The Godfather Part III

 

Connor Macgregor Reviews…The Godfather Part III

Honestly when watching this, i hear two sides to this film. Some saying its underrated and some saying its a stinker. Well after seeing two spectacular films, i am going to dive into 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.

Now there are some good things about Part III and also there are some bad things about III. First of all, this is NOT a gangster film in my view. Its more of a Religious Political Finance story in a sense. There isn`t much Mafia theme for it to be a Gangster film. It is by far a crime film because crimes are taking place, but there isn`t any more Families or Mafia dealings going on like there was in Part I and Part II.

The good things are this. Al Pacino Is Michael Corleone. No matter what age he is. Michael Corleone will always be potrayed by Al Pacino. This film proved that this is his story and no one elses. It isnt Vito`s story and it isn`t The Corleone Family`s story. It is Michael Corleone`s. The story of a man who is born into a family and a world in which he must go through his darkest fears and enemies by potraying himself as a dark figure. He sucks himself in a world in which he becomes a new person. In Part III we see the Michael from the very beginning of Part I. Despite the fact i cannot recongnise Al Pacino from Godfather I and Godfather III (Part 2 was sort of the middle. His eye liner was distracting and his voice was cracking) Al Pacino will always be Michael Corleone. Also Talia Shire gets a bigger part and she does good. Diane Keaton has not aged at all in this film. In fact she doesn`t age much in The Trilogy. She looks amazing in all three films. The star of the film for me goes to Andy Garcia. He has all The Corleone Personalites rolled into one. He has Vito`s cunning,Michael`s Ruthlessness,Fredo`s Sensitively and of course Sonny`s temper. He is a perfect Corleone.

Of course i must talk about Mary Corleone played by Sofia Coppola. She is ok. She isn`t great and she isn`t terrible. She is just ok. I think this project and role was too big for her but she did do the part justice and i did buy her as Mary. But damn she has huge checkbones in the film. Just pointing out.

If you haven`t seen Godfather III,check it out it is a decent film and is worth having a look.

Rating – 86% – A-

Letters To Juilet

 

Connor Macgregor Reviews…Letters To Juliet

Just thought i should see this because this was a friday and really had nothing else to do. And i also LOVE Amanda Seyfried and anything that she is in (except Mean Girls) looks good. Basically the plot is An American girl on vacation in Italy finds an unanswered “letter to Juliet” — one of thousands of missives left at the fictional lover’s Verona courtyard, which are typically answered by a the “secretaries of Juliet” — and she goes on a quest to find the lovers referenced in the letter.

There wasn`t much wrong with this film. It is what i expected really. Seyfriend finds letter, go and find the true love, find the true love and tie up other plots. END. Seyfried does do a very convincing performance as Sophie and Christopher Egan is a pretty good actor in this film. He is obviously a cocky ass, but you do sort of like the guy. Sophie`s fiance was just hilarious. I love that he just didn`t give a shit about his fiance and rather be humping the food dry. I reckon that if he saw the perfect looking ice cream, he would add an extra layer IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

Also the plot was kind of predictable, but never the less i did enjoy this and it was a perfect way to stop myself from being bored over the weekend.

Rating – 74% – B+

The Godfather Part II

Connor Macgregor Reviews…The Godfather Part II

So after reviewing Part I i will now present to you the review Of Part II. And just remember its MY Opinion. It was interesting watching Part II and seeing which is better. I or II but i now have a winner.

Part II sees 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 a number of things that Part II does do better than The first one. The first thing is the story. There isnt one story. Its two. One being the early years of Vito Corleone and the other being Michael`s continuing power as Don Of The Corleone Family. Both stories are well played out and we really care for what each main characters are going through. If i had to pick, i would go for Vito`s story over Michaels. The reason is that his story was more enjoyable and we saw how Vito becomes who he is and more importantly who Michael becomes who he is. Michael`s story is great and does continuing a very tragic story, but Vito`s was just better to watch. However there were a number of things that Part I did better than II. First is the cast. Part I`s cast was solid perfection. Part II`s was just fairly good. They just took the remainders of I and added new faces for II. De Niro fit right into The Godfather and his performance as Vito was so great despite barely any english.

Diane Keaton is also great as Kay and you can tell by a glance at the beginning that she is miserable. But the star performer once again goes to Al Pacino. If you thought his performance In Part I was fantastic, this one is timeless. Michael is a changed human being. Power & Wealth have made him someone that he wasn`t. He has lost most of his family,the love of his wife,and the respect of his most faithful allies. All for Power. I myself pity Michael at the end of the film because he is a lost soul. Someone that will never find goodness in the world anymore. As i said before The Godfather is a Greek Tragedy and Part II is just more depressing to watch than The First.

Also i must mention Nina Rota`s fantastic score once again. Part I`s  was slightly better but this is just more emotional and heart pulling than before.

Overall Godfather II is a tie for the title of Best Movie Sequel Ever Made…that and The Empire Strikes Back.

Rating – 99% – A

The Godfather

Connor Macgregor Reviews…The Godfather

Fellow Posters,I come here today to do a review of a film close to my heart and to other people`s hearts as well. It is in my opinion The Greatest Film Ever Made and My Favourite Film Of All Time. 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.

Honestly within ten minutes of this film, i was in this wonderful but dark world by a click. Its an emotional place with emotional characters who are fighting for power and a place in the new world.

Lets talk about The Corleone Family. Marlon Brando plays the wondeful character Vito Corleone. The character is full of wisdom and charm,yet he has a sinister past that has changed him into a ruthless mob boss. He cares for his kids and wants what is best for them,but knows that they will become like him. James Caan plays the ruthless Sonny Corleone. I love this character and how he is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode and that time bomb reaches implosion when he discovers what has been happening to a certain family member. Robert Duvall plays Tom Hagen who in my opinion is a very underrated character and is one of my personal favourites. He is the real person running the business in a way. While Vito makes the decisions,Tom has to organise them. Then there is Talia Shire who plays Connie who i find is more emotional in this film than in The Rocky Series. She plays a much more vulnerable character than Adrian. Then there is Fredo who I at first wasn`t a big fan of in this film.But i did enjoy his performance much more this time. He is more lead about by other people and not as strong willed as the other corleones. But the stand out performance of the whole film is Al Pacino who plays Michael Corleone.

This is where Al`s career began. Michael is a character unlike anyone has ever seen before. From sweet caring to ruthless and evil, his transformation is somewhat of a modern day greek tragedy. He starts off as a nice human being who served his time in the war. As he returns to his family and new girlfriend Kay, his life is about to change to a dark turn. Michael becomes more embroiled in the businesses of his family which strains his relationship with Kay. Its like something ou have never seen before. See the beginning of the film with Michael in his uniform and remember that image. Then at the end take a look at the new Michael and compare the differences. it is astonishing.

The Score in this film will also go down in Movie History. Nina Rota creates something which is so special and so gifted that it honestly defines movie music. That infamous opening to the last note of the ending. It is just an amazing score.

I want to talk also how dark this film is. It is as i said before a Modern Greek Tragedy. Its the story of how corruption effects even the innocent people and turns them into people that they aren`t. The characters are different and have different personalities and all go different changes in the film.

This film truely puts itself up there with Casablanca,Citizen Kane & Gone With The Wind. Its a classic to be beloved by all and one that I MOST recommend above all my films.

Rating – 100% – A+

4.3.2.1

Connor Macgregor Reviews…4.3.2.1

I thought i check this out seeing that i was quite easily bored this week and had nothing to do. And i am so glad that i did.

While Jo (Roberts) is chained down in a dead end supermarket job, her friends are all out on their own separate adventures: Cassandra (Egerton) is jetting off to New York to meet her Internet boyfriend; Kerrys (Warren-Markland) is on a one woman crusade fighting for female liberation and Shannon (Lovibond) is on a one way trip to meet her maker. But a chance encounter with some diamond thieves sends their separate worlds on a collision course with not only each other, but fate itself. These 4 girls are about to have 3 days they will never forget, spanning to 2 cities. That is … if they survive.

There are so many good things to say in this film. The acting is so well done and it makes you feel like you are in a similar situation. The 4 teenagers have their own personality which are all different yet at the same time seem similar in a way. Each story has its own different tone. The first story is centered around Shannon and its very tragic. Its some sort of a greek tragedy,about a girl who has no friends (or in this case all abandoned her),her parents have split and everyone is out to get her in different circumstances. Cassandra is sort of a comedy which i will explain more in my negative side of the film. Kerrys is a romance which i was surprised to find out when i saw her story. Of how they built up her character prior to her story was quite a surprise. We then get to Jo played by The Fabulous (see what i did there) Emma Roberts. Her story is sort of the main plot of the film. It involves a gang of criminals who want diamonds. In the end all four stories tie in together. I also enjoy the use of great brittish actors. If you are seeing this from America then it may be a tad difficult to follow due to the accents.

The negative things. Well back to Cassandra`s story i felt was a bit too predictable in my taste. Also the ending after we saw all the stories and i wanted to see a great climax,but i was sadly dissapointed.

Never the less, i enjoyed this film incredibly. The story,character developement,the direction and the use of locations. New York was well used in the film.

Rating – 82% – A-

Zodiac

Connor Macgregor Reviews…Zodiac

I have never heard of the Zodiac Murders since this film. I thought i had figured the film out…but i was wrong and after finishing the film i was so pleased to have seen this film.

Robert Graysmith is a cartoonist who works for the San Francisco Chronicle. His quirky ways irritate Paul Avery, a reporter whose drinking gets in the way of doing his job. The two become friends thanks to a shared interest: the Zodiac killer. Graysmith steadily becomes obsessed with the case, as Avery’s life spirals into drunken oblivion. Graysmith’s amateur sleuthing puts him onto the path of David Toschi, a police inspector who has thus far failed to catch his man; Sherwood Morrill, a handwriting expert; Linda del Buono, a convict who knew one of the Zodiac’s victims; and others. Graysmith’s job, his wife and his children all become unimportant next to the one thing that really matters: catching the Zodiac.

This is quite possibly one of the best “Based On A True Story” Films in years. The characters are great in this film and you get into their emotion and fustration when they are trying to find the Zodiac Killer. Its hard to pick who the best performer is but i reckon i`ll go with Mark Ruffalo due to the amount of pressure and fustration he has to deal with trying to find the killer is. Robert Downey Jr is great and this film proves how great of an actor he really is. Jake Gyllenhaal was a little drippy in the beginning but eventually as the plot progressed he got into it.

The direction is great and it makes you feel like you are in the 70s. The set design,the costumes and the feel of it all. I just love these type of films that are set in the 70s 60s or 50s. It just really feels that i am in that certain decade and watching how the world goes by.

Nothing else more to say is that overall i really enjoyed this film. The pacing worked well as you could feel that it was going through years and years of history to tell the story. Again direction is fantastic and the acting is very well done.

Rating – 73% – B+

Brazil

Connor Macgregor Reviews…Brazil

This is Doug Walker`s favourite film…if you don`t know Doug Walker is The Nostalgia Critic and one of my internet idols. So when he put Brazil number 1 of his favourite films,i had to buy it. I just finished watching it and here are my thoughts.

In a highly structured and bureaucratic state, the government has installed extreme and highly counterproductive measures for which to track down terrorists. A “bug” in the system mixes up the last name of a terrorist (Tuttle) and an innocent man (ironically enough Buttle). Thus, the wrong man (Buttle) is arrested and killed while Tuttle continues to roam free. Sam Lowry, an average man with a mother who “knows people”, is assigned to investigate the error. At the same time, Jill layton, Buttle’s neighbor, is trying to report the mistake to authorities. Due to the extremely inefficient bureaucracy, she finds the process to be very tedious. Meanwhile, Sam Lowry, who has been dreaming about Jill, gets sidetracked by his fantasies and ends up also being a victim of the counter productivity of the government.

Now the first thing i love about this film is the setting. It feels like a George Orwell just by looking at the locations and the set design of the place. You feel like you are in a new world. Every scene there is something new to look at which dazzles you with awe and wonder at this world that Terry Gilliam has created. Through his wonderful direction,he creates a sort of parrarell world in which life on that world is not right. The story is wonderful and leads you on a journey you yourself do not know which direction it is going. Jonathan Pryce creates this wonderful character that is stuck in this mess that he himself cannot unravel himself out of. Futhermore he is after this girl played by Kim Griest who he keeps seeing in his dreams.

I won`t spoil the ending for you but it just builds and builds and builds and then spills all over the place until you yourself are very confused. But then the very end the confusion is forgotton and you leave sastified with the film you watched.

Overall its a great film.Great characters,amazing story with lots of twist and set design so amazing that not many films could overcome. Brazil is a film you should pick up.

Rating – 79% – B+

Return To Oz

Connor Macgregor Reviews…Return To Oz

Many people on here and other sites have praised Return To Oz, while critics have panned it. Never the less i bought it only for £5 and gave it a watch. Here is my thoughts.

It has been six months since Dorothy has returned to Kansas from Oz and she still cannot sleep. She has been going on about imaginary places and people so much that Aunt Em takes her to see a doctor. Dorothy promptly escapes from the mental hospital and wakes up in Oz where her favorite chicken can now talk. There she meets a whole new bunch of friends and they set off to rescue the Scarecrow from an evil Gnome King who has found her Ruby Slippers and has used them to lay waste to the Emerald city and take over Oz.

From the start of the film,i was hooked. I honestly think that this film is heeps better than the 1939 Original Musical and here is why. First of all,its dark and that is how the books were meant to be tooken as. I love the dark atmosphere as soon as Dorothy enters Oz. You can just tell by the time and way she was brought there that something isn`t right and that dark forces lurk in Oz. Second reason is that the characters are much more interesting. The villians are alot more scary especially The Nombe King. You couldn`t tell whether he was good or evil. I was also quite creeped with Princess Mombi and all of the heads.

I loved the story in the film. It was dark,scary and very engaging. I am unsure whether a kid could get into this. They may find the Pre Oz stuff boring and the rest of the film quite entertaining. But overall this is without a doubt a classic film. I highly HIGHLY recommend both Secret Of NIMH and Return to Oz together.

Rating – 81% – A-

The Secret Of Nimh

[b]Connor Macgregor Reviews…The Secret Of NIMH[/b]

Doug Walker (The Nostalgia Critic,Bum Reviews or Ask That Guy With The Glasses) Recommned this as the Top Underrated Nostalgia Animated Classic. I was then very tempted to see the film. So i bought it and have just finished watching it.

Mrs. Brisby (Frisby in the original book) is a very shy, timid, and lonely mouse widow whose family is threatened by a premature warm spell, prompting the farmer to start his mowing early, endangering the cinder block she and her family call home. Normally she would simply pack up their things and move to a new spot in the field, but her younger son Timothy is too ill to be moved, forcing her to seek another alternative before it’s too late. With the push of her local confidante, the Shrew, and the aid of a clumsy, love lorn crow named Jeremy, she goes to see the Great Owl, who, upon learning that she is the widow of a mouse named Jonathan Brisby, advises her to seek the aid of the mysterious rats who live in the rosebush outside the farmer’s house. There, Mrs. Brisby learns of her deceased husband’s past, and the secret of these rats, the Rats of NIMH, who agree to move her home before they abandon their underground colony for Thorn Valley, but Mrs. Brisby herself is endangered by the evil machinations of Jenner, a power hungry rat who seeks to overthrow the rats’ leader Nicodemus so as to keep the rats in their underground colony, and will go so far as to endanger Mrs. Brisby’s children to achieve his goals. Only Justin, the rats’ gallant, Errol Flynn like captain of the guard, stands between Jenner and Mrs. Brisby, who must call upon the same courage her husband had if she is to save her family.

I truely adore this movie from beginning to end. the hero of the story is not some tough action hero waving a sword around, its a mother who has lost her husband and could lose her son from an illness and is forced to go on this dark and terrifying journey alone and with no one to help her. The character is vulnerable and has to face dark creatures and discover secrets that not even humans have discovered.

I was quite surprised to discover what NIMH actually was. I won`t spoil it but if you haven`t seen it,then NIMH is quite a surprise. I think the villian isn`t that good though,but he is certainly dark and intimidating. I also like the bird character. He isn`t overplayed and certainly isn`t annoying. I also like The Justin character who is more brave but still very vulnerable to what he is facing.

The story is very easy to get stuck into with its delightful characters. This is truely a film you must check out. It is dark,fun and very entertaining. I give this a thumbs up to all animation fans who are looking for something new.

[b]Rating – 81% – A- [/b]

Robin Hood

Connor Macgregor Reviews…Robin Hood

Of all the bad press i was expecting a horrible film…but it aint that horrible.

Oscar winner Russell Crowe stars as the legendary figure known by generations as Robin Hood, whose exploits have endured in popular mythology and ignited the imagination of those who share his spirit of adventure and righteousness. In 13th century England, Robin and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against the crown that will forever alter the balance of world power. And whether thief or hero, one man from humble beginnings will become an eternal symbol of freedom for his people.Robin Hood chronicles the life of an expert archer, previously interested only in self-preservation, from his service in King Richards army against the French. Upon Richards death, Robin travels to Nottingham, a town suffering from the corruption of a despotic sheriff and crippling taxation, where he falls for the spirited widow Lady Marian (Oscar winner Cate Blanchett), a woman skeptical of the identity and motivations of this crusader from the forest. Hoping to earn the hand of Maid Marian and salvage the village, Robin assembles a gang whose lethal mercenary skills are matched only by its appetite for life. Together, they begin preying on the indulgent upper class to correct injustices under the sheriff.With their country weakened from decades of war, embattled from the ineffective rule of the new king and vulnerable to insurgencies from within and threats from afar, Robin and his men heed a call to ever greater adventure. This unlikeliest of heroes and his allies set off to protect their country from slipping into bloody civil war and return glory to England once more.

Now this film itself is a decent attempt at The Robin Hood story. But they are a few noticeable problems. But i want to talk about the good things first. Firstly i thought the set design,the location,costumes etc were all well done. I had the feeling that i was in 12th Century England and that i was watching something set in Medievil times.

The bad things are this. Russell Crowe is not a good Robin Hood. His accent changes throughout the film and its noticeable. He does Austrailian,English,Irish even Scottish pops out at one point. Him and Cate Blanchett have NO chemistry whatsoever. It was very awkward seeing them together and trying to fall in love,but it just didn`t work. You can tell they were both offered the part without a screen test together. Next thing was that the battle at the end was rubbish. It was more like that street fight from Green Street between the two football gangs,except they put medievil armour and weaponary on them and made them fight on a beach.Mark Strong gives his usual “Mark Strong” performance in which he just glares at the screen menacenly. Granted he is a good actor, but he should do something different rather than the feirce villian with funny eyes.Oh and the directing is usual Ridley Scott directing.

Overall a solid attempt at Robin Hood,but nothing to write home about.

Rating – 66% –