"Bugsy" may have been Barry Levinson's last great picture, as I have yet to see a film of his top it or even compare.

Nominated for several Academy Awards® in 1992, including Best Picture, "Bugsy" takes a look at the obsession and philandering nature of Benjamin Siegel, playing by Warren Beatty (Bulworth). Siegel came to Hollywood to obtain gambling outfits for famed organized crime icons Meyer Lansky and Charlie "Lucky" Luciano.

However, while trying to conduct his business affairs, Bugsy, which was his nickname, gets sucked into the Hollywood lifestyle with a B-rated movie actress named Virginia Hill a.k.a. Flamingo.

Later in the film, Siegel's efforts to establish the first major hotel and casino in Las Vegas, "The Flamingo," becomes the focus.

The story of Bugsy is very interesting, and I feel Levinson was extremely creative in his pacing, shot selection and choices of character motifs.

Beatty gives one of my favorite performances I've seen him give, making Siegel's sometimes insane nature both scary and funny at any given moment.

Annette Bening (American Beauty) lights up her screen time as the namesake of Siegel's hotel and the last love of his life. Ben Kingsley (House of Sand and Fog) is also very enjoyable as Lansky.

However, probably the best performance in the picture comes from Harvey Keitel (The Piano) as one man mobster Mickey Cohen, who quickly goes to work for Siegel as his director of operations and right hand man. Keitel is seen in this pic unlike any other movie I've seen him give time to, including "Reservoir Dogs." His scenes are a riot and very consistent as the picture progresses.

Cinematographer Allen Daviau (Empire of the Sun, The Color Purple) has a masterful use of light in this picture, especially on a handful of Levinson's tracking shots.

I can't say enough about "Bugsy" being a high quality mobster movie, far from typical. We truly get to feel like we've learned about the man, and not the man's business affairs and brutality. If you haven't seen it, you're missing out.

Benn - Where's the Humanity?