Every Martin Scorsese Film Ranked Worst To Best

"As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster."

So begins Martin Scorsese's greatest film, Goodfellas, a sweeping, violent and extraordinarily stylish tale of organised crime and moral corruption. Ray Liotta stars as Henry Hill, a real-life gangster who, alongside mentor Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) and "funny guy" Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci), quickly made a name for himself on the mean streets of New York City.

No movie since The Godfather better captured the ins and outs of the mobster lifestyle, only with Goodfellas Scorsese crafted a movie that wasn't only eye-opening and brutal, but colourful, humorous, and intensely rewatchable.

The all-star cast is exceptional, but it's Pesci's ad-libbing, scene-stealing turn as motor-mouthed Tommy that is the most iconic and recognisable of the bunch. Like Tommy, Goodfellas itself is charismatic, savage but strangely likeable. Scorsese makes the mob look exciting and cool, but doesn't shy away from its violent and dangerous downsides.

Martin Scorsese has created some of the greatest flicks in cinema history, but when all is said and done, none are as great as Goodfellas, his true masterpiece.