Sling Blade
Altogether, Sling Blade gives audiences a relatable, and generally positive, look at the ways we need each other to get through life’s hardships, highlighted by Thornton’s brilliant turn as writer, director, and actor, which earns the film its place among the greats.
The Usual Suspects
With a plot twist that stands the test of time, a phenomenal script, and a memorable performance from its primary witness, The Usual Suspects earns its place in cinematic history, standing among the other great crime thrillers as one of the best.
Gangs of New York
Gangs of New York feels like the culmination and combination of the overwhelming majority of Scorsese’s filmography, capturing the filmmaker’s essence, vision, and passions all in a single film that certainly deserves a spot among the Greatest Films of All Time.
Capturing the Friedmans
By exploring the inconsistencies of the American legal/judicial system and the confirmation bias inherent to many police investigations and interviews, Capturing the Friedmans asserts itself as one of the premier true crime documentaries.
Better Days
A strong leading duo and innovative additions of romance and crime to the typical trappings of an anti-bullying high school drama make Better Days a refreshingly original film from Hong Kong filmmaker Derek Tsang that is worthy of its place among the greats.
Amores Perros
Amores Perros presents the audience with a brutal breakdown of social, economic, and relational gaps that highlights the central need of all people to be loved by and connected to other humans, resulting in a film worthy of a place among the greats.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Wes Anderson’s stylistic choices and the story that he tells through them in Fantastic Mr. Fox deliver excellence on all levels for all audiences, well-deserving of its spot among the greats.
Boys Don’t Cry
Strong performances from Hilary Swank and Chloë Sevigny that give voice to the film’s critiques of toxic masculinity and patriarchy make Boys Don’t Cry more than a film about the tragic life of a trans man and elevate it to a place of greatness.
Mean Streets
Scorsese’s first widely touted crime flick, Mean Streets, has earned its reputation thanks to Harvey Keitel’s strong delivery of Scorsese’s story of youth in Little Italy and De Niro’s unhinged wrench in the works that turns the whole thing on its head.
In Cold Blood
The film adaptation of Capote’s In Cold Blood earns its place among the greats with cinematography and pacing that feel beyond their time and an exploration of the criminal mind and the justice system that seeks to punish them that should still raise discussions today.
Memories of Murder
The greatness of Memories of Murder lies in its excellent execution of so many facets, with well-acted leading performances and a story that is one of the most compelling and engaging of its genre, deserving a place of recognition.
Prizzi’s Honor
The great acting in Prizzi’s Honor helps elevate the film above the typical genre fare to something worthy of a mention among the all-time greats.
Scarface (1932)
Paul Muni’s leading performance helps cement the many tropes of gangster films contained in Scarface into the canon of gangster cinema, earning the film a place among the greatest films of all time.
The Wolf of Wall Street
The Wolf of Wall Street owes its greatness to the insanely excellent performances of its leading characters (and strong ensemble support) and the visually striking directorial choices of Martin Scorsese.
The Untouchables
The excellently cast group of leading men, gorgeous and memorable visuals, and moving score of The Untouchables make it a standout film in the gangster genre, worthy of a spot among the Greatest Films of All Time.
Wait Until Dark
Alan Arkin and Audrey Hepburn provide a much-needed lift to the straightforward crime thriller that is Wait Until Dark, making it a film deserving of a spot among the Greatest Films of All Time.