Gangs of New York ***

Director: Martin Scorsese

Year: 2002

Writers: Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian, Kenneth Lonergan

Cinematographer: Michael Ballhaus

Daniel Day-Lewis as "Bill 'the butcher' Cutting" is worth seeing the movie for, though I'm not keen on the casting of DiCaprio nor Cameron Diaz. At times the camera seems to move just to move, but without purpose. I get that you are trying to convey the energy of the times, but the camera movements get annoying at times because they aren't significant to the story and the feeling of the film borders on musical, here a bad thing.

I don't want to see these times gussied up and so over-exaggeratedly cinematic that it feels like a broadway show rather than reality.

I think Scorsese should have brought the mood, the darkness and vastness of new york that he brought to us in Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Mean Streets.

Good movie, just not how I wanted to see it directed. Doesn't help that I never get emotionally attached to Leo DiCaprio when he's the lead character.

Daniel Day-Lewis here and in "There Will Be Blood" is so powerful in his performance that it defies superlatives. He has earned recognition in my eyes as the greatest actor currently working just for those two roles. He was born to play big, powerhouse villains.