Best Mafia/Mob Movies?

[ATB]

Was chatting it up with BEEFHAMMA (HAHma to his friends)  about Godfather II (the game) coming out and that led me to state that I loved the first one even though I wasn't that big of a fan of the movies.  BEEF also is not very familiar with the movies as he's never seen any of them.

I've seen only the first one and that didn't lead me to want to see the others.  In my defense, I said, I saw it in relatively close proximity to having viewed GoodFellas for the first time and I think that's the best mob film ever.

What are your favorites/best.

I would throw Donnie Brasco in the mix somewhat as I think it tell's a really great story.
Not sure if The Departed would count, but I'd ad that one in too.
Ooh and Snatch. Though I'm not sure that counts either.

[leo8877]

Casino

[PeteRock]

I'm applying the term relatively loosely and have expanded it to cover Mafia/Gangster/Mob films:

Scarface
A History of Violence
Reservoir Dogs
Carlito's Way
The Dark Knight (bet you didn't see that coming, but if you think about it, it does fit within the genre)
Heat
The Untouchables
A Bronx Tale
Casino
Mean Streets
Eastern Promises
Jackie Brown
Pulp Fiction
Boondock Saints
The Usual Suspects

[ATB]

Casino

That movie disturbs to the point that I will never view it again.  Not sure why I sat through it once (I was young).

[Kevin Grey]

What makes Casino more disturbing than Goodfellas? The vice grip scene? 

[ATB]

What makes Casino more disturbing than Goodfellas? The vice grip scene? 

That and the scene at the end with the holes and the baseball bats.  I saw that movie once 15 (?) years ago and that last scene still haunts me.

[Isgrimnur]

Without the success of Godfather, there would not be a large majority of these films.  It would be fair to say that GF represents a different style of filmmaking than is usually performed today.

[Captain Caveman]

It's not a movie, but The Sopranos deserves a mention.

[Caine]

while i don't think Heat really fits, it does stand as one of the best crime movies of all time, imo of course.

the departed is also a damn fine mob movie. 

other notable mentions for mob/mafia related plot lines

Enemy of the State - the set up for the MiB vs the mob in that film is great
True Romance - great scene with christopher walken and dennis hopper, plus an awesome mexican standoff.

[PeteRock]

True Romance - great scene with christopher walken and dennis hopper, plus an awesome mexican standoff.

Oooooo, I forgot that one.  Nice call. 

"So tell me, am I lying?" 

[Simon]

Miller's Crossing

[kratz]

The Departed
Goodfellas
The Godfather
Eastern Promises
The Godfather II
A History of Violence
Casino
Road to Perdition
Miller's Crossing
The Untouchables

In order, best on top...

Also, I totally, totally don't think any of these count:

Reservoir Dogs
The Dark Knight
Heat
Jackie Brown
Pulp Fiction
Boondock Saints
The Usual Suspects

While some of them do sort of have ties to organized crime in their stories, they are not at all 'mob' movies... if we include them, we might as well just say 'what are your favorite movies with guys and guns in them?'

[PeteRock]

Mob:  A criminal set; gang; mafia.

While the films you disagree with loosely qualify, they're still part of the genre in some way.  They all involve organized crime in some way, and when looking into online rankings of "mob films", they're almost always listed. 

[BEEFHAMMA]

what about Dick Tracy...does that qualify? That's way better than The Godfather anyway. Kidding...how could I be serious...I've never seen The Godfather. I've been meaning to see it, just need to set aside 20 hours of my life. Then after I watch the first one, I can decide whether or not I want to complete the series.

I've seen Carlito's Way, Goodfellas, Donnie Brasco, Reservoir Dogs, The Untouchables, The Departed, and Road to Perdition, as well as a bunch PeteRock listed that others think might not fit with the genre. I loved all of the above. The Departed...I thought the ending was a little ridiculous, but overall a great movie.

The Dark Knight is definitely a stretch, while there are subplots involving the mafia, the mafia is not the focal point of the movie.

[cheeba]

The Departed
Goodfellas
The Godfather
Eastern Promises
The Godfather II
A History of Violence
Casino
Road to Perdition
Miller's Crossing
The Untouchables

In order, best on top...

...what? The Departed? With Leonardo DiCaprio? Better than Godfather and Godfather II? You crazy.

[CeeKay]

Eastern Promises put me to sleep both times I tried watching it.  Personally I consider The Godfather, Goodfellas and Casino to be my holy trinity of mob films.

[Pyperkub]

Married to the Mob
The Freshman

[kratz]

The Departed
Goodfellas
The Godfather
Eastern Promises
The Godfather II
A History of Violence
Casino
Road to Perdition
Miller's Crossing
The Untouchables

In order, best on top...

...what? The Departed? With Leonardo DiCaprio? Better than Godfather and Godfather II? You crazy.

Sorry, buddy... but... yeah. Scorsese is a better filmmaker.

[Rich]

I'm not voting for this one but I didn't see anyone include it in their lists of possible movies.

Donnie Brasco

[Kevin Grey]

I'm not voting for this one but I didn't see anyone include it in their lists of possible movies.

Donnie Brasco

It was in the OP.  I'd definitely vote for it- not my favorite mob movie but I really damn great one. 

[whiteboyskim]

I still say "The Godfather" is the best by a wide margin, period. If you know anything about what all went on behind the scenes, there's no reason on earth for that film to work as well as it does. Magic happened there.

That being said, "The Departed" is fucking-AAA awesome start to finish. That film owned everything else that year without question. I regard it as the ultimate male bonding film. There's no way you watch that film with a group of guys and by the end of it you all aren't in the best mood. I do love it so.

I have mixed feelings on both "Godfather II" and "Casino." I think the first hour or so of "Casino" is genius as it shows all the layers of the casino and how everything works. I found it fascinating, and anything Scorsese shoots is worth seeing at least once. The rest of the film, i.e. once the story kicked in, I was indifferent to. Partially because I think "Goodfellas" did it better many years earlier. Slight note - watch "The Age of Innocence" by Scorsese. It's a Victorian-era period piece but he shot it as a mob film and it's fascinating to watch in that context. Yes, I'm being serious.

As for "The Godfather II", I loved the old Vito storyline showing how Vito rose up from the immigration through Ellis Island on to being Don. The rest of it I thought was a poor rehash of the last hour of the first film, right down to the "let's wipe out all our enemies." The ending though is among the most powerful of any film ever, so at least it sticks the landing. I haven't seen it in probably 15 years or so, so don't take my word as gospel. I need to see it again, but the Vito stuff has stayed with me all this time.

[Pyperkub]

Add Midnight Run

[Jeff]

while i don't think Heat really fits, it does stand as one of the best crime movies of all time, imo of course.

It definitely has the best gunfight scene in Hollywood history, IMO (Open Range has the 2nd best). Just after the bank robbery, in the streets ... wow. If you have a killer surround system, that scene can bend your mind.

I think Goodfellas should win the thread.

[Jaddison]

We Own the Night

The Friends of Eddie Coyle

Rising Sun (Japanese mob)

Once Upon a Time in America

The Untouchables

Miller's Crossing

Haven't seen these mentioned yet.

[Kevin Grey]

Once Upon a Time in America

GREAT movie!

[Jaddison]

Oh and I forgot Mobsters, not the best but a decent mob movie with a young Lara Flynn Boyle naked on a pool table

[ATB]

Once Upon a Time in America

GREAT movie!

Is that the one with James Woods and Dinero? Talk about overstuffed and soulless. I could not get into it. It was agony to watch it.

[WorkingMike]

A History of Violence (as well as Eastern Promises)

Get Carter (the original one, with Michael Caine)

Payback

Road to Perdition

The Krays (I never found this on dvd)

Gangs of New York

Layer Cake

Bugsy

The Usual Suspects

Sexy Beast

Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead
The Long Good Friday

Man on Fire

King of New York

In Bruges

Rock n' Rolla

and I liked Love, Honour and Obey, but it's kinda hit or miss for people. My wife hated it.

Also, the Ocean's films are all wicked entertaining

[ATB]

Payback

Didn't think of this one, but it's SO solid. Probably my 2nd favorite Mel Gibson movie after Braveheart...in fact it my be my favorite Mel Gibson movie.

Edit. Then I remembered Road Warrior. So it's either my 2nd favorite or 3rd.

[TiLT]

The Infernal Affairs trilogy. The first movie is the one that The Departed is based upon, and I think it's a better movie than the remake. The second movie has quite a few similarities to The Godfather too.

[Unagi]

I know I am pushing the envelope here, but would you allow The Warriors to the party?

Can you dig it?




If not, certainly we'd need to add.
Kung Fu Hustle


And that makes me remember Kill Bill, and the head of the Tokyo Mafia.

[Exodor]

Miller's Crossing

This.  Plus a million.

If the Coen brothers never made another movie they'd still be my favorite filmmakers just because they created Miller's Crossing.

[Daehawk]

A list of the best

top 10 according to that site

Me, Ill pick 1959's Al Capone starring Rod Steiger as one i like a lot.

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1800340593/info

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052543/

You guys hear the rumor that Nicholas Cage is up for playing the part of Al Capone i na new movie?

[kratz]

Once Upon a Time in America

GREAT movie!

Ugh... Watched this recently, and I was *not* impressed.  At all.

This will get me strung up, but I don't think Leone was a particularly good filmmaker.  Sure, everyone knows his stuff, it's influential, whatever... but they really aren't very good movies, imho.

[Jeff]

Ugh... Watched this recently, and I was *not* impressed.  At all.

This will get me strung up, but I don't think Leone was a particularly good filmmaker.  Sure, everyone knows his stuff, it's influential, whatever... but they really aren't very good movies, imho.

You watched the long (4 hour) version I hope.

[ATB]

Ugh... Watched this recently, and I was *not* impressed.  At all.

This will get me strung up, but I don't think Leone was a particularly good filmmaker.  Sure, everyone knows his stuff, it's influential, whatever... but they really aren't very good movies, imho.

You watched the long (4 hour) version I hope.

I did. And it was BOOORING from start to finish.