Every Martin Scorsese Movie Ranked Worst To Best

21. Kundun (1997)

In one of his most visually arresting films, Scorsese takes a wide but intimate look at the life and times of the 14th Dalai Lama, as well an in-flux Tibet, and does so with a tenderness bound to leave even the most cynical of audiences deeply moved.

That's not to say that Kundun is perfect - in fact, the very scope of Roger Deakins' dependably gorgeous cinematography often overshadows the emotion Scorsese is aiming for, but when the director settles on the intimate, the drama becomes a feat of resounding humanity and enlightenment.

Occasional emotional distance aside, Kundun is a journey impossible to shake, not least because of Scorsese's effortless ability to explore the complexities of religious turmoil, and finding purpose in the face of something bigger than us all.