Top 100 Films #27 – The Godfather (1972)

 

#27. The Godfather (1972)
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Written by: Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola (based on The Godfather by Mario Puzo)
Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, Richard Castellano, Diane Keaton, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Gianna Russo

The Godfather has been parodied and paid tribute to time and time again, in various mediums and to varying degrees of success – its immediate influence on popular culture and media in general is undeniable.  Francis Ford Coppola’s Best Picture-winning film follows crime syndicate Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) and his children Michael (Al Pacino), Sonny (James Caan), Fredo (John Cazale), and Connie (Talia Shire), detailing their relationships with the syndicate, with each other, and the power held by the Corleone family and its individual members.  After Vito is shot in an assassination attempt and subsequently hospitalized, his sons Michael and Sonny do what they must to maintain power in the dark and dirty world of organized crime.  Coppola’s The Godfather helped to once again popularize the gangster drama, as it had fallen on hard times after the 1940’s.  It did this by featuring some of the most iconic characters to ever be featured in a Hollywood film, most notably Marlon Brando’s incredible take on Vito Corleone, the wise, calm and collected Don and patriarch of the Corleone family.  Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone is also introduced in the film, starting out as a kind-hearted and ambitious young man and quickly climbing the ranks of the syndicate after the hospitalization of his father.  Pacino’s Michael would go on to be further developed in Coppola’s later two films in the Godfather trilogy, turning him into the complex anti-hero we would eventually know him to be. Also noteworthy is Robert Duvall’s Tom Hagen, the right-hand man or consigliere of Vito – his quiet, sensible nature makes him stand out from the pack. The Godfather features incredible cinematography from Gordon Willis, who plays a great deal with light, creating a dark, murky, natural atmosphere that makes The Godfather feel genuine.  Nino Rota’s musical score also helps to set the tone of the film, using many stereotypically Italian compositions and a heck of a main theme to set the scene.  Francis Ford Coppola’s up close and personal look at the Italian mob changed films forever, and would inspire many subsequent crime films with dark, violent, and natural tones – an effect we’re still feeling today.  My favorite moment of the film comes in the form of a violent montage at the end of the film –  it showed a younger me just how powerful and exhilarating classic cinema can be.  Though The Godfather clocks in at nearly three hours in length, its tight pacing, incredible script, and powerhouse performances makes the time absolutely fly by – by the time it’s over, you’re thanking yourself that you still have two more films in the series.  The Godfather is a must-see for anybody interested in film, and is endlessly entertaining and influential.

Top 100 Films #30 – The Godfather Part II (1974)

 

#30. The Godfather Part II (1974)
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Written by: Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo (based on The Godfather by Mario Puzo)
Starring: Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, Talia Shire, John Cazale, Michael V. Gazzo, Lee Strasberg

The second film in Francis Ford Coppola’s epic trilogy builds on the winning formula established in the first film, but raises the stakes even higher, this time challenging viewers and daring them to sympathize with one of film’s most complicated anti-heroes.  The Godfather Part II features two main story arcs, the first focusing on Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) after his rise to Don of the Corleone crime family, and the second taking place in the early 1900’s, seeing the rise of Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) upon his arrival to America.  Michael is attempting to expand the reach of his newly attained syndicate, but is held back by internal betrayals, assassination attempts, and government interference.  In order to be seen as a truly powerful and successful Don, Michael must decide what is most important: the syndicate, or his own family.  The Godfather Part II is easily the most complex and nuanced chapter in Coppola’s trilogy, introducing a wide arrange of new characters, all of whom have their own complicated allegiances and motivations.  The screenplay is masterful, advancing the character of Michael Corleone into territory rarely explored in films up to this point – transforming him from an ambitious, conflicted young man in the first film, into a full-blooded ruthless Don in Part II.  Al Pacino’s portrayal of Michael Corleone is perhaps one of the best performances of his entire career, perfectly capturing the stark transformation of his character – every minor change in personality and attitude makes sense and comes off as entirely believable.  The performance of Robert De Niro as the young Vito Corleone is also very noteworthy, serving as a perfect launching pad for De Niro’s career to follow. Vito’s character arc in the film’s flashback scenes is very similar to Michael’s between the first two films, which adds to the story’s underlying beauty and inherent tragedy.  Francis Ford Coppola’s incredible direction and writing featured in The Godfather Part II set unmatchable standards for sequels to follow, and many would argue that it is the greatest sequel ever made.  It raises the already urgent stakes found in the first film using Michael’s own justified paranoia and his internal struggle with advancing the syndicate.  Rather than simply continuing the story and delivering more of the same, The Godfather Part II feels like the next logical step in terms of character development, plot, and themes – it’s bigger, meaner, and more challenging than the original.  Part II brought home six Academy Awards, including Best Director (Francis Ford Coppola), Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Robert De Niro), and Best Writing (Coppola and Mario Puzo) – adding to the impressive three Oscars earned by the first film.  The Godfather Part II is intelligent, intense, heartbreaking, incredibly well-paced thanks to its script, features Al Pacino in a career-best performance, and a young and hungry Robert De Niro who dominates every scenes he’s featured in.  If you’ve never seen The Godfather trilogy, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot.

Top 100 Films #81 – Manhattan (1979)

 

#81. Manhattan (1979)
Directed by: Woody Allen
Written by: Woody Allen, Marshall Brickman
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Michael Murphy, Mariel Hemingway, Meryl Streep, Anne Byrne

Woody Allen’s best years came between the late 1970’s and throughout the majority of the 1980’s, with the occasional classic being released afterward. Allen’s 1979 film Manhattan uses the winning romantic comedy formula that saw Annie Hall win Best Picture in 1977, creating a funny, charming, and highly intelligent film in the process.  While Manhattan never quite reaches the highs of the aforementioned Annie Hall, it easily places second among Woody’s prolific career.  Starring Woody Allen himself as Isaac, a TV writer obsessed with New York City who is dating a 17-year old girl named Tracy (Mariel Hemingway). Things become complicated when Isaac begins seeing Mary (Diane Keaton), the mistress of his best friend Yale (Michael Murphy).  The love triangle dynamic is a classic trope in the romantic comedy, and one that Allen has used throughout his filmography.  The difference here is that Manhattan feels much more genuine and heartfelt than many other Hollywood rom-coms, doing its best to avoid falling into cheap cliches.  The way Woody Allen portrays forbidden romance in a place like New York City comes straight from the heart, with the writer-director turning the bustling city streets into a romantic figure of its own.  Allen uses black and white photography to its full effect here, supported by the legendary cinematographer Gordon Willis.  The pair would create one of the most famous and enduring images of Woody Allen’s entire career (pictured above).  Mariel Hemingway’s Academy Awards-nominated performance is the standout of Manhattan, driving the film’s main theme of bittersweet romance almost singlehandedly in moments.  Familiar comedic turns from Woody Allen and Diane Keaton certainly don’t hurt the film, using their famous chemistry to play off one another in performances that rival those found in Annie Hall.  Manhattan is one of Woody Allen’s most beautiful films, which in a career spanning fifty years is saying a great deal.