One of the main events of this year’s Los Angeles Film Festival (June 18-28), is the premiere of Public Enemies. This gangster movie, set in the 30s and starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, looks very promising (and how can I object to a social media campaign that encourages me to sharpen my bank robbing skills?) - adding to the list of great gangster movies made during the last 20 years.

I say that the 1990s and 2000s have been the Golden Age of Gangster Movies. (The 70s had the two Godfather movies and Mean Streets, but not much more.) To prove my point, I chose the ten best gangster movies/TV series of each decade, set in a fierce head-to-head battle to determine which was the superior decade. Here are the results…

10. Brother (2000) vs. Bugsy (1991)

Or: Takeshi Kitano vs. Warren Beatty

Brother: As with Takeshi Kitano’s previous films, Zen stillness contrasts with sudden macho eruptions into violence. The film takes a uniquely Japanese look at the male psyche, comparable to Takeshi’s American counterparts like Peckinpah, Tarantino, and Abel Ferrara. Offbeat and strangely subdued, the story of a Yakuza mobster and his black half-brother trying to take over the LA drug scene delivers all the gangster goods.

Bugsy tells the true story of legendary New York mobster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel (Warren Beatty). The married Bugsy falls hard for strong-willed actress Virginia Hill (Annette Bening). Together Bugsy and Virginia - with backing from the mob - start building The Flamingo hotel and casino, hoping that their dream of legal gambling and five-star entertainment will entice the masses and rake in the big bucks…

And the winner is: Brother (one of Takeshi’s best movies).

9. Running Scared (2006) vs. The Godfather: Part 3 (1990)

Or: Surprisingly great vs. Surprisingly average

Running Scared: In a film dedicated (in the closing credits) to Sam Peckinpah, Walter Hill and Brian De Palma, director Wayne Kramer splatters the screen with a level of violence that would make those masters proud. Drained of bright colors, stylish and feverishly fast-paced, this find-and-get-rid-of-a-hot-gun movie is one bloody thrill-ride.

The Godfather Part 3: Francis Ford Coppola’s finale for the epic Mafia saga once again stars Al Pacino as the aging don of the infamous Corleone family. Here he is on the verge of legitimizing the family business with the help of his nephew, Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia). However, failing health and treacherous Mafioso colleagues keep him in the life of crime. Although Coppola reunited many of the same cast and crew from the first two Godfather movies, this one wasn’t on the same level.

And the winner is: Running Scared (fantastic underrated movie).

8. Road To Perdition (2002) vs. Miller’s Crossing (1990)

Or: Slow, atmospheric period piece vs. Slow, atmospheric period piece

Road to Perdition: Tom Hanks is outstanding as a man of action with little time for words; Paul Newman proves why he’s a screen legend; and Jude Law makes the most out of his screen-time as a creepy, parasitic hitman. Even in the harshest moments, Sam Mendes reminds the audience that this is a film about fathers and sons. That’s what elevates it from an atmospheric gangster flick to a truly astonishing work of art.

Miller’s Crossing is a violent, compelling work from the Coen brothers about an Irish gangster (Albert Finney) and his trusted lieutenant and counselor (Gabriel Byrne) who find their domination of the town threatened by an ambitious Italian underboss. Just as the threat intensifies, their friendship dissolves over a woman (Marcia Gay Harden). When one joins ranks with the enemy, bloody gang war erupts…

And the winner is: Road to Perdition (A tribute to Newman: two great movies, but the Coen Brothers will have the chance to make more great gangster movies).

7. Eastern Promises (2007) vs. Donnie Brasco (1997)

Or: Viggo Mortensen vs. Al Pacino

Eastern Promises has many of the ideas, themes and obsessions that run through David Cronenberg’s work. And he has found a very effective muse in Viggo Mortensen. Full of graphic killings and fight sequences, the movie is also a weighty piece for fans of intelligent, well-crafted crime thrillers.

Donnie Brasco is based on the autobiography Donnie Brasco, My Undercover Life in the Mafia, by former undercover agent Joseph D. Pistone. Directed by Mike Newell and starring Johnny Depp and Al Pacino, it’s a story about loyalties divided when an undercover cop and a criminal form a criminal partnership that jeopardizes the cop’s mission and blurs the boundaries between the law and the underworld.

And the winner is: Eastern Promises (two captivating undercover stories, but Promises wins by a narrow margin).

6. A History Of Violence (2005) vs. Carlito’s Way (1993)

Or: Viggo Mortensen vs. Al Pacino (and Viggo Mortensen)

A History of Violence: David Cronenberg, whose films often deal with the fantastic, the futuristic, and the supernatural, has masterfully created a wholly believable modern world where evil lurks around every corner. Howard Shore’s tense, moody music complements the outstanding acting by Viggo Mortensen in a violent, powerful film.

Carlito’s Way: Brian De Palma, who directed Al Pacino a decade earlier in Scarface, made this seem almost like that film’s sequel. There’s plenty of elaborate tracking shots and suspenseful set pieces, most memorably a pulse-pounding chase through Grand Central Station. It’s adapted from two novels by New York Supreme Court Judge Edwin Torres based on his childhood in East Harlem.

And the winner is: Carlito’s Way (another close call, this time between two starting-over stories).

5. American Gangster (2007) vs. Casino (1995)

Or: Ridley Scott vs. Martin Scorsese

American Gangster: British director Ridley Scott may seem an odd choice for an all-American crime drama, but thanks to screenwriter Steve Zallian, as well as Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, the movie creates a convincing portrait of two men who are neither entirely good nor entirely bad.

Casino shares many similarities with Goodfellas, including a script that was co-written by Martin Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi. Scorsese’s regulars Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci are first rate here as mismatched companions, but it is Sharon Stone who steals the show with her grueling, intense performance.

And the winner is: Casino (Now concentrate on the following challenging mathematical conditions: Denzel Washington + Crowe = Pesci + De Niro; Carla Gugino ≠ Sharon Stone. And some would say that Scott tried to = Scorsese. In other words, it’s like Scorsese trying to make Alien 5).

4. Snatch (2000) vs. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

Or: Guy Ritchie vs. Guy Ritchie

Snatch: Gangsters, Irish gypsies, and a dog that can’t stop swallowing things… With a gritty urban soundtrack, a cast of intricately developed characters, and superbly witty dialogue, this is one of the most zany, complex diamond heists ever portrayed in film.

Lock, Stock: A wild and tangled crime adventure involving gangsters, this brutally comic tale about a group of London friends who find themselves deep in debt to an East End tough is fast-paced and stylized. Director-writer Guy Ritchie’s debut weaves a tangled web of shady, eccentric characters and multiple storylines, who meet in a gleeful explosion of murder and mayhem.

And the winner is: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (originality has its edge).

3. The Departed (2006) vs. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Or: The roof/elevator scene vs. The ear scene

The Departed: Martin Scorsese filched the basic storyline from the masterful 2002 Hong Kong action film Infernal Affairs, in which a policeman goes undercover as a mobster and a mobster infiltrates the police. With Leonardo Di Caprio and Matt Damon as the leads, Scorsese gradually unravels his strong supporting cast, including Jack Nicholson (as a De Niro stand-in?), Ray Winstone, Mark Wahlberg and Vera Farmiga. This is the movie that finally brought Martin his well-deserved Oscars.

Reservoir Dogs is a brutally funny, supercharged introduction to Quentin Tarantino’s supremely distinctive cinematic vision, which was later to become one of the most mimicked styles of the 1990s. The movie remains one of the most influential motion pictures of the last generation.

And the winner is: Reservoir Dogs (by an ear).

2. Infernal Affairs (2002) vs. Pulp Fiction (1994)

Or: East vs. West

Infernal Affairs: A huge blockbuster in Asia, this landmark of Hong Kong cinema deserves the same status around the world. Unlike many contemporary Hong Kong films, this steers clear of over-the-top action in favor of a more stylized and subtle story that builds on emotional and psychological tension. For plot, check the head-to-head above.

Pulp Fiction changed the face of independent cinema forever, making it a legitimate player in the Hollywood mainstream. The all-star cast stepped into their roles with obvious glee, and Tarantino once again used his soundtrack to up the “cool” ante, making for a motion picture event that has worked its way into pop-culture jargon.

And the winner is: Pulp Fiction (The West is having a good run this year, first the Lakers, now Pulp Fiction).

1. The Sopranos (1999-2007) vs. Goodfellas (1990)

Or: TV vs. Cinema

The Sopranos is the most influential and acclaimed TV series ever (with maybe Lost breathing down its neck). James Gandolfini, in the role of a lifetime, made viewers empathize with a ruthless gangster/murderer on a weekly basis. Tony’s other Mafiosos, including Steven Van Zandt as the over-the-top Silvio Dante, Michael Imperioli as loose cannon Christopher Moltisanti, and of course Tony Sirico as Paulie Walnuts: the man and the haircut will all not be forgotten so quickly.

Goodfellas: Many consider this Scorsese’s best movie alongside Taxi Driver. Some even rate it above The Godfather as the best gangster movie ever. I think it’s a great movie, with wonderful performances from Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta, but both of the first Godfather movies are a bit superior.

Lorraine Bracco with roles both in The Sopranos (Dr. Melfi) and in Goodfellas (Karen Hill) is in a win-win situation here. She clinches the no.1 spot together with her patient, Tony Soprano.

And the winner is: The Sopranos (you try telling Tony Soprano that you’re picking Goodfellas over him).

In conclusion: I am calling it a tie; perhaps with a slight advantage to the 90s. Public Enemies could tip the scales in favor of the new millennium; it all depends on whether Christian Bale can act as a law enforcer besides Batman (See what you think of the new clips over on Get the Big Picture). And not a word about John Connor…

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