Five Gangster Movies That Should Be on Your List

Gangster characters we either love or hate but definitely cannot ignore. Since the beginning days of cinema, gangster movies have also gathered the name and fame they deserve. A gangster movie is a subgenre of crime films and is defined as a movie that belongs to the genre that focuses on organized crime and gangs.

There are tons of brilliant gangster movies out there that were produced at different times, focusing on different issues. Here is a very small list of 5 gangster movies that should be on your list (if you have not watched them already!)


1.Pulp Fiction (1994)


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Directed by Quentin Tarantino, Pulp Fiction is a story about the lives of two hitmen, Vincent Vega ( John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson), a gangster and his wife, a boxer, interwoven with stories of violence and redemption. It is defined as an American neo-noir black comedy crime film. Regarded as Tarantino's masterpiece, this movie has secured a place in many critics' list of the greatest movies of all time.

2. Goodfellas (1990) 


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Goodfellas is a film adaptation of a nonfiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi that came in 1985. Directed by Martin Scorsese, Goodfellas is an American biographical crime film. This movie is about the life of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) and his friends and family. The film was nominated for 6 Academy Awards. Additionally, it is regarded as "arguably the high point of Martin Scorsese's career".


3. The Departed (2006)


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The movie is adapted from the Hong Kong movie named Internal Affairs. Directed by Martin Scorsese, it is a crime thriller movie that is also loosely based on the real-life of Winter Hill Gang. The film is set in Boston and tells the story of an undercover cop, Billy (Leonardo DiCaprio), and a mole in the police, Colin (Matt Damon). The Departed won several awards, which include 4 Oscars.

4. Godfather Trilogy


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An American film series, The Godfather consists of 3 crime films inspired by a novel with the same name by Mario Ouzo which came in 1969. The series is directed by Francis Ford Coppola and is a multigenerational saga of the Corleone family and its rise and fall. The films were released in 1972, 1974, and 1990. The series was nominated for 28 Academy Awards nominations and won 9 out of them. Undoubtedly, The Godfather is the greatest movie of all time.

5. Gangs of Wasseypur


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Directed by Anurag Kashyap, Gangs of Wasseypur is an Indian two-part crime movie that came out in 2012. The movie is written by Anurag Kashyap and Zeishan Quadri. The movie tells the story of two families and their conflict over lucrative territory which goes on for several generations. 

Originally the film was shot as a single film with a running time of 321 minutes. But it had to be divided into two parts to suit the Indian market. The film has bagged several national and international awards.

 

Hope this small list of crime films will evoke your interest in the world of gangster movies that have a lot to offer and amaze you with their gripping story narratives and chilling visuals.

 

Written By - Utkarsha Ahirwar

Edited By - Anamika Malik