The Godfather Part II (1974)

5/5

Some have named it the best sequel ever made. Some suggest it is better than the first and therefore place it on the pedestal of best movie ever made. No matter what hyperbole you give it, the quality of this film is undeniable. Nearly every scene found me muttering to myself, "This scene is amazing." To quote each memorable line would be to read the script entire. Nino Rota's score is better than in the first. The cinematography has also improved while remaining surprisingly noir. But the acting is definitely the finest moment of this movie.

This film is essentially 3 hours of character development with 20 minutes of violence thrust upon it. Characters like Kay and Fredo were minor in the first one, but essential in this one. And it works because all the acting are tours de force. I actually consider Cazale's acting superior to Pacino's in this film, and De Niro's on par with Brando. This is not an insult to Pacino--one of the most powerfully emotional scenes is in the night club when Michael realizes that his brother betrayed him--but the raw honesty of Cazale's acting is never on display more than when he whines. "It ain't the way I wanted it! I can handle things. I'm smart. Not like everybody says, like dumb, I'm smart and I want respect!" While Michael's reaction is more shocking, I can never forget the way Kay says, "Michael, you are blind." De Niro's Vito Corleone: every aspect of his portrayal is flawless. If I started describing each nuance, I would get too giddy remembering it to finish my thoughts. I love every scene with Fredo, every scene with Kay, and every scene with Vito. Whenever they are on screen, I am entranced.

The decision to intercut Vito's past with the present is well-founded. Though both Vito and Michael are gaining power and influence, we see Vito creating a family while Michael destroys his own, and each is all the more heartbreaking for it. Something in my stomach wells up just thinking about it; everything is so painfully touching. The last murder is outdone by the birthday scene, and is even itself outdone by the final shot of the film. Michael reflecting, pensive. Is that regret for his entire life that we start to see? Is there some redemption?

What surprises me most about The Godfather Part II is how different it is from the first. The first film was much more purposeful in its scenes and set-ups. I feel that this movie wanders, presents scenes as ambiance as a way of setting mood instead of plot points. It works well, but would much be missed if half an hour were trimmed? There was much more flamboyance in this film, overt violence in the streets instead of the underhanded threats in the dark, yelling in rage instead of fuming in silence. I also found editing to be a bit more problematic in this film. There were extremely jarring cuts that should not have been jarring. Not that all of these complaints are mistakes, but I think my preferences lie with the precision found in the first film. Either way, watching one just makes me want to watch the other.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0071562/

The Godfather (1972)

5/5

The Godfather. What can be said that hasn't already been said? This epic saga is an unforgettable foray into treacherous deception and shifting loyalties that many have termed the best film of all time. I cannot disagree with that claim. I can remember every scene of this movie; every frame burns itself into your brain. It is beautiful, it is heart-breaking, and it is amazing.

On this viewing, I paid more attention to the subtle acting of the piece. Pacino's typically flamboyant "overacting" is here perfectly underplayed. He never yells, and is more fierce in his softness. He is emotionless and business-like, and is all the more terrifying for it. "Don't ever take sides with anyone against the family again. Ever." Brando's fury is evoked in brutal glances (when Sonny speaks at the first Sollozzo meeting, watch Brando's reaction), his sadness in lowered eyelids and sagging weight (I can never forget his breakdown in the mortuary). His character is explored by his reactions: "I want no inquiries made. I want no acts of vengeance." His choice of words as essential as his delivery. Vito Corleone's business success has been due to never showing weakness, and it almost prevents him from weeping for his lost child.

My focus on minutiae exposed me to the extent of the plot's byzantine twists and turns. Coppola intercuts three different scenes together. He fast forwards, showing the plan while the characters are simultaneously discussing it. I had never noticed before just how confusing it could get because I was always utterly enraptured by it. The cinematography is spellbinding. I hadn't before realized how stylistically similar The Godfather was to film noirs. Deep shadows clothe faces and envelop bodies. Profiles and silhouettes present themselves. A chiaroscuro sepia ages the film well, emphasizing lighting over color. Off-kilter angles at tense scenes increase suspense. And unbelievable composition, framing, and movement all glued together with exceptional editing. Never have dissolves been used so effectively and so unobtrusively. The choices of when to cut and when not to (a perfect example is the first shot of the film) are intelligently made. The score by Nino Rota is so utterly absorbing; it is without a doubt one of the best ever put alongside film.

I love how every scene has a purpose, how themes are revisited and reversed; I find it sublimely poetic. Every character requesting something in the first scene must eventually repay their debt. Bonasera's story in the beginning has a truthful core and false embellishments, while Michael's denial at the end is a lie at heart but honest in motive. Analytically, Michael, Sonny, and Vito form a perfect trifecta. All business, all personal, and a combination of the two. I could go on for hours about this piece and its thematic merits, but a blog is neither the correct medium nor does it have the professional air. I would just like to end this review expressing my reverence for the film as entertainment and also as art. It must share the title of best film with The Rules of the Game.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0068646/

Rocky (1976)

4.9/5

Rocky is an amazing movie. It somehow retains its inspirational power after thirty years of cheap imitation attempts. This movie sidesteps the cliches it started because it's so much more than a sports movie or an underdog story, which is the only element the knock-offs and clones try to emulate. But Rocky also portrays a personal drama dealing with family troubles that manages to be uplifting without saccharine sentimentality. It is a hilarious and true-to-life foray into personalities and characters that the audience is rarely exposed to. Stylistically and thematically, it is a pretty dark movie throughout; the end is, however, a poignant and touching experience that will not be forgot.

Onto the negatives. I thought that pretty much every scene involving Apollo Creed was farcical and took away from the natural realism of the movie. Also, it started off a bit awkward and meandered for a while, but in the end it made its point perfectly.

You should watch this movie. And you should watch it with a group of people who love it or are excited to see it. I saw it with Kyle at the National Mall for DC's Screen on the Green, a free summer film series showing on a 60 foot screen on Monday nights starting at dusk. (Rocky was the last screening this year.) The electricity in the air was unparalleled in any movie theater I've been in and the cheers from the crowd would send your heart racing with excitement. It was quite an experience and it truly enhanced the movie in ways I could not replicate on my own.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0075148/