“Tell me, do you spend time with your family?”
“Sure I do.”
“Good. Because a man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.”

Mamma Mia, that’s-a-spicy movie!

I’m a fraud no more: I can say that I’ve watched The Godfather, which is revered by so many to be the greatest movie of all-time. And I totally see why, as I’m currently still recovering from this visceral, masterfully-crafted film. Will be queueing up Part II some time this week, with Part III not far behind (though admittedly am not as excited to watch that one).

Marlon Brando is iconic as Don Vito Corleone. Talk about a presence. To command so much attention while reading lines off of cue cards… not many can do that. What an interesting trivia fact.

Al Pacino’s performance as Michael Corleone was also stellar. Michael grows into a more interesting character as the film progresses, and the growth and becoming of Michael is top-notch. Al Pacino in Act 3 is just so intense and powerful. He never really raises his voice, but there’s something about his eyes. I thought to myself a couple times, “sweet Baby Jesus, just take the deal! You idiot, Pacino’s gonna have you killed!”

James Caan was the movie’s scene-stealer in my opinion, though I’m sure many people agree with my sentiment. While Brando & Pacino were the film’s more central and “leading” actors (though Pacino was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 1973 Academy Awards), Caan’s performance as Sonny Corleone, the feisty hot-head son of Don Vito, was so powerful — I felt his anger through the screen for all of his enemies, foes, or his sister’s deadbeat husband. 

You don’t need to read a super long review on Letterboxd. This movie is iconic. And revered for good reason. It’s perfect. The Baptism sequence at the end — wow, oh, wow. The movie builds up to that climactic moment. And it’s awesome & it’s important & it’s meaningful.

Leave the gun, take the cannolis.