A rare sequel that improves on its absolutely brilliant predecessor in every respect

Rating: Null/10 (30 May 2015)

One of the best sequels of all time and the only Best Picture winner to be the sequel to a previous one, this film improves on its absolutely brilliant predecessor in every respect. Al Pacino is mesmerising as Michael Corleone and Robert De Niro gives a fantastic performance as his father Vito Corleone in the prequel storyline, which won him his first Oscar. The character was very recognisable as a younger version of the Godfather from the first film but De Niro still managed to put his own stamp on the role. Incidentally, Pacino is one of only two actors to be nominated for both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor for playing the same character, the other being Barry Fitzgerald who was nominated for both awards for playing Father Fitzgibbon in "Going My Way". The writing and direction are once again of an extremely high quality.
I've watched nine films which ran 3+ hours long so far this year and this is one of the best structured of those. There is a not a minute that drags. The two story lines are excellent and I loved the depiction of Michael's moral decay. My favourite scene in the film is the extremely powerful one where Kay tells Michael that she is leaving him and she aborted their child when she discovered that it was a boy as she did not want to perpetuate the next generation of Corleones. I think that Diane Keaton deserved a Best Actress nomination for the film. I was surprised that Talia Shire got a Best Supporting Actress one as, while she is excellent as Connie, she has such little screen time. Besides De Niro, the two strongest newcomers were Lee Strasberg - the legendary acting teacher who taught Pacino, De Niro, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe, among many others - and Michael V. Gazzo. Both of them were nominated for Best Supporting Actor but lost to De Niro. I thought that Robert Duvall deserved one too as his performance was even better than in the first film but I suppose that they needed to let other films get a look in!