Gangs of New York (2002): Scorsese’s Violent, Sprawling, Dull, Uninvolving Epic, Starring DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz, Jim Broadbent, John C. Reilly, Brendan Gleeson

November 23, 2010 by

Though nominated for 10 Academy Awards (and losing each one of them), “Gangs of New York” is one of Martin Scorsese’s weakest epic films, a sprawling tale of revenge and violence, which does not even look right; the film was hot on sound stages in Rome’s Cine Citta.

 

 

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Shutter Island

February 3, 2010 by

The new trashy horror noir, "Shutter Island," based on Dennis Lehane's popular novel, represents a mid-range and mid-achievement for Scorsese. The film is dense in imagery but not rich enough in ideas, entertaining but not entirely gripping, stylistically overwrought without being truly poignant, but DiCaprio is both terrific and terrifying.

New trailer emanuellevy.com/videos/view.cfm?id=96.

 

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Shutter Island: Scorsese’s Derivative Film, B-Level Genre Picture about Paranoia that Never Comes Together, Starring DiCaprio, Ruffalo, Leonardo DiCaprio Mark Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson, Max von Sydow

January 29, 2010 by

Based on Dennis Lehan’s 2003 best-selling novel, Shutter Island is Scorsese’s derivative genre picture, elevated (up to a point) by DiCaprio, Ruffalo, and the other actors.

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Boxcar Bertha (1972) Scorsese’s Sophomore Jinx, Trashy Exploitation Flick, Starring Barbara Hershey, David Carradine, Barry Primus, Bernie Casey

February 22, 2008 by

“Boxcar Bertha,” a as sort of blood-and-gore sequel to Roger Corman's “Bloody Mama,” not to mention the more prestigious films it imitates, such as “Bonnie and Clyde.”

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Mean Streets (1973): Scorsese’s Third Film, Starring Harvey Keitel and DeNiro, Announced the Arrival of a Major Talent, with David Proval, Amy Robinson, Richard Romanus, Cesare Danova, Most Influential (if not Commercial) Film of the 1970s

February 21, 2008 by

Emphasizing characterization rather than plot, Mean Streets assured Scorsese a central role in contemporary film history. Densely rich and angst-ridden, his films are rooted in his Italian-American-Catholic experience, confronting themes of sin, guilt and redemption in a fiercely contemporary yet universal fashion. His explorations of male camaraderie, violent behavior, and men's deep fear of women have left a significant imprint on the work of numerous directors.

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