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 #62 – Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

 

#62. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
Directed by: Sidney Lumet
Written by: Frank Pierson (based on The Boys in the Bank by P.F. Kluge, Thomas Moore)
Starring: Al Pacino, John Cazale, James Broderick, Charles Durning, Chris Sarandon

Dog Day Afternoon is Sidney Lumet’s intense standoff film loosely based on the true story of two bank robbers in early 1970’s Brooklyn.  Al Pacino and John Cazale star as Sonny and Sal, two men who walk into the First Brooklyn Savings Bank and hold it up for all the money in the vault.  Unfortunately for Sonny and Sal, they’ve arrived after the daily cash pickup and turn up nearly empty-handed. On top of this, their already lousy luck is about to run up – neighbouring businesses have reported suspicious activities to the police, who are on their way to the scene of the ongoing holdup. Before they know it, the bank is surrounded by police officers and their plan has been foiled.  Dog Day Afternoon is an essential New York movie, painting the city in a hot, muggy light that I’ve seen matched by few films.  Lumet and writing Frank Pierson create two erratic, flamboyant characters in Sonny and Sal, but one could argue that the film’s most compelling character is New York City itself – the passersby on the street wondering what’s going on inside, the police officers surrounding the building, those being held hostage in the bank – everything about it feels right.  Lumet and Pierson inject the film with intensity and just the right amount of dark humour – their situation is bizarre and unfortunate, but it always feels like there might be a way out for Sonny and Sal.  Dog Day Afternoon perfectly captures the newfound cynicism of the early 1970’s, leaving the romanticism of the 60’s far behind. Gone are the idealized and unrealistic characters, replaced by far more believable, flawed, and reflective modern characters.  Al Pacino’s Sonny is a great example of this dramatic shift in Hollywood and the rest of America – his character becomes something of an antihero in the eyes of the pedestrians surrounding the bank, his struggle and frustrations represent many of their own. Pacino is terrific in the film, leading John Cazale’s reluctant Sal through the ordeal, holding negotiations with officers, interacting with hostages – he commands the scene through every minute of the movie.  The always wonderful John Cazale is another highlight of the film, serving as Sonny’s more impulsive, easily panicked partner in crime.  It’s a shame that Cazale wasn’t long for the world, because he was and incredibly versatile and assured actor.  Dog Day Afternoon is essential watching for fans of crime movies – especially involving hostage negotiations or siege-like conditions.  It’s tense, it’s bizarre, it’s well-acted, and its atmosphere just can’t be beat by modern films.