25. The Godfather Part II (1974)
Yes, this is my favorite Godfather movie. Why, you ask? Mostly because of the backstory of Vito Corleone, a young Italian immigrant played by Robert De Niro who would of course later become Marlon Brando. It’s such a captivating and revealing look at the dark side of the American dream and why organized crime exists.
In addition to this, it shows Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) a few years after the first film, in which he is every bit as ruthless as he was at the end. This narrative is very strong, too, but I do prefer the flashbacks to Vito’s youth.
This is a very long movie but it’s entertaining the whole way through. Michael emerges as a true villain and you can’t take your eyes off him.
24. The Searchers (1956)
One of the most emotionally resonant of all westerns and probably John Wayne’s best film, The Searchers is the story of Ethan Edwards (Wayne) hopelessly pursuing the Indians who killed his family and kidnapped his niece. Edwards is such an interesting character because he has your sympathies for what happened to him and his family but he’s also a racist and a great deal of what he does in the film is very wrong. This is what makes this stand up better than a lot of the old westerns: the social problems it addresses.
The scenery is absolutely beautiful, filmed in John Ford’s favorite location of Monument Valley. The music perfectly accentuates the scope.
This movie has a good deal of comic relief, too, such as the wedding scene, which has me laughing out loud every time I see it.
It’s got great characters, some great scenes of action, and some very powerful moments. Definitely worth seeing.
23. GoodFellas (1990)
GoodFellas, to my limited knowledge, is the most accurate film depiction of life in the mafia. It’s exciting, suspenseful, entertaining, provocative, and occasionally funny.
It’s a Martin Scorsese film and my favorite of all of his that I’ve seen. Everything about it is wonderful—its acting and its characters, its captivating story about the rise and fall of someone in organized crime.
The directing is really outstanding. This is one of those movies you absolutely need to see before you die.
22. The Right Stuff (1983)
I think the only possible complaint someone could have on this movie is that it’s very long. But in its defense, how could you make a film of the Mercury Program and make it any less than three hours? There’s so much history and information in this movie that it really had to be as long as it is.
The Right Stuff is an epic film on the origins of the Space Race, and all the American heroes that were a part of it. But it starts with planes and the breaking of the sound barrier, perfectly setting up the theme of the rapid changing of technology and the earth.
It’s a very interesting movie, full of historical detail, character development, outstanding acting by an ensemble cast, and some great examples of true American heroism.
21. Schindler’s List (1993)
Schindler’s List is certainly one of the greatest films ever made. Steven Spielberg directs the Holocaust drama wonderfully, capturing the horrors of the Holocaust and including his signature inspirational humanism.
It’s a brutal film and quite difficult to watch, the main reason why I’ve only seen it once. It’s a movie you need to be in the mood to see, but it’s also a movie that will certainly not let you down. It’s so well acted and well made, and is incredibly powerful.
No comments:
Post a Comment