"The Wolf of Wall Street" is the larger than life true story of Jordan Belfort (played by the charismatic Leonardo DiCaprio), a Long Island penny stockbroker who served 3 years in prison for investment fraud in the infamous 1990's securities scam that involved widespread corruption on Wall Street. 

With a supporting cast of Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie and Jean Dujardin, the film dives into the world of stockbroking, while examining the themes of moral ambiguity. This isn't exactly a film you take underage kids to, as it also boasts graphic nudity and heavy drug use...and could probably corrupt young minds into thinking that the behaviour in the film is morally acceptable today's society. As a result, the film has received massive criticism for its portrayal of its vulgar content. But what would you expect when the film is helmed by one of cinema's greats: Martin Scorsese. The film shows that he is still very much at his prime, and still offers yet another film that doesn't sugar-coat its content. The Wolf of Wall Street is still very much going strong in theatres, with a running time of 179 minutes. It has also been nominated for 5 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Screenplay.

"American Hustle" is a stunning film that dabbles in the world of crime and politics. Brilliant con artist Irving Rosenfeld (played brilliantly by Christian Bale) is enlisted by over-eager FBI agent Richie DiMaso (humorously played by Bradley Cooper) in hopes of catching Jersey bigwigs and mafia in their below-the-table dealings. With the help of Irving's alluringly seductive British assistant Sydney Prosser (played by the beautiful Amy Adams), they manage to con their way to the doorstep of passionate New Jersey mayor (played by Jeremy Renner), using him as their passage to certain key political figures, and eventually, the Mafia. Richie's sometimes wild personality threatens the threesome's working relationship, but the one person who truly knows how to push Irving's buttons is his unpredictable wife Rosalyn (played incredibly by Jennifer Lawrence). 

David O. Russell follows his triumphant Silver Linings Playbook film with yet another masterpiece that takes you back to the 70's, making reference to the infamous Abscam scandal that took place in that era. He re-unites himself with 5 major actors (Christian Bale and Amy Adams in the Fighter, Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook) who help carve a truly entertaining film that will have you sitting at the edge of your seat. Another example of great independent film making from a brilliant director and cast. American Hustle is still going strong in theatres, and nominated for 10 academy awards with nominations in all Top Five categories: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Screenplay.