Top 10 Gangster Movies | Best Gangster Movies of All Time | Top Crime Films

Top 10 Gangster Movies of All Time Best

Top 10 Gangster Movies
Top Gangster Movie review is not in any way opinion of a professional journalist or a moviemaker; this simply, is a review of a professional moviegoer. Gangster movies are my favorite movies. I find gangster movies to be very entertaining and educational in a sense. All movies of the particular genre have a story line, which in my opinion is an essential component of any good movie. Even though, gangster films are usually somewhat predictable, events that lead to the conclusion are very real and emotional. Gangster movies are movies about real life, real people and, in most cases real consequences. A lot of gangster films are based on true stories. In this review, I will post the ten films that I feel are the best in order from the favorite one of all time.

Top 10 Gangster Movies of All Time List : 

1. The Godfather (1972) - This was the easiest choice for me – the Godfather has to be number 1 because it is unparalleled in this genre (and virtually all others). Vito Corleone is the aging don (head) of the Corleone Mafia Family. His youngest son Michael has returned from WWII just in time to see the wedding of Connie Corleone (Michael’s sister) to Carlo Rizzi. All of Michael’s family is involved with the Mafia, but Michael just wants to live a normal life. Drug dealer Virgil Sollozzo is looking for Mafia Families to offer him protection in exchange for a profit of the drug money. He approaches Don Corleone about it, but, much against the advice of the Don’s lawyer Tom Hagen, the Don is morally against the use of drugs, and turns down the offer. This does not please Sollozzo, who has the Don shot down by some of his hit men. The Don barely survives, which leads his son Michael to begin a violent mob war against Sollozzo and tears the Corleone family apart.

2. Goodfellas (1990) - This movie masterpiece and modern classic follows the rise and fall of three gangsters through the Mafia hierarchy.   Again, I wanted to represent a director and had to juggle between impossible choices on this one with Casino, The Departed, and Mean Streets all from Scorsese.  In the end, this is the Casablanca of gangster cinema.  It tells the quintessential  tale of all things Mafia.  Keep an eye out for Samuel L. Jackson in a very early role amidst another blockbuster cast headed up by Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci and several actors who end up playing later on in The Sopranos.

3. Scarface (1983) - Scarface is a combination of events in real life and creativity of the writer put together. The story is about a Cuban immigrant with one and only ambition: to become powerful, to have the whole world to himself. Al Pacino portrays Tony Montana, a nobody who came to America and lived the American dream by becoming a drug king. Of course, at the end, he faced the inevitable for a movie character of such nature- he was killed. Directed by Brian DePalma and written by Oliver Stone.

4. Mou gaan dou (2002) - Shawn Yue plays a young police officer who has been sent undercover as a mole in the local mafia. Edison Chen plays a young mafia member who is infiltrating the police force. Years later, their older counterparts, Tony Leung and Andy Lau respectively, race against time to expose the mole within their midsts and destroy him. This is the film that lead to the Departed.

5. Pulp Fiction (1994) - Nothing has ever been made that was anything like Pulp Fiction, a truly original movie. Tarantino, who is the writer and director of the modern day classic, created unforgettable characters and events. The combination of seriousness and ruthlessness of the crime world and dark humor give this movie its unique distinctiveness. The movie resurrected John Travolta, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role.


6. Du Rififi Chez les Hommes (1955) - Tony Stephanois, just out of prison and angry at his girl Mado’s infidelity, decides to join his pals Jo and Mario in an ambitious crime. With Italian safe expert Cesar, they meticulously plan the burglary of a large jewelry establishment. Not a word is spoken as the crime is carried out. And then things begin to go wrog.

7. Casino (1995) - The movie is based on a true story. It is about a crime syndicate that ran a casino in the seventies and the eighties in Las Vegas. The movie shows what the mob is all about and how it operates. The movie strikes the audience with reality of the events. It makes the point that nobody stays at the top forever. The movie includes a terrific cast. Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci, Sharon Stone and James Woods portray their characters flawlessly. A brilliant moviemaker Martin Scorsese, who is known for his work with DeNiro and Pesci, directs it.

8. Reservoir Dogs (1992) - Once again, a film by Quentin Tarantino about a robbery that had gone south. The movie is about a group of men, some of whom are ruthless murders, others are the masterminds, others are simply bank robbers, and one of them is a cop. The movie is very violent and may strike the viewer with the realism of events. The plot of the movie is also very unique.

9. Carlito’s Way (1993) - Carlito has just gotten out of prison due to technicalities with the help of his sleazy lawyer. After a life spent trafficking heroin he decides not to pursue the life of the streets. He buys into a night club and begins saving money to move to the Bahamas, but his presence as a known player makes it inevitable that he get sucked back into his violent former life.

10. Once upon a time in America (1994) - Once again Robert DeNiro is a gangster. The story is about a group of Jewish kids growing up in the Ghetto and later becoming real gangsters. A very dramatic and emotional film that makes the audience think about how tragic it is to be a criminal.