- Year: 1997
- Director: Mike Newell
- Stars: Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Michael Madsen
An undercover FBI agent infiltrates the mob and forms a close relationship with an aging hitman. Donnie Brasco tells the true story of Joe Pistone, an FBI agent who spent six years undercover infiltrating the mob. Al Pacino's character, Lefty, was based on real-life mobster Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero. The film highlights the emotional toll of undercover work, showing the complex relationship between Brasco and Lefty, and is praised for the chemistry between Johnny Depp and Al Pacino.
- Year: 2019
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Stars: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci
The film chronicles the life of Frank Sheeran, a hitman who recalls his involvement with the Bufalino crime family and the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa. The Irishman uses de-aging technology to portray the characters over several decades, a first for director Martin Scorsese. It's based on the book I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt, detailing the life of hitman Frank Sheeran. The film reunites Scorsese with Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci, marking the first time all three actors appeared together in a Scorsese film. It was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.
- Year: 2007
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Stars: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor
The true story of Frank Lucas, a heroin kingpin in Harlem, and the detective who brings him to justice. American Gangster is based on the true story of Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas. Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe share very few scenes together despite being the main characters. The film used over 180 locations in New York and Thailand to capture the era accurately and received multiple award nominations for its performances and direction.
- Year: 1993
- Director: Robert De Niro
- Stars: Robert De Niro, Chazz Palminteri, Lillo Brancato
A young boy grows up in the Bronx during the 1960s, torn between the temptations of organized crime and the values of his hardworking father. A Bronx Tale is based on Chazz Palminteri’s one-man show, which was inspired by his own childhood experiences. Robert De Niro made his directorial debut with this film. The film emphasizes themes of racial tension and the choices between good and evil and is praised for its heartfelt story and performances.
- Year: 1992
- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Stars: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen
After a botched diamond heist, the surviving criminals begin to suspect that one of them is a police informant. Reservoir Dogs was shot in just 35 days with a relatively low budget of $1.2 million. Quentin Tarantino sold the script for True Romance to help fund Reservoir Dogs. The ear-cutting scene was so graphic that some audience members walked out of early screenings. The film is known for its innovative storytelling and dialogue.
- Year: 1984
- Director: Sergio Leone
- Stars: Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern
The film tells the story of a group of Jewish gangsters from childhood to their rise in New York City's criminal underworld and their reunion years later. Once Upon a Time in America was heavily edited for its U.S. release, cutting it down from over 4 hours to 2.5 hours,. This significantly affected the narrative American audiences saw. Sergio Leone took over a decade to bring the film to the screen, and it was his final movie before he passed away. The original cut of the film is considered one of the greatest gangster films of all time, despite its initial poor reception in the U.S.
- Year: 1995
- Director: Michael Mann
- Stars: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer
A master thief and a dedicated detective face off in this intense crime thriller set in Los Angeles. Heat is notable for featuring the first on-screen scene between Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, despite both starring in The Godfather Part II. The heist shootout scene is often cited as one of the most realistic portrayals of gunfights in movies. Director Michael Mann had the actors practice with live ammunition to make the action sequences more realistic.
- Year: 1994
- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Stars: John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson
This film intertwines several stories involving crime and redemption, focusing on two hitmen, a boxer, a gangster, and his wife. Pulp Fiction features a non-linear structure with several interwoven storylines that were revolutionary for its time. John Travolta's career was revived thanks to his role as Vincent Vega. The "Royale with Cheese" conversation is one of the most quoted dialogues in film history. The film won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and received seven Academy Award nominations, winning Best Original Screenplay
- Year: 2006
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson
An undercover cop and a mole in the police force try to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in Boston. Jack Nicholson improvised many of his scenes in The Departed, adding to the unpredictability of his character, Frank Costello. Martin Scorsese initially didn't want to make the film but was convinced by the strong script. The movie, which won four Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director, is a remake of the Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs.
- Year: 1995
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Stars: Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci
Set in Las Vegas, the film follows the rise and fall of casino executive Sam "Ace" Rothstein and his dealings with the mafia. During the filming of Casino, the scene where Sharon Stone's character throws chips at Robert De Niro was done in one take because Stone threw them too hard and hurt De Niro. The costumes in the film were authentic, with De Niro wearing 70 different outfits made specifically for him. Joe Pesci's character's head-in-a-vice scene was inspired by a real-life incident.
- Year: 1987
- Director: Brian De Palma
- Stars: Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Robert De Niro
The film depicts the efforts of Eliot Ness and his team to bring down notorious gangster Al Capone during Prohibition. In The Untouchables, Sean Connery wore a toupee in all of his scenes as Jim Malone. The staircase shootout scene was inspired by the famous "Odessa Steps" sequence from the silent film Battleship Potemkin. Robert De Niro gained over 30 pounds to play Al Capone and insisted on wearing the same style of silk underwear that Capone wore. Sean Connery won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film.
- Year: 1983
- Director: Brian De Palma
- Stars: Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer
This film follows Cuban refugee Tony Montana as he rises to power in Miami's cocaine trade. Al Pacino's character, Tony Montana, in Scarface was named after NFL star Joe Montana. The line "Say hello to my little friend!" became one of the most quoted lines in film history. The film faced significant censorship issues and had to be edited multiple times to avoid an "X" rating. Although it received mixed reviews upon release, it has since become a cult classic.
- Year: 1990
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Stars: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci
Based on the true story of Henry Hill and his life in the mob, this film chronicles his rise and fall in the New York City mafia. In Goodfellas, the "Funny how?" scene with Joe Pesci was based on a real-life experience and was improvised. Henry Hill, the real-life gangster on whom the movie is based, served as a consultant for the film. The famous tracking shot through the Copacabana nightclub took eight takes to perfect and is considered one of the most iconic shots in cinema history. Joe Pesci won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role.
- Year: 1974
- Director: Francis Ford Coppola
- Stars: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan
A sequel and prequel to The Godfather, this film juxtaposes the rise of Vito Corleone with the expansion of Michael's criminal empire. Robert De Niro learned to speak Sicilian for his role as the young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II. This film was the first sequel to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Interestingly, both De Niro and Marlon Brando won Oscars for playing the same character (Vito Corleone) in different films.
- Year: 1972
- Director: Francis Ford Coppola
- Stars: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan
This classic film follows the powerful Italian-American crime family of Don Vito Corleone. It explores the family's struggles with maintaining their empire and the rise of Michael Corleone. The famous cat held by Marlon Brando in the opening scene of The Godfather was a stray found on the studio lot, and it wasn't originally in the script. Marlon Brando used cue cards for his lines during the film to stay natural and spontaneous. The film, one of the highest-grossing of all time, had a significant influence on American cinema and won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
