The Best Martin Scorsese Films

Image source: amazon.co.uk

Now turning 76, the acclaimed director Martin Scorsese is responsible for some of the most beloved against-the-grain Hollywood hits, movies that showcased needed grit and realism in an entertainment arena often adorned with cosmetics and prosthetics. It took a while for the Academy to give him the nod, but by then he had already won countless awards and the hearts of fans all over the world. Below are Scorsese’s best movies.

Goodfellas

The director has always been associated with crime thrillers and gangster themes, and this grim 1990 film is one of his best portrayals of life in the mafia. Starring his staple stars Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, "Goodfellas" also featured a young Ray Liotta. It’s a harrowing watch based on the book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi.

The Departed

The film that finally got Scorsese his first and long-time-coming Oscar award, this retelling of the 2002 Hong Kong film "Infernal Affairs" offers complex twists and turns, and some of the best acting ever by Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson. Even supporting casts Alec Baldwin, Martin Sheen, and Mark Wahlberg’s performance was more than memorable here.

Gangs of New York

This 2002 period drama is set in the mid-19th century New York, as gangs battle for dominion of the city’s Five Points district. It’s based on a 1928 non-fiction book on the actual gangs that lorded it over the city. The film was a blockbuster hit that also drew the critics’ attention to both Scorsese’s directing and Daniel Day-Lewis’ superb acting.

Image source: time.com

Taxi Driver

This critically acclaimed 1976 work and Cannes winner depicts the life of a Vietnam veteran turned New York cab driver. Its popularity is best evidenced by the enduring lines “You talkin’ to me?” in pop culture. The masterful depiction of post-war anxieties coupled with De Niro’s superb acting led to its 1994 selection for preservation by the U.S. National Film Registry.

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