When Martin Scorsese sets out to make a movie you know it will be anything but ordinary. Actually when I turned on "Gangs of New York" I thought it would just be a Period-Drama where characters wear funny clothes and talk with funny accents. I was dead wrong. Scorsese brings us a gritty, gory, and honest film about racism towards the Irish and blacks during the Civil War and the sway of Tammany Hall.<br /><br />"Gangs of New York" centers around the fledgeling city during the Civil War. As the nation is torn apart by one war, New York City is torn by two; the war between the Union and Confederacy and the war between rival gangs. One gang is lead by Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio). They are a gang of Irishmen who have been long victimized in the city. Bill "The Butcher" Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis) leads the gang of terrorizers and racists towards the Irish and blacks. The film all comes together during epic and realistic battles between the two rival gangs.<br /><br />Both Day-Lewis and DiCaprio give stellar performances as the two leading males. Amsterdam is honest and eager to fight. His actions are driven by passion and vengeance. Bill, however, is driven by his own sense of deserving, that he is superior to the blacks and Irish. There is a wonderful balance between the two actors and when they share the screen the definition of 'movie magic' becomes all to real. There is a wonderful list of supporting actors like Cameron Diaz and John C. Reilly that also make this film a Hollywood Gem.<br /><br />Scorsese is the conductor who orchestrates this wonderful concerto of violence, greed, passion, murder, love, and hatred. Scorsese has proved time and time again that he is probably the most talented director in Hollywood and isn't going anywhere anytime soon. 10/10.