The World is literally falling apart at the seams and for some reason, I can’t just put on my headphones and dissappear into some Allman Brother’s Jam or Quadrophenia. No, times like these call for a good movie.
Throughout the years, when times were in turmoil, two industries rose above the turmoil and did relatively well, moviemaking and alcohol. Since everyone seems to be an expert on booze, I am going to give write about movies.
Again, I am no expert or critic of any sort. What I like is completely different from what you like and there is no right or wrong so don’t flip on me. It’s my opinion and it’s my Substack, deal with it.
We are coming up on the 50th anniversary of the release of the second greatest movie ever made, The Godfather. To end the mystery quickly, The Godfather II was the greatest movie ever made.
This not because I am Italian and Italians are programmed to say that The Godfather Saga is the greatest 9 hours of moviemaking ever made. This is not because I met Mario Puzo and he lived in the next town over from me on Long Island. This not because these three movies contain more quotable lines than all of the movies that been made since 1927 combined.
No, it’s because they have done something that very few movies have ever done, they stand the test of time. Every performance in every one of these films was perfect. Perfect in every way possible. The way you are brought into the story is unique in that it is about family and each member of that family is a story unto itself. The acting is superb. The story is superb. The violence is excellent. There is not one thing wrong with any part of these films and that can not be said about any other movie.
The Saga falls off a touch in Godfather III but if the first two movies had never been made, it would stand the test of time as well.
There is no comparison that can be made and I will believe that until I “Sleep with the Fishes”
Another great movie to get lost in is “Goodfellas”. What, another Italian mobster movie! It’s more than that. The story revolves around a half Sicilian hood from the neighborhood and his Irish hood mentor. It has violence, great soundtrack and incredible acting performances. It may not have the quotable lines like the Godfather but every time I make spaghetti sauce (yea, it’s spaghetti sauce, not gravy, not pasta, spaghetti) I think about stirring the sauce and meeting my connection from Pittsburgh listening to Mick Jagger singing “Memo from Turner”.
Another picture that holds up fairly well is “Shawshank Redemption” Terrific movie and the acting is again, incredible. However, I am boycotting this movie because Tim Robbins and his Marxist wife annoy me and I refuse to have anything to do with either of them. However, it is a great movie and if you can put aside your utter disgust for 3 hours it’s worth sitting down and watching again.
My next little slice of perfection is “Silence of the Lambs”. To say that this movie was disturbing is an understatement and what makes it more disturbing is that you can love Hannibal Lecture as much as Clarisse Starling. The feeling and the mood is tense throughout and I can honestly say that the movie was as good as the book. Anthony Hopkins is as creepy a ghoul as you would ever pay good money to see and that alone makes it worth watching.
The next two are Spielberg specials, “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan”. Forget about teaching Critical Race Theory because more than half the people in this country think its BS anyway. Every school child in this country should be required to watch “Shindler’s List” and have some understanding of the Holocaust. “Saving Private Ryan” on the other hand is more war movie than moral tale but I think it might be one of the three greatest war movies on film. The first 15 minutes of the movie elevated war movies to a new plateau. Realistic and horrifying and that is what makes it a great film. It does not glorify battle, it shows the devastation and very few war film show that.
If you can find it, “Breaker Morant” is worth watching. It is a 1980 South African film about two Australian army soldiers accused of murdering several people in the Boer War. Ok, sounds like some obscure event that no one will find interesting but trust me on this one, you will never see a more intense movie than this film. While the two movies are dissimilar, it reminded me a little of “A Few Good Men” but Breaker Morant is better and there are moral and ethical questions galore.
I could put any of Tom Cruises’ “Mission Impossible” movies here but the Cruise film that I think still stands up very well is “The Last Samurai”. It is an epic film and that is something that Hollywood used to be very good at but now it’s franchises that make little sense.
This movie doesn’t hold up as well as “Saving Private Ryan” but I still enjoyed “Patton”. He was just a badass General that was looking for a fight and the Nazis gave him one. Old “Blood and Guts” was as tough as they come and he expected everyone to be as tough. Where did heroes like him go?
There are dozens more but my last selection is the classic “Chinatown” . LA film Noir at its best. Jack Nicholson is Mr Gitties and he is a private dic in LA working for Faye Dunaway. It has twists and turns and the whole thing doesn’t come together until the last ten minutes of the film. Roman Polanski directed and he has a very cool cameo in the film. I think he left town right after the filming ended.
I completely agree with 1 and 2 which are the only ones I've seen from your list. Its great to read an opinion when some agrees with you. Thanks for the great reviews, looks like I have some catching up to do.
Great substack to the ending of this week! Bobby and I added some movies to our weekend watching!