Film 100 "The Godfather Part II" IMDB No. 3

I don't feel I have to wipe everybody out, Tom. Just my enemies.

1974 Francis Ford Coppola
The epic saga continues as we see the Corleone family move into Cuba and Nevada during the 50's under the leadership of Micheal Corleone. We also get to see the early years of Vito Corleone in Sicily in the early 1900's to New York in the 1920's.
More bloodshed and betrayal as the business expands and the family implodes.
It's long, over 3 hours, but it doesn't seem it when watching the plot unfold.
It's just as good as the first one, with the noted absence of any sauce recipes but there is a disappearing cake that looks like it came from a Tom & Jerry cartoon. Al Pacino grows into the aging Micheal and Robert De Niro as the young Vito is worthy of his Acedemy Award for best supporting actor.
9/10

That's it. I have watched and blogged the IMDB Top 100 films.
The list was taken from 1st January 2011.
I have a new challenge for 2012, to watch the top 100 British movies, I will post the list soon.

Happy New Year.

Film 99 "The Godfather" IMDB No. 2

A man that doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man.

1972 Francis Ford Coppola
The story starts in the mid 40's following the fortunes and misfortunes of a New York mafia family as the power struggle for control of the emerging narcotics market takes place as the family head Don Vito Corleone finds his position as Godfather less respected by the other mafia bosses.
I'm amazed there is anyone left alive in America, after watching 99 of these 'top 100' it seems the common theme in the American films is murder and war, they should lighten up a bit, it doesn't have to be Disney or Death.
I couldn't help noticing in the garden death scene that the tomatoes needed watering and onions were missing from Calmenza's sauce recipe.
I can't believe I have never seen this before, it's a classic. Stand out performances by Marlon Brando and Al Pacino. Last film is Godfather part 2 tonight, looking forward to how this story continues.
9/10

Film 98 "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly" IMDB No. 4

When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk.

1966 Sergio Leone
Blondie and Tuco have a fragile partnership, Tuco is a wanted outlaw, Blondie a gun slinger who takes him in and claims the bounty then, as Tuco is about to be hanged, rescues him. When Blondie decides to go his own way Tuco hunts him down. They come across a army wagon full of dead bodies with only one survivor, Bill Carson, he knows the location of a pile of gold but only tells one part of it to each of them, the partnership is back on to find the gold. Angel Eyes is a mean bounty hunter who knows of Bill Carsons gold but not where it is hidden. Blondie and Tuco are sought after men. It doesn't take long to work out who is the Good, the Bad or the Ugly.
I think this is only the second western in the top 100, there should be more like this. Although Treasure of the Sierra Madre was an unexpected treasure
This is great, it has everything a western needs. Guns, horses, hanging, betrayal, mistrust, hats, gold, dynamite and the added bonus of canons.
I can't claim to be an expert on the western genre, I haven't watched many, I'm not keen on the mistrust element and the way you could be shot so easily back then. But this is brilliantly filmed with great tension and a dash of humour.
It was also filmed in Almeria, Spain. Where my good friends Karen and Trevor live and I go walking each year so it was an added bonus to be watching the scenery to see if I had walked on that mountain or that path. If you ever go to Spain, visit Mini Hollywood in Almeria.
Gun slinging 9/10

Film 97 "Shawshank Redemption" IMDB No. 1

What is your malfunction, you fat barrel of monkey spunk?

1994 Frank Darabont
The story starts in 1947, Andy Dufresne is a young banker given 2 life sentences for murdering his wife and her lover and continues for the duration of his time in Shawshank Prison. He strikes up a friendship with 'Red', the go-to man, also serving a life sentence for murder. Andy's skills with money and the banking system get him involved with laundering for the Warden which gives him certain privileges.
There's the usual bunch of characters, bullying inmates, evil warden, pshycotic guard. There's an unexpected twist near the end but the ending itself is a bit tame.  I found the narration by Morgan annoying, maybe because it kept reminding me of an advert that is on telly, but really the film maker should have done more with the film itself so the constant talking over the top would be less necessary.
It's still a very watchable film but I don't think it is the best film ever.
I hadn't seen Shawshank before this challenge, and didn't want to leave till last just because the list said it was number 1. So I did watch it a couple of weeks ago with Jamie while the girls were watching XFactor, but we had been drinking all afternoon and carried on through the evening, by the end of the film we had almost finished a bottle of rum and more Stellas. Over the next few days I thought hard about the film but couldn't rememeber anything, I knew it was a prison film with Morgan Freeman and that was it. Watching it again I really hadn't seen it, none of it was familiar.
It's worth 8/10

Film 96 "It's A Wonderful Life" IMDB No. 29

Youth, it's wasted on the young.

1946 Frank Capra
George Bailey had dreams of seeing the world, but when his father dies and his brother is in service, he has to take the helm of the family business, a community based building and loans company. This and many other local businesses are always under threat from the miserly Mr Potter. On christmas eve Georges uncle loses the company's $8000 deposit and George becomes desperate and thinks of ending his life. In steps Clarance, his guardian angel and shows him what life would be like if he had never been born.
A sentimental hopeful tale that shows the optimism and idealism of the American nation after the war where society would look after each other and had morals.
Despite this being an American christmas favourite it seems that American society went down the Pottersville route.
I first saw this in new York christmas 1997, I was holed up in a bedsit dive waiting for Kim to finish work having just found out we were going to be parents, don't remember too much about it other than it took four hours to show because of the adverts every ten minutes.
It was good to watch it yesterday afternoon after putting up the christmas tree and having a family roast with the inlaws.
Because it's christmas 8/10

Film 95 "Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope" IMDB No. 14

Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?

1977 George Lucas
The story starts at episode 4, I don't think I knew that when I was 10.
Luke Skywalker is a young man yet to discover his destiny, to fight with the Rebel force against the Empire trying to rule the universe. A swashbuckling space adventure with strange creatures and aliens and spaceships and lasers and strange powers like magic and, of course, light sabers. A sword made of light, that in the 70's make every boy put down his cowboy 6 shooter and run around the playground going 'vvooooommmm'.
I collected the cards that came out, and remeber swapping them in the playground and having far too many c3po's and not enough Darth Vaders. Watching it again the scenes remind me of each of the cards.
The only film I ever queued round the block to see, I think it was with Jon Foster and his mum.
Good to see it again.
8/10

Film 94 "Schindler's List" IMDB No. 7

Ja. Why is the top down? I'm fucking freezing.

1993 Steven Speilberg
Based on the true story of Oskar Schindler, a german businessman who's factory became a sanctury from persecution for the jews during WWII.
The subject matter is not an easy one, as I have said before, I don't like the Nazis, they scare me. Speilberg doesn't shy away from the brutality as you might expect but it isn't as in your face as other films in this Top 100 that I have seen.
Not sure if I liked it or not, not sure if I want to watch it again to find out. It just doesn't have enough ooomph.
6/10