It's a peculiar thought, but while most people hate criminals in real life, crooks and bandits are some of the most popular characters in fiction. Maybe that is why we love crime thrillers so much. And if just thinking about it makes you crave a crime movie, here are ten films you can stream on Apple TV+.
The Town (2010, 7.5 on IMDb)
Adapted from Chuck Hogan's Prince of Thieves and directed by and starring Ben Affleck, this crime thriller follows Doug MacRay, the leader of a Boston bank robbery gang. Unlike many thugs, Doug could have had a better life, but he chose to follow in the footsteps of his bank robber father. Over the years, Doug has become a ruthless robbery machine, but everything begins to change when he falls in love with a victim of one of his recent crimes.
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023, 7.6 on IMDb)
Martin Scorsese's 2023 Western crime drama starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro had a tough time at the recent 96th Academy Awards, being nominated in ten categories but winning none. Set in the 1920s, the film explores a series of murders of members of the Osage Nation of Oklahoma after oil is discovered on the reservation and many corrupt powers set their sights on the mineral-rich land.
The Departed (2006, 8.5 on IMDb)
Another Martin Scorsese film on the list, this star-studded crime thriller revolves around Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Jack Nicholson, and Martin Sheen's characters, Boston-area cops and mobsters, as they strive to eliminate each other. The movie focuses on two friends, Trooper Billy Costigan Jr., who is assigned to join the mob as an undercover cop, and Staff Sergeant Colin Sullivan, who is the mob's mole within the police force, as they are pitted against each other in this power game.
The Godfather (1972, 9.2 on IMDb)
Based on Mario Puzo's novel of the same name, the first film in the series chronicles ten years in the life of the Corleone family, from 1945 to 1955, as they run their illegal family business in New York and challenge the authorities with all their might. The movie focuses on Michael Corleone's journey from despising his family and their dirty activities to becoming the ruthless head of the business.
The Godfather Part II (1974, 9.0 on IMDb)
The second installment of Francis Ford Coppola's iconic crime epic delves deeper into the history of the Corleone family, serving as both a prequel and sequel to the first film. One storyline follows Michael Corleone after his ascension to Don of the family and an assassination attempt on his life. The prequel storyline focuses on Vito Corleone and explores his transformation from a Sicilian boy to the head of one of the largest Mafia groups in New York.