Goodfellas
Martin Scorcese enters the fray with list veteran Robert De Niro (also in The Godfather) at the helm. De Niro plays the mentor of real-life mob associate Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), and the film follows Hill and his associates during the glory years of the mob. A real-life recollection, Goodfellas shows the glamor and the risks associated with the mob lifestyle back in the day, with the usual assortment of drugs, women, and violence. Like The Godfather and Scarface, Goodfellas is a classic mob movie you need to watch.
The Departed
Another Martin Scorcese film, The Departed is a remake of the Hong Kong film series Infernal Affairs and features a more contemporary look into organized crime than the previous three titles listed. Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson lead the way in this Irish mob centered film. Although loosely based on real life individuals, The Departed is its own story which shows both sides of the law, gangsters, and police. The film is a modern classic and entertaining in its own right.
Lawless
Maybe thinking a bit outside of the box with this one, but Lawless is a personal favorite film taking place in the prohibition era. The film follows the Bondurant brothers, played excellently by Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke, and Shia LeBeouf, as they stake their claim in the bootlegging industry. Though not an organized crime family, the Bondurants have their fair share of crimes, violence, and revenge in this well-made film. Like the other films on this list, Lawless is definitely a film I suggest watching regardless of whether you have an interest in Mafia III.
What films will you be watching before playing Mafia III? Let us know in the comments below.