Absolute favorite Mafia/Crime movie.

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

The Godfather

Martin Scorsese's movies (Mean Streets, Goodfellas,Casino, The Departed, Wolf of Wall Street)

Brian De Palma's movies (Scarface, The Untouchables, Carlito's Way)

Al Pacino's movies (Dog Day Afternoon, Donnie Brasco, Heat, Serpico)

Robert De Niro's Movies (A Bronx Tale, Anazlye This)

Quintin Tarantino's movies (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, True Romance)

And more (American Psycho, No Country for Old Men, The Usual Suspects, American Gangster, L.A. Confidential, Training Days, and fuck it television like the Sopranos and the Wire are allowed as well)

Me so far no Crime movie has impressed more than Casino, imo Scorsese's magnum opus of Crime movie cinema, better than even Goodfellas. The Godfather comes close second, specifically the Godfather Epic where its the first 2 movies combined into 1 plus a lot of extended and delted footage restored.

But damn what is it that Crime genre ends up producing some of the greatest pieces of art.

 

[Scarim Coral]

L.A. Confidential and Internal Affair for me. The Departed was a good remake too.

 

[Hawki]

Really not into crime movies that much. Of your list, only seen Wolf of Wall Street (excellent film). Off the top of my head, of such movies I've seen in recent times...um...do The Nice Guys and War Dogs count? I mean, they did commit crimes in the latter, and fought crime in the former, so...

 

[Cowabungaa]

Fuck I could never pick one, so I'll list a few:

- Chinatown
- The Third Man
- Goodfellas (yeah, did enjoy it a little more than Casino)
- Scarface
- The Godfather
- Once Upon A Time In America
- The Wolf of Wall Street
- Drive
- Scicario
- City Of God

And many more, but that's my ten favourites I think.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

The Godfather is always going to be the best "mafia movie" for me. As for "crime movie", I dunno. It's too broad a term.

 

[Glongpre]

Crime movie is so broad, I would never be able to say.

But for mafia movies, definitely The Godfather. It is really fantastic on all levels. Which is funny because the first few times I came across it on TV, I couldn't watch it through.
But I eventually decided to watch it in it's entirety, and I was blown away.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

All of them. Actually haven't seen any of the Godfather trilogy yet. Have no idea why, it's not like am intentionally avoiding it.

We Own The Night is also a great one, with Joaquin Phoinix as one of the leads.

Black Mass is recommendable, I saw last night, with Depp playing somewhat of a nasty character that, at times, felt like he was channelling Ray Liotta to an uncanny degree... oh and Cumberbatch doing a pretty good US politician impression too.

American Psycho is a difficult genre to define. Crime is not what I would've first thought. But good nonetheless.

I would also like to add Guy Ritchie's films in, including and perhaps especially the somewhat experimental Revolver, though it isn't for everybody. It's probably the only Jason Statham film in which he has long hair AND doesn't fight, kill or engage in any violence whatsoever towards anybody throughout!

Rise of the Footsoldier is an interesting one, I remember seeing the story happening in the news that the film is based upon.

 

[Chanticoblues]

Crime is so, so broad, it's hard to list my favorites without running up a list of hundreds. Because we're talking mafia flicks, petty crime flicks, action movies, cop movies, heist/caper films, Yakuza flicks, white collar crime flicks, prison flicks, revenge flicks, true crime, documentaries, courtroom dramas, film noir, a good deal of war films and westerns---there's way too much that could fall into the genre. I actually tried writing up a list, but it got too big and then I was like "man, these movies have almost nothing in common with each other".

Mafia's a little easier (organized, family-based crime). The Godfather I suppose is the easiest choice. It's about everything to do with the mafia, specifically family and politics.

 

[King Billi]

One film not mentioned in that very comprehensive list is 'Road to Perdition' one of my favourite films of all time. A very dark and brutal story with an uncharacteristic performance by Tom Hanks as a Mafia hitman.

There's something about the aesthetic trappings of a typical crime or "mobster" film that I just find interesting whether its from true life or fiction. Pinstripes and Tommy guns and all that stuff.

 

[Mister K]

To be honest, I cannot decide between Tarantinos Pulp Fiction and Scorseses Casino. But considering that they are quite different thematically, I'll pick both.

 

[RedDeadFred]

I hadn't really been a fan of the genre for quite a while, but that's changed over the last couple years. So far, I'd have to say that The Departed is my favourite. Excellent acting all around and a gripping "who will uncover the mole" first story.

 

[MrCalavera_v1legacy]

Wew, setting up a wide net there lad.

When it comes to 'Mafia' movies i think first Godfather and Goodfellas are obligatory to watch. And since you said tv shows qualify too, i've heard that Gomorra is pretty damn good.

Now, the 'crime' genre... i'll attempt to pick ones that try to stick to the "organized crime" theme and haven't been mentioned before in this thread, for the sake of my keyboard.

Ok, so let's get tv shows out the way: Breaking Bad, cause someone would mention it inevitably. Hannibal is fun if you don't mind excessive gore, worth watching for Mikkelsen's performance.

Now, to the movies:

Lawless while isn't specifically about the italian mob, covers the prohibition era, and is "based on true story" if you're into that. Plus, the score was composed by Nick Cave.

Ocean's Eleven if you're looking for a fun heist flick. The Town if you're looking for a more serious heist flick, that also makes a nice spiritual succesor to The Heat, but is a great movie in itself.

Snatch is probably the one of the better mixes of comedy and crime drama out there, one of the best Guy Ritchie movies and very likely has the best Jason Statham performance. (Oh right, Guy Ritchie, that reminds me... Sherlock Holmes movies surely qualify as a crime genre? Then go watch A Game of Shadows)

Dredd is a rare mix of crime and sci-fi. Brutal and frantic, and I heartly recommend it.

A Prophet is down to earth and brutal, but not excessive, probably one of the best prison-set flicks i've seen in a while.

Lord of War while a bit heavy-handed is a good watch, and has probably the last decent performance of Nicholas Cage in the main role.

Gangs of New York - It's Scorsese. It has "gangs" in the name.

Fargo as THE Coen Brothers crime drama, cause someone have already mentioned NCfoM :^)

Can't leave out Mann out of this so i shall also throw in Collateral and Miami Vice movie.

 

[Jute88]

I'm just glad that atleast one person mentioned Once Upon A Time in America. Don't people like it or is it just that they haven't seen it?

 

[DudeistBelieve]

The Big Lebowski is great film noir...

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Two Hands...

Glorious movie in a style for which the crime drama genre will not likely see again. Everything about it was biting, funny, whimsical, dark and surreal. Basically it's like a crime fairytale. Easily the best Heath Ledger film there is ...


The movie itself has elements of the supernatural... which fulfills thr magical element of the guardian angel through indirect consequences. Of an assumed karmic balancing act how which the disastrous events that play out happen solely through the cyclical interplay of only a handful of agents that sign their death warrants at the start of the film.

Hence why the movie begins almost as if after half the events are portrayed, and before most of them, and their weight, have been properly accounted for. A brutal examination on modern fairytale classics told in a traditional cautious tone rather than their romantic, or virtuous morality aspects.

If you like fairytales, you'll like Two Hands.

Plus... you know ... it's also a more nuanced look at organised crime and the economic problems of a country only recently exiting a persistent economic crisis. There was a time when Sydney in particular was a crime-riddled city with extensive police corruption. So if you're into modern Australiana ... you'll also like it.

It perfectly encapsulates the gritty, unseemly nature of the 'Big Smoke' (Sydney and its extended urban crawl) and the nature of the existential crisis where even the opportunity to escape your life becomes a literal and figurative transformation.

Has that distinct Aussie humour that isn't so much British slapstick, nor cryptic New Yorker nonsense. A dry, nihilist review of life.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Two Hands...

Glorious movie in a style for which the crime drama genre will not likely see again. Everything about it was biting, funny, whimsical, dark and surreal. Basically it's like a crime fairytale. Easily the best Heath Ledger film there is ...


The movie itself has elements of the supernatural... which fulfills thr magical element of the guardian angel through indirect consequences. Of an assumed karmic balancing act how which the disastrous events that play out happen solely through the cyclical interplay of only a handful of agents that sign their death warrants at the start of the film.

Hence why the movie begins almost as if after half the events are portrayed, and before most of them, and their weight, have been properly accounted for. A brutal examination on modern fairytale classics told in a traditional cautious tone rather than their romantic, or virtuous morality aspects.

If you like fairytales, you'll like Two Hands.

Plus... you know ... it's also a more nuanced look at organised crime and the economic problems of a country only recently exiting a persistent economic crisis. There was a time when Sydney in particular was a crime-riddled city with extensive police corruption. So if you're into modern Australiana ... you'll also like it.

It perfectly encapsulates the gritty, unseemly nature of the 'Big Smoke' (Sydney and its extended urban crawl) and the nature of the existential crisis where even the opportunity to escape your life becomes a literal and figurative transformation.

Has that distinct Aussie humour that isn't so much British slapstick, nor cryptic New Yorker nonsense. A dry, nihilist review of life.

You may think that's a cultural thing, but dark gritty humour exists within certain brit crime films, especially ones portraying how kids get easily into the crime scene due to economical and psychological issues. I haven't yet seen that film though, it is added to the list, thanks for sharing! Love me some of this exact genre.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Hmmm...Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels?

No, wait, if we are counting Dredd, then Dredd. Unless The Great Escape counts...they are prisoners trying to escape and avoid the local authorities? No?

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

You may think that's a cultural thing, but dark gritty humour exists within certain brit crime films, especially ones portraying how kids get easily into the crime scene due to economical and psychological issues. I haven't yet seen that film though, it is added to the list, thanks for sharing! Love me some of this exact genre.

I didn't say it didn't? But ... ehh, you'll know what I mean when you watch it. More so that is exactly the type of Sydney I grew up in at oddly enough the same time. It's kind of weird how the NSW Film & TV Office provided money for it ... it's not really a spoiler, but watch the film and then think of Sydney. It was odd the NFTO paid subsidies to have the film made given it shows about 2 commonly known tourist attractions in the city (the Cross and Bondi Beach), and it paints both of them in a horrible light. You won't see North Sydney, Bennelong Point, The Rocks, Town Hall.

Even by the end the film is like; "Yeah, you know what? Fuck this place ..."

Now ... when I say 'gritty' ... I think I mean more, seedy? As in it still reinforces in the viewer's mind that many parts of even the cities were still very much in a decade long decline. It was kind of a different look at Sydney that the state government didn't want to show, but that everyone who lived there knew ... but kept almost physically and psychologically distanced from the tourists and the story it was trying to paint itself as as if this free market success story in Asia with the growing 'open for business' paradigm of both mjor parties.

A lot of people put shit on the inclusion of Alex (Rose Byrne) in the film, and while I agree that the movie mechanically would have worked better without her and just focussed on Jimmy (Heath Ledger), I'm pretty sure she was put there to basically advertise the common Australian angst travelling to the city from the continually depopulated countryside. As people filed into the major cities due to lack of job prospects at home and the consolidation of talent and money. From places where you could just survive decently on welfare alone, and you didn't really need to do anything shady to get by.

But yes, I think you'll enjoy it ... but you'll get wwhat I mean by 'seedy' or 'gritty'.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

I'm just glad that atleast one person mentioned Once Upon A Time in America. Don't people like it or is it just that they haven't seen it?

I tried watching it last year. The tedium set in after an hour and twenty minutes, with still almost three hours to go. It's the longest movie that I have. I need to be very well mentally prepared to watch something like that.

I was mentally prepared to see the Godfather Epic and that is seven hours long.