Directed by the acclaimed Martin Scorsese and co-written by Eric Roth, “Killers of the Flower Moon” was released on Oct. 20. This eye-opening historical movie has received extremely positive reviews with an 8.2 on IMDb and a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. I believe it is one of the best movies of 2023 and that everyone should go see it.

The film is based on the true story of the Osage tribe during the 1920’s in Oklahoma. It covers the grim tale of the Osage tribe’s qualms and issues after coming into copious amounts of money. “Killers of the Flower Moon” does an excellent job at showing both sides of the story, and keeping the audience captivated in the mystery of the plot, making you wonder what is happening as the tale unfolds. 

The directing on this movie is impeccable as each scene flows into the other, with foreshadowing for a lot of major plot points. Martin Scorsese got help from the Osage Nation, the tribe in the movie. The Osage Nation helped Scorsese meet with direct relatives of people affected by the killings, which is why the film feels so true to life and grounded in reality. Scorsese did a spectacular job directing the movie and I can’t wait for more of his works.

The casting is also astounding, Leonardo DiCaprio did an amazing job; every emotion is felt by the audience and the main character demanded the viewers’ attention throughout the movie along with a great cast of side characters. Robert DeNiro also does a flawless job, with acting that really makes you believe he is a an immoral man. Those may be the two biggest names attached to the movie, but even the background characters were chosen carefully such as Cara Jade Myers and Lily Gladstone. A lot of characters in the story are Native American, and they made sure to cast many Native Americans into the movie as more than just background actors.

The setting for the movie is perfectly portrayed, it looks and feels like a blast from the past, all of the architecture and buildings, staying true to the time period. Perfectly adding to the aesthetic of a western setting in the late 1800’s.

I believe that “Killers of the Flower Moon” is a must-watch, with phenomenal acting and magnificent directing, it is definitely one of the best movies of 2023.