If you’re a fan of the mafia genre, then you’ve probably seen all of these movies already. And if that’s true, then why are you still reading this? Watch The Godfather series and have fun! If not, I’m glad you’re here because I want to introduce seven great mafia movies I think everyone should watch in 2019. These movies are The Godfather (all three), Goodfellas (both parts), Casino, The Departed and Donnie Brasco.
The Godfather series
You can’t go wrong with the Godfather series. The first film, a classic in its own right, was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and took home 3. The second movie won 5 Oscars, including best Picture. The third film isn’t quite as popular or well-known but still received praise from critics everywhere—and it’s not bad! Two mini-series were made independently: “The Godfather Saga” and “The Godfather Death Scenes.” In 2019 we got another reboot of sorts when Netflix released its version of the story starring Al Pacino himself in a younger incarnation as Michael Corleone (now called Michael Baccala).
Donnie Brasco
Donnie Brasco is a 1997 crime drama starring Johnny Depp and Al Pacino. It’s set in New York and tells the story of an undercover FBI agent who infiltrates the mafia.
This is based on a true story where Joe Pistone (Depp) goes undercover to infiltrate the Bonanno crime family. He becomes close friends with Lefty Ruggiero (Pacino), who helps him become “Donnie Brasco,” an up-and-coming member of their organization. Eventually, Pistone must decide whether to remain faithful to his duties as an FBI agent or give up everything he’s built working among these criminals so he can continue living as Donnie Brasco.
The Departed
The Departed is a 2006 crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese, written by William Monahan, and starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The film’s title refers to the police officers working undercover as gangsters within the Massachusetts State Police Crime Control Bureau (real-life Boston Gang Task Force) who were known as “hoods.” The film was nominated for numerous awards, including four Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director (Scorcese), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Editing, which it won for editor Thelma Schoonmaker.
In 2008, the American Film Institute included The Departed on their list of the Top 10 Gangster Films Of All Time, along with Scarface.
Goodfellas
Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci, GoodFellas is based on the 1986 nonfiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi. The film was released in 1990 to critical acclaim, winning 6 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
The movie follows Henry Hill (Liotta), a small-time gangster looking to make it big one day. After meeting Jimmy (De Niro) and Tommy (Pesci) at an Italian festival in Brooklyn, he quickly gets involved with the mob lifestyle, leading him down a dark path towards his eventual downfall.
Casino
The casino is a 1995 crime film directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Sharon Stone. Based on the nonfiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas by Nicholas Pileggi depicts a fictional account of events that took place between 1967 and 1971 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The story follows Sam “Ace” Rothstein (De Niro), who runs gambling operations for the Chicago Outfit in Las Vegas and later becomes an independent operation manager after being banned from Nevada gaming circles. Along with his friend and fellow mobster Nicky Santoro (Pesci), Ace oversees the day-to-day operations of the Tangiers casino; while also dealing with conflicts within his family life when he starts dating Ginger McKenna (Stone).
A card dealer at another casino owned by one of their rivals.
The Untouchables
The Untouchables is one of the best mafia movies ever made. It stars Kevin Costner as Eliot Ness, an agent who single-handedly brings down Al Capone. His team includes Sean Connery (as Joseph Malone), Robert De Niro (as Jim Malone) and Charles Martin Smith (as Peter Neeley). Directed by Brian De Palma and based on The Untouchables by Eliot Ness, this film remains faithful to its source material while incorporating elements of humour throughout.
If you want something that’s both historically accurate and full of action, then The Untouchables will meet all your needs!
You probably already have these movies on Netflix, so watch them and have fun!
You can watch these movies on Netflix right now. You don’t have to wait for them to come out on DVD or rent them from the video store. Just log into your account and click play!
You can watch these movies on your computer, laptop or tablet. And if you want to watch them in bed or on the couch, connect your mobile device to a TV using an HDMI cable so that everyone can enjoy watching together!
It doesn’t matter if you like mafia movies; these are some of the best ones. So if you want a new movie to watch on Netflix or want some company, give these a try! It’s hard not to fall in love with these classic films
