Crime Films That Challenge Your Moral Compass

Description: Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Anthony Burgess's novel questions the ethics of free will and state control. It follows Alex, a violent youth, whose reformation through aversion therapy raises profound moral questions.

Fact: The film was banned in several countries due to its graphic violence. Kubrick himself withdrew it from UK cinemas after threats were made against him and his family.

Description: Francis Ford Coppola's epic saga of the Corleone family explores the moral dilemmas faced by those in the world of organized crime, focusing on family loyalty, power, and the price of success.

Fact: Marlon Brando won the Best Actor Oscar for his role as Vito Corleone, but famously refused to accept it in protest of Hollywood's treatment of Native Americans.

Description: Another Scorsese classic, this film follows Henry Hill's rise and fall in the mob, highlighting the allure and the moral corruption of the criminal lifestyle.

Fact: The film is based on the book "Wiseguy" by Nicholas Pileggi. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, winning for Best Supporting Actor for Joe Pesci.

Description: This film plays with the concept of truth and deception, exploring the moral ambiguity of its characters, especially the enigmatic Keyser Söze.

Fact: Kevin Spacey won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as Verbal Kint. The film's twist ending has become legendary.

Description: This neo-noir film set in 1950s Los Angeles explores corruption, justice, and the moral decay beneath the city's glamorous facade, through the lives of three very different cops.

Fact: The film won two Oscars, including Best Supporting Actress for Kim Basinger. It's based on James Ellroy's novel of the same name.

Description: Clint Eastwood's drama about childhood friends whose lives are altered by a tragic event, delves into themes of guilt, revenge, and the moral complexities of justice.

Fact: The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, winning two, including Best Actor for Sean Penn.

Description: Martin Scorsese's masterpiece explores the dual lives of an undercover cop and a mole in the police department, both infiltrating opposite sides. The film delves into themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the moral ambiguity of living a double life.

Fact: The film is a remake of the Hong Kong film "Infernal Affairs." It won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Description: Christopher Nolan's Batman film explores themes of chaos, order, and the moral choices one must make when faced with ultimate evil, personified by The Joker.

Fact: Heath Ledger posthumously won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as The Joker. The film is often cited as one of the best superhero movies ever made.

Description: This Coen Brothers' film examines the moral decay of society through the story of a man who finds a satchel of money and the relentless killer who pursues it. It's a meditation on fate, justice, and the loss of innocence.

Fact: The film won four Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It's based on Cormac McCarthy's novel of the same name.

Description: Ridley Scott's film about Frank Lucas, a real-life drug kingpin, examines the moral compromises made in the pursuit of power and wealth, juxtaposed with the law enforcement's own ethical struggles.

Fact: Denzel Washington was nominated for Best Actor for his portrayal of Lucas. The film is loosely based on Lucas's life.