Gangs of New York
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo Dicaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz, Liam Neeson
Rated: R for intense strong violence, sexuality/nudity and language.
Martin Scorsese's film Gangs of New York starts with a unique and fresh take on history, stylized and authentic, gritty yet breathtaking. Unfortunately, it gets lost in the depths of sin only to emerge without any commentary or thought except that the world is changing. What's as disturbing as it's lack of message (yet is probably accurate to some level) is the social and racial tensions that fly between the distinctly protestant "Americans" and Catholic Irish immigrants. This misunderstanding of Christianity and total hypocrisy is frustrating because, well, a gang leader named Bill the Butcher is hardly a representation of Evangelicalism, or Christianity for that matter. Like his other films, Scorsese makes you sit through all this depravity only to leave you without a theme. More beautiful art and painful realities that leads to shallow thoughts and feelings.
Starring: Leonardo Dicaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz, Liam Neeson
Rated: R for intense strong violence, sexuality/nudity and language.
Martin Scorsese's film Gangs of New York starts with a unique and fresh take on history, stylized and authentic, gritty yet breathtaking. Unfortunately, it gets lost in the depths of sin only to emerge without any commentary or thought except that the world is changing. What's as disturbing as it's lack of message (yet is probably accurate to some level) is the social and racial tensions that fly between the distinctly protestant "Americans" and Catholic Irish immigrants. This misunderstanding of Christianity and total hypocrisy is frustrating because, well, a gang leader named Bill the Butcher is hardly a representation of Evangelicalism, or Christianity for that matter. Like his other films, Scorsese makes you sit through all this depravity only to leave you without a theme. More beautiful art and painful realities that leads to shallow thoughts and feelings.
American Splendor
Directed by: Robert Pulcini, Shari Springer Berman
Starring: Paul Giamatti, Hope Davis
Rated: R for language
The start of the movie American Splendor reminded me of the hopelessness of the film Synedoche, New York. However, Splendor is reality, which makes it far more disturbing. Thankfully, the film takes a turn for the better when the character played by Hope Davis enters the film, not because she brings any redemption, but simply because we don't have to hear the gloom and doom of Paul Giamatti's character Harvey. While the film is entertaining and unique (and is one of the few films I remember where the characters finish a scene, they walk off the set of that scene as the actors, and it totally works) American Splendor tries to find meaning in life by taking the mundane and trying to turn it into something special, missing the fact that life has value in a redemption greater than your Earthly existence.
Starring: Paul Giamatti, Hope Davis
Rated: R for language
The start of the movie American Splendor reminded me of the hopelessness of the film Synedoche, New York. However, Splendor is reality, which makes it far more disturbing. Thankfully, the film takes a turn for the better when the character played by Hope Davis enters the film, not because she brings any redemption, but simply because we don't have to hear the gloom and doom of Paul Giamatti's character Harvey. While the film is entertaining and unique (and is one of the few films I remember where the characters finish a scene, they walk off the set of that scene as the actors, and it totally works) American Splendor tries to find meaning in life by taking the mundane and trying to turn it into something special, missing the fact that life has value in a redemption greater than your Earthly existence.
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