This is the sixth entry in a series in which I'll countdown my 20 favorite scenes from the last 10 years in movies. To catch up more with the idea of this project, to see the other entries on the countdown, and to find out how you can contribute, click here.
There are some films that even casual readers of this blog are probably sick of me extolling—The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Fargo, Requiem for a Dream. Then, there are films like Gangs of New York, which I've fallen over myself praising in the past, but for some reason, that praise hasn't made its way to this website yet.
I really don't know why people don't love this film, especially considering the similarities to There Will Be Blood. Yes, Cameron Diaz is bad. Leonardo DiCaprio isn't even that great. But this is epic filmmaking at its finest, and Daniel Day-Lewis towers over it all with his greasy hair and unusually large top hat. Thought Daniel Plainview was a character. Wait until you meet Bill the Butcher.
This brings me to scene #15, a doozy at a key point in Scorsese's 2002 film. Brendan Gleason's Walter McGinn has just been elected to clean up the streets (i.e. stop Bill the Butcher from terrorizing the city). So what does the good butcher do? Puts a cleaver in his back. Smashes in his skull. Breaks the fourth wall (to deliver an all-time great line). And heads home for dinner, with not even a slap on the wrist for his actions.
It's a brilliant character moment—showing us exactly why we should despise Bill, but also making it impossible to be anything but thoroughly entertained when he's on the screen. I also think it highlights some of the film's best attributes—the stunning costume work and cinematography.
So here's to Bill the Butcher, and hopefully to you giving this film another chance. Back tomorrow with scene #14, from another underrated 2000s gem.
Scene #15: Bill the Butcher
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