Top Movies on Crime

Heat - Starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, this thrilling drama about thieves and cops had me thoroughly convinced, and cheering for the so-called "bad guys." This is a testament to the superb craftsmanship of director, Michael Mann. Not only does he capture the sentimental and talented thieves in an understanding light, but he brings a kind of objective perspective to the idea of robbing banks.

The Godfather and The Godfather: Part 2 - The supreme films about a crime family. Can you think of any crime movie that is more quotable; "Should I take the gun or the canoli?", "You broke my heart, Fredo", "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse", and of course, "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer." You've the Don, the main man, the boss, Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando or Robert De Niro). You've got the sexually depraved, nut case of an eldest son, Sonny Corleone (Kahn). You've got your well-to-do Irish lawyer son, Tom (Duvall), and your dark, almost sinister youngest son, Michael (Pacino). What Francis Ford Coppola and writer Mario Puzo gave us in these two crime masterpieces can easily be called movie magic. Click on the link for more.

The Shawshank Redemption - Starring Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, written and directed by Frank Darabont, and based on the novella by Stephen King. You might call this a sleeper masterpiece. It's certainly a cult classic now. It came out over 10 years ago, and it's grown quite a fan following. I too was impressed by the telling of this remarkable story. While The Godfather films captured crime on film from the streets, The Shawshank Redemption captures crime from within a corrupt prison. How can it be a crime story if there's no crime being committed you ask? Well, there are crimes being committed in Shawshank. And, it's not by the prisoners. Click on the link for more.

Pulp Fiction - Starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis and Uma Thurman, written by Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary, and directed by Tarantino, this unique gem has also become sort of a cult film. It's got many things going for it, not the least of which is the performances. Don't remember John Travolta in Battlefield Earth, check out his awesome, Oscar-nominated performance in Pulp Fiction. Samuel L. Jackson created a great career image as Jules Winnfield, earning him several award nominations. Then of course, Bruce and Uma are spot on. They all capture their characters with the talent we would expect from such great actors. The crimes in this film are committed in the most unusual structure I've ever seen in a movie. Tarantino cuts this movie up into chapters. You might almost go so far as to say the story and everything happening on screen plays incoherently. But you just need to give this movie another chance. And, maybe even a third viewing to really understand what is taking part. Click on the link for more.

The Usual Suspects - "Who is Keyser Soze?" is the main theme of this unusual crime story. You've got a great group of characters; Dean Keaton played by Gabriel Byrne, Roger "Verbal" Kint played by Kevin Spacey, Michael McManus played by Stephen Baldwin, Fred Fenster played by Benicio del Toro, and Todd Hockney played by Kevin Pollak. They are all brought together in a police line-up. They end up working together on 'jobs'. Then you've got this mystery of the ultimate killer, the ultimate criminal, Keyser Soze. One by one, all of the suspects are narrowed down to one obvious conclusion. I'm not going to tell you who it is but I can tell you that if you like surprise endings, the ending of The Usual Suspects is the coolest surprise ending I've ever seen. Even though I know it's coming, it effects me every time.

Goodfellas - Scorcese's most brutal crime masterpiece is something you've just got to see for yourself. Starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci, Goodfellas tells the true story of Henry Hill. He worked for the mob. He got into drugs. Then he ratted out the mob. I'll tell you, given the violent nature of these mobsters, it's kind of insane to rat these boys out. They don't take crap from anyone. They think they're kings among men and treat you accordingly. The film gets so brutal, you could swear you actually smell violence in the air. Click on the link for more.

The Departed - Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson, The Departed is perhaps Scorsese's "first picture with a plot." And that was a direct quote from the crime master himself. And, he may be right. The Departed follows William or Billy Costagan (DiCaprio) and Colin Sullivan (Damon) as they work for and against the Boston police department and Frank Costello's mob. Costagan infiltrates the mob. Sullivan infiltrates the police department. So the primary theme of this great Scorcese picture is whether or not you're a "rat." Brilliant acting and storytelling lead to a very Martin Scorcese ending that leaves you shaking your head. Click on the link for more.

L.A. Confidential - Starring Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce, LA Confidential follows three cops as they try to root out corruption in their very own police precinct. Don't get me wrong. These three officers are not saints by any means. But they come through in the end. There's a lot of great 1950s and 1960s nostalgia to enjoy in this gripping drama. There's certainly many great performances to appreciate here too. The style of director Curtis Hanson is terrific. He would never be able to capture a time and tell a story as well as he did with L.A. Confidential. Click on the link for more.

Reservior Dogs - Don't expect anyone to survive in this tense and thrilling movie about gangsters. This was Quentin Tarantino's first big movie and he delivers in great, Tarantino style. The funny thing is that the whole movie and everything that happens is centered in and around one building. Michael Madsen was never as cool and also terrifying as he was here. Harvey Keitel delivers another terrific performance. Look for Con Air's own Steve Buscemi. It's brilliant, low-budget filmmaking.

Touch of Evil - Orson Welles directed this gripping thriller about crime, about the deterioration of society, the corruption of a police force, and everything that should be right with the world but isn't. The black and white, film noir piece by Citizen Kane-creator, Welles stars Charlton Heston as Ramon Miguel Vargas, Janet Leigh as Susan Vargas, Orson Welles as Hank Quinlan, and Joseph Calleia as Pete Menzies. This extraordinary film may stand the test of time. Click on the link for more.