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Greatest Gangster/Mafia Movies (Crime Genre Part 2)

Gurp

over 2 years ago

So since Gomorrah is coming out soon, I was wondering what you people think are the greatest gangster and crime movies of all time, and what are the greatest ones in the Criterion Collection?

Also which do you think deserve the Criterion treatment like Gomorrah has received?

Criterion Collection Crime (the ones I have)

  1. - High and Low
    381 – La Haine
    469 – The Hit

The Greatest Crime Movies that I’ve seen (these deserve the Criterion Treatment)

The Dark Knight
The Godfather
The Godfather Part 2
GoodFellas
Boyz in the Hood
Menace II Society
Scarface
Gran Torino
The Warriors
Batman Begins
Do the Right Thing (re-release?)

Good Crime Movies

Godfather Part 3
Ronin
Romeo Must Die
Friday Trilogy
Fist of Legend
Exit Wounds
Boondock Saints
Cradle 2 the Grave

So what are your favorites?

Glemaud

over 2 years ago

Do The Right Thing isn’t a crime film.

Greasem​an64

over 2 years ago

I would just assume that in the movie they are doing the wrong thing at one point and someone cajoles them into doing the right thing.

Hank

over 2 years ago

I hope no Batman movie ever finds it’s way into the Criterion Collection.

Rossone​ri Ultra

over 2 years ago

I’m not really sure how Criterion chooses which films to release, but I’ve been led to believe that The Rock and Armageddon are in it’s stable of titles, so a Batman movie finding it’s way into the Criterion Collection is not out of the realm of possibility.

Hank

over 2 years ago

I know. That doesn’t make it any less disappointing or reprehensible. Read their mission statement. “Since 1984, the Criterion Collection, a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films, has been dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements.” The distribution of Armageddon and The Rock just kind of blows their credibility out of the water. Ironic that it takes Michael Bay to do that, eh? But I guess capital tends to do that.

bolo tie

over 2 years ago

Boondock Saints is a horrible movie.

Once Upon a Time in America would top my list.

Rossone​ri Ultra

over 2 years ago

Does The Dark Knight really need a Criterion release? What more could Criterion possibly add or do to it? If I remember correctly, on Attack of the Show, Chris Gore, the resident DVD reviewer showed like seven different DVD versions of the film. And, personally, that is really more than enough for one film.

And is New Jack City on Criterion?

Armand L

over 2 years ago

I fully agree on Menace II Society. Would love to see it as a Criterion release.

Bobby Wise

over 2 years ago

the definition of a gangster/crime doesnt seem right here.

batman
boyz n the hood
gran torino
the warriors
do the right thing
friday

these arent crime films, and theyre not gangster films either.

Bobby Wise

over 2 years ago

but i agree that id love to see “menace II society” and “new jack city” on criterion. those are both great gangster films.

William Morris

over 2 years ago

goodness gurp,
you my friend, for lack of a better term are an idiot, first off, a ton of those movies aren’t “crime” films, second, do you know what the criterion collection is? don’t get me wrong, they’ve released some questionable stuff, but it sounds like you just want them to switch to only releasing mostly mediocre american films instead of bringing us mostly excellent, mostly unheard of foreign films.
well done

Edwin N

over 2 years ago

Saying that Do The Right Thing is a crime film makes you the most racist bastard since Jean-Marie Le Pen.

Rossone​ri Ultra

over 2 years ago

Can we please avoid the name calling?

Edwin N

over 2 years ago

Well, saying Do the Right Thing was crime/gangster seriously offended me, Rossoneri, so I don’t think that’s gonna be possible.

Rossone​ri Ultra

over 2 years ago

I just think calling him an “idiot” or a “racist bastard” is uncalled for.

Edwin N

over 2 years ago

I never called him an idiot.
And saying he was a racist bastard was kind of sarcastic.

Rossone​ri Ultra

over 2 years ago

Firstly, I was referring to the post before yours.
Secondly, assuming you’re not lying, text really sucks at conveying sarcasm. ;)

cigalechanta

over 2 years ago

You have left out the original Riffifi

traag-1

over 2 years ago

Miller’s Crossing, Killing of a Chinese Bookie, and Goodfellas are my favorite of the gangster genre

Mikel

over 2 years ago

Sexy beast and Gangster No1

Gurp

over 2 years ago

lol it’s kinda sad how people take things too seriously and personally, especially on a forum. I’m just going to ignore those people, and thanks to Rossoneri for the support.

Anyways…

Hank and Rossoneri: Nolan’s Batman movies are pretty much masterpieces (especially The Dark Knight), maybe they can release a Batman Trilogy (After Batman 3 comes out) on criterion blu-ray, like Rossoneri said anythings possible. Movies like The Rock, Armageddon, etc. that are much worse than The Dark Knight, got the criterion treatment, so yeah.

Armand: Didn’t, Menace II Society used to be on Criterion Laser disc?

Bobby:
Batman: Crime, the Joker
Boyz N the Hood: Gangs, ghetto, shooting, killing, crime, etc.
Gran Torino: Gangs, racism, shooting, killing, crime, etc.
The Warriors: Gangs, shooting, stabbing, killing, crime, etc
Do the Right Thing: In the ghetto and not really a crime film, but when a guy gets killed by racist cops/people, and there’s no justice for that, I’m pretty sure that’s a crime.
Friday: Crime comedy? Okay maybe elements of crime like drug dealing, shooting, etc.

I would’ve added more ‘crime’ movies in here but those are in the other thread I made called Police/Detective Movies (Crime Genre Part 1).

Haven’t seen Once Upon a Time in America, New Jack City, Riffifi, Killing of a Chinese Bookie, Miller’s Crossing, Sexy Beast, Gangster No 1, gonna have to check em out.

Bobby Wise

over 2 years ago

its not about taking things too seriously, its about taking them a logical, informed, and interesting way. and we do care about that here. like j-lo said in “out of sight”, “you have to know what youre talking about.” (theres a crime film for you!) its obvious you dont have the slightest clue what a crime film is. and no, its not a film that has at least one crime depicted in it.

read through these threads and get your weight up a little bit. we all know “batman” and “the godfather” exist. if all youre interested in is starting a thread and listing the titles of 20 or so random films youve seen without one single bit of discussion, youre in the wrong place, and youre just taking up space.

Gurp

over 2 years ago

Well I posted some of the best crime/mafia/gangster movies that I’ve seen, and I’m looking for more suggestions and want to know what are the greatest ones people have seen, so I can check them out as well, it’s that simple.

PoopBut​t

over 2 years ago

Greatest Gangster/Crime Films:

9.5/10 (in order)

Once Upon a Time in America
The Godfather
La Haine
Pulp Fiction

9/10

Godfather Pt. II
High and Low
The Dark Knight
Goodfellas
Heat
City of God
Reservoir Dogs

Armand L

over 2 years ago

@Gurp, in all truth I don’t know. Good if it made it to Criterion DVD. I understand that a Blu-Ray version has, or is soon to be released.

Zach A

over 2 years ago

As far as Gomorrah goes, I am very excited for its Criterion release. I love many of the gangster films discussed here, and Gomorrah manages to create a new kind of gangster film that seems so informed of all the classics, while attempting to break down the common stereotypes and genre-based fantasies that have become associated with gangster movies. It works toward exposing those who are actually affected by organized crime, and the cinematography’s use of extreme telephoto lenses instead of the common wide-angle (Sopranos, Goodfellas, etc.) made it revolutionary in its aesthetics.

Glemaud

over 2 years ago

Forrest and Lt. Dan J-Walked in Forrest Gump, does that make it a crime film?

andrew kay

over 2 years ago

GOMORRAH
BLACK CEASER
PUBLIC ENEMY
BONNIE AND CLYDE
PUBLIC ENEMY NO.1: JACQUES MESRINE (PART 1 AND 2)
ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA
GODFATHER 1 AND II
SCARFACE (1932 AND 1983 VERSIONS)
THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY
GET CARTER
ST VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE
GOODFELLAS
MEAN STREETS
JACKIE BROWN (NOT BLOODY ‘PULP FICTION’- THE MOST OVERRATED FILM OF THE LAST 20 YEARS, CAN’T SAY THAT ENOUGH)
JUICE
CARLITO’S WAY
DEAD PRESIDENTS
LE SAMOURAI
THE ITALIAN JOB (THE ORIGINAL, NOT THE U.S REMAKE TRAVESTY)
JOHNNY DANGEROUSLY
THE HIT
PRIZZI’S HONOUR
THE KING OF NEW YORK
THE HARDER THEY COME
THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE
BUGSY MALONE
MAFIOSO
THE NAKED KISS
POINT BLANK
ACROSS 110TH STREET
LES DOULOS

Gurp

over 2 years ago

Armand: I think Menace II Society was on criterion laserdisc, but I’m not entirely sure. And guess what? The dvd and blu-ray just got re-/released today, lol what a coincedence eh? Now hopefully Boyz N the Hood gets a blu-ray release as well.

Poopbutt: Any 10’s?

Gomorrah sounds interesting, people have been saying it was one of the best of 2008, gonna have to check that one out for sure.

Andrew: I noticed some of those that you’ve listed are in the CC, which ones are Criterion specifically? Le Samourai, I really want to get that, but I’m just holding off in case they announce the blu-ray version.