The Godfather: Second Only to Goodfellas

Rating: 10/10 (4 May 2007)

The Godfather
This is one of the greatest movies ever made. Second only to Goodfellas and tied with The Godfather Part II this is the 2nd greatest movie ever made. The movie is nearly perfect.
Plot: The plot is amazing. Based on the fantastic book by Mario Puzo this cuts the book down into 3 hours. Although I like the book better, it doesn't make the movie any less.
Acting: While the plot is great, the acting is probably the strongest point in the entire movie. While I Goodfellas is just barely superior, the acting in The Godfather is superior to Goodfellas. Marlon Brando gives a very convincing performance as Don Vito Corleone(aka The Godfather) and won the Academy Award. James Caan also gives a great performance as Santino 'Sonny' Corleone which got him an Academy Award nomination. Robert Duvall: Academy Award Nomination. The biggest surprise however when this movie was released was Al Pacino. He's my favorite actor alongside De Niro and he shot to stardom overnight with his performance as Michael Corleone, giving a sympathetic yet chilling performance. Also got a nomination and should have won.
Genre/Quality: As a crime film it is a great movie. The only thing that made it less of a crime film than Goodfellas is that Goodfellas gave a more realistic and gritty look at the crime world. It isn't until Godfather Part 3 that it shows the complete dark side of the mob. This one in some ways seems to glorify it. The quality is great. Francis Ford Coppola decolorized it a bit giving it a more realistic tan look. Some of the greatest scenes ever were filmed in this movie. Finally the music is fantastic.
If Goodfellas had not been made, this and The Godfather Part II would have been the two greatest films ever made.
10/10