Top of the morning to you or evening or afternoon. Basically, hello and welcome back, fellow reader. I hope that you have enjoyed the first part of this article and I would like to introduce you part two of my top ten crime films. Without further ado let's get cooking, shall we?
5. A Bronx Tale (1993)
This film is very well put together. A tale of a young man, Calogero who is in the middle of two fathers who are vying for him to grow up to be a successful man but in different ways. You have one father, a bus driver called Lorenzo (another Lorenzo?), who is a family man loved by his community and wants Calogero to live an honest and successful life away from crime. You have another man, a mob boss called Sonny, feared and loved in the same community who strikes a bond with Calogero after a shooting the young man witnessed. He sees himself in Calogero and of course wants to bring him in the Mafia world. This film explores the importance of family ties and it also looks into the racial tension that occurred in America between the African-American community and the Italian-American community in the Bronx. This is a great start to his directorial debut, from Robert De Niro who also starred in the film.
4. Heat (1995)
You know one of the greatest tragedies about this film is that we never got to see Al Pacino and Robert De Niro collaborate enough in their prime. They were the crème de la crème of Mafia/crime movies, right at the top of their game. However, this film is better late than never. Pacino plays the role of a detective Lieutenant Hanna who is looking to catch a very intelligent criminal, who is responsible for a heist that took place in LA. Michael Mann's credentials as a director in this film are not rated highly enough; with the compositions, the way he develops the characters- it is incredibly skilful and all the more impressive that he brought the best of these two juggernauts. Even if we only see them together on screen for a matter of minutes.
3. The Departed (2006)
Martin Scorsese has a habit of making masterpieces that are award-winning and just spellbinding. The Departed is no less, here he is yet again, schooling all the upcoming filmmakers on how to make a crime film grips you, entices you all the way through. As an audience you become confused as to whose side you should take, should you ever pick one. The moral compass, is blurred as you have an undercover cop who is trying to infiltrate the Irish Mob and then you have a spy, sent in by the Irish Mob to infiltrate the police force. Both of them are trying their hardest not to be exposed in their work. Not only that, we find ourselves with yet another love triangle (EastEnders is calling). The ending of the film will leave you speechless. It is an incredible ensemble of actors who pull of a stunning performance, which really complimented Scorsese's directing style. Although it is an adaptation of the Hong Kong film, Infernal Affairs- it does the film so much justice as far as adaptations go. Maybe even better?
2. Goodfellas (1990)
"As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster." Brash, abrasive, funny, sharp, hard hitting. This film has everything in this biopic of FBI informant, Henry Hill. This follows the life of the man, who finds himself in the mob but is never fully a ‘made man’ because he's not an Italian American. That doesn’t stop Hill from making a name for himself as a mobster. He meets some colourful acquaintances, who are volatile and strong headed. From one minute to the next you're not entirely sure what character you're going to receive and yet you are glued to the screen, just waiting to see what they are going to do next. This was perhaps Martin Scorsese at his utmost peak in his directing career. We also see Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci collaborate, as they have done many times before and the partnership was just as great. Ray Liotta pulled a stunning performance in his portrayal of Henry Hill, who I believe could and should have won an award for his performance (I should note that Joe Pesci, won an Oscar for best supporting actor for his role as Jimmy).
1. The Godfather (1972)
*rounds of applause*
As a viewer whenever you watch a film that has a gangster in it, you often see that the gangster is the villain. The bad guy, the inconvenience, the brute and you never want him to succeed. You always want justice brought on him. Yet, in The Godfather, it is so easy to find yourself sympathising with The Godfather, Don Corleone as you witness the rise and fall of the famed/feared crime family that is the Corleone Family. The ending is bittersweet, just as much as the beginning is grandiose and you feel like royalty when you step into the world of the Corleones. What happens when you merge popular culture with art in its purest form? You have The Godfather.
Well, there you have it. My top 10 best crime films; I realise that my list of films may look entirely different to yours and with that in mind, I would most certainly love to hear what your list would be. In the comments down below or chat to me on twitter (@bfunkmo) I would love to hear your thoughts.
Till next time, Amigos.
Picture Reference:
The Progress (https://www.theprogress.com/home/hope-film-club-to-screen-scorcese-classic-goodfellas/)
Entrepreneur (https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/286095)
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