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Martin Scorsese is a living legend in the film industry. If anything, that's a dramatic understatement. He turns 80 at the end of 2022, and has been making films since the late 1960s. He shows no signs of slowing down, either, and looking over the Rotten Tomatoes scores of all his directorial efforts shows high-rated films in all the decades he's been working.
That's clear from his top 10 highest-rated films on the site, too, as within that top 10, films from the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2010s are all represented. There are certainly some surprises within the Rotten Tomatoes ranking, and a few classics that missed out (sorry in advance, After Hours and The Departed fans), with a couple of very unexpected films near the top. Here are the 10 highest-rated Scorsese films on Rotten Tomatoes, starting at 93% and ending at 100%.
Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story (2019) - 93%
Rolling Thunder Revue is certainly an odd movie. The second Bob Dylan documentary Martin Scorsese ever directed might be a documentary, a concert film, or something else entirely? It's often hard to tell what's fact and fiction, and this adds to the overall mythical status of a musician with the kind of legendary status that Dylan has.
With 93% of critics enjoying it, though, it scrapes by as the 10th most well-reviewed film on Rotten Tomatoes, by the site's metric. Its intentionally ambiguous style and wild presentation mean it's far from Scorsese's 10th most popular film overall, though, and does seem like the kind of odd and very artsy project critics are more likely to flock to than most filmgoers.
Hugo (2011) - 93%
Hugo gets the edge over Rolling Thunder Revue due to it having more reviews, even while the approval rating from critics is ultimately the same. It's a departure from many of Scorsese's darker, more violent, crime-focused films, in that Hugo is actually something of a family film.
It's about a young boy who befriends one of the most significant filmmakers of the late 1800s/early 1900s, Georges Méliès, whilst also discovering secrets about his father's mysterious past. As a love letter to old films, it's hugely successful, even if some of the more "family film" elements feel a tiny bit off. Still, Scorsese should be commended for trying something new more than 40 films into his career, and critics seemed appreciative of the efforts, going by their positive reviews.
Raging Bull (1980) - 94%
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94% is an incredibly high score, but it's a little surprising that Raging Bull isn't a tad higher. After all, it's one of Martin Scorsese's absolute best, and close to a perfect film all around. Doesn't hurt that it contains what might be the greatest Robert De Niro performance of all time, which also won him his second acting Oscar.
Raging Bull stands is a brilliant biopic that stands out from most run-of-the-mill films in that genre. It pulls no punches (pun intended) in its story about the troubled and violent boxer, Jake LaMotta, and with its tense realism, fantastic acting, and beautiful black and white cinematography, it truly does deserve to be considered one of Scorsese's best films.
Mean Streets (1973) - 95%
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Mean Streets wasn't Martin Scorsese's very first film, but it was arguably his first great one. It's the oldest film to score a spot within this top 10, and is notable for showing many instances of Scorsese's signature style and tropes that he would favor in other films going forward (violence, bold soundtrack choices, semi-improvised dialogue, criminal characters, dynamic camerawork, etc.).
It lacks the polish of many of his later crime films, and doesn't have the most impactful of narratives, but it's a solid and important film in Scorsese's body of work. For its value as a definitive 1970s crime film, its status as one of the highest-rated Scorsese films on Rotten Tomatoes is understandable.
The Irishman (2019) - 95%
One of Scorsese's longest and most ambitious films, as well as one of his most well-reviewed, The Irishman tells the decades-spanning tale of hitman Frank Sheeran's possible involvement with the disappearance of union leader Jimmy Hoffa.
It uses its long runtime to explore universal themes of grief, regret, growing old, and memory. The use of de-aging is interesting (if admittedly imperfect) and lets its three stars - Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino - remain on screen for as long as possible, and all are phenomenal. It's a slower and sadder take on the crime film, reflecting the age of Scorsese and his main actors, but it does pack a tremendous punch, and makes for a long and absorbing watch.
Taxi Driver (1976) - 96%
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Taxi Driver once again stars Robert De Niro (who seems to show up in many of Scorsese's most loved films) as a lonely taxi driver in New York who becomes fed up with the world around him and decides to take a stand against it in increasingly violent ways, all the while his mind is progressively unraveling.
It's a personal, disturbing, and uncompromising film, and for that reason, probably one that's best watched alone. But it is fantastic, with its mesmerizing lead performance and constant sense of dread and unease, and deserves to sneak into the top five highest-rated Scorsese films on Rotten Tomatoes.
Goodfellas (1990) - 96%
Surprisingly, the highest-rated non-documentary in Martin Scorsese's filmography - according to Rotten Tomatoes - is Goodfellas. It follows Henry Hill - mostly throughout the 1970s and 1980s - as he narrates the story of his life in the mafia, and the ups and downs that come with the gangster lifestyle.
All the style and filmmaking techniques first established in Mean Streets were perfected by the time Goodfellas came to fruition, some 17 years later. Scorsese is on fire throughout, and the film is undoubtedly one of the best directed of all time. For the great music, great acting, compelling story, and modern spin on the classic "rise and fall" gangster narrative, Goodfellas earns its reputation as a cinematic classic.
The Last Waltz (1978) - 98%
Scorsese's made quite a few music documentaries, including two about Bob Dylan, one about The Rolling Stones, and another about George Harrison. But The Last Waltz - which is about The Band's farewell tour - is his highest-rated on Rotten Tomatoes.
It serves as a well-made document of a historically significant concert, and also has some engaging interviews, particularly with The Band's frontman, Robbie Robertson, who would go on to help produce and compose music for several of Scorsese's later films. Its place in this ranking over films like Taxi Driver and Goodfellas might be a little strange, but maybe the critics on Rotten Tomatoes just really, really like classic rock.
A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995) - 100%
The second highest-rated Scorsese film on Rotten Tomatoes is A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies, which is about exactly what you'd expect, based on its very descriptive title.
Over about four hours, Scorsese narrates a history of the American film industry, and provides commentary on some of his favorite films from the U.S. It's surprisingly entertaining to hear Scorsese talk about films for 1/6th of a day, and his passion for the artform ensures his insights never get boring. It may not be the most elaborate Scorsese film, but it's understandable why all the Rotten Tomatoes reviewers who've seen it have rated it positively.
My Voyage to Italy (1999) - 100%
The highest-rated Scorsese film on Rotten Tomatoes is very similar to his second-highest-rated, though instead of American films, My Voyage to Italy covers the history of Italian cinema. It has a similar runtime, and like his epic documentary on American cinema, My Voyage to Italy also has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
It may be a little more personal than his other film documentary, as Scorsese uses it as an opportunity to discuss his Italian heritage, and how important it was to see Italian movies on the big screen as a youngster. It's unsurprisingly an engaging and informative watch.