The Godfather part 2

Genre: Crime/Drama
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Year released: 1974

This is one of the best sequels ever, very different to the first yet still amazing. A little of the perfection that I see in the Godfather part one is drooped and the story is more complicated, part two is more deep than its prelude in my opinion. There are parts in this movie that I have not understood even in the three viewings that I have given it after reading on imdb I think I understand what happened however it slightly ruined it a little for me during the middle not knowing what was happening.

Part two is a comparison between Micheal Corleone and his father Vito Corleone, Vito died in the first movie and gave his power to Micheal in part two we flick between the 1900s-1920s with Vito growing up and slowly becoming respected and more powerful, and the 1950s with Micheal running organized crime in Nevada and Cuba. Micheal slowly ruins the Corleone family making it less powerful. The flash backs are amazing I have always liked flash backs and flash forwards looking at how people change over time. The flash backs in the Godfather part two are amazing every scene is exciting through De Niro's amazing acting and the great character of Vito Corleone. I enjoyed watching how the great Godfather started small with a couple friends slowly getting bigger and bigger. I wouldn't mind a movie just on his grow up if it were not in part 2 of the Godfather.

Micheal is very similar to Vito however fails at running his fathers business this makes us draw conclusions as to what aspect did Vito have that Micheal did not. Vito puts his family first in the flash backs and in part one, as a child a don kills his family and he escapes, Vito comes back when he is older to avenge his families death. When somebodies makes a threat about his family that person ends up dead. You fuck with Vito's family he will kill you as simple as that. Micheal seems to put business first and family second this is why he losses his wife and a few other things that would spoil stuff.

The music was not as powerful as it was in the first which was a shame as it is beautiful music that builds the movie hugely. It is better in the first because the theme song is played more it is as simple as that. I love the music and both the Godfathers have been well scored however I simply missed hearing that wonderful mournful sounding music that makes the film appear beautiful which it is.

Al Pacino like in the first Godfather was amazing. I didn't like Micheal Corleone as much as Vito however that is defiantly not because of the acting. I could not tell you who acted better Pacino or De Niro as it would keep me up at nights the acting is some of the best in history from both of them. Micheal is more of a bad guy than Vito he shows very little mercy to anybody and kills people just on principal. Vito killed people but he could also show mercy he was a nice guy Micheal was not, imo.

The Godfather has a perfect start I love the part where they are in the office and Micheal says to Pat Geary "Senator? You can have my answer now, if you like. My final offer is this: nothing. Not even the fee for the gaming license, which I would appreciate if you would put up personally. " Perfect it makes me shiver the way Pacino delivers this line as well as it being an awesome comeback from such a son of a bitch to cocky for his own good.

A great movie not as good as the prelude but amazing none the less. A deep story of somebody who had everything and lost it. A power presentation of how power can corrupt and fuck everything up. Some of the best acting from two of my favorite actors as well as an amazing performance by Michael V. Gazzo who comes across as a grumpy old man who is extremely cool, John Cazale epically the scene when he says "I'm your older brother, Mike, and I was stepped over! as well as an equally good Tom Hagen created by Robert Duvall.
9.5/10

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the ring

Genre: Epic/Fantasy/Action/War
Director: Peter Jackson (go NZ)
year of release: 2001

I used to like the Lord of the Rings Trilogy so much before I smarted up and started enjoying greater movies, it is still an amazing story however it has some flaws that holds me back from liking it as much as I use to.

Lord of the Rings is complicated story about destroying a ring of power that could give a physical form back to the evil lord Sauron which would in turn probably ruin the world called middle earth. The fellowship is the first in the trilogy and is mainly about Frodo taking the Ring to rivendale, through Moria and a bit further. I must say the story is amazing, one of the best books made into a great movie. The charters and dialogue are written wonderfully, this is probably because of J.R.R Toliens in put in making the books so I blame him for all these wonderful advantages to this film although it could have been the three people who did the screenplay who
this quality (Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens and Peter himself). The direction is good and the music is great and hugely improves simple scenes like the title appearing.

The characters are written to perfection however acting holds this movie back. Elijah Wood plays the part he was born yet is still very average imo. He has the look for the character but the way he delivery's his lines are reasonably unnaturally and seemed if not forced then just annoying. He comes of as a hard core pussy that seems shy and held back although this is slightly how I believe the character should have been done I believe it has been overdone. Some lines make me cringe however he seems to get a better idea of his character through the movies and the trilogy, I watched the second one the day after I watched this and Elijah had seemed to improve and seem more natural. Sam is average in this one however is brilliant in the second I will watch the third soon however I remember loving his character by the end.

The dialogue is very good. Scenes make you shiver because the lines are rich in creativity and match the style and improve the feel of the movie. The scenes at the start make me shiver as they are so cool. As I have said many times I have a soft spot for narration a voice over that contains great sentences Lord of the Rings starts with "The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost, for none now live who remember it." irejijvahalsjlkjf cool. The music adds to this scene so much as it is slightly sad playing slightly quite long shaky notes similar to the way it is done in the Godfather.

Legolas had the potential to be one of the coolest characters in history, he seems to save the day will the final blow to many enemies, pulls some awesome moves and has a distinct fighting style that suits his character. Orlando Bloom is bad it seems worse when the character has so much potential. He seems to try and create an accent then he keeps breaking it with certain lines e.g "Goblins!" when he picks up an arrow in Moria. I never remember not thinking much of Legolas and when a person said they liked him I realized back then that he had potential only now do I know why. Legolas is a quite character who likes using a bow and two small daggers when killing bad guys his style is not only unlike but looks amazing the choreography in this movie is very good epically with legoglas. He is the fast moving, aerobatic character that should be everyone's favorite however losses this to Aragorn.

Manly the acting wasn't too bad I liked Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn and Ian McKellen as Gandalf Merry and Pippin are good aside from a few scenes, Boromir was too bad Galadreil and Arwen when on the verge of bad and Gimili suited his part well and acted not badly. Many of the actors give a very small range they have a character that seems one certain mood and no other. Only the hobbits really show varying emotions it seems a bit strange possibly a bit annoying.

Lord of the Rings is a very dark trilogy I am sure every one has told you this however I am going to say it again. The lighting is often dim to create dark, mysterious and evil situations this is the only possible way it could have been done if they tried to make a happy light feel to this dark story full of evil it just would not of worked, I can not think of too many movies that have been done similarly to Lord of the Rings and it feels quite original.

Fellowship of the Ring is very singular storied this aspect is great as none of the scenes feel irrelevant a feeling as there are no silly side stories that could have been cut out and hold no effect. Every scene builds to one thing the ring being destroyed this makes the story all the more great. The Two Towers does not have this effect and has slightly fallen even though I enjoyed the second better. Recently a few of the movies I have been watching have the feeling that not everything is relevant and it has pissed me off a little, however it is the reason that I like the Searchers as it is a similar strength in that as well.

The fighting is pretty amazing many scenes have you on the edge of your seat cheering on the good guys, it is reasonably realistic and there are some amazing action scenes. Seven Samurai and this trilogy have some of my favorite battles scenes. Viggo and Legolas lead in there styles of killing Viggo with his big sword heaving heavy blows to his enemies and Legolas quickly using his bow and trying to keep his distance to the hundreds of orcs which he does well in even close quarters. Legolas also uses two daggers twirling them around in fast repetitive hits that look cool. The shaky camera makes you feel almost as if you are there a style created by the movie I just watched breathless (not quite as well done however).

This movie is not a fantastic, amazing, inspiring classic however it is quite good. It does not quite shake that modern feeling and with out the amazing writing mainly in the story, dialogue and characters it would be another average epic to make money with a selection of good and average acting. Jackson adds another layer to its greatness however underneath you can tell someone just wants to make money rather than make a great movie like a painting with a bad under layer that effects the whole bringing it down. The special effects are amazing and there are some amazing pans of my beautiful country. I believe there is defiantly a type of target audience for instance my dad does not like the trilogy as there is only about 1 or 2 jokes every 3 hours, still give it a chance as I believe it has a decent draw into the story.

8.5/10