Martin Scorsese is considered one of Hollywood’s top directors, and for good reason. He has earned his status of Hollywood royalty through decades of proving just how talented and effective he is as a filmmaker, delighting the world with more classics than we can count. Nonetheless, if you’re just now looking to get into this master’s work, you’ve come to the right place. Here are 11 Scorsese movies you most certainly can’t miss.
Gangs of New York (2002)
One of the most gut-wrenching period dramas ever produced, Gangs of New York really shines with strong and intelligent writing, wonderful direction, and incredible acting. The stellar cast does as well as you could possibly hope for, with fantastic performances by the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, John C. Reilly, Brendan Gleeson, and Liam Neeson. However, it’s Daniel Day-Lewis who steals the show. His raw and powerful portrayal of William “Bill the Butcher” Cutting is, simply put, one of his best performances to date—and that’s saying a lot!
The Aviator (2004)
This biopic of the eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes truly manages to capture the audience through great storytelling and acting. Leonardo DiCaprio and Scorsese pair up once again, and the results are as entertaining as they are engrossing. Over the years, DiCaprio has shown us just how far he’s able to push himself as an actor, and it’s when working with Scorsese that we see him at his best—as will be clearly shown by several other films in this list. The Aviator is no exception.
Shutter Island (2010)
Here again we get the DiCaprio-Scorsese combo, paired with other top-caliber stars such as Max Von Sydow, Mark Ruffalo, and Sir Ben Kingsley. Shutter Island is best described as a psychological thriller with neo-noir elements. Though not one of Scorsese’s legendary movies, this one is pretty great as far as psychological thrillers go. It’s got everything you could possibly want: tension, suspense, and a [somewhat expected] twist ending. It’s good fun all around.
Hugo (2011)
This film is based on Brian Selznick’s The Invention of Hugo Cabret, and tells the story of a boy who lives by himself in a railway station in Paris during the 1930s. The backdrop of this seemingly simple and charming story is in fact the life and work of the famed director Georges Méliès, one of the most influential filmmakers in early cinematic history, wonderfully portrayed by non-other than Sir Ben Kingsley. The film received a whooping eleven academy award nominations, and certainly deserves to be watched and re-watched by the whole family.
Silence (2016)
Who wouldn’t want to watch Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, and Liam Neeson team up regardless of the actual story of the film? Well, fortunately, this combination is but the cherry on top of a great story set in 17-century Nagasaki, Japan. It follows two Jesuit priests who travel from Japan to look for their missing mentor and proselytize the oriental province. This film is special in that it represents a long-time passion of Scorsese’s, which he developed for over 25 years.
The Departed (2006)
As good as Scorsese is in most of the previous genres, he’s arguably the best when doing crime dramas. The Departed is a great example. Following the director’s knack for featuring an all-star cast, here we get to see some great performances by Leonardo DiCaprio (again), Matt Demon, Jack Nicholson, and Mark Wahlberg, as their characters dance around a convoluted—yet thoroughly entertaining—mess of double-agents and double-crossings galore. Remember: nothing is what it seems.
Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)
This film is often categorized as a black comedy—but for those who truly understand the underpinnings and utter depravation surrounding the film’s characters, it’s nothing short of a tragedy. Sure, one can laugh along the way, but the film aims far more at creating awareness and feeling repulsion for the decadence of consumerism and excess. At least that’s what I hope for. In any case, we see DiCaprio’s talent once again and a daring direction by Scorsese. Definitely a must-see.
Taxi Driver (1976)
Back in the day, DiCaprio wasn’t Scorsese’s acting protégé. Instead, we had Robert De Niro. And boy, was he incredible! Especially in this film. Taxi Driver features one of the most famous performances by the legendary actor, and Scorsese manages to pull off an amazing feat when he gave the world what has often been described as one of the best movies of all time. It’s certainly one of Scorsese’s—and De Niro’s—finest moments .
Raging Bull (1980)
Following his collaboration with De Niro, Martin Scorsese dives into the world of sports drama with Raging Bull. Although initially it received mixed reviews, the film has grown on critics, who now laud it as another candidate for Scorsese’s best film of his career. It was nominated for eight academy awards, with De Niro snatching Best Actor.
Goodfellas (1990)
Once more into the fray with Robert De Niro, Scorsese delivers a gripping crime story with strong performances from Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta. I know you’ve heard of Godfellas, but if you’re unsure whether you should watch it, just ask any crime film buff, who would probably tell you this is arguably even better than The Godfather. At least, that’s what famed film critic Roger Ebert said. Personally, I believe it’s almost impossible to top The Godfather, but maybe that’s just me. Still, Goodfellas is rightly considered one of Scorsese’s best films, and any movie fan should watch it at least once.
Casino (1995)
Casino marked Scorsese’s eighth collaboration with Robert De Niro, who acts alongside Joe Pesci and Sharon Stone. It’s an epic crime film, a genre in which Scorsese excels—and it shows he’s comfortable here with confident direction. And as good as Pesci and De Niro are, it’s Sharon Stone who steals the show this time around, having earned an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe for her performance.
So, there you have it. There’s certainly many other worthy Scorsese films you should watch, buy you can’t go wrong with this list for a start or a recap on his filmmaking. Enjoy!
—
Write for us!
Do you have an idea for an article like this? Are you a film expert? Do you have a story to tell? Read our submissions guidelines and send us a 500 word article to storyteller@culturacolectiva.com
***
Other articles for you:
The Scorsese Movie That Proves You Don’t Need SFX To Make A Spectacular Film
Photos That Take You Behind The Scenes of Taxi Driver
Gangster Movies That Are Better Than “The Godfather”
***
