4. High As A Kite - Once Upon A Time In America (1984)
When you think of Gangster films, Sergio Leone is unfortunately often an afterthought, more famous for his Westerns, yet his one and only foray into the world of organised crime is nothing short of epic. This film charts the life of Noodles (De Niro) in his rise to power from humble beginnings. James Woods gives the performance of a lifetime as his pal Max and this film has such a memorable score that it will stick with you for life. Iconic Moment: The entire film is played out through Noodles who, whilst out of his mind on Opium, reflects on his life- one that thrived on a life of crime and included the perils of close friendship, love and betrayal. Realising his friends are (supposedly) all dead and he has every last cent of the money they promised to share, we come to Noodles for one very last time as the shot freezes on his manically grinning face.
