Notable mob movies beyond ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Goodfellas’
Much has been said about the economy’s state today, with countless businesses severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Randy Wooten believes that the movie theater industry, which has been hit hard in the past few weeks, will rebound stronger than ever. Until then, he has taken it upon himself to come up with a series of film blogs wherein he tackles films and the movie theater industry.
For today’s blogs, Randy Wooten looks at three notable movies in the mobster genre that can be mentioned in the same breath as the two greatest mobster films, “The Godfather” and “Goodfellas.”
Casino (1995) dir. Martin Scorsese
It’s no surprise that a Martin Scorsese film is on the list. After all, nobody makes a gangster film quite like Scorsese. While many critics mention that “Casino” feels too similar to “Goodfellas,” there is no denying the film’s strength in direction. In fact, Scorsese even improves on a lot of the elements found in “Goodfellas.”
Boyz n the Hood (1991) dir. John Singleton
Often regarded as the late John Singleton’s magnum opus, “Boyz n the Hood” is one of the most well-crafted and iconic gangster films in history. Also a coming-of-age drama, the film boasts of an ensemble cast that includes Laurence Fishburne, Ice Cube, Angela Basset, and Cuba Gooding, Jr. in the lead role.
Donnie Brasco (1997) dir. Mike Newell
Randy Wooten feels Mike Newell’s “Donnie Brasco” is often underappreciated whenever people talk about the greatest mobster films of all-time. The film is loosely based on FBI agent Joseph Pistone, who goes undercover to infiltrate the Bonanno crime family in New York City. He uses the name Donnie Brasco and is portrayed by Johnny Depp. This crime drama also features Al Pacino as Lefty Ruggiero.
