The Godfather Trilogy

[Ivy]

The Godfather
The story begins as "Don" Vito Corleone, the head of a New York Mafia "family", oversees his daughter's wedding. His beloved son Michael has just come home from the war, but does not intend to become part of his father's business. Through Michael's life the nature of the family business becomes clear. The business of the family is just like the head of the family, kind and benevolent to those who give respect, but given to ruthless violence whenever anything stands against the good of the family. Don Vito lives his life in the way of the old country, but times are changing and some don't want to follow the old ways and look out for community and "family". An up and coming rival of the Corleone family wants to start selling drugs in New York, and needs the Don's influence to further his plan. The clash of the Don's fading old world values and the new ways will demand a terrible price, especially from Michael, all for the sake of the family.

The Godfather: Part II
The continuing saga of the Corleone crime family tells the story of a young Vito Corleone growing up in Sicily and in 1910s New York; and follows Michael Corleone in the 1950s as he attempts to expand the family business into Las Vegas, Hollywood and Cuba. There are two storylines going on at once in this movie, one part directly takes place where the 1st Godfather left off following the Chief - Michael Corleone, and the other part the other is a series of flashbacks following his (Michael's) father, Vito Corleone, from 1917 to 1925, from his youth in Sicily (1901) to the founding of the Corleone family in New York.

The Godfather: Part III
In the final instalment of the Godfather Trilogy, an aging Don Michael Corleone seeks to legitimize his crime family's interests and remove himself from the violent underworld but is kept back by the ambitions of the young. While he attempts to link the Corleone's finances with the Vatican, Michael must deal with the machinations of a hungrier gangster seeking to upset the existing Mafioso order and a young protoge's love affair with his daughter.

[yoshi]

OMG YESSSS.

I'm a HUGE fan of this trilogy. It's the best trilogy ever made. I can't find ANYTHING wrong about this movie. It's perfect in every detail.

I obviously voted for part I - it shows this amazing world of the italian mafia back in the days. It's got this special old school vibe - clothes, cars and music and when Michael flies out to Sicily - there's this feeling of mediterranean country.

I also love how they show the change of generations - at first there's Vito [amazing, simply amazing] and then slowly, Michael who'd claimed to never 'join' the family business, takes over and desperately tries to get back with Kay, but at the same time he sort of shows her that although he loves her, she should not try to get into his business - the final scene where one of Michael's guys closes the door. It's a masterpiece.

Part II is far more complicated, but having so many great actors in one movie is just orgasmic for me and again, it's still the same Italian mafia, but we can see how the time goes by and everything changes. Different business, different relations between people and different America. And between it all we got flashbacks and the story of Vito Corleone having to run away from Sicily and making his way into this whole new world.

Part III is the most 'modern' part, which I partly like - the family survived and moved forward, but at the same time I miss this colorful Italian crowd having fun at Vito's daughter's wedding. The final scenes - the one at the opera and then, when Michael dies - they always make me cry. It's like.. a definite end of the whole saga.
Plus young Andy Garcia^^

I guess I don't even have to say that the acting is perfect, I think we all agree on that..


btw. when I first heard "Black Republican" by Nas and Jay-Z, I knew I've heard this music sample before. I just knew, but it was so strange to connect Nas with The Godfather II

[Ivy]

Like Yoshi said, Part II was very complex, but that's what drew me to it. I love movies that make you think and stay focused, keep your mind concentrating. The actors were superb in this movie, hell in the whole series, it portrays the "Mafia" in aspects that I never knew before. A+++ for the Trilogy!!!

[yoshi]

Yeah, that's why I liked part II. But I got completely enchanted with this old school vibe of America and Sicily in 40's. I'd love to go to Sicily and see that little town

The only thing I always wonder about is how come Vito knew who'd wanted to kill him. And then Michael - they always seem to know everything about everybody's plans lol and I'm always like HOW?!?!?!

[Ivy]

The only thing I always wonder about is how come Vito knew who'd wanted to kill him. And then Michael - they always seem to know everything about everybody's plans lol and I'm always like HOW?!?!?!

The walls have ears and eyes my friend...