7. Gangs of New York
One of two realized passion projects for Scorsese. Gangs of New York is a sprawling and epic movie that almost feels like a western at many times in its narrative. The attitude towards the morality in 1800s New York is a factor that unites it with all of the best westerns. New York is presented as a place that is rough and lawless where violence rules the streets. This isn't exactly unfamiliar territory for Scorsese but the story itself saves the film from being a re-tread of his former glory. The immigrant experience is one addition that makes the film deeply relevant to Scorsese yet also new and exciting for his work. Scorsese himself is an Italian American so his family knows what immigration is like. In Gangs of New York he brings this personal relevance to a story that is also political in nature to create something brilliant and new yet also familiar.