The Age of Innocence

This film, I wasn't sure how I would feel about it when I started it. By the end, I definitely found it quite interesting, but the theme seemed very similar to a previous film by Scorsese.

It takes place at New York in the 1870s, with Daniel Day-Lewis playing the role of Newland Archer, a man engaged to May Welland, played by Winona Ryder, who ends up helping Countess Ellen Oleska, played by Michelle Pfeiffer, out of an unhappy marriage. Things get a little complicated as Archer begins to have feelings for Countess Oleska, and he has to choose what is right for him.

The acting was pretty solid, if understated, which I feel is pretty accurate to the feel of late 19th century New York. The visuals were definitely amazing, with this being the most visually stunning film I have seen by Scorsese yet. The ending portions felt very similar to New York, New York, though, so if you've seen that film, then you kind of know how it ends.

I thought, overall, that while the movie had good actors and an interesting theme, at the end of the day, it wasn't an amazing movie. While I know a lot of praise was heaped on this movie, I just feel the plot had already been done better in New York, New York.

Next time, my most controversial movie yet, a film that got Martin Scorsese literally banned in China, a film about the Dalai Lama, a very sensitive subject in those parts for many reasons. The next movie will be Kundun.

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