Thoughts on the aviator and gangs of new york
 

What do you guys think about these movies.
I feel like they did not age well. Movies which often are made through text book research and step by step events often tend to be tedious. Gangs of new york and the aviator even though they had huge budgets at their disposal felt like reading a very expensive text book.I am sure no one could have made these movies in this way any different. But for some reason these movies felt very odd to me.
thoughts on text book movies ?

Re: Thoughts on the aviator and gangs of new york
 

The Aviator is good and holds up well.

I didn't like Gangs of New York even when it came out, so I'm probably the wrong person to weigh in on how it's aged.

Re: Thoughts on the aviator and gangs of new york
 

I really loved The Aviator when I first watched it. I bought it on DVD thereafter but have never had the chance to watch it again. I need to. As for Gangs of New York, I've never seen it. Since we're on the topic of Leo and Martin Scorsese, I also loved The Departed and liked Wolf of Wall Street a fair bit.

@aronisred
Can you list a few movies that are sort of historical in nature, but do not come off as text book movies, in your view? Maybe I'm not getting your meaning. I'm reading that as any movie that follows a series of linear events from start to finish could technically be a text book movie. That could apply to The Matrix, Jaws, or any movie really that stays linear.

Gangs of New York has always been a treat to watch (with the exception of Cameron Diaz, and the weird blurred/stop motion type of effect during the battle scenes). I love the dynamic between Daniel Day-Lewis' (over-the-top scarecrow) Butcher and DiCaprio's (always wondering when he'll be uncovered as the Priest's son) Amsterdam. I still pull this one out once or twice a year. The only aging that I take special notice of include the stylized timing, cuts, and exaggerated close-ups during the opening battle. I think those techniques date it pretty harshly. Other than that though, I love it. I believe this was the first movie that I noticed Daniel Day-Lewis, as The Butcher character and his performance of him were just so powerful.

Start at around 1:00. The effect in question seems to linger around the Butcher mostly.

I did not care for The Aviator one bit when I watched it in the theater. That is probably more due to how I perceived certain personality traits shown through Hughes. He just reminded me too much of my employer! I do not think I could fairly separate the two and, as a result, my movie-watching experience was probably ruined. Years later I did end up buying this on DVD and have since enjoyed it, but this is something that I will only watch once ever few years. Because of that, and how little I remember of it in general, I don't think it would be fair to comment too much. I will say though that I do not remember anything that stood out as dated or insufficient, apart from what any normal critique might offer on subjective details. I don't really want to watch it again though just to offer more here. ;)

Is it the text book research that leads a film to not holding up well? Or is it that DiCaprio is in both? Could you list other movies that follow text book research and step-by-step events that you feel have aged well?

Re: Thoughts on the aviator and gangs of new york
 

Love both movies.


I felt Leo was easily overshadowed by DDL in Gangs though. Would love to see these two in another movie now, I think Leo might be able to hold is own a little better. Too bad Lewis retired.

Gangs of New York is one of my favorite Scorsese films, people rip on Leo and Diaz and always focus on DDL but man do I love that supporting cast. Jim Broadbent as Boss Tweed, John Reilly as Happy Jack, Liam Neeson as Priest Vallon, and Brendan Gleeson as Monk McGinn...

Aviator...meh watched it once never felt like watching it again.

Re: Thoughts on the aviator and gangs of new york
 

I liked both movies but I maintain that Gangs should have been about Amsterdam’s dad vs Day-Lewis.

Gangs of New York was really good with powerful performances. Aviator is also good, but a bit of a bore. Not saying it's bad, but it's not as fast paced as the other one.

@ynwtf

It took me a long time to realize that goodfellas was based on real life story.Coming back to the topic.These two movies are made for obscene amount of money. Which helps filmmakers to recreate sets.These movies are essentially wikipedia content shot expensively.He is given incredible amount of money to fact check his research with all the experts to get the exact knifes used in the era or the cars and what not. The subject of aviator is interesting. But scorsese shoots gangsters or boxers or innovators or pioneers or filmmakers the same way. Aviator is just a wikipedia page of howard hughes . The subject is fascinating, so thats the exciting part of the movie.

Take the insider for example..there is a scene in it where the lawyer of russell crowe freaks out at the opposition lawyer for intimidating his client...that scene wasnt meant to be an "oscar moment" for that lawyer because he is barely in it...its just included to depict the intimidation factor of corporations. That to me is innovative.

He is obviously better than many better directors but his movies just don't have that kind of transcendent quality to them. Even his oscar winning departed is a remake which happens to be released in an year with literally no competition.

Re: Thoughts on the aviator and gangs of new york
 

I haven't watched either of these films recently enough to comment about them, but I find it no surprise that both of them star Leonardo DiCaprio and were directed by Martin Scorsese.

what do you mean

I mean that as soon as I saw the the thread title in Now Playing I knew it had to be from you as it fits a certain... trend shall we say.

Re: Thoughts on the aviator and gangs of new york
 

Gangs Of New York a textbook? lol no, still a bad movie though.

take it easy miss vicky..no one asked for your opinion

its more of a text book attempt at telling the story

oh aron your so feisty!

Re: Thoughts on the aviator and gangs of new york
 

No thoughts other than meh... The thread, not the movies. The two movies are better than meh...

By continuously starting threads, you are asking everyone for their opinions and that includes mine.

Re: Thoughts on the aviator and gangs of new york
 

The Aviator is one I need to get to soon again. I loved it the first time.

:yup: Good call.

:rolleyes: Are you kidding?

You asked for all of our opinions, when you made this thread.

Geez, get over your extreme fixation on DiCaprio already. OK, OK, we get it, you don't think DiCaprio + Scorsese equals good film making. How many times do you need to say this??? It's coming off as troll like.