The Godfather

Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in "The Godfather"

I am not a fan of Marlon Brando the person, but Brando the actor is a different story. It is obvious why he is considered one of the best actors in history with this film.

Brando is able to transition from loving, family patriarch to cold-blooded killer. When he is with his family he is supportive, caring and everything a father should be, but mention his name to any of the other five families and they shudder in fear. Brando is the head of the Corleone family, one of the five mob families residing in New York.

Marlon Brando and Al Pacino are the driving forces of the film, but it is obvious that everyone involved made this film with passion.

The film is long and there are a lot of daunting moments, but they are all handled with ease (or at least they made it seem that way).

Francis Ford Coppola received a lot of flack now for his recent films. He is considered another director that went from being great to not so great, but he deserves credit for this film.

The performances are all natural. Nothing feels forced about any of them.

All the moments are filled with suspense whether or not you know what is going to happen next. It sounds odd, but even the moments I felt were coming I was eager to know how.

What makes this film special, though, are those moments of human tenderness. Yes, the Corleone family is part of the mob. They have to kill those people that put them at risk, they provide vengeance to those that hurt their loved ones and that's the key. At the center they are a family. They love one an another and support one another. They may not always see eye to eye, but mess with one of them and be prepared to face consequences.

This was one of Al Pacino's first major roles. Not many people knew who he was. It was a risk to cast him for such a pivotal role, but he proved that he had the talent and the skill to hold his own against one of the greatest actors in history. Pacino plays Michael, Corleone's youngest son. He is a war hero and reluctant to join the family business, but after an assassination attempt against his father, he becomes more involved and proves he can take his father's place.

"The Godfather" is still considered one of the best films of all time.

Pacino transitions from reluctant mobster to Don of the family and he makes the transition seamlessly.

Another great performance comes from James Caan who plays Sonny. Sonny temporarily takes his father's place while his father is unable to lead. Sonny is hot-headed and known to make rash decisions. This proves to be his downfall.

He is protective, but also predictable. Seeing how he is taken care of comes as a blow.

Robert Duvall plays Tom Hagen, Vito Corleone's son-in-law, he is vital to the business, but since he is an abusive husband, it is hard to trust him.

The entire supporting cast is good. There are hit men, cowards, rival gang members. There is not one person I can think of that is a weak link in the cast.

Diane Keaton plays a schoolteacher and Michael's girlfriend. They are later married, and it is obvious she is torn between the life she thought she and Michael were going to have and the life he chose.

"The Godfather" is definitely worth the watch. Yes, yes I know I'm way late in watching this film as well, but there is a reason people still talk about this film now. Give it a watch and find out for yourself.

This film is no longer streaming on Netflix, but I'm sure it won't be too difficult to find a place where you can watch it.

Fiddler on the Roof

Promotional picture for "Fiddler on the Roof" at Broadway Theatre

I knew nothing about Fiddler on the Roof going into the theatre. Two of my roommates chose the show and I went along with them since I want to see as much theatre as I can while I'm in New York and I'm glad I decided to join them.

The show stars Danny Burstein as Tevye, a dairyman living in Anatevka with his wife and five daughters. Tevye is a poor man trying to survive in his small town while political unrest against Jews grows and his three eldest daughters all start finding men they want to marry. Burstein has a larger than life personality and it shows in his portrayal of Tevye which is both funny and heart wrenching. The way he transitions from conversations with his wife, to conversations with his daughters and to his conversations with God are seamless.

The show is directed by Bartlett Sher and is being presented at Broadway Theatre. With a book by Joseph Stein and music by Jerry Bock the show was first performed on Broadway in 1964. A film version was released in 1971 and now it has found its way back to Broadway.

The play is set in 1905 in Imperial Russia and it follows Tevye's family and his neighbors all Jews. Burstein is a veteran actor and it is obvious with how easily he portrays this character. Jessica Hecht, whom I had the pleasure meeting this past summer in Williamstown, plays Golde his wife. She is also a brilliant actress. She and Burstein have great chemistry and they play off of each other well.

Everything seems to be going well in the village until non-Jewish Russians come to Tevye's daughter's wedding and disrupt the party while destroying the presents. After that, Tevye's other daughter marries a non-Jewish man causing her to be disowned. Then the Jews are told they have to leave the village.

Cue the sadness. The audience was sniffling from there to the end.

The actors got a well-deserved standing ovation.

The show is beautiful and the two leads add so much to the show. If anything watch the show for the choreography which is nothing short of mind-blowingly incredible.

Pulp Fiction

John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson in 1994's "Pulp Fiction"

I know I'm twenty two years too late, but I finally saw Quentin Tarantino's 1994 cult classic "Pulp Fiction".

The film are three different stories intertwined together to make on great film.

At times it is difficult to watch, but if you can handle it, it's definitely worth he watch. This is one of John Travolta's best performances and Bruce Willis actually acts in this film. Granted it's probably a role he's comfortable in playing a tough guy, but it's still wonderful.

There is definitely one scene that is difficult to watch more than others, and I don't know how to give warning without giving it away. It is Quentin Tarantino so there is violence and grotesqueness.

If you don't mind and you are like me and haven't seen the film, be prepared for an insane ride.

Tarantino is definitely a sensational story teller and I think this is the perfect example of that. The stories all tie in together. The stories all tell one cohesive idea, but you don't know how until the end. You see characters die, but then see them again later in the film. The film is not chronological, but it is not confusing.

John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson play hit men for one of the most vengeful crime bosses in Los Angeles.

Screenshot from YouTube.

Travolta and Jackson spend most of their scenes together discussing their jobs, life and anything else that comes to mind.

They both embody their characters fully and have great chemistry together.

The film is funny without trying too hard. The characters find themselves in ridiculous situations, the actors take those situations seriously and hilarity ensues.

The dialogue is witty. The characters are unique. The actors are great.

While some moments did get slow, the film was never overly silly. Films bore me mainly when it feels as though a joke has gone on too long. I never felt that way with this one.

Tarantino is a masterful storyteller and I want to see more of his films. I am severely lacking in the Tarantino film palette.

This film made me excited for the future. Yes, it was made in 1994, but there's a reason this film is still wildly popular. Check it out on Netflix now.

The Martian

Matt Damon is left on Mars in Ridley Scott's latest film.

Matt Damon plays Mark Watney in "The Martian". Watney is left behind on Mars after a sand storm. While heading towards the ship that is to take them home, Watney is hit with debris and taken for dead. When he awakens he is alone and his journey for survival begins.

Watney is a part of the Ares III mission. His fellow crew include Lewis (Jessica Chastain), Martinez (Michael Pena), Johanssen (Kate Mara), Vogel (Aksel Hennie) and Beck (Sebastian Stan). We are introduced to the crew eighteen days into their mission. As soon as we are introduced, the crew aborts their mission and head back to earth as the oncoming sand storm is proving to be more dangerous than anyone predicted. It all happens quickly that it is an initial shock to follow Watney as he wakes up. The pace becomes considerably slower and we are finally able to appreciate the situation he finds himself in.

Even though the pace is slower, the film is never dull. You are invested in Watney's journey. He is brilliant and seeing him "science" everything is fascinating. We are invested in NASA's attempts to bring him back home. While they are usually slow and meticulous with their launches and builds, they must work faster in order to improve Watney's chances of survival. We also get to know the Ares III mission crew a little more, but not to the point that we know Watney and mission control.

The story is an interesting one even if, like me, you don't understand everything that is being said. (Science was never my best subject.) The effects are beautiful and the acting is good. I think Matt Damon did a great job capturing the hope and desperation Watney felt while being stranded. I also think everyone at mission control including Jeff Daniels and Chiwetel Eljiofor did a good job with their roles as well. I am not a fan of Kristen Wiig, but I will say I was pleased with her work in this film. The Ares III crew also did a good job, but there weren't any stand out performances for me there.

I enjoyed this film. It keeps you invested in the story although I did feel some of the humor was forced. I'm also considerably more appreciative of science. I think most people have seen this film already, but if you haven't, I say check it out. It's a thrilling ride that you don't want to get off of.