Disagree. Not a fan. And the real Henry Hill was a wannabe slob and blabbermouth. After 3 witness protection arrangements, FBI didn't bother anymore bc Hill kept exposing his real identity for attention seeking. He was a doofus. Typical Hollywood BS.
While I'm not too sure,I think 'Crime Epic' is a more specific category of crime movies with some different criteria..Could be the only explanation as Goodfellas was #2 in the Top 10 Mafia movies
Goodfellas feels more intimate than epic. It's seeing mob life through the eyes of one person, Henry Hill, who gives narration throughout the whole film. Goodfellas is my favorite mobster movie but I agree that it doesn't belong on this list. BTW, props to Mojo for putting Once Upon a Time in America at #2. That is the ultimate epic movie. If you haven't seen it, go out and buy it today! The 4 hour plus version is the one you want.
I agree with 'Godfather' and 'Once Upon a Time in America'. But the incredible 'City of God' as just an honorable mention? Scorcese's masterpiece 'Goodfellas' not qualified? One of Watchmojo's worst top tens ever.
It wouldn't be a problem if they didn't include The Departed in there, which certainly less likely to be a crime EPIC than Goodfellas. And Casino at least should have been on here, it undoubtedly is epic.
***** Of course it's a drama, I didn't suggest anything else. I called the film an epic which it certainly is with its stunning visuals, energetic cinematography and its scope and length. You seem to be thinking a film can't be both an epic AND a drama, but in fact I can't think of a single epic which isn't a drama, everything from Ben Hur to Casino is dramatic.
Wikipedia: " Epic film is a style of film-making with large scale, sweeping scope and spectacle, often transporting the viewer to other settings. AsRoger Ebert and others have noted, the usage of the term has shifted over time, sometimes designating a film genre and at other times simply synonymous with big budget film-making." Still doesn't make sense...
Me too, Casino was a notch better than Goodfellas- not saying much, though. Both are Classics. Wtf @ Departed being over Scarface & Gangs of New York!?
Heat should have been number 2, its such a phenomenal film that has had a huge impact on media in the past 2 decades. Not to say the others didn't but damn the ending of Heat just leaves your jaw dropping at how amazing it is.
_"I don't even know what street Canada is on."_ - Al Capone (Date Unknown) That is a real quote made by Al Capone. I brought this up because WatchMojo is Canadian. I hope this isn't offensive, I love Canadians and I care about their country.
DAVID Edwards I have an older guy fetish? Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, two gods among men. I think men are most attractive in their late fifties/early sixties. However Mr. De Niro is seventy-one and I would wear him out today! Right now! All day!
I love the 2 Godfather movies but for some reason I prefer part 2 to part 1, as good as part 1 is, I really enjoyed seeing the rise of both Vito and Michael Corleone and that final shot of Vito carrying a little Michael in the bus with his entire family and then a grown Michael sat all by himself, victorious but alone was just wonderful, I really love the Godfather Part 2.
They consider the second Godfather to be the greatest sequel in history, but I didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as I did the first one. I did like it a lot, but not much
As the grandson of an immigrant, I get teary-eyed at the scene when all of the Italian immigrants rushed to one side of the boat to get a better look at the Statue Of Liberty.
Seriously, Once Upon a Time in America and The Godfather are a really tough challenge in which is better. The former is probably better since Leone was a potential director for The Godfather. Scorsese's Casino deserves an honorable mention, and I'm so glad Heat is in here. If one understands what "epic" really means, Heat really defines the crime epic.
What makes the "The Godfather" so great, is that like Citizen Kane or Casablanca it is great from beginning to end. There are no bad scenes or performances. Every moment is great.
+blabla48076 I don't know about THE UNTOUCHABLES, but BONNIE AND CLYDE redefined the genre and broke new ground and taboos (i.e. sympathetic antiheroes, graphic violence) and is considered the first film of the New Hollywood. Both Sam Peckinpah (in THE WILD BUNCH) and Francis Ford Coppola (in THE GODFATHER) played tribute to B&C, and it's possible that their films would not have been possible, if not for BONNIE AND CLYDE breaking the mold. It's considered a very important landmark in film.
***** I know. Obviously they don't. That's why I posted this. It seemed so ridicolous that they included this movie but obviously have no idea what it is about. I mean, if they think this movie is about cops hunting a serial killer...
The Godfather is and will always be #1. Though as an Honorable Mention I would have picked Angels with Dirty Faces - but White Heat is an excellent choice. (OMG, I'm agreeing with a Watch Mojo list. My world is askew.)
Not to disrespect your opinion, but I don't get the critical acclaim for Angels with dirty faces which is a really good film, but unfortunately it has an overly sentimental, moralising ending and that's why I think it doesn't hold a candle to another Bogart/Cagney film The Roaring Twenties (very underrated!) and White Heat imo truly is Cagney's greatest crime film, it indeed is an excellent choice.
Heat is one of my favorite movies of any genre. I think The Town should have at least gotten an honorable mention because it's kind of like this generation's Heat in a lot of ways. The Dark Knight doesn't really fit into this genre IMO.
Its because of the Bank scene, as well as the Joker/Batman dynamic. They even had a sitdown like in Heat, granted the material is older than Heat, but the film making definitely takes inspiration from Heat.
I thought so too! "The Town" took a lot of influence from "Heat" in how casual their robbery style was, but still so fucking meticulous. Similar endings too, came down to one guy who, "ain't never goin' back."
@@PatrickGigachad Yes. Since there are many known actors playing in it the chemistry they create during the scenes is amazing. Very high caliber performances.
Wow, you really fucked up with your line "each version of Once upon a time in America is beloved". The only version that's beloved, and the only version that should have ever existed, is the 3 1/2 - 4 hour cut
Original Goose1 Stupid comment. Watchmojo made a comment not declaring their own opinion but the opinion of the general public and so - if anything - they mistakenly forced an opinion on others which isn't really held.. arthousefanatic is right, who the fuck enjoyed that abomination of a version of the film which completely butchered and ruined a masterpiece? In Europe the film was released in the right, 229 min version (by Leone, who had to cut it down immensely to this version). Only in America the studios had to butcher the film because otherwise they thought audiences wouldn't like it. That's certainly part of the reason why the film wasn't particularly well-received (some critics at the time even called that cut of the film the worst film of the year - and you can't even really blame them because they probably didn't know how good it could have been in the right version) and a commercial flop. It's certainly also part of the reason why the film is still so underrated today, so that version truly deserves our hatred.
Tom Waits I understand that you feel that the short version is not as good, but I bet people who never saw the original version still really liked the short one. It is just judgy to say that no one like it.
Original Goose1 "understand that you feel that the short version is not as good, but I bet people who never saw the original version still really liked the short one" You bet? Lol, I bet you haven't seen it if you say such a silly thing. Did you miss the part where I wrote about that version being a big part of the film's COMMERCIAL FAILURE and critical hatred (critics calling it one of the WORST FILMS OF THE YEAR?) "It's just judgy to say that no one like it. " And it's idiotic of you to write replies seemingly based on assumptions. How naive are you? "I understand that you feel that the short version is not as good" Not as good? NOT AS GOOD? It's terrible. Big difference. The theatrical, butchered cut of Blade Runner might be called not as good (some love it), but Once upon a time in america only was released in two famous versions: a great one and a terrible one. "It's just judgy to say that no one like it." Who said that no one likes it? We're talking about Watchmojo's statement saying that any version is BELOVED which implies that more than a few clueless people like it. It means that any version is popular and that's simply not the case. Any terrible film is probably beloved by at least someone somewhere, but that doesn't mean that you should call such a film beloved because of that. See what I mean?
From Wikipedia: "An epic is traditionally a genre of poetry, known as epic poetry.[1] However in modern terms, epic is often extended to other art forms, such as epic theatre, films, music, novels, plays, television shows, and video games, [1] wherein the story has a *theme of grandeur and heroism*,[2] just as in epic poetry" I think an epic is a film with a considerable length and a big, often complex and/or dense story full of characters which (at least some of them) seem larger-than-life. Why on earth they put The departed on here, though, I don't understand. If anything Goodfellas (which they dismissed) is more of an epic (which I don't think it is) than the Departed. "Does the godfather part two not count?" Of course it does, but they picked the first one instead.
Tom Waits I get the grandeur and heroism part, I was asking how they were defining 'epic', since most if not all films contain thees of heroism if not grandeur. I think that those themes (or at least, if they aren't in Goodfellas, they aren't in the Godfather either, so why does that count when this does not) are present in Goodfellas. Yeah, The Departed is a great film, we all know you can't go wrong with Scorcesse, but that is pretty much a traditional undercover cop story, but with two men undercover in two organisations - I don't think that premise is that special or telltale of an 'epic'. Hats off to you.
hughtubecube About your comment on Godfather/Goodfellas and the themes in the definition: "I think an epic is a film with a considerable length and a big, often complex and/or dense story full of characters which (at least some of them) seem larger-than-life." That's what I wrote and what I think Watchmojo were going for. Goodfellas for example doesn't have a story or characers which are larger-than-life or almost "mythical* like the story and characters in Once upon... or the Godfather films. Goodfellas also has a song soundtrack as opposed to a traditional soundtrack which is part of what makes the films feel as epic as they do. Goodfellas rather is a more personal, gritty "small" and "simple" story about small-town criminals rather than the big gangsters and mobsters of Godfather 2 and Once upon...
Tom Waits That's a very fair point if we follow your definition, but I was not referring to your definition, I was referring to the Wikipedia (despite the nature of the website as a source) definition. I would say that Goodfellas does contain scenes of heroism (or rather anti-heroism) and has that trademark Scorcese flair of grandeur. What you just said, while not without merit, is subjective since it's based on your own definition of 'epic film'. And to be honest, I largely agree with that definition. What I am trying to say is that if we follow the 'official' (or at least Wikipedia official) definition, Goodfellas should at least qualify to be a contender. :)
hughtubecube "What I am trying to say is that if we follow the 'official' (or at least Wikipedia official) definition, Goodfellas should at least qualify to be a contender" And I would add if The Departed makes this list, then Goodfellas is certainly an epic too.
Don't understand why Goodfellas didn't make the list and sad that not one James Cagney movie was mentioned....guess theirs just to many great films to choose from.
Good list (I personally would have put L.A. Confidential and The Departed a little higher), but just one correction. In L.A. Confidential, Nite Owl refers to the location of a multiple-homicide rather than a serial killer. The film revolves around the single aforementioned homicide at the Nite Owl Cafe. Keep up the great work.
Fun fact: in an interview, Al Pacino said he “borrowed” not from a famous gangster but from a famous boxer: Roberto Duran. The walk, the attitude, Tony Montana is Roberto Duran.
I can't beleive Carlito's Way wasn't in this list its definately my favourite Al Pacino role. Also I would have swapped The Untouchable with Road to Perdition
It didn't span a ton of time or space, though. So would you really call it an epic? But don't get me wrong...! It's my go-to example of a movie ive seen at least eight times, but still feel suspense as if the outcome might be different _this_ time, haha. Renting pintos to tourists in paradise...
Am I the only one who did not like The Untouchables at all? The cop characters that the film focuses on are nowhere near as interesting of characters as the mobsters. Robert DeNiro as Al Capone was a good performance, but his character was completely inconsequential to the rest of the movie. They should have focused the movie on him instead of a few stock cop characters. Also, I will never understand why people like Kevin Costner. Never seen a decent movie with him in it.
I liked the movie but I agree with your points, Al Capone seemed like the most interesting character but he didndt get much screen time and yes Costner just never seems to pull me into any of his characters
City of God....one of my favorites. Although, I think Once Upon A Time In America, and The Untouchables should be switched on the list with The Departed, and City of God, I have deduced that this particular collective selection of epic crime films is both accurate and rather well thought out. Kudos.
My top ten favorite crime movies: Dolores Claiborne, Maltese Falcon, Strangers on a Train, Double Indemnity, On the Waterfront, Godfather, Goodfellas, Once Upon a Time in America, Fugitive and Departed. The first two are tied and a couple of my favorite movies ever.
meh, I would've listed Godfather part 2 as the top crime epic. not only length, but it covers so much more. the rise of both generations, the struggles when getting there, family, loyalty, vengeance. fuck it, put both as 1 and 2
1.The Godfather 10/10++ 2.The Godfather: Part II 10/10+ 3.A Bronx Tale 10/9,5 4.Goodfellas 10/9 5.Donnie Brasco 10/8,8 6.Carlito's Way 10/8,6 7.Casino 10,8,4 8.Scarface 10/8,2 9.The Untouchables 10/8,1 10.The Godfather: Part II 10/7,8 My Opinion, and also my rating on the best mafia movies, or crime.
The debate over this list will be legendary. I think we all agree we will have our personal choices and where they stand but all great movies we can watch over and over. Plus all have aged incredibly well.
wtf?????why would goodfellas not be an epic???what a lame excuse, its better than most of these movies and its centered on the crime world, how is it different from any of the others?
"The Untouchables is so overated and factually incorrect" Call it overrated, but saying it's factually incorect is frankly silly. Most of the films on this list are far from reality and the parts which are based on it aren't particularly accurate. The Untouchables could have been great, escapist entertainment, the fact that it didn't quite succeed is what makes it overrated.
Sorry guys, I completely disagree. Ignoring the fact that the film is factually inaccurate, I found it very entertaining. (Titanic (the movie) was mostly fiction, and that broke box office records). Sean Connery and Robert DeNiro where great in it. In fact, this is probably Kevin Costner's only good (I use the term 'good', very loosely) film, in my opinion. I don't think it's over rated at all.
Infernal Affairs was an epic on its own two feet. They over did it with the violence, language, and overtly sexual tones in The Departed. Infernal Affairs made you relate to the morals of the two characters played by Andrew Lau and Tony Leung... Damon, and Dicaprio were trying too hard to fill their shoes with their version of the Characters.
untouchables is soooooo overrated. kevin costner never elevates a film by being in it, he just drags it down. if he wasn't in it, it could have been much better, also if connery was playing a scottish polivceman, he wouldn't have such an inconsistent accent. the other films before it should be higher than that film.
Let me meke u the perfect list 1) Godfather 2) goodfellas 3) Godfather part 2 4) once upon a time in America 5) scarface 6) Departed 7) the untouchables 8) casino 9) Donnie brasco 10) American gangster
I am just astonished that the original 'The Thomas Crown Affair' didn't even get a mention, how much more epic do you want to get, a billionaire who masterminds a gigantic bank heist flawlessly, making himself untraceable, purely for the satisfaction of being a mastermind
***** Everyone knows both countries are in the same continent but from the context it becomes ridiculously obvious which Americans is being referred to.Unless he means Mexicans,Brazillians,Venezuelans and all countries in the region have the same attitudes towards movies which is ridiculous
Infernal Affairs? (The Hong Kong movie that The Departed was loosely based on) The Damon equivalent in that gets away with it, though his guilt haunts him for life afterwards. Another good sort of example is To Live And Die In LA. The main character is killed by surprise and his partner (who is squeaky clean) kills the bad guy in revenge (partly self defense) and then becomes a corrupt agent just like the main character had been
I know its not really important or anything but,at 2:12 was that some girls you hoos not bleedped out? Just saying be careful the admin guys don't delete this great video!
Goodfellas doesn't fit? Care to try again, geniuses? This time preferably without the hypocrisy (Goodfellas isn't epic, but Bonnie and Clyde is?). Goodfellas most certainly does fit. Also, your statement about all versions of "Once Upon a Time in America" being beloved is incorrect. The theatrical cut is universally abhorred. It's a decent, but rather overrated film in the first place, so it really doesn't deserve so high a spot. Certainly not over most of the films on the list.
what's interesting about both leo dicaprio and jack nicholson in the departed is these two play off each other like a father son bond nicholson's character, who is a older cop whos seen action for quite awhile when you also compare nicholson to the other cop roles he has been in such as chinatown while dicaptio's character, a much younger detective in this film, he apparently listens to nicholson's character and understands whats going on then you add other actors in the films, such as alec baldwin , matt damon, and many others and it turns into a fun movie
Goodfellas not being on the list is an epic crime.
New Jack City too
WHAT ABOUT THE TOWN
Disagree. Not a fan. And the real Henry Hill was a wannabe slob and blabbermouth. After 3 witness protection arrangements, FBI didn't bother anymore bc Hill kept exposing his real identity for attention seeking. He was a doofus. Typical Hollywood BS.
Usual suspects.
It’s their definition of “epic.”
And the list proves when it comes to crime epics Pacino and Deniro are the boss
Yep and marlon Brando
@@King-tu4co he did only one though. I guess there's on the waterfront too but he was on the good side there
Weirdo Reborn Yh I mean although he did one his acting still stood out
Joe pesci also
@@aryanduggal8514 they forget Wesley Snipes as Nino Brown
Why exactly did Goodfellas not qualify to be on the list again?
Didn't make any sense to me either.
While I'm not too sure,I think 'Crime Epic' is a more specific category of crime movies with some different criteria..Could be the only explanation as Goodfellas was #2 in the Top 10 Mafia movies
Goodfellas feels more intimate than epic. It's seeing mob life through the eyes of one person, Henry Hill, who gives narration throughout the whole film. Goodfellas is my favorite mobster movie but I agree that it doesn't belong on this list. BTW, props to Mojo for putting Once Upon a Time in America at #2. That is the ultimate epic movie. If you haven't seen it, go out and buy it today! The 4 hour plus version is the one you want.
confucius12012 idk...Bonnie and Clyde and The Departed, while great films, don't really seem like epics to me either. They feel, as you say, intimate.
I was wondering that myself.
Let's face it, there are a LOT of great crime movies.
***** True fucking story.
But one stands above the rest
Hey typhlosion I subbed please return the favor
+R. Gibson Donny Brasco and casino also
Name all. Of. Them please
I agree with 'Godfather' and 'Once Upon a Time in America'. But the incredible 'City of God' as just an honorable mention? Scorcese's masterpiece 'Goodfellas' not qualified? One of Watchmojo's worst top tens ever.
I agree completely with you..
City of god is amazing
CITY OF GOD...
I don't really see how Goodfellas does not qualify, but good list anyhow
It wouldn't be a problem if they didn't include The Departed in there, which certainly less likely to be a crime EPIC than Goodfellas. And Casino at least should have been on here, it undoubtedly is epic.
All three of those are based on true stories and epic
***** Of course it's a drama, I didn't suggest anything else. I called the film an epic which it certainly is with its stunning visuals, energetic cinematography and its scope and length. You seem to be thinking a film can't be both an epic AND a drama, but in fact I can't think of a single epic which isn't a drama, everything from Ben Hur to Casino is dramatic.
Goodfellas isn't really an epic.
Where did you draw the line between 'Epic' and 'Non-Epic'?
The Untouchables did make this list, but Goodfellas didn't ?
I don't get it...
Wikipedia: Epic
I'm with you buddy how do they draw the line
Wikipedia: " Epic film is a style of film-making with large scale, sweeping scope and spectacle, often transporting the viewer to other settings. AsRoger Ebert and others have noted, the usage of the term has shifted over time, sometimes designating a film genre and at other times simply synonymous with big budget film-making." Still doesn't make sense...
Bruce Wayne Hmm okay, on german the text explains it quite better
and The Dark Knight gets an HM???
Casino anyone?
I actually like it more than Goodfellas
Me too, Casino was a notch better than Goodfellas- not saying much, though. Both are Classics.
Wtf @ Departed being over Scarface & Gangs of New York!?
I'm still wondering where's training day
Casino was based on actual events
@@MidTierVillain departed >Godfather
Heat should have been number 2, its such a phenomenal film that has had a huge impact on media in the past 2 decades. Not to say the others didn't but damn the ending of Heat just leaves your jaw dropping at how amazing it is.
_"I don't even know what street Canada is on."_ - Al Capone (Date Unknown)
That is a real quote made by Al Capone.
I brought this up because WatchMojo is Canadian.
I hope this isn't offensive, I love Canadians and I care about their country.
hey I subbed please return the favor thanks
I know right.
If he didn’t know where Canada was, how did he spend a lot of his time in Moose Jaw (Saskatchewan, Canada) and run his booze through there?
Hazed VFX LoL Moose Jaw is like an hour away from me
@@hazedvfx9856 maybe whoever he was talking to told him after he said it
Scarface was only No. 8?!? Man... You guys never get it right
they are not in order
@@bread7208 yah they are
What would life be without De Niro, Pacino, Scorsese, De Palma, and Stone? I don't want to know.
You and your Italiano fetish, throw Andrea Bochelli in while you can
DAVID Edwards Hehehehe!
DAVID Edwards He's too young!
MandyDoll AAAAAAAAAAAAAA WHATA ARE YA SAYINGYA
DAVID Edwards I have an older guy fetish? Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, two gods among men. I think men are most attractive in their late fifties/early sixties. However Mr. De Niro is seventy-one and I would wear him out today! Right now! All day!
agreed Godfather is a masterpiece !!! story ,music ,acting everything top perfection !!!
I love the 2 Godfather movies but for some reason I prefer part 2 to part 1, as good as part 1 is, I really enjoyed seeing the rise of both Vito and Michael Corleone and that final shot of Vito carrying a little Michael in the bus with his entire family and then a grown Michael sat all by himself, victorious but alone was just wonderful, I really love the Godfather Part 2.
Peter E They should've mentioned both the films
They consider the second Godfather to be the greatest sequel in history, but I didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as I did the first one. I did like it a lot, but not much
As the grandson of an immigrant, I get teary-eyed at the scene when all of the Italian immigrants rushed to one side of the boat to get a better look at the Statue Of Liberty.
I'm glad that "The Sting" got a honourable mention, it's one of my favourite movies of all time.
Seriously, Once Upon a Time in America and The Godfather are a really tough challenge in which is better. The former is probably better since Leone was a potential director for The Godfather.
Scorsese's Casino deserves an honorable mention, and I'm so glad Heat is in here. If one understands what "epic" really means, Heat really defines the crime epic.
The Departed is my favorite out of these.
THE DEPARTED IS EPIC MASTERPIECE AND MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE CRIME THRILLER FILM FOREVER ❤❤❤❤❤❤
Where's goodfellas and casino? Not even mentioned?!
What makes the "The Godfather" so great, is that like Citizen Kane or Casablanca it is great from beginning to end. There are no bad scenes or performances. Every moment is great.
Even the deleted scenes were good.
1) The Godfather
2) Heat
3) Goodfellas
4) Pulp Fiction
5) On the Waterfront
American Gangster way underrated!
Goodfellas should 100% be on this list.
I mean... ! Who came up with this list? Some sort of shmuck on wheels?
why is Goodfellas NOT an epic and The Departed is?
idk. they should swap
+Culprit LA The Departed should be there they should swap City of God for Goodfellas and The Untochables whit Casino .
City of God is one of the best films of the last 25 years, in any genre, it should stay on the list.
+Culprit LA Everyone has there on opinion
I thought Goodfellas and Casino should've been on here
Can anybody tell me why Bonnie and Clyde and The Untouchables are "epic" films and Goodfellas is not an epic? I really don't see that.
+blabla48076 I don't know about THE UNTOUCHABLES, but BONNIE AND CLYDE redefined the genre and broke new ground and taboos (i.e. sympathetic antiheroes, graphic violence) and is considered the first film of the New Hollywood. Both Sam Peckinpah (in THE WILD BUNCH) and Francis Ford Coppola (in THE GODFATHER) played tribute to B&C, and it's possible that their films would not have been possible, if not for BONNIE AND CLYDE breaking the mold. It's considered a very important landmark in film.
+musicaltheatergeek79 Yeah I know it's a landmark film and it's a great film that I enjoyed, but it doesn't fit the name "epic" to me.
‘SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND’ - ~*TONY MONTANA VOICE*~
"The serial killer known as 'the night owl'"...Seriously? Seriously?
***** I know. Obviously they don't. That's why I posted this. It seemed so ridicolous that they included this movie but obviously have no idea what it is about. I mean, if they think this movie is about cops hunting a serial killer...
Further proof that Watchmojo doesn't actually watch anything.
A serial killing breakfast joint
>goodfellas isn't "epic" enough
Annnnnnnd that's how you get your shit downvoted.
WatchMojo a are stupid as fuck...
You guys got the plot of L.A Confidential wrong. The Nite Owl is just the cafe where the murders that get the plot going took place.
The Godfather is and will always be #1. Though as an Honorable Mention I would have picked Angels with Dirty Faces - but White Heat is an excellent choice. (OMG, I'm agreeing with a Watch Mojo list. My world is askew.)
Not to disrespect your opinion, but I don't get the critical acclaim for Angels with dirty faces which is a really good film, but unfortunately it has an overly sentimental, moralising ending and that's why I think it doesn't hold a candle to another Bogart/Cagney film The Roaring Twenties (very underrated!) and White Heat imo truly is Cagney's greatest crime film, it indeed is an excellent choice.
Tom Waits I'll have to give you that one on Angels with Dirty faces, it did have a "go out in a blaze of glory" feeling the ending never delivered.
Heat is one of my favorite movies of any genre. I think The Town should have at least gotten an honorable mention because it's kind of like this generation's Heat in a lot of ways. The Dark Knight doesn't really fit into this genre IMO.
Its because of the Bank scene, as well as the Joker/Batman dynamic. They even had a sitdown like in Heat, granted the material is older than Heat, but the film making definitely takes inspiration from Heat.
yeah i can see that. i guess i just see it more as just as superhero movie than a heist/crime drama.
I thought so too! "The Town" took a lot of influence from "Heat" in how casual their robbery style was, but still so fucking meticulous. Similar endings too, came down to one guy who, "ain't never goin' back."
MandyDoll I LOVE the town. Ben Affleck has never been my favorite actor, but he is the man at directing. Jeremy Renner was a total boss in that movie.
***** Fuck yes! "I need your help. I can't tell you what it is and you can never ask me about it later, but we're gonna go hurt some people."
The Godfather 1 >>> The Godfather 2
End of discussion
The discussion you just started?
Hey your here! Great Sim blog. I'm a fan :)
Hit it right on the head! The Godfather part 1 is so much better!
I think we can all agree that the first two Godfathers are better than Part III.
Agree, but is good anyway. Good, not masterpiece, but good.
La confidential is one of all time favorite movies
Should have beat Titanic for best picture in 1997
The Town should have been at least an honorable mention.
city of god should have had a place.
untouchables shouldn't.
Nah Untouchables is unreal!!!
untouchables deserved it but city of god shoulda been up here though no doubt
Public Enemy anyone ? Personally my favorite Johnny Depp film featuring Christian Bale .
Is it good ?
@@PatrickGigachad Yes. Since there are many known actors playing in it the chemistry they create during the scenes is amazing. Very high caliber performances.
DeNiro/Pachino list ))
Did you actually watch LA Confidential? It had nothing to do with a serial killer. The Nite Owl was a coffee stand where a massacre took place.
movie is nite owl or night owl
“Once upon a Time in America “ De Nero James Woods. Best ever.
Goodfelas must be one of the ten Movie Crime epics. It's a classic
Yea! I love untouchables! So glad it made this list
Wow, you really fucked up with your line "each version of Once upon a time in America is beloved". The only version that's beloved, and the only version that should have ever existed, is the 3 1/2 - 4 hour cut
That's your opinion. Everyone is entitled to their own. So don't force your's on others.
Original Goose1 Stupid comment. Watchmojo made a comment not declaring their own opinion but the opinion of the general public and so - if anything - they mistakenly forced an opinion on others which isn't really held.. arthousefanatic is right, who the fuck enjoyed that abomination of a version of the film which completely butchered and ruined a masterpiece? In Europe the film was released in the right, 229 min version (by Leone, who had to cut it down immensely to this version). Only in America the studios had to butcher the film because otherwise they thought audiences wouldn't like it. That's certainly part of the reason why the film wasn't particularly well-received (some critics at the time even called that cut of the film the worst film of the year - and you can't even really blame them because they probably didn't know how good it could have been in the right version) and a commercial flop. It's certainly also part of the reason why the film is still so underrated today, so that version truly deserves our hatred.
Tom Waits I understand that you feel that the short version is not as good, but I bet people who never saw the original version still really liked the short one. It is just judgy to say that no one like it.
Original Goose1 "understand that you feel that the short version is not as good, but I bet people who never saw the original version still really liked the short one"
You bet? Lol, I bet you haven't seen it if you say such a silly thing. Did you miss the part where I wrote about that version being a big part of the film's COMMERCIAL FAILURE and critical hatred (critics calling it one of the WORST FILMS OF THE YEAR?)
"It's just judgy to say that no one like it. "
And it's idiotic of you to write replies seemingly based on assumptions. How naive are you?
"I understand that you feel that the short version is not as good"
Not as good? NOT AS GOOD? It's terrible. Big difference. The theatrical, butchered cut of Blade Runner might be called not as good (some love it), but Once upon a time in america only was released in two famous versions: a great one and a terrible one.
"It's just judgy to say that no one like it."
Who said that no one likes it? We're talking about Watchmojo's statement saying that any version is BELOVED which implies that more than a few clueless people like it. It means that any version is popular and that's simply not the case. Any terrible film is probably beloved by at least someone somewhere, but that doesn't mean that you should call such a film beloved because of that. See what I mean?
Tom Waits wow you're really laying into people in the comments section.
This list could've easily handled 20 films. Two of my favorites are "Casino" and "Blow".
Jeffery Miller Blow wasn't that good
Does the godfather part two not count? What exactly constitutes an 'epic'?
From Wikipedia: "An epic is traditionally a genre of poetry, known as epic poetry.[1] However in modern terms, epic is often extended to other art forms, such as epic theatre, films, music, novels, plays, television shows, and video games, [1] wherein the story has a *theme of grandeur and heroism*,[2] just as in epic poetry"
I think an epic is a film with a considerable length and a big, often complex and/or dense story full of characters which (at least some of them) seem larger-than-life. Why on earth they put The departed on here, though, I don't understand. If anything Goodfellas (which they dismissed) is more of an epic (which I don't think it is) than the Departed.
"Does the godfather part two not count?"
Of course it does, but they picked the first one instead.
Tom Waits I get the grandeur and heroism part, I was asking how they were defining 'epic', since most if not all films contain thees of heroism if not grandeur.
I think that those themes (or at least, if they aren't in Goodfellas, they aren't in the Godfather either, so why does that count when this does not) are present in Goodfellas.
Yeah, The Departed is a great film, we all know you can't go wrong with Scorcesse, but that is pretty much a traditional undercover cop story, but with two men undercover in two organisations - I don't think that premise is that special or telltale of an 'epic'.
Hats off to you.
hughtubecube About your comment on Godfather/Goodfellas and the themes in the definition:
"I think an epic is a film with a considerable length and a big, often complex and/or dense story full of characters which (at least some of them) seem larger-than-life."
That's what I wrote and what I think Watchmojo were going for. Goodfellas for example doesn't have a story or characers which are larger-than-life or almost "mythical* like the story and characters in Once upon... or the Godfather films. Goodfellas also has a song soundtrack as opposed to a traditional soundtrack which is part of what makes the films feel as epic as they do. Goodfellas rather is a more personal, gritty "small" and "simple" story about small-town criminals rather than the big gangsters and mobsters of Godfather 2 and Once upon...
Tom Waits That's a very fair point if we follow your definition, but I was not referring to your definition, I was referring to the Wikipedia (despite the nature of the website as a source) definition. I would say that Goodfellas does contain scenes of heroism (or rather anti-heroism) and has that trademark Scorcese flair of grandeur.
What you just said, while not without merit, is subjective since it's based on your own definition of 'epic film'. And to be honest, I largely agree with that definition. What I am trying to say is that if we follow the 'official' (or at least Wikipedia official) definition, Goodfellas should at least qualify to be a contender. :)
hughtubecube "What I am trying to say is that if we follow the 'official' (or at least Wikipedia official) definition, Goodfellas should at least qualify to be a contender"
And I would add if The Departed makes this list, then Goodfellas is certainly an epic too.
1 the untouchables
2 l.a. confidential
3 Scarface
4 heat
once upon a time in america is the best crime movie ever or maybe the best movie ever made
Oh, so you didn't include No Country for Old Men. (Flips coin) CALL IT!!!!!!!!!!!
Rise of the sugars because its not a crime epic but rather a modern western
scarface should have been ranked higher
Don't understand why Goodfellas didn't make the list and sad that not one James Cagney movie was mentioned....guess theirs just to many great films to choose from.
CanadianRM4 it is an epic based off of three generations of a Mafia family narrated by a character based on a real mobster.
but White Heat was a HM. thats a Cagney movie
I never realized crime movies are some of the best movies. Grest fn list!!!!
Where is Casino? Or most importantly The Public Enemy (1931)
You're killing me watch mojo!
Heat`s shootout scene reminds me of Gta 4 .... damn !the bank mission was epic
More like gta iv ripped it off from heat1995
Good list (I personally would have put L.A. Confidential and The Departed a little higher), but just one correction. In L.A. Confidential, Nite Owl refers to the location of a multiple-homicide rather than a serial killer. The film revolves around the single aforementioned homicide at the Nite Owl Cafe. Keep up the great work.
They should re-watch it.
Two Scorsese, two de Palma, two de Caprio, two Crowe, three Pacino and three de Niro.
Pacino and deniro the best ever
Scarface is great because it is relatable to real life. Success is nothing without someone to share it with.
Should be number 1
Fun fact: in an interview, Al Pacino said he “borrowed” not from a famous gangster but from a famous boxer: Roberto Duran. The walk, the attitude, Tony Montana is Roberto Duran.
Definitely my favorite movie genre. Great movies all round.
Didn't expect the Dark Knight to make it to this list
No Goodfellas, epic fail on everybody's book.
The shoot out in Heat, is pretty bloody awesome.
I can't beleive Carlito's Way wasn't in this list its definately my favourite Al Pacino role. Also I would have swapped The Untouchable with Road to Perdition
It didn't span a ton of time or space, though. So would you really call it an epic?
But don't get me wrong...! It's my go-to example of a movie ive seen at least eight times, but still feel suspense as if the outcome might be different _this_ time, haha.
Renting pintos to tourists in paradise...
Classifying dark knight as a crime epic and mentioning it in the honourable mentions is an epic crime.
Am I the only one who did not like The Untouchables at all? The cop characters that the film focuses on are nowhere near as interesting of characters as the mobsters. Robert DeNiro as Al Capone was a good performance, but his character was completely inconsequential to the rest of the movie. They should have focused the movie on him instead of a few stock cop characters. Also, I will never understand why people like Kevin Costner. Never seen a decent movie with him in it.
Yes you are.
I agree with everything you say. The film was a lost opportunity for greatness
I liked the movie but I agree with your points, Al Capone seemed like the most interesting character but he didndt get much screen time and yes Costner just never seems to pull me into any of his characters
I don't agree about Costner, but I also didn't like The Untouchables at all. Even De Niro seemed over the top for me.
The Untouchables was terrible. It was too light and whimsy for a crime movie. It was bad, especially the accountant cop.
City of God....one of my favorites. Although, I think Once Upon A Time In America, and The Untouchables should be switched on the list with The Departed, and City of God, I have deduced that this particular collective selection of epic crime films is both accurate and rather well thought out. Kudos.
can we get any Explanation why goodfellas doesn't fit the Tradition of a film epic?
Bet on the life of my Physics professor no 1 is The Godfather.
No surprise The Godfather is #1. Best movie of all time.
Goodfellas is better.
Hazed VFX once upon a time in a America is better
Max Cohan haha
nope as much as i love once upon a time in america and goodfellas godfather 1 and 2 are far better
jake peralta Indeed.
"The Dark Knight" should've gotten more than just an Honorable Mention.
This movie "Heat" is perfect
This is one of the best lists you guys have done.
Uh oh WatchMojo. You showed nudity at the 2:11 mark.
My top ten favorite crime movies: Dolores Claiborne, Maltese Falcon, Strangers on a Train, Double Indemnity, On the Waterfront, Godfather, Goodfellas, Once Upon a Time in America, Fugitive and Departed. The first two are tied and a couple of my favorite movies ever.
Where's pulp fiction
Zane Vassallo it’s not an epic
Its neither a mob movie really or an epic
meh, I would've listed Godfather part 2 as the top crime epic. not only length, but it covers so much more. the rise of both generations, the struggles when getting there, family, loyalty, vengeance.
fuck it, put both as 1 and 2
Once upon a time in America is on of the greatest films ever made
@Joseph Morton awful take bruh it's goated
1.The Godfather 10/10++
2.The Godfather: Part II 10/10+
3.A Bronx Tale 10/9,5
4.Goodfellas 10/9
5.Donnie Brasco 10/8,8
6.Carlito's Way 10/8,6
7.Casino 10,8,4
8.Scarface 10/8,2
9.The Untouchables 10/8,1
10.The Godfather: Part II 10/7,8
My Opinion, and also my rating on the best mafia movies, or crime.
Can someone explain me why the FUCK Goodfellas isn't an epic????
The debate over this list will be legendary. I think we all agree we will have our personal choices and where they stand but all great movies we can watch over and over. Plus all have aged incredibly well.
I'm glad The Godfather Trilogy was no. 1.
8:55 Nice editing!
wtf?????why would goodfellas not be an epic???what a lame excuse, its better than most of these movies and its centered on the crime world, how is it different from any of the others?
I personally feel that Sidney Potier's "In the Heat of the Night" is the finest crime movie ever made.
It’s one of the all-time greatest films period not just crime movie.
The top 3 would have been ABSOLUTELY PERFECT if you had put Heat in third place. The Untouchables is so overated and factually incorrect.
"The Untouchables is so overated and factually incorrect"
Call it overrated, but saying it's factually incorect is frankly silly. Most of the films on this list are far from reality and the parts which are based on it aren't particularly accurate. The Untouchables could have been great, escapist entertainment, the fact that it didn't quite succeed is what makes it overrated.
The Untouchables is so fucking bad. Kevin Costner's child-like acting ability completely destroyed what could have been a good film.
V for Vegeta
Hi beautiful youtubers if you would please sub my channel I will do the same for you and like all of your videos
Sorry guys, I completely disagree. Ignoring the fact that the film is factually inaccurate, I found it very entertaining. (Titanic (the movie) was mostly fiction, and that broke box office records). Sean Connery and Robert DeNiro where great in it. In fact, this is probably Kevin Costner's only good (I use the term 'good', very loosely) film, in my opinion. I don't think it's over rated at all.
Yeah but Heat wasn’t that good. Good though.
Step one , Deniro.
Step two, Pacino
I've only seen The Departed once so I could be wrong once I re-watch it, but am I the only one that likes Infernal Affairs more than The Departed?
Infernal Affairs was an epic on its own two feet. They over did it with the violence, language, and overtly sexual tones in The Departed. Infernal Affairs made you relate to the morals of the two characters played by Andrew Lau and Tony Leung... Damon, and Dicaprio were trying too hard to fill their shoes with their version of the Characters.
i was starting to forget how great Mr DeNiro is, this list reminded me
What about Shark Tale!!!
I think they are referring to criminals that are human.
If Shark Tale why not Gorgo the crime was kidnapping and mother comes to rescue baby?
can you do 'top 10 Jean Reno moments/movies'?
untouchables is soooooo overrated.
kevin costner never elevates a film by being in it, he just drags it down. if he wasn't in it, it could have been much better, also if connery was playing a scottish polivceman, he wouldn't have such an inconsistent accent.
the other films before it should be higher than that film.
I agree, I think it's a good movie but not as good as ppl say it is...
DeNiro saved the movie.
great name
I disagree on Costner, he was pretty good in The Company Men, and was great in A Perfect World and JFK
'Gangs of Wasseypur' is one of the best crime movies of all times. Must watch and then recreate this list.
GANGS OF NEW YORK is one of the least Scorsese movies
Let me meke u the perfect list
1) Godfather
2) goodfellas
3) Godfather part 2
4) once upon a time in America
5) scarface
6) Departed
7) the untouchables
8) casino
9) Donnie brasco
10) American gangster
Heat is only No. 4?!? Jesus...
this is just a list of my all time favourite movies. Great list
What about the town?
I am just astonished that the original 'The Thomas Crown Affair' didn't even get a mention, how much more epic do you want to get, a billionaire who masterminds a gigantic bank heist flawlessly, making himself untraceable, purely for the satisfaction of being a mastermind
Show a man getting burned alive but fucking hell,bleep out those swears!!!! Only Americans...
***** You don't know what that word means, do you?
They're Canadian.
***** So? That doesn't make them American.
***** I'm assuming he's referring to the U.S., not all of N.A.
***** Everyone knows both countries are in the same continent but from the context it becomes ridiculously obvious which Americans is being referred to.Unless he means Mexicans,Brazillians,Venezuelans and all countries in the region have the same attitudes towards movies which is ridiculous
‘THE UNTOUCHABLES’ >>
Anyone see the pattern in all these movies? The cops all win in the end. I would like to see a movie where the cops lose!
The Godfather?
Godfather, Scarface, the cops didn’t win.
Infernal Affairs? (The Hong Kong movie that The Departed was loosely based on) The Damon equivalent in that gets away with it, though his guilt haunts him for life afterwards. Another good sort of example is To Live And Die In LA. The main character is killed by surprise and his partner (who is squeaky clean) kills the bad guy in revenge (partly self defense) and then becomes a corrupt agent just like the main character had been
The Town
I know its not really important or anything but,at 2:12 was that some girls you hoos not bleedped out? Just saying be careful the admin guys don't delete this great video!
Goodfellas doesn't fit? Care to try again, geniuses? This time preferably without the hypocrisy (Goodfellas isn't epic, but Bonnie and Clyde is?). Goodfellas most certainly does fit.
Also, your statement about all versions of "Once Upon a Time in America" being beloved is incorrect. The theatrical cut is universally abhorred. It's a decent, but rather overrated film in the first place, so it really doesn't deserve so high a spot. Certainly not over most of the films on the list.
Hawkeye The restored full version of Once upon a time in America is fantastic and deserves to be number .
what's interesting about both leo dicaprio and jack nicholson in the departed
is these two play off each other like a father son bond
nicholson's character, who is a older cop whos seen action for quite awhile
when you also compare nicholson to the other cop roles he has been in such as chinatown
while dicaptio's character, a much younger detective in this film, he apparently listens to nicholson's character and understands whats going on
then you add other actors in the films, such as alec baldwin , matt damon, and many others
and it turns into a fun movie