Gangs of New York

Martin Scorsese wanted to make this film for years, a tale of the real-life racism, tribalism, and grunge of 1840's New York City. Droves of people come off the boats every day to the awful city. They are met with rocks to the head by the "natives" and made to pay tribute to the gang lords. Corruption is riddled across the city, there are wanton hangings and routine killings. Scorsese has a lot to juggle here. He has to tell the story of this time period he adores, while simultaneously delivering a compelling story. He uses a trio of characters to tell this story. Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the hero. He watched his father killed by the ruthless Bill the Butcher (Daniel Day-Lewis), was forced to live in a monastery growing up, and now he wants revenge. However, he falls in love with Bill's whore (played by Cameron Diaz). He's grown to even maybe admire Bill, but this truth tips him over the edge, and vengeance becomes his main desire. There's a lot going on here. Amsterdam has friends who are also in love with Diaz, the city is on the brink of the Civil War, racial tension is about to well up out of society. This area is referred to as the Five Points, its ruthless. Scorsese's camerawork here is fantastic, the city is so perfectly captured, and so wonderfully filled with great actors. It's an achievement because it captures the way these people lived. Death is just something that's inevitable, so there is no fear. The film also effuses grandiosity in a great way. The scale is big, the story is big, the bloodshed, the gravity. Gangs of New York is one of those movies where you become lost. Not in a bad way, but it totally engrosses you in everything that's happening; it convinces you of its world.
Gangs of New York: ★★★★