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- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobert De NiroRay LiottaJoe PesciThe story of Henry Hill and his life in the mafia, covering his relationship with his wife Karen and his mob partners Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito.Scorsese's 'Goodfellas' is hands down the greatest gangster movie ever made. Featuring an amazing soundtrack and a great cast including Joe Pesci in his unforgettable, Oscar-winning role as Tommy DeVito.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMarlon BrandoAl PacinoJames CaanThe aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.A beloved masterpiece from Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola. Marlon Brando is and always will be Don Vito Corleone.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsAl PacinoRobert De NiroRobert DuvallThe early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York City is portrayed, while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate.The greatest sequel ever made.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioMatt DamonJack NicholsonAn undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston.Remake of the Hong Kong classic 'Infernal Affairs', this film boasts a stellar cast and won Scorsese his long overdue Oscar.
- DirectorFernando MeirellesKátia LundStarsAlexandre RodriguesLeandro FirminoMatheus NachtergaeleIn the slums of Rio, two kids' paths diverge as one struggles to become a photographer and the other a kingpin.The quintessential gangster movie. Groundbreaking, inspiring and based on a true story. The cinematography, directing and writing is unmatched in Brazilian cinema.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsJohn TravoltaUma ThurmanSamuel L. JacksonThe lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.Quintin Tarantino's groundbreaking, non-linear, multi-strand narrative that both inspired and created imitators. This is undoubtedly the cornerstone of 90's cinema and still enjoyed by millions today.
- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsAl PacinoMichelle PfeifferSteven BauerIn 1980 Miami, a determined Cuban immigrant takes over a drug cartel and succumbs to greed.Al Pacino disappears into the role of Cuban kingpin Tony Montana and gives us 3 hours of pure, cathartic entertainment.
- DirectorBryan SingerStarsKevin SpaceyGabriel ByrneChazz PalminteriThe sole survivor of a pier shoot-out tells the story of how a notorious criminal influenced the events that began with five criminals meeting in a seemingly random police lineup.Thrilling from start to finish.
- DirectorGuy RitchieStarsJason FlemyngDexter FletcherNick MoranEddy persuades his three pals to pool money for a vital poker game against a powerful local mobster, Hatchet Harry. Eddy loses, after which Harry gives him a week to pay back 500,000 pounds.The greatest British gangster film of all time.
- DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsGabriel ByrneAlbert FinneyJohn TurturroTom Reagan, an advisor to a Prohibition-era crime boss, tries to keep the peace between warring mobs but gets caught in divided loyalties.The Coen Brothers take a stab at the gangster/crime genre and deliver an intellegent and aesthetically pleasing classic.
- DirectorSergio LeoneStarsRobert De NiroJames WoodsElizabeth McGovernA former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan 35 years later, where he must once again confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.An epic crime saga from Sergio Leone, the legendary director who gave us The Dollars trilogy and 'Once Upon a Time in the West'.
- DirectorJohn SingletonStarsCuba Gooding Jr.Laurence FishburneHudhail Al-AmirFollows the lives of three young males living in the Crenshaw ghetto of Los Angeles, dissecting questions of race, relationships, violence, and future prospects.As relevant today as it was when it first came out. Launched the career of Cuba Gooding, Jr., made Ice Cube into an even bigger cultural icon and paved the way for many up and coming actors and directors.
- DirectorJosé PadilhaStarsWagner MouraIrandhir SantosAndré RamiroAfter a prison riot, former-Captain Nascimento, now a high ranking security officer in Rio de Janeiro, is swept into a bloody political dispute that involves government officials and paramilitary groups.Sequel to the critically acclaimed 'Elite Squad' and one of the few sequels to outdo the orginal.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsHarvey KeitelTim RothMichael MadsenWhen a simple jewelry heist goes horribly wrong, the surviving criminals begin to suspect that one of them is a police informant.Quintin Tarantino's official debut. Dialog heavy, violent and very funny. A bonafide classic.
- DirectorSam MendesStarsTom HanksTyler HoechlinPaul NewmanA mob enforcer's son in 1930s Illinois witnesses a murder, forcing him and his father to take to the road, and his father down a path of redemption and revenge.Sam Medes, director of 'American Beauty' brings forth the adaptation of the popular comic series and Paul Newman gives his last great performance as Irish mob boss John Rooney.
- DirectorJosé PadilhaStarsWagner MouraAndré RamiroCaio JunqueiraIn 1997 Rio de Janeiro, Captain Nascimento has to find a substitute for his position while trying to take down drug dealers and criminals before the Pope visits.A gangster film set in the late 90's that focuses heavily on a special forces milirary unit known as BOPE and how they deal with the gangsters and drug lords in the favelas. From the writer of 'City of God'.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobert De NiroSharon StoneJoe PesciIn Las Vegas, two best friends - a casino executive and a mafia enforcer - compete for a gambling empire and a fast-living, fast-loving socialite.Scorsese's an De Niro's fifth collaboration is nothing short of extraordinary. De Niro is also reunited with frequent co-star Joe Pesci and the great James Woods.
- DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsGene HackmanRoy ScheiderFernando ReyA pair of NYPD detectives in the Narcotics Bureau stumble onto a heroin smuggling ring based in Marseilles, but stopping them and capturing their leaders proves an elusive goal.The Oscar-winning film featuring Gene Hackman at his best as well as the greatest car chase in cinema history.
- DirectorSpike LeeStarsEdward NortonBarry PepperPhilip Seymour HoffmanCornered by the DEA, convicted New York drug dealer Montgomery Brogan reevaluates his life in the 24 remaining hours before facing a seven-year jail term.Half gangster film, half love letter to NYC after the 9/11 attacks. Ed Norton and Rosario Dawson star in this bleak film about a man making all the wrong choices in life.
- DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsEmilio EchevarríaGael García BernalGoya ToledoAn amateur dog fighter, a supermodel, and a derelict assassin, all separately struggling to find love, find their lives transformed by a devastating car wreck in Mexico City.Inspired by Robert Altman's style of story telling, Amores Perros is Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu's best film. His other films include Babel and Biutiful.
- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsKevin CostnerSean ConneryRobert De NiroDuring Prohibition, Treasury agent Eliot Ness sets out to stop ruthless Chicago gangster Al Capone, and assembles a small, incorruptible team to help him.The greatest film ever made about Al Capone, the Prohibition era and the man that took him down, Elliott Ness. Directed by Brian De Palma - the man that gave us 'Scarface' and 'Carlito's Way'.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsSean PennTim RobbinsKevin BaconThe tragic murder of a 19-year-old girl reunites three childhood friends still living in Boston--the victim's gangster father, a detective, and the disturbed man they both suspect of killing her.Clint Eastwood directs this sad, tragic tale about three friends taking different paths when something happens to one of them during their childhood. Sean Penn and Tim Robbins both won Oscars for their roles - Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor respectively.
- DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsNaomi WattsViggo MortensenArmin Mueller-StahlA teenager who dies during childbirth leaves clues in her journal that could tie her child to a rape involving a violent Russian mob family.Quite possibly the best Russian gangster film ever made.
- DirectorLuc BessonStarsJean RenoGary OldmanNatalie Portman12-year-old Mathilda is reluctantly taken in by Léon, a professional assassin, after her family is murdered. An unusual relationship forms as she becomes his protégée and learns the assassin's trade.A memorable performnce from Gary Oldman but the stand out is Natalie Portman as the 12-year old Mathilda.
- DirectorMike NewellStarsAl PacinoJohnny DeppMichael MadsenAn FBI undercover agent infiltrates the mob and finds himself identifying more with the Mafia life--at the expense of his regular one.Al Pacino's last gangster film and it is certainly one of his best.
- DirectorGuy RitchieStarsJason StathamBrad PittStephen GrahamUnscrupulous boxing promoters, violent bookmakers, a Russian gangster, incompetent amateur robbers and supposedly Jewish jewelers fight to track down a priceless stolen diamond.Guy Ritchie's hilarious black comedy/gangster movie about a boss attempting to fix a fight. Starring Brad Pitt and Benico Del Toro (who're both funny as hell) and Jason Statham.
- DirectorMathieu KassovitzStarsVincent CasselHubert KoundéSaïd Taghmaoui24 hours in the lives of three young men in the French suburbs the day after a violent riot.Before 'City of God', before 'American History X', there was 'La Haine' (Hate).
- DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsJack NicholsonFaye DunawayJohn HustonA private detective hired to expose an adulterer in 1930s Los Angeles finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, corruption, and murder.Roman Polanski's epic and one of Jack Nicholson's many great perfromances.
- DirectorAndrew LauAlan MakStarsAndy LauTony Leung Chiu-waiAnthony Chau-Sang WongA story between a mole in the police department and an undercover cop. Their objectives are the same: to find out who is the mole, and who is the cop.Remade by Scorsese into the Oscar-winning 'The Departed' in 2006, the original is just as great, if not better. Two of Hong Kong's biggest actors Tony Leung and Andy Lau star.
- DirectorMichael MannStarsAl PacinoRobert De NiroVal KilmerA group of high-end professional thieves start to feel the heat from the LAPD when they unknowingly leave a verbal clue at their latest heist.Pacino and De Niro in their first film together. Though they starred in 'The Godfather II', this is their first trading dialog together. Val Kilmer is great as always and Michael Mann proves why he's the best when it comes to guns, set-pieces and all-out action.
- DirectorJohnnie ToStarsLouis KooSuet LamTony Ka Fai LeungRival gang leaders are locked in a struggle to become the new chairman of Hong Kong's Triad society.Known by many as the Chinese 'Godfather' - this is one of Hong Kong's finest films.
- DirectorTony KayeStarsEdward NortonEdward FurlongBeverly D'AngeloLiving a life marked by violence, neo-Nazi Derek finally goes to prison after killing two black youths. Upon his release, Derek vows to change; he hopes to prevent his brother, Danny, who idolizes Derek, from following in his footsteps.Blistering depiction of life in Venice Beach and racism. Edward Norton's gives his greatest performance ever.
- DirectorJonathan GlazerStarsRay WinstoneBen KingsleyIan McShaneBrutal gangster Don Logan recruits "retired" safecracker Gal for one last job, but it goes badly for both of them.Ben Kingsley is thrilling, crazy and really funny in his Oscar nominated role as Don Logan, a thief who enlists the aid of a former associate for a major heist.
- DirectorJohnnie ToStarsLouis KooSimon YamNick CheungAs election time nears, current Triad chairman Lok (Yam) faces competition from his godsons. At the same time, Jimmy (Koo) looks to increase his business relations with mainland China.Sequel to the 2005 film featuring returning cast members and an even crazier protagonist.
- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsAl PacinoSean PennPenelope Ann MillerA Puerto Rican former convict, just released from prison, pledges to stay away from drugs and violence despite the pressure around him and lead on to a better life outside of N.Y.C.Al Pacino plays as a milder, wiser and more compassionate Tony Montana in this film directed by the man that gave us 'Scarface'. Also stars Sean Penn in an Oscar worthy role, as well as Luis Guizman as Pachanga and John Leguizamo as Benny Blanco.
- DirectorTony ScottStarsChristian SlaterPatricia ArquetteDennis HopperIn Detroit, a pop-culture nerd steals cocaine from his new wife's pimp and tries to sell it in Hollywood, prompting the mobsters who own the drugs to pursue the couple.Written by Quintin Tarentino and directed by Tony Scott. The highlight of the film is Dennis Hopper and Christopher Walken's great chemistry and scene together.
- DirectorJean-François RichetStarsVincent CasselLudivine SagnierMathieu AmalricThe story of the notorious French gangster Jacques Mesrine, with the focus on his life and death as France's Public Enemy No. 1 in the 1970s.Vince Cassel perfectly portrays the iconic French bandit Mesrine for a second outing. Again, one of the few cases where the sequel is better than the original.
- DirectorEthan CoenJoel CoenStarsTommy Lee JonesJavier BardemJosh BrolinViolence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong and over two million dollars in cash near the Rio Grande.A satchel full of money, a pyschopathic killer, the Mexican cartel and Tommy Lee Jones as a philosophical sherriff. It's also an Oscar-winning Coen Brothers film.
- DirectorPark Chan-wookStarsChoi Min-sikYoo Ji-taeKang Hye-jeongAfter being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must track down his captor in five days.With the release of Oldboy in 2003, the film soon gained cult status and Oh-Dae Su, the main character, quickly became an icon in cinema.
- DirectorJean-François RichetStarsVincent CasselCécile de FranceGérard DepardieuThe story of the notorious French gangster Jacques Mesrine, with the focus on his life before the early 1970s and the events that led to him being declared Public Enemy No. 1 in France.If it wasn't for 'A Prophet' this would be considered the best French gangster film ever.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsDenzel WashingtonRussell CroweChiwetel EjioforAn outcast New York City cop is charged with bringing down Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas, whose real life inspired this partly biographical film.Denzel Washington and Rusell Crowe are exceptional as a drug lord and honest detective respectively in this film based on a true story.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodBee VangChristopher CarleyAfter a Hmong teenager tries to steal his prized 1972 Gran Torino, a disgruntled, prejudiced Korean War veteran seeks to redeem both the boy and himself.Why should you watch this? This is Clint Eastwood's last acting role, among other things. Only two words can describe this film: pure badass.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsUma ThurmanDavid CarradineDaryl HannahAfter awakening from a four-year coma, a former assassin wreaks vengeance on the team of assassins who betrayed her.Quintin Tarantino reunites with Uma Thurman in this epic revenge tale and explores his love for Asian cinema, from Akira Kurosawa's many samurai films to Run Run Shaw's classic kung-fu films. There's a lot to be nostalgic about if you love martial arts and samurai films.
- DirectorAntoine FuquaStarsDenzel WashingtonEthan HawkeScott GlennA rookie cop spends his first day as a Los Angeles narcotics officer with a rogue detective who isn't what he appears to be.Denzel Washington turns bad in this film about a detective taking a rookie under his wing for a day he'll never forget. The highlight of the film is Denzel himself, who delivers his best performance since 'Malcolm X'. The film is also one of the most quotable.
- DirectorAlbert HughesAllen HughesStarsTyrin TurnerLarenz TateJune Kyoto LuA young street hustler attempts to escape the rigors and temptations of the ghetto in a quest for a better life.Following the trail Singleton started with the classic 'Boyz N the Hood', the Hughes Brothers directs this film with a similar tone about growing up in the streets of Watts, Los Angeles.
- DirectorEdward James OlmosStarsEdward James OlmosWilliam ForsytheSal LopezA Mexican-American Mafia kingpin is released from prison, falls in love for the first time, and grows introspective about his gangster lifestyle.Set in East L.A. chronicling 30 years of Chicano gang life, from the streets to prison. Dark, slow and very violent, this film considered to be one of the greatest gangster films of all time and Edward James Olmos's magnum opus - both as an actor and director.
- DirectorWayne KramerStarsPaul WalkerCameron BrightChazz PalminteriA low-ranking thug is entrusted by his crime boss to dispose of a gun that killed corrupt cops, but things get out of control when the gun ends up in wrong hands.A very stylish film. You should see this for the cinematogrpahy and camera work alone.
- DirectorMatthew VaughnStarsDaniel CraigSienna MillerMichael GambonA successful cocaine dealer gets two tough assignments from his boss on the eve of his planned early retirement.After 'Road to Perdition' and before 'Casino Royale', Daniel Craig made this classic.
- DirectorNa Hong-jinStarsLee Yoo-miHa Jung-wooLee Hee-joonWhen the attempt to kill a professor goes wrong, a series of violent events are triggered which force a taxi driver to run for his life.A well crafted film reuniting the principle cast and director from the 2008 classic 'The Chaser'. This film boasts some of the best fight and car chase sequences ever.
- DirectorCary Joji FukunagaStarsPaulina GaitanMarco Antonio AguirreLeonardo AlonsoA young Honduran girl and a Mexican gangster are united in a journey across the U.S. border.A film that explores the harsh realities of illegal immigration and the violent gang cultures of South America - primarily Honduras and Mexico.
- DirectorJohn WooStarsChow Yun-FatTony Leung Chiu-waiTeresa MoA tough-as-nails cop teams up with an undercover agent to shut down a sinister mobster and his crew.The greatest John Woo film of all time. Launched the career of Tony Leung - the star of 'Infernal Affairs', 'Chungking Express' and 'Hero'.
- DirectorMatteo GarroneStarsGianfelice ImparatoSalvatore AbbruzzeseToni ServilloScampia Vele is the Corbusian architecture which has become a stronghold for Mafia of Naples, Italy.The only Italian gangster film on the list. Set in Naples, this one of the grittiest and most violent gangster films ever.
- DirectorMichael MannStarsTom CruiseJamie FoxxJada Pinkett SmithA cab driver finds himself the hostage of an engaging contract killer as he makes his rounds from hit to hit during one night in Los Angeles.Tom Cruise completely transforms from a poster boy for good to a complete badass assassin in this film. Michael Mann directs and Jamie Foxx co-stars.
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleHeath LedgerAaron EckhartWhen the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, Batman must accept one of the greatest psychological and physical tests of his ability to fight injustice.More of a gangster movie than a superhero movie as Batman tries to take down the Joker who has built new alliances with the criminal underworld of Gotham after the fall of the Falcone family.
- DirectorElia KazanStarsMarlon BrandoKarl MaldenLee J. CobbAn ex-prize fighter turned New Jersey longshoreman struggles to stand up to his corrupt union bosses, including his older brother, as he starts to connect with the grieving sister of one of the syndicate's victims.The great actor Marlon Brando in a harrowing performance as a former boxer turned dock worker who mixes up with the wrong people. This film won Brando his first Oscar.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsUma ThurmanDavid CarradineMichael MadsenThe Bride continues her quest of vengeance against her former boss and lover Bill, the reclusive bouncer Budd, and the treacherous, one-eyed Elle.A continuation of the Bride's quest to kill Bill.
- DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsViggo MortensenMaria BelloEd HarrisA mild-mannered man becomes a local hero through an act of violence, which sets off repercussions that will shake his family to its very core.Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris and William Hurt star in this film about a man trying to escape his past life and the people that won't allow him to. Cronenberg and Mortensen's first movie together - they would go on to make 'Eastern Promises'.
- DirectorGavin HoodStarsPresley ChweneyagaeMothusi MaganoIsrael Matseke-ZuluSix days in the violent life of a young Johannesburg gang leader.Best South African film ever.
- DirectorBen AffleckStarsBen AffleckRebecca HallJon HammA proficient group of thieves rob a bank and hold an assistant manager hostage. Things begin to get complicated when one of the crew members falls in love with her.Ben Affleck stars and directs this film about bank robbers in Boston. Great performances all around, especially Jeremy Renner.
- DirectorTakeshi KitanoStarsTakeshi KitanoAya KokumaiTetsu WatanabeSeveral yakuza from Tokyo are sent to Okinawa to help end a gang war. The war then escalates and the Tokyo drifters decide to lay low at the beach.Takeshi Kitano, who specializes in Yakuza films when he isn't directing films like 'Zatoichi' or 'Battle Royale', stars and directs in this bleak and violent look at Yakuza life.
- DirectorJung Doo HongJee-woon KimStarsLee Byung-hunShin Min-aKim Yeong-cheolThings go wrong for a high ranking mobster when he doesn't follow his boss's orders.Byung Hung Lee, star of films like 'I Saw The Devil', 'The Good, the Bad and the Weird' and 'GI Joe' stars in this film (his best) about a bodyguard at war with his boss after he botches a mission.
- DirectorShin'ichirô WatanabeMary Elizabeth McGlynnTensai OkamuraStarsBeau BillingsleaMelissa FahnNicholas GuestA terrorist explosion releases a deadly virus on the masses, and it's up to the bounty-hunting Bebop crew to catch the cold-blooded culprit.The only animation on the list, the film is influenced by 40's film-noir storytelling, 70's music and late 80's John Woo action films.
- DirectorRalph ZimanStarsRapulana SeiphemoJeffrey SekeleRonnie NyakaleA young hoodlum's rise from a small-time criminal to a powerful crime entrepreneur during the turbulent years before and after the fall of apartheid.Set in 90's South Africa and well acted.
- DirectorRobert De NiroStarsRobert De NiroChazz PalminteriLillo BrancatoAn intense drama about a boy torn between his tough, hard-working father and a violent yet charismatic crime boss.De Niro's directorial debut, based on Chazz Palminteri's childhood and influenced heavily by Martin Scorsese's style of directing.
- DirectorTakeshi KitanoStarsTakeshi KitanoKippei ShînaRyô KaseThe boss of a major crime syndicate orders his lieutenant to bring a rogue gang of drug traffickers in line, a job that gets passed on to his long-suffering subordinate.After taking a decade long break from the Yakuza/gangster genre, acclaimed director and actor Takeshi Kitano returns and all hell breaks loose in this violent gangster film.
- DirectorOlivier MarchalStarsDaniel AuteuilGérard DepardieuAndré Dussollier2 cops are promised by the retiring chief of the Paris police that the one, getting the violent gang robbing armored trucks, will get his job. The 2 will do whatever it takes to get the promotion, even if it means breaking the law.Critically accliamed and hailed by many as the French 'Heat'.
- DirectorSpike LeeStarsHarvey KeitelJohn TurturroDelroy LindoYoung drug pushers in the projects of Brooklyn live hard dangerous lives, trapped between their drug bosses and the detectives out to stop them.One of Spike Lee's best films featuring a stellar cast.
- DirectorJohnnie ToStarsNick CheungAnthony Chau-Sang WongFrancis NgA friendship is formed between an ex-gangster, and two groups of hitmen - those who want to protect him and those who were sent to kill him.A very slow paced film from the man that gave us 'Election Vol. 1 and 2'.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioCameron DiazDaniel Day-LewisIn 1862, Amsterdam Vallon returns to the Five Points area of New York City seeking revenge against Bill the Butcher, his father's killer.Daniel-Day Lewis as Bill the Butcher is unforgettable.
- DirectorJohn WooStarsChow Yun-FatDanny LeeSally YehA disillusioned assassin accepts one last hit in hopes of using his earnings to restore vision to a singer he accidentally blinded.John Woo. Yun-Fat Chow. Classic.
- DirectorDavid MichôdStarsJames FrechevilleGuy PearceJoel EdgertonA seventeen-year-old navigates his survival amongst an explosive criminal family and the detective who thinks he can save him.Austrailian and as gritty as they come.
- DirectorGuillaume CanetStarsFrançois CluzetMarie-Josée CrozeAndré DussollierAn accidental discovery near a doctor's estate stirs up some painful memories eight years after his wife's hideous murder, and now, things are bound to take a turn for the unexpected. Does the good doctor know more than he's letting on?A man loses his wife and 8 years later is the prime suspect for the murder. After finding out she may still be alive, he roams the dangerous neighborhoods in Paris, chased by the police and aided by local gangsters in search of her. Another French gem.
- DirectorCharles Stone IIIStarsMekhi PhiferWood HarrisChi McBrideA young man from Harlem, forced to cope with the 1980s drug scene, builds an illegal empire, only to have a crisis of conscience.Set in Harlem during the 80's chronicling the rise and fall of one of New York's biggest drug kingpins.
- DirectorMario Van PeeblesStarsWesley SnipesIce-TAllen PayneA crime lord ascends to power and becomes megalomaniacal while a maverick police detective vows to stop him.Wesley Snipes' Nino Brown should've won him at least an Oscar nomination. The film features a young Chris Rock as a drug addict turned informant as well as Ice-T as the lead detective chasing Snipes.
- DirectorArthur PennStarsWarren BeattyFaye DunawayMichael J. PollardBored waitress Bonnie Parker falls in love with an ex-con named Clyde Barrow and together they start a violent crime spree through the country, stealing cars and robbing banks.The cultural icons and infamous bank robbers/lovers get the movie treatment and feature a great cast, including Gene Hackman.
- DirectorRaoul WalshStarsJames CagneyVirginia MayoEdmond O'BrienA psychopathic criminal with a mother complex makes a daring break from prison and leads his old gang in a chemical plant payroll heist.James Cagney, the king of gangster films and the iconic 'bad guy' stars in White Heat, his best film ever.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsAl PacinoDiane KeatonAndy GarciaFollows Michael Corleone, now in his 60s, as he seeks to free his family from crime and find a suitable successor to his empire.Perhaps not as great as the first two but still ambitious in continuing the Michael Corleone saga.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobert De NiroHarvey KeitelDavid ProvalIn New York City's Little Italy, a devoutly Catholic mobster must reconcile his desire for power, his feelings for his epileptic lover, and his devotion to his troublesome friend.Scorsese's and Robert De Niro's first film together. Also starring Harvey Keitel.
- DirectorTaylor HackfordStarsDamian ChapaJesse BorregoBenjamin BrattBased on the true life experiences of poet Jimmy Santiago Baca, the film focuses on step-brothers Paco and Cruz, and their bi-racial cousin Miklo.A powerful epic centered around three friends taking different paths while trying to stay alive in the violent Hispanic gang subculture of 1970's East L.A.
- DirectorMike HodgesStarsMichael CaineIan HendryBritt EklandWhen his brother dies under mysterious circumstances in a car accident, London gangster Jack Carter travels to Newcastle to investigate.One of the most loved revenge films ever and one of Michael Caine's many best lead performances.
- DirectorSam PeckinpahStarsSteve McQueenAli MacGrawBen JohnsonA recently-released ex-con and his loyal wife go on the run after a heist goes awry.One of Steve McQueen's many memorable performances.
- DirectorGeorge ArmitageStarsJohn CusackMinnie DriverDan AykroydMartin Blank is a professional assassin. He is sent on a mission to a small Detroit suburb, Grosse Pointe, and, by coincidence, his ten-year high school reunion party is taking place there at the same time.A contract killer returns to his hometown during his high school reunion and finds out that his next target is actually a girl he stood up at the prom. Black comedy at its finest.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsNicolas CageEva MendesRussell M. HaeuserTerence McDonagh is a drug- and gambling-addled detective in post-Katrina New Orleans investigating the killing of five Senegalese immigrants.Nicolas Cage in his best performance since 'Adaptation'. Features black humor and set against the backdrop of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Co-starring Val Kilmer and Xzibit.
- DirectorBarry LevinsonStarsWarren BeattyAnnette BeningHarvey KeitelThe story of how Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel started Las Vegas.An epic biopic about the man who created Las Vegas.
- DirectorRic Roman WaughStarsStephen DorffMarisol NicholsVincent MillerLocked up for killing an intruder in self-defense, a family man must cope with life in the violent penal system.Method actor Val Kilmer tattoos up and disappears into the role of a prisoner serving death row helping an innocent man (Stephen Dorff) survive prison, the SHU program and a sadistic prison guard.
- DirectorDaniel MonzónStarsLuis TosarAlberto AmmannAntonio ResinesThe story of two men on different sides of a prison riot -- the inmate leading the rebellion and the young guard trapped in the revolt, who poses as a prisoner in a desperate attempt to survive the ordeal.The inmates run the asylum and a guard tries to blend in as he is knocked out and left in a cell on his fist day on the job as a riot breaks out. The Basque mob is the only gangster element here but it's still a modern great and will be remade by Hollywood soon.
- DirectorWalter HillStarsMichael BeckJames RemarDorsey WrightA street gang known as the Warriors must fight its way from the Bronx to its home turf on Coney Island when its members are falsely accused of assassinating a respected gang leader.One of the most loved cult classic of all time.
- DirectorJohn WooStarsLung TiLeslie CheungChow Yun-FatA reforming ex-gangster tries to reconcile with his estranged policeman brother, but the ties to his former gang are difficult to break.John Woo's first blockbuster. Yes, Yun-Fat Chow is there too.
- DirectorSeok-beom KangStarsKim Byeong-OkJi Dae-hanPark Eun-hyeReleased from prison, Taesik goes to live with an adopted mother. He takes a job and tries to live a quiet life with his new family. His efforts are threatened when a politician seeks to knock the family restaurant down to build a mall.Another reason why South Korea is flawless when it comes to making films about gangsters.
- DirectorDennis HopperStarsSean PennRobert DuvallMaria Conchita AlonsoAn experienced cop and his rookie partner patrol the streets of East Los Angeles while trying to keep the gang violence under control.The film focuses mostly on the police's side during the height of the Regan commissioned 'war on drugs'. Sean Penn plays a racist beat cop mentored by the veteran Robert Duvall. Also starring Don Cheadle and Damon Wayans.
- DirectorHa YooStarsZo In-sungChun Ho-jinMin Nam-koongA small time thug collecting debts for the local triad is torn between his criminal aspirations and his devotion to family.This film explores the rise and fall of a frustrated, low level captain blinded his quest to become more powerful and in the criminal world.
- DirectorTed DemmeStarsJohnny DeppPenélope CruzFranka PotenteThe story of how George Jung, along with the Medellín Cartel headed by Pablo Escobar, established the American cocaine market in the 1970s in the United States.Before Frank Lucas, there was George Jung. Johnny Depp proves why he's one of Hollywood's highest paid actors.
- DirectorErnest R. DickersonStarsOmar EppsTupac ShakurJermaine HopkinsFour inner-city teenagers get caught up in the pursuit of power and happiness, which they refer to as "the juice".Tupac Shakur and the always exceptional Omar Epps star in this film about four friends growing up in the early 90's hip-hop, b-boy scene of Queens, NY and the disintegration of their relationships after a botched robbery.
- DirectorPhil JoanouStarsSean PennEd HarrisGary OldmanA Boston cop is recruited to return to his hometown and infiltrate the mob ran by his best friend's brother.Sean Penn gives a great performance in this gangster film set in Hell's Kitchen, but the highlight of the movie as usual is Gary Oldman.
- DirectorRobert RodriguezStarsAntonio BanderasSalma HayekJoaquim de AlmeidaFormer musician and gunslinger El Mariachi arrives at a small Mexican border town after being away for a long time. His past quickly catches up with him and he soon gets entangled with the local drug kingpin Bucho and his gang.Robert Rodriguez directs this remake of the classic and more violent 'El Mariachi'.
- DirectorNick CassavetesStarsEmile HirschJustin TimberlakeAnton YelchinJohnny and his pals kidnap Jake's 15-year-old brother Zach, then assign his buddy Frankie to be Zach's minder. They develop a brotherly friendship. Zach parties with his captors as things begin to spin out of control.Justin Timberlake's breakout role.
- DirectorJames MangoldStarsSylvester StalloneHarvey KeitelRay LiottaThe Sheriff of a suburban New Jersey community, populated by New York City police officers, slowly discovers the town is a front for mob connections and corruption.An A-List cast in this film about a good cop (Stallone) trying to infiltrate and stop corrupt cops with ties to the mob.
- DirectorJames GrayStarsJoaquin PhoenixMark WahlbergEva MendesA New York City nightclub manager tries to save his brother and father from Russian Mafia hitmen.Another film about the Russian mafia but not as good as the ones ranked higher up.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsTadanobu AsanoNao ÔmoriShin'ya TsukamotoAs sadomasochistic yakuza enforcer Kakihara searches for his missing boss he comes across Ichi, a repressed and psychotic killer who may be able to inflict levels of pain that Kakihara has only dreamed of achieving.Be warned, this is as violent as they come.
- DirectorMichael WinnerStarsCharles BronsonHope LangeVincent GardeniaA New York City architect becomes a one-man vigilante squad after his wife is murdered by street punks. In self-defense, the vengeful man kills muggers on the mean streets after dark.