Gangs of New York
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I loved it too! I loved Adaptation as well! I love this time of year! Forget the Baby Jesus, this is when all the best movies of the year are released!
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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra
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I'll be seeing it in EXACTLY 2 hours. I am so pumped up. I've heard the ending is a love/hate dealie though. We'll have to see.
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****ing wow.
Lemme start by saying it was packed and it was a 10:05 p.m. showing. Although I usually try to say money makers mean nothing to me, I want this movie to make as much money as possible.
Great on every level. I LOVED the ending. So powerful and emotional.
****/****
****ing wow.
Lemme start by saying it was packed and it was a 10:05 p.m. showing. Although I usually try to say money makers mean nothing to me, I want this movie to make as much money as possible.
Great on every level. I LOVED the ending. So powerful and emotional.
****/****
Eh, I saw About Schmidt months ago and Antwone Fisher doesn't really interest me. What I need to see now A.S.A.Frickin'P. is Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Lost in LaMancha, Narc, The Hours, The Pianist and The Quiet American. If I can track down all of those flicks in the next month or so, I'll be one happy puppy. Plus I'll have to see Gangs of New York and Adaptation a couple more times each, of course.
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Nice list, Pike, you're a man after my own heart. 
Ummm... I'm kidding, heh, heh...
Anyways, caught the 9:50 showing of this last night, and was surprised to find not only a fantastic three hour film, but that I was accompanied by a mere 5 other people in the theatre. I'm still scratching my head about this: Saturday night, the second night of this ultra-hyped film playing, and no one shows up?
Moving along: although it pains me to use such a tired phrase, what stood out about Gangs of New York for me, is how visually stunning it was. With Scorcese taking a page out of his own book and using quick cuts and motion blurs to exagerate the action, and having mucho success. The fight scenes were amazing, and the film was able to keep me interested for the entire 3 hours, a rare feat.
Gangs of New York is yet more proof that Scorcese is a genius.
Ummm... I'm kidding, heh, heh...
Anyways, caught the 9:50 showing of this last night, and was surprised to find not only a fantastic three hour film, but that I was accompanied by a mere 5 other people in the theatre. I'm still scratching my head about this: Saturday night, the second night of this ultra-hyped film playing, and no one shows up?
Moving along: although it pains me to use such a tired phrase, what stood out about Gangs of New York for me, is how visually stunning it was. With Scorcese taking a page out of his own book and using quick cuts and motion blurs to exagerate the action, and having mucho success. The fight scenes were amazing, and the film was able to keep me interested for the entire 3 hours, a rare feat.
Gangs of New York is yet more proof that Scorcese is a genius.
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Originally posted by Herodotus
Anyways, caught the 9:50 showing of this last night, and was surprised to find not only a fantastic three hour film, but that I was accompanied by a mere 5 other people in the theatre. I'm still scratching my head about this: Saturday night, the second night of this ultra-hyped film playing, and no one shows up?
Anyways, caught the 9:50 showing of this last night, and was surprised to find not only a fantastic three hour film, but that I was accompanied by a mere 5 other people in the theatre. I'm still scratching my head about this: Saturday night, the second night of this ultra-hyped film playing, and no one shows up?
My hope is that this movie makes enough money so that more like it will be made. But it has been almost proven that intelligent adult films don't do as well as they should.
Excellent movie. Daniel Day Lewis is beyond amazing. Bill The Butcher is now my all time favorite movie villain. He's horrible, but you can also see how he thinks he's right. He's a deeply angry man trying to, in his own mind, anyways, defend what little he has from those he's afraid will take it from him. You almost like him, he's so confident in what he believes in, but then what he believes in is violence and murder, racism, mob rule, etc. Definitely the most complex character I've seen in years.
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Did anybody here who's seen Gangs of New York think the ending was "controversial"?
I had heard this word thrown around a couple times before I saw it, and even Henry above alluded it to it even though I don't think he knew what he was alluding to. I saw the movie, loved it, and then about a half an hour later remembered there was supposed to be some "controversy" with the end. I couldn't imagine what in the Hell it could be.
Well, then I was flipping around TV last week and settled on CNN's "Crossfire". Michael Medved was the guest for a segment about holiday movies. If you don't know Medved, he's got a syndicated radio show, and he's politically Conservative, to say the least. I've never liked the guy, and always found his movie 'analysis' silly at best and condescending at worst. But at least he did give me a heads-up on this day: I found out what the supposed "controversy" is about.
MICHAEL MEDVED
On CNN's site I even tracked down the transcript of Medved's comments word-for-word, so I won't have to paraphrase it. Here goes...
Since Marty Scorsese can't be here today, let me take a shot at fielding that last question of Medved's: NO, you fu*king moron, that is NOT what you're supposed to be taking away from Gangs of New York.
Talk about manufacturing a controversy where there isn't one. Geeze, Louise! Showing the World Trade Center as it was for ten seconds is offensive?!? And to be clear for those of you who haven't seen it, they aren't shown blowing up or appearing and then disapperaing from the skyline, they are simply shown as they were.
Well, I suppose it may well be controversial to a twit like Medved.
OK, quick poll: did anyone who has seen Gangs of New York find the image of the Twin Towers offensive in any way? I mean in any way. Obviously not in the convoluted connection Medved was making (I certainly hope not anyway), but just in general did you get the feeling for even an instant that Scorsese was being exploitative or insensitive in some way?
Hey, for further evidence of Medved's colossal cluelessness, he also gave his thoughts on The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers...
Well, there you go. Saruman and Osama do both have beards, I'll give him that. But then, so does Santa Claus. I think it would be great to see kids in either military dress or even just decked in good ol' red, white & blue kick Santa in the nuts! Take THAT, Axis of Evil-Doers!
I had heard this word thrown around a couple times before I saw it, and even Henry above alluded it to it even though I don't think he knew what he was alluding to. I saw the movie, loved it, and then about a half an hour later remembered there was supposed to be some "controversy" with the end. I couldn't imagine what in the Hell it could be.
Well, then I was flipping around TV last week and settled on CNN's "Crossfire". Michael Medved was the guest for a segment about holiday movies. If you don't know Medved, he's got a syndicated radio show, and he's politically Conservative, to say the least. I've never liked the guy, and always found his movie 'analysis' silly at best and condescending at worst. But at least he did give me a heads-up on this day: I found out what the supposed "controversy" is about.
MICHAEL MEDVED
On CNN's site I even tracked down the transcript of Medved's comments word-for-word, so I won't have to paraphrase it. Here goes...
PAUL BEGALA (Host): Thank you for taking the time. Let's begin right away. Christmas Day, Gangs of New York starts: Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio. Should people take Christmas Day or maybe the day after off and go see it?
MEDVED: Absolutely not, unless you want to be very, very depressed on Christmas Day. This is one of those movies, like many other Martin Scorsese movies, that is full of brilliant details and a brilliant lead performance by Daniel Day-Lewis. But the film is just industrial-strength depression, and it ends with a suggestion I actually found offensive.
The last shot you see in the movie is a shot where you go from 1862 New York to apparently 2000 New York. And you see the Twin Towers, as if Scorsese is suggesting that the destruction of the World Trade Center was punishment for America's cruel treatment of Irish immigrants in the 1850's and 60's. And is that really necessary? Is that what we're supposed to be taking away from this?
- December 24, 2002, CNN's "Crossfire"
MEDVED: Absolutely not, unless you want to be very, very depressed on Christmas Day. This is one of those movies, like many other Martin Scorsese movies, that is full of brilliant details and a brilliant lead performance by Daniel Day-Lewis. But the film is just industrial-strength depression, and it ends with a suggestion I actually found offensive.
The last shot you see in the movie is a shot where you go from 1862 New York to apparently 2000 New York. And you see the Twin Towers, as if Scorsese is suggesting that the destruction of the World Trade Center was punishment for America's cruel treatment of Irish immigrants in the 1850's and 60's. And is that really necessary? Is that what we're supposed to be taking away from this?
- December 24, 2002, CNN's "Crossfire"
Talk about manufacturing a controversy where there isn't one. Geeze, Louise! Showing the World Trade Center as it was for ten seconds is offensive?!? And to be clear for those of you who haven't seen it, they aren't shown blowing up or appearing and then disapperaing from the skyline, they are simply shown as they were.
Well, I suppose it may well be controversial to a twit like Medved.
OK, quick poll: did anyone who has seen Gangs of New York find the image of the Twin Towers offensive in any way? I mean in any way. Obviously not in the convoluted connection Medved was making (I certainly hope not anyway), but just in general did you get the feeling for even an instant that Scorsese was being exploitative or insensitive in some way?
Hey, for further evidence of Medved's colossal cluelessness, he also gave his thoughts on The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers...
TUCKER CARLSON (Host): OK. Micheal Medved, we're almost out of time. Compound question here: Two Towers just opened the other day. Is it worth seeing, and are popcorn prices going to keep rising?
MEDVED: Probably popcorn prices will keep rising, because most prices do. And Two Towers is absolutely worth seeing. It's, in my opinion, the best movie of the year. I think one of the reasons this kind of film is going to be so popular and resonant with people is because at this moment of danger, it is a film about ultimate good versus ultimate evil. And also, the bad guy here, played by Christopher Lee, Saruman the evil wizard, bears more than a fleeting resemblance, a physical resemblance, to Osma bin Laden. And it's great to see the good guys standing up to him.
- December 24, 2002, CNN's "Crossfire"
MEDVED: Probably popcorn prices will keep rising, because most prices do. And Two Towers is absolutely worth seeing. It's, in my opinion, the best movie of the year. I think one of the reasons this kind of film is going to be so popular and resonant with people is because at this moment of danger, it is a film about ultimate good versus ultimate evil. And also, the bad guy here, played by Christopher Lee, Saruman the evil wizard, bears more than a fleeting resemblance, a physical resemblance, to Osma bin Laden. And it's great to see the good guys standing up to him.
- December 24, 2002, CNN's "Crossfire"
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Well, obviously, this Michael Medved gave himself away (and I've never heard of him before): HE wants to be controversial! He's bullshi**ing to make himself known.
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I meant in no way what Michael Medved claimed.
I found the ending powerful for the sheer beauty of it. The theory put forth by Medved hadn't even crossed my mind.
He is a hack.
I found the ending powerful for the sheer beauty of it. The theory put forth by Medved hadn't even crossed my mind.
He is a hack.
Michael Medved does not need to be controversial to 'get known'. His radio program is heard on over 125 radio stations nation wide. And he has been on best seller lists since his first book in the mid-70s.
He is a respected critic and co-hosted sneak previews on PBS for 12 years.
Calling him a hack just shows that you should maybe turn off the TV and tune in to current political culture in the US. It might help you understand the world a little better than does a Scorsese film.
He is a respected critic and co-hosted sneak previews on PBS for 12 years.
Calling him a hack just shows that you should maybe turn off the TV and tune in to current political culture in the US. It might help you understand the world a little better than does a Scorsese film.
Originally posted by Holden Pike
Talk about manufacturing a controversy where there isn't one. Geeze, Louise! Showing the World Trade Center as it was for ten seconds is offensive?!? And to be clear for those of you who haven't seen it, they aren't shown blowing up or appearing and then disapperaing from the skyline, they are simply shown as they were.
Talk about manufacturing a controversy where there isn't one. Geeze, Louise! Showing the World Trade Center as it was for ten seconds is offensive?!? And to be clear for those of you who haven't seen it, they aren't shown blowing up or appearing and then disapperaing from the skyline, they are simply shown as they were.
I didn’t see anything offensive in it in the least… as a matter of fact I took it as a tribute to the firefighters and policemen of New York City who are largely Irish-Americans… I think Michael Medved is way off base about this and his suggestion that Saruman resembles Osma bin Laden is ludicrous…..
Oh and bty… I loved Gangs…. Daniel Day-Lewis rocked…
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to be honest, i thought gangs of new york was pretty overrated...for me, the movie ran much too slowly (i felt as if i'd been there forever) although i did not find the violence all that bad (i have seen worse)
scorsese did take liberties with some of the historical facts...
daniel day lewis was excellent and so was cameron diaz...
and about the ending...i found nothing controversial here or offensive (being from ny)...in fact, i was sort of surprised that they left the twin towers in there...
i'd have to give this film an b
scorsese did take liberties with some of the historical facts...
daniel day lewis was excellent and so was cameron diaz...
and about the ending...i found nothing controversial here or offensive (being from ny)...in fact, i was sort of surprised that they left the twin towers in there...
i'd have to give this film an b
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First, let me say that I wasn't exactly sure what Scorsese was evoking when he photographed the Trade Center. However, I didn't find anything offensive about it, so I'm fairly certain that my non-reaction has to do with my own sensitivity about the subject and not his. The shot itself was wonderful, and I suppose it probably was just meant as an homage.
His take on Lord of the Rings, though, is absolutely ridiculous.
His take on Lord of the Rings, though, is absolutely ridiculous.
Spoiler warnings please. Some of us like to read your well versed posts, but hate when you spoil key elements in the movie without warning.
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gangs of new york was great, but if it wasn't for daniel day lewis it would have been "ok" he was amazing in the movie, they should have ditched leo and cameron diaz and just named the movie bill the butcher and followed him around, i thought the love story was completely pointless, it reminded me of gay old titanic. the ending with the two towers thing, i knew that would cause some **** with people, but who gives a **** they're two ****ing buildings, i don't see why people are so eager to forget by extracting them from every motion picture, video game, magazine, etc. what the hell is wrong with people that putting two buildings in a shot is such a horrible controversial thing. i think overall scorsese is an incredible director, i've always loved his work, anyone who sees this movie will most likely love it, and if not they'll see one part that they feel is original and great.
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gangs of new york was great, but if it wasn't for daniel day lewis it would have been "ok" he was amazing in the movie, they should have ditched leo and cameron diaz and just named the movie bill the butcher and followed him around, i thought the love story was completely pointless, it reminded me of gay old titanic. the ending with the two towers thing, i knew that would cause some **** with people, but who gives a **** they're two ****ing buildings, i don't see why people are so eager to forget by extracting them from every motion picture, video game, magazine, etc. what the hell is wrong with people that putting two buildings in a shot is such a horrible controversial thing. i think overall scorsese is an incredible director, i've always loved his work, anyone who sees this movie will most likely love it, and if not they'll see one part that they feel is original and great. 
i think the whole idea of the twin towers being there was just to show how much new york has grown since 1863...that's all i got out of it...
i think everyone should remember that this movie was supposed to come out in 2001, but was pushed back because of the wtc bombing...
to those of us who live and work in new york, the twin towers were not just two buildings...they were something special and meaningful especially to me... a lot of people that i know lost family and friends there...
i watched them being built and i would see them on the highway as i went home...i used to be able to tell where downtown new york was...magnificent to look at...
and right after they collapsed, my husband and i took a ride on that same highway and it looked as if a volcano had erupted..all that smoke and fire that didn't go out until six months later...not a happy sight
now there is a gaping hole where the twin towers used to be...
the skyline of the nyc is forever changed with the loss of the those two buildings..
my two cents
i think everyone should remember that this movie was supposed to come out in 2001, but was pushed back because of the wtc bombing...
to those of us who live and work in new york, the twin towers were not just two buildings...they were something special and meaningful especially to me... a lot of people that i know lost family and friends there...
i watched them being built and i would see them on the highway as i went home...i used to be able to tell where downtown new york was...magnificent to look at...
and right after they collapsed, my husband and i took a ride on that same highway and it looked as if a volcano had erupted..all that smoke and fire that didn't go out until six months later...not a happy sight
now there is a gaping hole where the twin towers used to be...
the skyline of the nyc is forever changed with the loss of the those two buildings..
my two cents
Last edited by susan; 01-08-03 at 01:31 AM.
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