The Godfather

Film Title: The Godfather
Year: 1972
MPAA Rating: R
Length: 175 minutes
Film Genre: Drama / Crime
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Producer: Albert S. Ruddy
Writers: Mario Puzo (novel); Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola (screenplay)
Players:
Marlin Brando as Don Vito Corleone
Al Pacino as Michael Corleone
James Caan as Santino "Sonny" Corleone
Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen
Plot: As the Don of one of the five mafia families of New York, Vito Corleone must somehow prep his reluctant son into taking the family "business".
Acting: With this cast, a director would have to be an idiot not to succeed. The talent in this movie is enough for five blockbusters. Every character was perfectly cast. Brando and Pacino are a duo that simply create magic.
Cinematography: Coppola is a director not afraid to let the camera sit still. The slow (but perfect) pace of the film is dictated by the camera.
Visual: Notice the lighting in the film. Scenes that involve happy moments for characters are shot during the day in well-lit areas with bright colors all around. Scenes involving murder or other shady activity are shot in dark rooms, sometimes in near pitch black with dark furniture and dark walls and often at night.
Audio: For 1972, you won't get any better. In fact, for 1982 you won't get any better. A strangling is not a pleasant thing to hear.
When I watched it last: In the theater (!!!) two weeks prior to review
What to watch for: Brando, Pacino, Duvall - - simply amazing. Add Francis Ford Coppola and an amazing supporting cast...voila! Great movie!
What to watch out for: Violence, Blood, Death; Momentary nudity; Language.
IMDB Rating: 9.1 out of 10; #1 on the top 250 movies of all time as rated by users.
Roger Ebert Rating: 4 out of 4 stars; "[The Godfather] brushes aside the flashy glamour of the traditional gangster picture and gives us what's left: fierce tribal loyalties, deadly little neighborhood quarrels in Brooklyn, and a form of vengeance to match every affront."
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 9.4 out of 10; it's easy to see why some have called it the greatest film of all time.

The Outlaw Josey Wales

Film Title: The Outlaw Josey Wales
Year: 1976
MPAA Rating: R
Length: 135 min
Film Genre: Western/Drama
Director: Clint Eastwood
Producer: Robert Daley
Writers: Forrest Carter
Players:
Clint Eastwood as Josey Wales
Sondra Locke as Laura Lee
Chief Dan George as Lone Watie
Plot: After the murder of his family, Josey Wales decides to take the fight to the men that killed them.
Acting: Clint Eastwood is simply amazing in this film, in my humble opinion this and Unforgiven are his best work. Chief Dan George is hillarious as his Cherokee companion.
Cinematography The emphasis of certain things really stands out (Wales spitting and his gun movements). Nothing really special about the directing, Eastwood is just a good director.
Visual: It's a western. No over the top camera work, no special effects just straight forward camera work.
Audio: Again it is a Western. The audio is good, the gunfire sounds good and all the dialogue is clear and clean.
When I watched it last: 1 day prior to the review
What to watch for: Eastwood and his amazing performance. The evolution of Josey Wales from man with nothing to lose to man that has everything to fight for.
What to watch out for: Brief Nudity and moments of Strong Sexual content
IMDB Rating: 7.7 out of 10
Roger Ebert Rating: 3 out 4 stars
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 8.5 out of 10. This is an amazing western.
--Reviewed by Jason