie was a real treat. great stuff. along with GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, this is one of THE best films about money, greed and the people who ruthlessly pursue it.
Rating:
Summary: Broker's classics...
Review: When I saw this film first ten years ago I understood that the idea of the film was to show that business is very rough and there is no place to emotions and friendship. Now, as I know a lot more about stock market, I looked at this movie again and found a lot of very interesting details what became new to me, and this was only because of a better knowlidge about stock market. Therefore, for a person who is not good in finaces and stocks, may be this film a little bit difficult. Although, as I wrote before, the basic idea is very understandable. The two main characters in this movie are Michael Douglas who plays an investment banker and does not choose between methods to earn money and Charlie Sheen who is just a usual stock broker at the age of twenties.The film is about the business they do together while in the beginning they seem to be friends and in the end strong enemies.Douglas, of coure,is in his best again. Half of the prettiness of the movie comes from Douglas's dialogues. You just listen to them and pick up the ideas and "proverbs" what are the basis for the success in this field. Sheen is, I think in this movie, playing a little bit simple minded brocker and sometimes it seems even that the character of Sheen is the type of "I sell you the best" or "I am the winner". The film is I think made for those, who try to understand the basic ideas of stock market and I am pretty sure that the scenario is taken from real life.So I advise everybody to watch this Wall street classic movie.
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