Scorsese s Gangs of New York is a sweeping epic of historic fiction as well as a magnificently crusty film. The recreation of the mangy Five Points sector of old New York coupled with the authenticity of costumes, makeup and other sets offers a genuine smorgasbord for the eyes. A smorgasbord that has been dumped in the dirt and stepped on a few times - but an undeniable visual delight none the less. Aside from this amazing attention to detail the film also offers a stellar cast with excellent performances by one and all. Daniel Day-Lewis, however, is by leaps and bounds the obvious standout in this group. His portrayal of the despicable and bloodthirsty Bill The Butcher Cutting is one of the most bone chilling I have seen on film since Anthony Hopkins first gave us the shark-eyed Hannibal Lector. If there is any justice in the world of show biz, Day-Lewis will accept an Oscar for his wonderful performance this coming year. This epic gives us a peek into a very dark and desperate time in the city s history a time I am very happy not to have lived through. Set before and during the Civil War, it tells the tale of the effects of poverty on both downtrodden immigrants and the so-called native born American citizens. We see their struggle to keep their heads above water as they daily deal with the effects of pig-headed prejudice and injustice in world that is so violent, bloody and squalid that it makes most of our lives look like life in a palace. Though it is based on actual riots and problems of the time, the story probably had as many facts involved as the tales found in Titanic and Braveheart . But, since my main purpose for going to the theater is to be entertained, like the two above mentioned films, Gangs of New York certainly did not disappoint.