I just got done watching this movie for the first time tonight, really the credits are rolling as I type. I loved the first Godfather, and always believed the second one to be better, but tonight I saw the end of Michael Corleone.
I should have known that nothing good comes to those in the mob....but not Michael. Michael Corleone never wanted to be apart of the business unlike his two brothers Santino and Freddy. He was forced into the mob by himself, by his love for his father. And after Sonny was murdered there was no question on who should follow up after Vito. Michael gets the job and takes out everyone who can hurt him in one move.
Then Michael moves out to Vegas. As he grows in power he loses trust with those around him and by watching the second movie you get to compare father and son. Where Vito was understanding and powerful and a family man.....Michael is a ruthless Don that knows what he wants and will burn down anyone in his way, such as his little brother Freddy.
Even after watching the second movie....I thought Michael could be saved. That his hands were forced and he couldn't be held fully responsible for those actions. Then there was the third movie. Which is way better than most people will tell you it is.
Michael is middle aged. This should be the peek of power for him as it was for his father. And Michael wants out. Between other thugs trying to take his power and the training of Sonny's son Vincent and trying to tie the family to the Pope....Mike has his hands full. As always things start geting bad....Michael's plans to leave the family are being pushed farthur back as new shit arrives. I really hoped he would leave the family... skip to the end. Michael does and doesn't escape from the life. The ending to the movie is one of the best and saddest endings I have ever seen. The movie breaks Michael down as he has to answer for all the blood he spilled in the second film. Then it leaves him with nothing......it was painful to watch and yet oddly beautiful.
The movie itself was great. The perfect ending to the story of Michael Corleone. The acting was great. Once again Al and Diane perform in such a way that stuns the audience. I never could take my eyes off of Diane Keaton in any movie, no matter her age (and I'm 18) there's something magical about her on screen, and that holds just as true in the 3rd movie. Sofia does suck. I know everyone says that, but it's so true I won't dwell on it. I missed the character of Tom Hagen through. Why wasn't he in this movie? I know Mike and Tom didn't always get along, but he was a great character that played off of Mike so well. The movie was great. And places the trilogy firmly into film history. If you haven't seen the movies, prolly due to the age of a lot of us RvB fanboys, go watch them. It's a classic story of a young man with everything ahead of him, that just so happens to get his father's sins and multipy them. It is a sad story of how far a man can fall, and that somethings, in this case family, are more important than money and power.
I'm sorry man, but "The Godfather Part III" is a total piece of crap. The only moments of any significance in that movie are Pacino uttering the classic line: "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!", and Michael dying in the end.
The first two Godfather movies are nothing short of pieces of art. I understand some people need more closure on a great saga like that of the Corleone's than Michael having his brother clipped and then smoking a cigarette, not to mention everyone's obsession with trilogies. But this movie? They should have left it at two, as if there is any movie greater than "The Godfather" it is "The Godfather, Part II".
Andy Garcia was bad (as per usual). The plot was really bad. You are right on the performances of Keaton and Pacino, as you can't go wrong with those two. But the way Michael's character was written in this one just seemed shallow. It was a shell of the Michael in Part II and I don't think that was the intent. Then you had some sick incest thing going on with Garcia and Sofia Coppola, who is Michael's daughter. Did everyone forget that Garcia's character is Santino's son? They're first cousins, for chrissake. Disgusting. Then the last half of the movie, it seemed like Puzo and Coppola were trying waaaay too hard to make it a "masterpiece". Just one big predictable bloodbath. "Didn't see that coming." *rolls eyes*
Anyways, I won't knock you for liking it. Everyone has different tastes. But you're the first person I've heard in a LONG time, perhaps ever, who thinks "The Godfather Part III" is a great movie. I view it as an ugly, hairy mole on the face of two of the greatest movies ever made.
Watching this movie, I felt like it was a ripoff of the Godfather franchise. I never had that same feeling of suspense and intrigue as I did when I watched The Godfather parts 1 and 2. That feeling I still get when I watch those two masterpieces. Part III basically felt like a horribly done encore. It wasn't needed. If you really understood the end of Part II, Part III was basically unnecessary.
Yeah, watching Michael die by himself is a good ending if you need that sort of closure.
Personally, the end of "The Godfather" series for me was Michael sitting by himself at his house, hair graying, smoking a cigarette with this look of cold independency on his face. Parents dead. Both brothers dead, one because he ordered it. Sister hates him. Wife just packed up the kids and left. You know things are never going to be the same for Michael and he's going to die just the way you see him in that final scene of Part II.
Anyways, that's just my opinion on it. But kudos to you for watching it. I hardly know anyone my age (and I'm 21) who has liked "The Godfather" saga, much less even seen parts one and two. Manditory if you liked "GoodFellas" or "Casino", in my opinion.
Just my thoughts and I didn't mean any offense if you took any by what I wrote. Just speaking my mind, as I am pretty passionate about great movies and in the end, this movie is one of those that takes away from the other two classics that share it's name.
Well we can both agree it's the worst of the three.....the order of course being 2,1,3...but in my opinion it is still better than a lot of the shit we see today.
