Martin Scorsese is one of the most celebrated filmmakers in cinema history. The majority of his movies have cemented themselves into pop culture and received widespread critical acclaim. In 2023, Scorsese has proven he does not plan on slowing down anytime soon. To that, his latest movie, Killers of the Flower Moon, has hit movie theaters.
Having already placed itself as one of Scorsese’s finest works, Killers of the Flower Moon has garnered heaps of critical praise. With that said, let’s take a deep dive into the top 5 Martin Scorsese movies according to Rotten Tomatoes. However, while this list is based on the highest rated movies of Scorsese, it will not feature his documentary efforts, which have in themselves also garnered impressive scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
5. Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (91% Score)
Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore is a 1974 American drama that marked Martin Scorsese’s fourth feature as director. The film boasts an impressive cast including Ellen Burstyn, Kris Kristofferson and Harvey Keitel. The plot follows a recently widowed woman named Alice, who leaves everything behind in New Mexico and sets off on a journey to Monterey, California with her young son.
Along the way, they encounter a host of quirky characters and Alice begins a new romance with a man named David. The film stands apart from Scorsese’s other works due to its focus on character development and its lack of violence or criminal activity. This film was an early indicator that Scorsese could excel in genres beyond the crime and gangster epics he would later become renowned for. Through Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Martin Scorsese proved himself as a versatile filmmaker who could create exceptionally crafted dramas and character studies.
4. Killers of the Flower Moon (92% Score)
Killers of the Flower Moon is a crime drama based on the book of the same name by David Grann. The film’s story revolves around the murders of Osage Indians in Oklahoma during the 1920s, which led to a major investigation by the FBI. The plot focuses on the Osage Nation’s struggle for justice as they uncover a sinister conspiracy to rob them of their oil wealth. Killers of the Flower Moon has been a long-standing passion project of legendary director Martin Scorsese, who has been trying to bring it to the screen for many years. Furthemore, the film marks the sixth time Scorsese has collaborated with Leonardo DiCaprio, and the tenth time he has worked with Robert De Niro.
3. Raging Bull (92 % Score)
Although both Raging Bull and Killers of the Flower Moon have a Rotten Tomatoes score of 92%, Raging Bull ranks higher on this list due to having a higher audience score. Scorsese’s 1980 biographical sports drama depicts the later years of Jake LaMotta, a middleweight boxer known for his tough and brutal style inside the ring. The plot revolves around LaMotta’s rise to fame, his personal demons and eventual downfall. The classic movie depicts LaMotta’s struggles with mental health problems, his failed marriages, and his eventual isolation from his family and friends.
Robert De Niro carries the movie in the lead role of Jake LaMotta. In fact, his immersive and gripping portrayal of LaMotta won him his second Academy Award for Best Actor. In such an immersive role, De Niro put in significant effort to transform himself physically for the part. He developed a chiseled physique to depict LaMotta in his prime, and gained a significant amount of weight to accurately portray the boxer in his later years as he battled with mental health issues.
2. Goodfellas (94% Score)
By the time Goodfellas hit movie theaters, Martin Scorsese had already become known as the go-to filmmaker for crime movies. By this time, he had truly crafted his style, making Goodfellas a unique cinematic experience. The story is loosely based on the real life events of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), a member of the mafia who later turned into an FBI informant. The movie follows the rise and fall of Hill as he struggles to balance his criminal life with his family life, all whilst attempting to avoid the inevitable heavy hammer of the law.
Although The Godfather is considered by many to be the greatest gangster movie ever, Scorsese took the genre to new heights with Goodfellas. With a frenetic pace, a booming soundtrack, and an Oscar-winning performance from Joe Pesci, Goodfellas is an iconic movie that will undoubtedly stand the test of time. Furthermore, the movie currently sits at number 17 on IMDB’s top 250 rated movies.
1. Mean Streets (95% Score)
Martin Scorsese’s 1973 film Mean Streets follows the lives of two small-time gangsters, Charlie and Johnny, as they navigate through the streets of Little Italy, New York. Charlie, played by Harvey Keitel, is a low-ranking member of the Mafia, struggling to keep his head above water amidst the chaos of the criminal world. His friend Johnny, played by Robert De Niro, is an unpredictable loose cannon prone to violence, making Charlie’s life even more complicated.
Mean Streets is considered the film that set the tone for Scorsese’s filmography going forward, exploring themes of violence, redemption, and the lower-class struggle in America’s big cities. The film’s gritty and realistic portrayal of the streets of New York was a breakthrough for Scorsese, and it would go on to inspire a generation of filmmakers. Although the plot is straightforward, Mean Streets maintains an intense focus on its characters, grounded in a dark and grim atmosphere that perfectly captures the spirit of the mean streets of the city.
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