New York, New York (2005)

A Taxi Driver-fresh Scorsese launched into one of his most cherished projects: a lushly scored, Technicolor homage/critique of the great age of MGM musicals. New York, New York blends the blatantly artificial conventions of a studio-set '40s musical with the naturalistic acting style of the '70s. The same edgy mix is reflected in the casting, pitting spiky new icon Robert De Niro against the aptly connected Liza Minnelli (Dad was director Vincente Minnelli, Mum was Judy Garland). Kicking off on VJ Day 1945, the big band era plot traces the steamy, stormy relationship between swing saxophonist De Niro and singer Minnelli. Sharply lensed by Laszlo Kovacs, it's easy on the eye if a little hard on the heart. Artful, but sometimes arduous.

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