3. Raging Bull (1980) (Dir. Martin Scorsese)
From its beautifully-rendered, hypnotic opening title sequence, to its last very last scene which follows its broken hero into a life of mediocrity, Raging Bull feels like a defining work. Robert De Niro delivers his best ever performance as Jake La Motta, an ill-tempered middle-weight boxer whose inherent rage and sexual jealousy tear apart the lives of those around him. Martin Scorsese’s direction is impeccable, the picture filmed in crisp black and white that seems to cast the movie with a blunt, clear-headedness. Paul Schrader, who also worked with Scorsese and De Niro on Taxi Driver, delivers a script that is both heartbreaking and explosive. Three masters at work, and one perfect movie-going experience.