“There are many things my father taught me here in this room. He taught me: keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”
Plot: The early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York is portrayed while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on his crime syndicate stretching from Lake Tahoe, Nevada to pre-revolution 1958 Cuba.
Rating: 9.5/10
I rated this one exactly the same as I did the first one, although I have to confess that I liked the first one just a bit more. The second film is really really good, but it took just a few seconds longer to really start running. I thought it was brilliant to provide some insight into Vito Corleone’s past that had made him the man he was at the time of his death. Robert de Niro did a beautiful job as young Vito – he had that same quiet quality to him that Marlon Brando had displayed in part one. Al Pacino was again my main man Michael – he did a great job with such a fascinating character and was utterly convincing yet again. Even though there is no way that he is above board, I rooted for him all the way through. His wife, played by Diane Keaton, turned so reprehensible at the end and I was furious about all her baby-killing antics. Robert Duvall was again one of my favourite characters with his cool head and loyalty to the people that raised him.
The change between the story of Vito and the story of Michael was done really well. I thought both were of extreme significance because it also highlights the love Vito had for Michael and the dynamics that shaped both of them. It also highlights the similarities between father and son and that Michael would always firstly believe in protecting his family and being the head of the family.
The best thing about these two movies is that three hours rush by and you barely notice that it is happening. I thought the scenes were extremely well laid out and progressed beautifully into each other. The score is also really well done, and I even liked the horrendous yellow couches in Michael’s home.
These two movies have definitely been the best of my Blindspot series so far 😀
Plot:Vito Corleone is the aging don (head) of the Corleone Mafia Family. His youngest son Michael has returned from WWII just in time to see the wedding of Connie Corleone (Michael’s sister) to Carlo Rizzi. All of Michael’s family is involved with the Mafia, but Michael just wants to live a normal life. Drug dealer Virgil Sollozzo is looking for Mafia families to offer him protection in exchange for a profit of the drug money. He approaches Don Corleone about it, but, much against the advice of the Don’s lawyer Tom Hagen, the Don is morally against the use of drugs, and turns down the offer. This does not please Sollozzo, who has the Don shot down by some of his hit men. The Don barely survives, which leads his son Michael to begin a violent mob war against Sollozzo and tears the Corleone family apart.
Rating: 9.5/10
So I’m sitting here visiting Zoë and she’s got a gun to my head convinced me to finally get my ass around to watch The Godfather. I’ve been dreading this for so many reasons: it’s long and I don’t really have the time to get to such long movies and it sounded extremely serious and I don’t like bleak and dragging movies. I finally sat down with Zoë to see this and even though I was threatened with disembowelment reassured that it would be okay if I didn’t like it, I can report with relief that this Blindspot choice was an excellent decision and it is one of the best movies I have ever seen.
The Godfather starts with a wedding scene that takes ages to run through but it doesn’t feel that way – it is an introduction to Vito Corleone’s attachment to family and his work ethic. It keeps running and is a phenomenal undertaking that moves from scene to scene with grace. I really enjoyed that although the Corleones make their cash through girls, it is never a cheap movie with lots of nudity and unwanted sex scenes.
The Godfather is extremely long, and although I am prone to complaining about this, I can really get myself into watching massive movies if they are really good. The Godfather does not feel like it is close to three hours as it is perfectly divided into plot lines.
The story itself is so intense it feels like the plot for a ten season series. It is beautifully laid out, covering all territories and never leaving one part of the cast ignored. There are no plot holes that are usually irritating and makes the story fall flat. There is drama, family issues, romance, violence and it is all rolled into one tight package.
The cast is astonishingly good and very well cast. Marlon Brando is menacing and so powerful and his performance is completely solid. He demands every room he enters and the amount of class and etiquette he exudes is astounding to watch. Robert Duval has this calm and collected good-guy vibe around him, yet he is often the enforcer in the family. I loved the relationship Vito and Tom had – Tom was Vito’s son in anything but blood and he was treated as such. It is also jaw dropping to see Al Pacino and James Caan so young – I had always thought they had been born as old men and had just always had distinguished airs and wrinkles and receding hairlines.
Michael (Al Pacino) was such an intriguing character. He was his father’s most beloved and Vito did everything in his power to give his son a life outside the mob world, but Michael was the one who kept sorting things out when everything went south. I eventually just kept thinking that he couldn’t catch a break – no happiness could be eternal with him. Al Pacino does an amazing job as Michael – his performance is understated and beautiful, and his expression gives nothing away (I loved that you could never guess if he was going to smile or pop you).
The character development is something that is applied to all the characters – Vito just takes everything as it comes, continues to run his empire and serve his family and goes through some rough patches while approaching a level of happiness at the end of the film. Michael Corleone starts the movie as this noble war-veteran and he ends up as such a respectable ringleader. Sonny (James Caan) convinced me he was such an ass but he had extremely redeeming qualities.
The Godfather was an absolutely a phenomenal watch that I wouldn’t exchange for the world. It didn’t feel like I lost nearly three hours of my life to entertainment, it felt that I gained three hours of entertainment history knowledge. I will gladly watch this movie again – it is the closest movie ever that approached a 10/10 for something else than the Lord of the Rings to me.
Thanks for recommending and watching this with me bestie!!!
EEK! All these movies have me super excited to see them. However, realistically I know that they will be spread over a couple of months due to exams 😦
Read, enjoy, and comment below!
Whiplash
Plot: A promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student’s potential
I’m very much with the general population excited about Miles Teller. He’s got some excellent acting skills and has an everyday attractiveness to him that I particularly appreciate. I haven’t heard one bad word about this movie and would really like to check what the fuss is about. I’ve also heard that it is intense and compelling, and I really need an intense and compelling movie in my life right now.
Furious 7
Plot: Deckard Shaw seeks revenge against Dominic Toretto and his family for his comatose brother
I’m such a massive fan of the franchise. It is buckets full of mindless fun and the characters seems like real family. Above and beyond Paul Walker’s death and his exit from the franchise, this was already a movie I was amped for before the tragic incident of his death.
The Longest Ride
Plot: After an automobile crash, the lives of a young couple intertwine with a much older man, as he reflects back on a past love.
If not only for the inappropriate comments I already wish to utter about that title, I have this thing where I love watching Nicholas Spark’s movies regardless if it is really bad or not (and let’s face it, it is mostly bad). The Longest Ride stars Scott Eastwood and Brit Robertson and seems like a very nice cheesy feast with romance and country boys making city girls fall for them. It also stars Oona Chaplin from our favourite GoT love story (fuck you, Filtch) so I would love to head out and see what these kids have to offer.
Pulp Fiction
Plot: The lives of two mob hit men, a boxer, a gangster’s wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.
This one is for my Blindspot choices. I’ve actually started it quite a few times but then I see the time it runs and I remember I have this life I need to run and get other things done. I would really like to see what the fuss is about and if I like it as much as the rest of the world.
Jurassic Park 2
Plot: A research team is sent to the Jurassic Park Site B island to study the dinosaurs there while another team approaches with another agenda.
I’m working through all these dinos movies before Chris Pratt graces our big screen with his adorable mug and getting chased by new mutant dinos, which translates as I’ve managed to watch one of them and procrastinated on the rest. The First movie is big buckets full of fun, so I can see myself really enjoying the rest of them!
The Godfather (with Zoë)
I’m the most scared to do this, because Mobster Bestie might rear her head if I don’t like this! #scared #running #formylife. This is also for my Blindspot series and it seems high time that I see why everyone loves it so much.
Insurgent
Plot: Beatrice Prior must confront her inner demons and continue her fight against a powerful alliance which threatens to tear her society apart with the help from others on her side.
I will definitely wait this one out for the DVD release. Can’t see myself really getting lyrical about it, but it will be nice to continue the series.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
IT IS FINALLY HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Zoë has been really excited about this and I thought I would also compose one after seeing her rather excellent list (I’m very original haha). I really need to watchall of these movies – they all have different reasons as to why I would want to watch them but I need to get cracking and look at them this year. Let me know what you think and which ones you would like to watch, even if they aren’t on the list!!
X-Men: First Class (2011)
IMDb: In 1962, the United States government enlists the help of Mutants with superhuman abilities to stop a malicious dictator who is determined to start world war III.
After loving The Last Stand way too damn much, I really want to see its predecessor and see if this movie also manages to be really in-depth and intense.
Interstellar (2014)
IMDb: A team of explorers travel through a wormhole in an attempt to ensure humanity’s survival.
I’m really not sure if I will like this, but I need to give it a watch. Christopher Nolan’s latest movie is the rage all over town, so even if I don’t end up loving it, I definitely need to explore that venue. I can’t see anything really overtaking Gravity for me, but we will see what we will see, right?
The Godfather (1972)
IMDb: The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.
This is for keeping friendships alive.
The Godfather Part 2 (1974)
IMDb: The early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York is portrayed while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on his crime syndicate stretching from Lake Tahoe, Nevada to pre-revolution 1958 Cuba.
This one too. I’ve never really heard a bad word about it though, so I guess it won’t be too much of a problem to watch 😀
Fury (2014)
IMDb: April, 1945. As the Allies make their final push in the European Theatre, a battle-hardened army sergeant named Wardaddy commands a Sherman tank and his five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Out-numbered, out-gunned, and with a rookie soldier thrust into their platoon, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.
Once again, I need see if the hype is really all, if it is good but not my style or if I just don’t like it one bit.
Romeo and Juliet (1996)
IMDb: Shakespeare’s famous play is updated to the hip modern suburb of Verona still retaining its original dialogue.
I actually thought of doing a FTF post for BazLuhrmann movies, but one of my favorite directors doesn’t seem to be all that into directing that often, so I’m rather going to do a week where I explore movies of him. Zoë got me this amazing boxset for Christmas with three of his movies in and I can’t wait to check out this adaption – I really hope it has Luhrmann’s distinctive flamboyant style!
Casablanca (1942)
IMDb: Set in unoccupied Africa during the early days of World War II: An American expatriate meets a former lover, with unforeseen complications.
It is shameful that I haven’t seen this classic yet. I remember that once at highschool the school’s biggest jock referred to something in Casablanca and if that absolute weirdo knows what is cracking in a movie that sounds so up my alley I best go see what this is about.
A Good Year (2006)
IMDb: A British investment broker inherits his uncle’s chateau and vineyard in Provence, where he spent much of his childhood. He discovers a new laid-back lifestyle as he tries to renovate the estate to be sold.
This movie has been on my movie list since it premiered in 2006, and yet I still haven’t seen it. It sounds so lovely and like something I would enjoy.
Invictus (2009)
IMDb: Nelson Mandela, in his first term as the South African President, initiates a unique venture to unite the apartheid-torn land: enlist the national rugby team on a mission to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
I really doubt if I will be moved to tears by an American opinion of one of the greatest moments in South-African sporting history, but I will watch this because even if I don’t like it I will gladly bitch about it for years after 😀
Magic in the Moonlight (2014)
IMDb: A romantic comedy about an Englishman brought in to help unmask a possible swindle. Personal and professional complications ensue.
Reasons to watch this:
1) Woody Allen directed it and he directed Midnight in Paris, and that may be one of my favorite artsy films, ever
2) Emma Stone
3) Colin Firth
4) ‘nuff Said
The Prestige (2006)
IMDb: Two stage magicians engage in competitive one-upmanship in an attempt to create the ultimate stage illusion.
Zoë is always telling me about this movie and then I forget the name and then the cycle repeats itself and… it is a very bad cycle you know. It sounds pretty good, all around happy reviews, I love movies about magic and stuff, so I think this is a must watch for 2015.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
IMDb: The lives of two mob hit men, a boxer, a gangster’s wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.
Yeah, I am deeply ashamed to say I haven’t seen this yet. I will watch it for obvious reasons, as well as seeing John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson in full 80’s gear (hopefully) ad with delightfully awkward hair styles.
Well then, there you have my list. Let me know what you think!!
Life of this city girl 