The Great Gatsby is a 2013 American romantic drama film based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel of the same name. The film was co-written and directed by Baz Luhrmann and stars Leonardo DiCaprio as the eponymous Jay Gatsby, with Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher and Elizabeth Debicki.
Luhrmann’s adaptation is notable for its contemporary setting, which he chose as a way to make the novel more relatable for a 21st-century audience. The film divided critics, with praise going to its acting performances, direction, screenplay, visuals, and musical score, and criticism focused on its length, accuracy to the novel, and characterization of Daisy Buchanan.
Movies like The Great Gatsby offer a glimpse into the lifestyles of the rich and famous. They also provide a window into what can happen when one’s past catches up with them. If you’re looking for a film that will keep you entertained and engaged, here are the list of the nine best movies you can watch
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1. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
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The Wolf of Wall Street is a 2013 American biographical black comedy crime film directed by Martin Scorsese, based on the memoir of the same name by Jordan Belfort. It recounts Belfort’s perspective on his career as a stockbroker in New York City and how his firm Stratton Oakmont engaged in rampant corruption and fraud on Wall Street that ultimately led to his arrest and imprisonment.
The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Belfort, with Jonah Hill as his business partner and friend Donnie Azoff, Margot Robbie as his wife Naomi Lapaglia, Kyle Chandler as FBI agent Patrick Denham, and Rob Reiner as Max Belfort, Jordan’s father.
The film was a commercial success, grossing $392 million worldwide during its theatrical run to become Scorsese’s highest-grossing movie and the 17th-highest of all time. It was also nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor for DiCaprio and Best Director for Scorsese.
In 2014, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that the film’s rights did not belong to Belfort, but rather to Red Granite Pictures.
2. The Aviator (2004)
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The Aviator is a 2004 American epic biographical drama film directed by Martin Scorsese, written by John Logan, and starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes, Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn, and Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner.
The film chronicles the life of Hughes, an aviation pioneer and director of Hell’s Angels (1930), who gained fame in the 1920s as a maverick film producer and director before going on to become one of the wealthiest people in the world. But his mental health began to deteriorate after he inherited his father’s business in 1928, and he was later diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and paranoid schizophrenia.
The Aviator was released in the United States on December 17, 2004, grossing $213 million worldwide on a budget of $110 million. The film received largely positive reviews from critics, with praise going to Scorsese’s direction, DiCaprio’s performance, the supporting cast, the visual effects, and Alan Silvestri’s musical score.
The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, winning five: Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing and Best Supporting Actress for Cate Blanchett. It also won two Golden Globes: Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Actor – Drama for DiCaprio.
3. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
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Catch Me If You Can is a 2002 American biographical crime drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Jeff Nathanson. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, with Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Nathalie Baye, Linda Cardellini, and James Brolin also featuring.
The film is based on the true story of Frank Abagnale, who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars’ worth of checks as a Pan American World Airways pilot, doctor and legal prosecutor.
Catch Me If You Can was a box office success, grossing $352 million worldwide on a budget of $52 million. The film received critical acclaim, with praise going to Spielberg’s direction, DiCaprio and Hanks’ performances, Nathanson’s screenplay, John Williams’ musical score and the editing.
4. American Gangster (2007)
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American Gangster is a 2007 American biographical crime drama film directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by Steven Zaillian. The film stars Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin, Lymari Nadal, Ruby Dee, Cuba Gooding Jr., Kevin Corrigan, Carla Gugino, and Ted Levine featuring in supporting roles.
The film is based on the true story of Frank Lucas, a gangster from La Grange, North Carolina who smuggled heroin into the United States on American service planes returning from the Vietnam War, before being arrested by federal agents in 1975.
American Gangster was released in the United States on November 21, 2007, grossing $266 million worldwide on a budget of $130 million. The film received positive reviews from critics, with praise going to Scott’s direction, Zaillian’s screenplay, Washington and Crowe’s performances, and the supporting cast.
5. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)
Now Streaming on Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps is a 2010 American drama film directed by Oliver Stone and starring Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan, Eli Wallach, and Susan Sarandon. It is the sequel to the 1987 film Wall Street and follows Gordon Gekko as he tries to rebuild his life after being released from prison.
The film was released on September 24, 2010, grossing $52 million worldwide on a budget of $70 million. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise going to Stone’s direction and the performances of Douglas and LaBeouf, but criticism for its length and pacing.
6. Public Enemies (2009)
Now Streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
Public Enemies is a 2009 American biographical crime drama film directed by Michael Mann and written by Ronan Bennett and Ann Biderman, based on the non-fiction book Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933–34 by Bryan Burrough.
The film stars Johnny Depp as bank robber John Dillinger, Christian Bale as FBI agent Melvin Purvis, Marion Cotillard as Dillinger’s girlfriend Billie Frechette, and Billy Crudup as J. Edgar Hoover.
Public Enemies was released in the United States on July 01, 2009, grossing $214 million worldwide on a budget of $100 million. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise going to Depp’s performance, Mann’s direction, and the production design, but criticism for its length and pacing.
7. Scarface (1983)
Now Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
Scarface is a 1983 American crime drama film directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone, a remake of the 1932 film of the same name. The film stars Al Pacino as Cuban refugee Tony Montana who takes control of Miami’s drug trade after assassinating a powerful drug lord.
The film was released on December 09, 1983, grossing $44 million worldwide on a budget of $25 million. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise going to Pacino’s performance, De Palma’s direction, and the screenplay, but criticism for its violence and graphic images.
8. Goodfellas (1990)
Now Streaming on Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
Goodfellas is a 1990 American biographical crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Nicholas Pileggi, based on his non-fiction book Wiseguy. The film stars Robert De Niro as Henry Hill, a former mobster who cooperates with the FBI in order to testify against the members of the Gambino crime family.
The film was released on September 21, 1990, grossing $46 million worldwide on a budget of $25 million. The film received positive reviews from critics, with praise going to Scorsese’s direction, Pileggi’s screenplay, and the performances of De Niro and Joe Pesci.
9. Gangs of New York (2002)
Now Streaming on Amazon Prime, Netflix
Gangs of New York is a 2002 American historical drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian, and Kenneth Lonergan. The film is set in 1863 in the Five Points district of New York City and follows the life of Amsterdam Vallon, a young man who seeks revenge against the gang leader Bill the Butcher for the death of his father.
The film was released on December 20, 2002, grossing $193 million worldwide on a budget of $100 million. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise going to Scorsese’s direction and the performances of Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis, but criticism for its length and violence.
What are some other movies like The Great Gatsby? Let us know in the comments below!
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