MY TOP 10 CRIME MOVIES OF ALL TIME

So to start 2011 I have decided to do a count down and as i have been getting back into watching some crime films lately i though what better way to start than with a countdown of my 10 favourite crime thrillers....

10.

THE MECHANIC (1972)

How could a crime movie countdown not include a Charles Bronson film? For me this film is one of his best, sure Death Wish is a great film but i enjoyed this alot more. I know a lot of people will be saying that The Mechanic is an Action film, but i see it more as a crime thriller. But check this one out.
Believe or not this was directed by none other than the E-Sure man himself...Michael Winner.

THURSDAY (1998)

I First saw this film very early one morning on Channel 4 and was instantly hooked, this film is fantastic with a great central performance by Thomas Jane and a great early role for Aaron Eckhart. The film takes place over one day...A Thursday, where one man's past comes back to mix things up in his new Suburban life. It's out of print R1 dvd and never been released here in the UK but you can import the Dutch version which is how i got it...Awesome film.

THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (1950)

John Huston's excellent Crime Noir, is my number 8 film as it is an expertly made film that looks at the problems faced by a group of criminals and the double crosses and violence that erupts after the success of a Jewellery Robbery. No doubt a huge influence on Reservoir Dogs, this film is worth noting the performance of Sterling Hayden and a small role for Marilyn Munroe. An Almost perfect crime Thriller.

THE SEVEN UPS (1973)

Hot on the heels of The French Connection comes this gripping crime thriller starring Roy Scheider and Tony Lo-Bianco about a group of unorthodox Cops investigating the kidnapping of mafia officials. The film contains one of the greatest movie car chases ever committed to celluloid and Scheider gives a great performance.

THE SILENT PARTNER (1978)

This film i happened upon by chance while searching the many pages of Amazon Marketplace and after reading up on it, decided to take the plunge and order it. I am glad I did, what could have been a run of the mill copy of Dog Day Afternoon is actually a well plotted cat and mouse game that never lets up once it gets going. The Performances are spot on from both Elliot Gould and especially Christopher Plummer who in my eyes plays one of the coldest villains this side of Henry Fonda in Once Upon A Time In The West. Available on R1 DVD only at the moment...

SCARFACE (1983)

My no.5 choice is Brian De Palma's Scarface, a reworking of the Paul Muni film from 1932, although this one is very much a different affair as the story and dialogue come from one Oliver Stone. Al Pacino gives one hell of a performance as cuban refugee turned drug lord Tony Montana and he is ably supported by Stephen Bauer, Michele Pfeiffer and Robert Loggia. The film is the Gangster rapper's film of choice and has been referenced in everything from music to animated shows such as South Park. If you've yet to see Scarface, do your self a favour and check it out ASAP...

THE CHASER (2008)

The Chaser is the first and only Asian film on my list, don't get me wrong Asia are making some superb crime films such as OldBoy and Election 1+2 but there's something about The Chaser that kicked all kinds of ass. The film follows a former police officer turned pimp who discovers that his girls are missing and takes it upon himself to find out why. He discovers that they're all going missing after being sent to the same address and discovers this you guy who seems to be the one responsible. As soon as this discovery is made the film turns into a straight up chase movie and doesn't let up until the final shot. The bizarre thing about The Chaser is that in reveals the killer within the first 20 minutes or so which is something films don't normally do and it also shows that most of the police are just as corrupt as the people they're trying to stop. The Chaser is a cracking film that should have been given a wider release but being a subtitled film i guess it would have not made any money. This is just a fantastic piece of suspenseful crime cinema that i highly recommend you check out...

TRUE ROMANCE (1993)

True Romance was the first film that Quentin Tarantino and it was Directed by Tony Scott, which in my opinion is Scott's best directorial effort to date. The film Follows lovers on the lamb Clarence and Alabama as they head to Hollywood to sell a stolen stash on cocaine, while being chased by the cops and the Mafia. The film for me is one of the most perfectly written crime thrillers ever made due to the inclusion of some epic scenes banter between characters including the famous scene between Christopher Walken and Denis Hopper. Watch this film.

LONG GOOD FRIDAY (1980)

The Long Good Friday is one of those films that I kept trying to see but every time something would stop me from seeing either the disc was knackered or the sound was fudged so when i found out that Anchor Bay were releasing a 3 disc special edition DVD and I thought i have to have that, and when it turned up i stuck the disc in the dvd player and was instantly blown away, LGF is one of the best portrayals of the east end underworld i have ever seen. Bob Hoskins as Harold Shand is just phenomenal and he is equally well supported by Helen Mirren. Just an outstanding Gangster/Crime thriller.

RESERVOIR DOGS (1991)

I first saw Reservoir Dogs around '95, and got instantly hooked on the style of Tarantino. Everything from the plot and how instead of showing the robbery we see the after effects, The characters and how each one is named after a colour and the banter between the characters from the opening 10 minute diner scene to the conversation about Kristy Love in the car with Mr. Orange. For me this is the greatest Crime thriller because everything seems perfect and i can't help but get engrossed in the film every time i see it. The use of music in Dogs is spot on and using a fake radio station that plays old classic American rock and motown is genius. K-Billy's super sounds of the 70s...