Thursday, 14 October 2021
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."
Monday, 11 October 2021
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."
Sunday, 10 October 2021
The Serpent (2021)
The twisting, real-life story of Charles Sobhraj, a murderer, thief and seductive master of disguise, who was a hidden darkness in the mid-70's on Asia's hippie trail.
Solid, extensive mini-series is captivating due to its terrifying subject, offers good locations details and adequate performances, but its narrative is a bit too complex and serendipitous and it ultimately fails to shed light on its protagonist's motivation.
