For me, The Godfather isn't the greatest film ever, but still one of the best

Rating: 10/10 (15 June 2006)

I can't say much that hasn't already been said a hundred times; this is a flawless masterpiece of cinema. It is considered the greatest movie ever made (and although it is not my favourite) it is rightly considered so because I can't pick out any faults in this movie. Everything from the acting (with a cast like Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, and so on) you cannot go wrong! Nino Rota's score is fantastic and superbly integrated into the film. Marlon Brando gives a powerhouse performance of a lifetime as the now infamous Don Vito Corleone and the music is now referred to as the quintessential mafia music.
Not much needs to be explained about the plot as I'm sure almost everyone knows about it. It centers around the Corleone family and their rise through the world of crime. The family consists of Don Vito (Marlon Brando), Michael (Al Pacino), Sonny (James Caan) and Fredo (John Cazale).
I could rave on for ages about why this film is so good but I don't think I need to. The actors capture their roles perfectly and give them depth and emotion. Francis Ford Coppola's directing couldn't have been better, he captures the mood of the 40's and the underground crime world perfectly. He creates an epic, soap-operish feel of a families rise to power through corruption and murder. Nothing at all looks cheap or hokey, the special effects are nasty and the cinematography is beautiful.
Basically, this movie is recommended to any person who considers them-self a movie buff (although any self-proclaimed movie connoisseur has to have seen this) or someone who just wants a cinematic gem!
5/5