Time To Get The Matresses Out Jun 10 '09 (Updated Oct 25 '09)    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Movies Under the Tuscan Sun From $9 Casablanca From $1 The Bottom Line :  Yo. My top ten favorite mob-flicks so far. 10. Scarface (1983) - First of all, let's get this part over & done with; "Say 'ello tu my lil-oh frenn!"  Okay, now  with that most over-used movie-line out of the way, Scarface is Tony Montana, the in-your-face, over-the-top character that will always iconically follow the career of Al Pacino. The rise & fall of a drug kingpin who literally started out from nothing & pyrrhically ends up with everything the drug-world has to offer. One of those rare times for an actor where upon it's over-the-top performance is considered so perfect for the role, that's its almost impossible to imagine it done in any other fashion. Pacino is brutal, heartless & violent, not in just the way he handles the character's passion for wealth & power, but also with the way he handles the Cuban accent (something he does again, but this time with a Puerto rican accent, though  not with as much of an iconic effect, in 1997's Carlito's Way ...ugh!). As the movie tagline says: "He loved the American Dream. With a Vengeance." 9. Reservoir Dogs (1992) -  A mexican stand-off. Pop culture laden discussions. Casual cursing with machine gun rapidity. A mixed bag collection of songs that could only be found on a cassette that was taped by some nerd boy who collects comicbooks, works in an indie video or record store & thinks that guns are bad-@ss. All the elements that would qualify a film to being described as "Tarantinoesque". And this is where it all started. 8. The Godfather lll (1990) - I know, I know.... everybody thinks that this one sucks. However, in my case, the Godfather Trilogy didn't come to me til much later in my life. Therefore, the 1st. Godfather film I ever watched was this one. So I got to see it without the comparison of it's two predecessors. And, IMO, on it's own, it's a very good mobster movie. Obviously, it can't compare to the first two, but, in the genre of mob-flicks, it kicks it's own particular brand of mafia @ss. Plus, with it's redemption-themed, politically-charged corporation/Vatican storyline, it's a pretty goddamn smart movie, too. Now, if only Sofia Coppola would've gotten shot at the beginning of the film instead of at the end, maybe this under -appreciated & overly bashed gangster pic would get a little more respect. 7. Casino (1990)  - Goodfellas, Las Vegas style.   Well, not really, but close enough.  What Martin Scorcese reveals of the inner-workings of the mafia lifestyle in Goodfellas, he now sheds light onto in this film about the relationship between the casino & the Cosa Nostra.   And just as we saw in "Fellas" the manner in which a mobster's greed & violence will cause him to jump into a situation without much regard to the consequences, we now see in this movie how that same greed & violence can affect a good hand in what should've been the only safe bet in of all of Vegas.  In short, a story of how the mob had a good thing, but ruined it with same characteristics that helped them to get it in the first place. Because, in the City of Sin, even "La Familia" has got to know when to hold 'em, & know when to fold 'em. 6. Road To Perdition (2002) - Based off of a graphic novel of the same name, Road To Perdition is a quality film that addresses an area of the mobster life that rarely gets any notice from most movies from this genre: the relationship of a gangster with his kid(s) when the child is at the age in which the the parent's influence is most strongest & begins to crystalize in the kid's identity. Just this one aspect of the mafia lifestyle is enough to open a new set of ideas for future movies plotlines that focus on those in the world of organized crime.  Tom Hanks wanders out of his standard role to play an assasin who, along with his only survivng son, is on the run from the crime syndicate which he formerly called home. A life & death experience which reveals that there's a difference between the blood that is spilled for a mob-family & the blood that is shared between a real family. 5. Donnie Brasco (1997) - Al Pacino in the mob, but this time, on the opposite side of the hierarchy. A low-level aging hitman who can't get no respect. One of the few times Al gets to expand his acting muscles as opposed to just flexing 'em with a loud performance, which, though he's good at, has sorta become his standard. For me, a great gangster movie isn't just about "wacking" people. It's when it shows the inner-most details of how the mob works. This one goes towards the very lowest part of the totem & shows us how the "cogs" grind thru a living in hopes of someday climbing that mafia ladder. 4. Bugsy (1991) - Bugsy is a mob flick that doesn't even try to compete with other mob flicks. And therefore, it succeeds as a gangster movie that stands out on its own. It almost completely removes the realistic-type dialogue & the grittiness that is usually associated with this genre. I can almost sense the same sheen that the old black & white mafia films used to use to screen over the mobster characters & give em that "romanticized" look that they became famous for back then. For all their ruthlessness, the major players in this story come off as very likeable people. And you can't beat the acting by Warren Beatty, Annette Benning, Harvey Keitel, Ben Kingsley, Elliot Gould & Joe Mantegna. 3. The Godfather ll (1974) -  After lightning struck once with the first Godfather, it was almost impossibe to believe that it could strike twice in the same series, especially with the absence of Marlon Brando, James Caan & Abe Vigoda (oh c'mon! Y'know his presence added a certain dimension to the whole of the movie.....). Yet strike it did. And with even more intensity than could be expected. Francis Ford Coppola continues the saga of la famiglia Corleone. And even though this one lacks the presence of the trio of fine actors I mentioned above, those empty spaces are superbly filled up by the strength Al Pacino's complete grasp of the lead character, along with an interjecting prologue story starring a Sicilian speaking Robert Deniro. (BTW, I know that the rest of the planet says that this one is the superior film, but personally, I like the first one better. Now don't get me wrong, G-2 is practically a perfect movie, however IMO, G-1 is just a bit more perfect. That being said, The Godfather Part II is a piece of cinema that is so good, that I believe that if all sequels could match the quality ratio that this one did with its predecessor, the world would be a much better place, in a way we probably couldn't even imagine. Heck, I'd bet that there probably wouldn't be any more wars. Like, ever. Yep. That's the power of a good sequel. 2. Goodfellas (1990) - "You know, we always called each other goodfellas. Like you said to, uh, somebody, 'You're gonna like this guy. He's all right. He's a goodfella. He's one of us. You understand?' We were goodfellas. Wiseguys."  When it comes to gangster movies, you just can't beat this one for charismatic energy. Martin Scorcese pays close attention the minute details that the members of a 60's-70's mafia family engage in for the sake of maintaining the lifestyle that they have so become accustomed to. Then  the director progresses the story to show how that type of self-contained lifestyle can only eventually crumble as the  "normal" world outside of the Cosa Nostra continually changes & evolves.   1. The Godfather (1972) -  The Godfather series was one that came into my life later than to most people. For the most part of my young life, I had heard what a classic this was, but it took long time til I got around to actually  watching it.   And when I finally did, a part of me kinda didn't want to like this movie as much as I ended up doing. Because, when it comes to movies, I like it when my opinion veers away from that which the mainstream tends to think. However, I found that when it came to the Godfather, I was  made an offer that my tastes in cinematic  entertainment simply could not refuse (and before anyone decides to judge that comment as cliche, please see reason # 4 on my list below of why I like this movie). Now I could go on & on with why I agree with so many people of why this is such a great movie, but even on a site like this one, which is to inform, I'm sure that anyone reading this who doesn't know much about this staple of the mobster genre is a rarity.  So instead, I'll do a top ten within a top ten.  Top 10 reasons why this Epinionator thinks that The Godfather is such a great film: 10. The late great John Cazale. An actor who in his short film career, never starred in any movie rated less than an A+. 9. Marlon Brando is back with a performance uniquely his own. Reportedly, at the time, his career was seriously on the wane. But then Fate steps in & hands him a role of which would become one of the most iconic in film history. 8. James Caan. IMO, his best performance ever & the best character in the movie.  7. All the "oranges=death/violent act" scenes. Many were impressed the way directors like M. Knight Shamalamadindong with the color red or Quentin Tarantino with scenes of John Travolta in the toilet, used tools of clues for the audience, to gve 'em hints on what's coming up in future scenes. But Coppola had already perfected in this style of storytelling in this series 6. Apollonia!!! *swoon* 5. Vito Corleone's "...And that I do not forgive" speech during the meeting of the criminal masterminds. I always thought that people who memorized large chunks of speeches in movies as a way of entertaining & impressing others were nerds. Then one time, on a date, I found myself actually reciting this entire speech to the young lady whom I was with. And I didn't even realize that my mind had subconsciously memorized it. It's amazing the things one can find out about one's self when they're trying to get into a girl's pants. 4. Lines like "Sleeping with the fishes" or " Time to take out the mattresses", phrases that have since become part of the lexicon of popular culture.  3. Sonny's death scene. Considered as needlessly ultra-violent at the time, but for me, impactfully powerful when such a character seemed to take on such a role of almost indestructiblity. 2. The theme song.  One of those rare times when the music is so tied with the film, that whenever I hear it, I instantly get in the mood to watch the entire trilogy all over again (yes, even the third installment. Which, even though I don't find matching in quality with its predessors, I still tend to disagree with the public opinion on this. IMO the  Godfather: Part Three IS a quality film. B#tchez. :p ). 1. Francis Ford Coppola's masterful use of foreshadowing.  Example:When Luca Brasi (the guy who ends up sleeping with the fishes) goes to make a deal with the rival crime-family, he walks thru a glass door that leads to the bar where his fate will become sealed. As the door closes, the scene is shot looking at Luca from behind, setting up the shot to so that you will notice the fish designs that have been engraved into the glass & it will visually give the impression that the fish are surrounding Luca's body.  Awesome.  Simply awesome.

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