6. The Godfather, Part II (1974) (Dir. Francis Ford Coppola)
Though the first Godfather film is an undeniably rich cinematic accomplishment, The Godfather Part II is the rare sequel that takes the spirit of the orignal and broadens the horizon. That’s to say, The Godfather Part II works with the same, sweeping majesty of its brother movie and uses its seeds to create arguably the greatest sequel of all-time, one that feels so necessary and essential to the understanding of the film that came before it. Everything here is measured for quality: the cinematography is gloomy, dark and haunting, the soundtrack soars, and both Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro grant two of their best-ever performances. The themes explored here, between father and son, and of family responsibility, are immortal, but ultimately The Godfather Part II succeeds because it never feels like it shouldn’t exist: not for a single solitary frame.
Published: Dec 5, 2012 05:37 pm