My pick: The Departed

When I think of iconic directors, I think of Scorsese. He started making films in 1967 and is still producing heavy hitters today, with his most recent, Killers of the Flower Moon, coming out just under two years ago in 2023. This is another director whose filmography I had to sit with in order to pick a favorite, and another one with many correct answers. I’m sure that many cinephiles reading my list think my pick is criminal. How could I select The Departed? If I wanted a mob film, Scorsese has directed incredible movies like Goodfellas, Casino, and The Irishman; why not pick those? I could have, and all are great in their own right. To me, though, The Departed is the sleeper hit of Scorsese’s repertoire. This is a mob movie, but it’s so much more than that. To me, it feels more like an organized crime film than a proper mob movie. Scorsese has another one of those (Gangs of New York), but The Departed still prevails to me. This is another long one, a trend you’ll find on this list, with a runtime of 151 minutes, but I assure you it doesn’t feel long. This one is twisty and turny and will have you on the edge of your seat. On top of the fantastic writing, the expert camera work, and excellent set design, the cast is star-studded with names like Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson. Please, please, please check this one out. If you like it, Scorsese has plenty of other mob movies and plenty of other non-mob movies that are truly exceptional. My runner-up is Shutter Island, which is also underrated in my opinion, and a fun thriller if you’re looking for something on the spookier side.