Thursday, November 25, 2010

And so it begins ...


Tonight, as I made my way through Blockbuster, I was dismayed by the lack of quality movies to rent. And since I've seen almost every movie that has come out in the past ten years, I decided it was a bit hopeless to expect anything promising to come from the new release section.

Well, I made my way to the other sections and I figured it would do me best to start with drama. There are so many movies I haven't seen. There are more movies than I'd like to admit that I haven't seen which are basic and necessary for any serious film viewer. So, after facing the truth, I decided it was time to rent the Godfather Part I. About four years ago, I tried to watch the first installment. However, it was really late at night, I was home alone, and by the time that I got to the part where the dead horse's head ends up in the bed, I chickened out. But not this time. I made my Dad watch it with me and I quickly became enthralled. I no longer question the brilliance, on any level, of Al Pacino. His role as Michael Corleone was impeccable. I can not wait to watch the second part; I read that it received more acclaim that the first. I am also hoping that Diane Keaton surfaces more and that her character develops. I have a feeling that her relationship with Michael will truly shape his role as the head of the family business, but I could be wrong.

After realizing that I needed to buckle down and finish the Godfather trilogy, I decided to make a list of other movies I must see over the next year. The following is the modest list I compiled. Suggestions are more than welcomed:
Scarface
Lawrence of Arabia
Star Wars (I know, please don't condemn me.)
The Graduate
Taxi Driver
Out of Africa
Unforgiven
The Mission
Raging Bull
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Annie Hall
The Deer Hunter
Pulp Fiction (Again, I know. Apply the personal testimony of the first viewing of the Godfather part I above to this film as well.)

2 comments:

W. Travis McMaken said...

*chuckle

Seriously, how could you not have seen these movies?

I'm not sure you'll be satisfied with Kate's development in GF2, and she isn't directly responsible for Michael's development. But! Family is, and she's a part of that. One of the few redeeming qualities of GF3 (and there are a few!) in my mind is the way she get's developed - Michael too, for that matter.

Kait Dugan said...

I'm not quite sure how I missed viewing such monumental cinematic achievements, but the error will be rectified soon enough!

Thanks for letting me know about the GF development. It is incredible to see Keaton in her early years as I admire her as an actress. I simply appreciated how she knows a bit more about the activities of the Corleone family than the other wives (or so the movies imply). And I was impressed by how much Michael treated her as more of a partner rather than a domestic accessory (at least in GF pt. 1), which was so countercultural to not only his time period, but his family and his other brief marriage.

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