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Today I went with my mom and saw the excellent Martin Scorcese movie Gangs of New York. GREAT flick!! Definitely something to see if you are into New York and/or immigration history like I am. It can be slow at some points, and it is VERY violent and realistic, but overall it is quite amazing. I have a feeling it will be a VERY important New York City movie, because it does what has really never been done before to my knowledge: It takes you RIGHT INSIDE the world of the Five-Points in mid-19th Century Manhattan. It's like being transported back in time. The overall effect of the movie is to give you a taste of what that environment must have looked like, and sounded like. It touches on many important people and moments in New York history, like the draft riots, immigration and Civil War tensions.

As far as the acting, Daniel Day-Lewis does an INCREDIBLE job as Bill the Butcher. I think he should at least be nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. And WHO in the world would be better as Boss Tweed of Tammany Hall than the wonderful Jim Broadbent!!! The guy who played Harry in Moulin Rouge! He is one of my favorite actors! Always a character. He's a bit more reserved in his role this time, but still very good. One line of dialogue I can't get out of my head came from Broadbent as Tweed after the draft riots, when they buried the bodies of the dead: "We lost a lot of votes today." I think that pretty much sums up Tweed's philosophy on things!

I won't say anything about the ending, other than that it was very good in my opinion, not what I was expecting at all. And Scorcese did a knock-up job of building all the action until it came to a point. By the end of the movie, you understand why things happen, and how things developed.

Well that's my review of Gangs of New York. Go see it if you like history and New York stuff. DON'T go see it if blood freaks you out!

And in conclusion to this post......I love you B!! (two B's, they both know who they are ;) )