The Godfather: Part II (1974)

 

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.

The rare case of a sequel to a masterpiece improving, expanding and deepening the scope of the original; one of the greatest movies ever made.

On renewed viewing: Evey new viewing leaves me in complete amazement over its mastery.

Halliwell****: "Complex gangster movie, explaining the present in terms of the past and providing a comprehensive view of American society, full of good scenes and performances."

Maltin****: "They say it couldn't be done, but cowriter-director Coppola made a sequel that's just as compelling."

 

The Godfather (1972)

 

The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.

A flawless epic with mastery to be found in all parts, a true cinema classic.

On re-watching: every new reviewing reveals more fascinating details and more context in the narrative.

Halliwell****: "A brilliantly-made film with all the fascination of a snake pit: a warm-hearted family saga except that the members are thieves and murderers. Cutting would help, but the duller conversational sections do heighten the cunningly judged moments of suspense and violence."

Maltin****: "The 1970s' answer to GONE WITH THE WIND, from Mario Puzo's novel...Pulp fiction raised to the highest level; a film of epic proportions, masterfully done, and set to Nino Rota's memorable music. Absolutely irresistible."

 

Joe Kidd (1972)

 

An ex-bounty hunter reluctantly helps a wealthy landowner and his henchmen track down a Mexican revolutionary leader. 

Raucous and rather inconsistent  Western obviously tries to cash in on the success and style of the Italian Spaghetti Western genre, even utilizing their Clint Eastwood persona stereotype, all with mixed results, albeit entertaining enough along the way. 

Halliwell (no star): "Rough-and-tumble star Western with untenable moral attitudes."

Maltin**: "...ordinary Western; nice photography and a rousing scene where Eastwood drives a train through a barroom." 

Apocalypse Now (1979)

 

 

During the Vietnam War a captain is sent on a dangerous mission into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade colonel who has set himself up as a god among a local tribe.

I remember: Due to the advance hype for 'Francis Ford Coppola's Vietnam' movie the film did not fully live up to the expectations, but did provide unforgettable scenes and an feverish atmosphere of war madness.

On rewatching: Over the decades this movie has grown on me, although I still see it as a somewhat messy masterpiece; and: the French plantation scene in the final cut version is superfluous containing unnecessary pretensions.
 

Halliwell**: "Pretentious war movie, made even more hollow-sounding by the incomprehensible performance of Brando as the mad martinet. Some vivid scenes along the way, and some interesting parallels with Conrad's Heart of Darkness, but these hardly atone for the director's delusion that prodigal expenditure of time and money will result in great art. (The movie took so long to complete it was dubbed Apocalypse Later.)"

Maltin***1/2: "...a mesmerizing odyssey of turbulent, often surreal encounters. Unfortunately, film's conclusion - when he does find Brando - is cerebral and murky. Still, a great movie experience most of the way, with staggering, Oscar-winning photography by Vittorio Storaro."

 

 

Crazy Heart (2009)

 

 

A faded country music musician is forced to reassess his dysfunctional life during a doomed romance that also inspires him.

 

What could have been yet another all too familiar tearjerker is fully uplifted by Jeff Bridges' convincing (and entertaining) performance - amidst a good cast and solid direction.

Maltin***: "Amiable film admirably flirts with cliches at every turn, but Bridges' true, empathetic performance...makes this film worth seeing." 

 

 

Apocalypse Now (1979)

During the Vietnam War a captain is sent on a dangerous mission into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade colonel who has set himself up as a god among a local tribe.

I remember: Due to the advance hype for 'Francis Ford Coppola's Vietnam' movie the film did not fully live up to the expectations, but did provide unforgettable scenes and a feverish atmosphere of war madness.

On renewed viewing of the director's cut: The movie retains its feverish nightmare atmosphere (with satiric elements), but can be argued whether the additional scenes improve the original version.

Halliwell**: "Pretentious war movie, made even more hollow-sounding by the incomprehensible performance of Brando as the mad martinet. Some vivid scenes along the way, and some interesting parallels with Conrad's Heart of Darkness, but these hardly atone for the director's delusion that prodigal expenditure of time and money will result in great art. (The movie took so long to complete it was dubbed Apocalypse Later.)"

Maltin***1/2: "...a mesmerizing odyssey of turbulent, often surreal encounters. Unfortunately, film's conclusion - when he does find Brando - is cerebral and murky. Still, a great movie experience most of the way, with staggering, Oscar-winning photography by Vittorio Storaro."

Deep Impact (1998)

Unless a comet can be destroyed before colliding with Earth, only those allowed into shelters will survive.

Mediocre and quite tedious doomsday movie that makes one long for the apocalypse - and disappoints in that aspect, too.



On renewed viewing: If you don't take it too seriously, the movie can be mildly entertaining.

Halliwell*: "Something of a feel-bad disaster movie, in which the world is almost destroyed, while the audience is slowly drowned in the sticky syrup of sentimentality. What is truly striking is the poverty of imagination: the end of all life is a theme worth more than the trivial psychodramas on display."

Maltin***: "Exciting yarn...Freeman is the rock-solid U.S. president, Duvall a veteran astronaut on a space mission to explode the comet; their authorative presence adds weight to this saga, while Leoni seems a bit of a flyweight as the ambitious TV newswoman who breaks the story."

The Godfather: Part II (1974)

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.

The rare case of a sequel to a masterpiece improving, expanding and deepening the scope of the original; one of the greatest movies ever made.

On renewed viewing: I watch the Godfather trilogy at least once a year; nothing to add to my previous comment.

Halliwell****: "Complex gangster movie, explaining the present in terms of the past and providing a comprehensive view of American society, full of good scenes and performances."

Maltin****: "They say it couldn't be done, but cowriter-director Coppola made a sequel that's just as compelling."

The Godfather (1972)

The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.

A flawless epic with mastery to be found in all parts, a true cinema classic.

I watch the Godfather trilogy at least once a year; nothing to add to my previous comment.

Halliwel****: "A brilliantly-made film with all the fascination of a snake pit: a warm-hearted family saga except that the members are thieves and murderers. Cutting would help, but the duller conversational sections do heighten the cunningly judged moments of suspense and violence."

Maltin****: "The 1970s' answer to GONE WITH THE WIND, from Mario Puzo's novel...Pulp fiction raised to the highest level; a film of epic proportions, masterfully done, and set to Nino Rota's memorable music. Absolutely irresistable."

Robert Duvall

Deep Impact (1998)

Unless a comet can be destroyed before colliding with Earth, only those allowed into shelters will survive.

Mediocre and quite tedious doomsday movie that makes one long for the apocalypse - and disappoints in that aspect, too.

Halliwell*: "Something of a feel-bad disaster movie, in which the world is almost destroyed, while the audience is slowly drowned in the sticky syrup of sentimentality. What is truly striking is the poverty of imagination: the end of all life is a theme worth more than the trivial psychodramas on display."

Maltin***: "Exciting yarn...Freeman is the rock-solid U.S. president, Duvall a veteran astronaut on a space mission to explode the comet; their authorative presence adds weight to this saga, while Leoni seems a bit of a flyweight as the ambitious TV newswoman who breaks the story."

Apocalypse Now (1979)

During the Vietnam War a captain is sent on a dangerous mission into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade colonel who has set himself up as a god among a local tribe.

I remember: Due to the advance hype for 'Francis Ford Coppola's Vietnam' movie the film did not fully live up to the expectations, but did provide unforgettable scenes and an feverish atmosphere of war madness.

Halliwell**: "Pretentious war movie, made even more hollow-sounding by the incomprehensible performance of Brando as the mad martinet. Some vivid scenes along the way, and some interesting parallels with Conrad's Heart of Darkness, but these hardly atone for the director's delusion that prodigal expenditure of time and money will result in great art. (The movie took so long to complete it was dubbed Apocalypse Later.)"

Maltin***1/2: "...a mesmerizing odyssey of turbulent, often surreal encounters. Unfortunately, film's conclusion - when he does find Brando - is cerebral and murky. Still, a great movie experience most of the way, with staggering, Oscar-winning photography by Vittorio Storaro."

The Godfather (1972)

 

The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.