I don't have ten,
but here are my usual top 5:
5. The Godfather Part III
I was lucky in that I didn't see any of the Godfather movies til much later in life than most people. I didn't get the chance to watch 'em until sometime during my early college years. And the first one I saw was the third installment. So I got to see it without the comparison of it's 2 predecessors.
And, IMO, on it's own, it's a very good mobster movie. Obviously, it can't compare to the first two, but in the genre of mob-flicks, it kicks it's own particuler brand of mafia ass.
Plus, with it's redemption-themed, politically-charged corporation/Vatican storyline,
it's a pretty godd@mn smart movie, too.
Now while I know that I will always be in the minutest of the minority in regards to this film, I don't care, I still like it, b#tchez. And I still find watching the whole series as a trilogy to be quite a fulfilling movie-viewing experience.
Now, if only Sofia Coppola would've gotten shot at the beginning of the film instead of the end, maybe this film would get a little bit more respect.
4. The Conversation
A classic suspensful thriller by FFC that hardly gets any mention when discussing great films, probably b'cuz it was released the same year as The Godfather Part II, & therefore it kinda got overshadowed. The Conversation is a movie that you just can't go wrong with as it's a work by a director at the height of his prime, & stars the always dependable Mr. Gene Hackman in the central role along with the late great John Cazale, an actor who in his short film career, never starred in any movie rated less than an A+.
3. Apocalypse Now
For me, the "2001: A Space Odyssey" of the war genre in that it's a story of a long journey that culminates into a meeting with a strange godlike figure. And even though you might not know what it all meant, in the end, what you
do know is that whatever it was, it was pretty damn epic & pretty damn cool.
The imagery & the surrealness of the film all lead up into a piece of work that could've easily been a number 1 film fave on any other director's filmography. And yet, for Mr. Coppola, the fact that there are still two more that IMO, are even better than this "arty" war epic, is a great example that the 70's was a period of time that showcased this particular director, as I stated in my previous entry, in his prime.
BTW, Hearts Of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse, a documentary that follows the true story of how Apocalypse Now was made, is not only a great companion piece to this film, but a also a great piece of cinema on it's own (definitely worth it's own viewing).
2. The Godfather Part II
Lightning strikes twice for Fran-Ford-Copp as he continues the saga of la famiglia Corleone, this time, with an interjecting prologue story starring a Sicilian speaking Robert De Niro.
If all sequels could match the quality ratio that this one did with its predecessor, the world would be a much better place, in a way we probably couldn't even imagine. Heck, I'd bet that there probably wouldn't be any more wars.
Like,
ever.
Yep. That's the power of a good sequel.
1. The Godfather
I won't go much into why not only is this such a great movie, but also why it's my fave film of all time,
because, seriously, what can I add that hasn't already been said about this classic a thousand times before.
I will just mention that one of the times when I first realized just how much this film had ingrained itself in my very being had to do with one of my favorite scenes in the whole movie. It was Vito Corleone's "...And that I do not forgive" speech which he gives during the meeting with the various top family leaders. I always thought that people who memorized large chunks of dialogue from movies as a way of entertaining & impressing others, were just huge nerds. Then one time, on a date, I found myself actually reciting this entire speech to the young lady whom I was with. Til then, I didn't even realize that my mind had subconsciously memorized it.
It's amazing the things one can find out about one's self when they're trying to get into a girl's pants.*
*(BTW, I was young. I didn't realize at the time what it took to impress the ladiez....)
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