Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall in the Francis Ford Coppola movie ‘The Godfather Part II’

Matt Lynn Digital reviewed the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather (1972) in January 2023. Today, we look to Ford Coppola‘s sequel as released in December 1974, namely The Godfather Part II (1974). Both claim the Mario Puzo book The Godfather as source material, with screenwriting credit for Puzo and Ford Coppola.

(From left, Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen and Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather Part II).

The original movie told the story of a clandestine organized crime dynasty’s transfer from an aging patriarch to a reluctant son of the original; the second movie tells of the early life and career of that patriarch from Sicily, Italy to New York City, New York as prequel while showing the son expand and control the dynasty as sequel. This storytelling decision to expand upon the original while speaking to the fate of the Don Vito Corleone’s family broke cinematic ground with meaning while offering satisfaction.

(From left, Robert De Niro as Vito Corleone and Leopoldo Trieste as Signor Roberto in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather Part II).

The story of Don Michael Corleone within The Godfather Part II opens in 1958 in Lake Tahoe on the California and Nevada border, accepting meetings in that role on the day of his son’s First Communion. Capo Frankie Pentangeli raises dismay about extracurricular behavior in the Bronx by Jewish mobster Hyman Roth’s organization. Meanwhile, Senator Pat Geary insults the Corleones specifically and Italians generally, demanding a bribe for casino operations that Michael aims not to pay. A failed assassination attempt on Michael Corleone leads him, while departing, to confide in consiglieri Tom Hagan that he, Corleone, fears a traitor exists within the organization. Al Pacino, Michael V. Gazzo, Lee Strasberg, G.D. Spradlin and Robert Duvall portrayed Corleone, Pantengeli, Roth, Geary and Hagan, respectively.

(Giuseppe Sillato as Don Francesco in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather Part II).

The story of Don Vito Corleone starts within The Godfather Part II as nine-year-old Vito Andolini in the Corleone neighborhood of Sicily in 1901. An insult to Mafia chieftain Don Francesco by Vito’s father led to the murder of Vito’s family, with Vito fleeing to New York City with the name Vito Corleone. It was 1917 that Vito loses his job due to interference by Don Fanucci before Vito’s neighbor, Peter Clemenza, asks Vito to hold some guns to avoid criminal consequences. The pair later strike up the beginnings of the Corleone crime empire while we get to meet Vito’s wife, Carmela, and the couple’s four kids. Oreste Baldini, Giuseppe Sillato, Robert De Niro, Gastone Moschin, Bruno Kirby, Francesca De Sapio, Roman Coppola and Louis Marino portrayed Vito Andolini – as a Boy, Don Francesco, Vito Corleone, Don Fanucci, young Peter Clemenza, young Carmela Corleone, Sonny Corleone – as a Boy and young Michael Corleone.

(From left, Al Pacino as Michael Corleone and John Cazale as Fredo Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather Part II).

The stories escalate from there, with Michael moving against Geary for political support while aiming for business plans in Cuba. Intrigue with Pentangeli and Roth bring Johnny Ola and Fredo Corleone into clearer focus, while Geary goes to bat for Michael Corleone and the Corleone criminal enterprise against a Senate Committee in Washington DC. When Mama (Carmela) Corleone as portrayed by Morgana King, drama for Michael comes full force with revelations for Connie, Fredo, Kay and the ongoing legacy of the family. Meanwhile with the prequel, a partnership with Salvatore Tessio brings additional friction with Don Fanucci that leads to the initial expansion of the Corleone crime family that many years later becomes the storyline explored with Michael. Dominic Chianese, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Diane Keaton and John Aprea portrayed Johnny Ola, Fredo Corleone, Connie Corleone, Kay Adams Corleone, and Young (Salvatore) Tessio, respectively.

(Diane Keaton as Kay Adams Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather Part II).

The Godfather Part II movie raises so many questions and suspense that are resolved with clarity, directness and brutality. Loyalty and betrayal are strong themes running throughout; that the story of Vito Corleone and Michael Corleone have moved from an initial innocence to an assertive, yet seemingly principled criminal philosophy is remarkable and substantial when looked at in parallel. I grant The Godfather Part II as directed by Francis Ford Coppola 4.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, April 6, 2024

Marlon Brando, Al Pacino and James Caan in the Francis Ford Coppola movie ‘The Godfather’

I’ve known for a significant time that the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather (1972) has been well regarded in many circles. The movie has been on friend Cobra‘s listing of best movies for far too long to not offer our thoughts for the crime drama set primarily in New York City, New York, United States, Sicily, Italy, and Las Vegas, Nevada.

(From left, Al Pacino as Michael Corleone and Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather).

The Godfather movie, along with the two sequels that followed, are drawn from the Mario Puzo book named The Godfather. The story begins in 1945 in New York City with the receiving of requests by the father of Constanzia ‘Connie’ Corleone as she is due to marry Carlo Rizzi. Connie and Carlo were portrayed by Talia Shire and Gianni Russo, respectively. Mafia don Vito Corleone, as portrayed by Marlon Brando, is compelled by tradition to accept all requests in this setting. Former marine and squeaky-clean Michael Corleone introduces his girlfriend, Kay Adams, to the family at the wedding reception. Michael and Kay were portrayed by Al Pacino and Diane Keaton, respectively.

(From left, Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen and John Marley as Jack Woltz in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather).

The film offers really solid exposition of the power dynamics and traditions for the family as established by the family patriarch Vito, along with the command-and-control structure of the working the business. For example, a wedding day request from Vito’s godchild Johnny Fontane, a popular singer, was in gaining a feature role in a movie to be made by a studio run by Jack Woltz. Corleone sent his consigliere, or underboss, Robert Duvall to see Woltz about addressing the casting request. The exceptionally clear response to being rebuffed by Woltz quickly changed when a shocking crime was perpetrated upon Woltz and his prize horse, which quickly prompted Woltz to change the casting decision to Fontane’s benefit. Al Martino, John Marley and Robert Duvall portrayed Fontane, Woltz and Hagen, respectively.

(From left, Richard S. Castellano as Peter Clemenza and Lenny Montana as Luca Brasi in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather).

It was soon after these dynamic introductions that the Corleone family is approached drug baron Virgil Sollozzo to enter the drug trade. The friction that informs much of the movie begins with this meeting, wherein the decision to decline the offer to protect the Corleone political connections leads to an escalating series of back-and-forth intrigue. Don Vito Corleone suspicion escalates beyond Sollozzo to the man’s business connections, with the rejection of a business collaboration perceived as an insult. Luca Brasi suffers for this rather quickly, with Peter Clemenza continuing to serve the Corleone family with what follows. Al Lettieri, Lenny Montana and Richard S. Castellano portray Sollozzo, Brasi and Clemenza, respectively.

(From left, James Caan as Sonny Corleone and Talia Shire as Constanzia ‘Connie’ Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather).

The escalating feud among the leading mobster families provokes conflict that really disrupts the way the Corleone family is led. Circumstances call into question who should lead the family and how to address an attack on the family patriarch. Sonny Corleone, as portrayed by James Caan, Fredo Corleone as portrayed by John Cazale and Michael Corleone diverge in their support for the family with two of the three leaving for Las Vegas and Sicily, respectively. The family rallies around their father while pursuing different ends, while it is the situation precipitated by the offer of the drug business that sparked the conflict among the families.

(From left, Diane Keaton as Kay Adams-Corleone and Simonetta Stefanelli as Apollonia Vitelli-Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather).

The notion of loyalty underpins so much of the storytelling at this point in the larger story. Connie’s husband Carlo has become abusive while Carlo’s brothers-in-law are set about their business. One of the brothers gets married only to have his wife meet an exceedingly bad end. With Connie pregnant to Carlo and another brother getting killed with the animosity between the families, the core point of the film becomes almost inevitable; who leads the family when Vito Corleone ultimately dies? Will any within the family have the will and the capacity for the leadership? Will the family continue on for another generation?

(From left, Alex Rocco as Moe Greene and John Cazale as Fredo Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather).

The resolution to these artfully raised questions brings so many changes. One brother’s temper does him in. Another making questionable judgments while not sticking up for himself leads to separate problems. Vito Corleone’s grooming leads to an interesting outcome, along with a change in the disposition of the siblings, the family and the marriages for the two wedded siblings at the end of the movie. The trajectory of the family coupled with the emotional dynamics really worked will against a clearly difficult backdrop of criminal drama.

(From left, Richard Conte as Barzini, Victor Rendina as Philip Tattaglia and Al Lettieri as Virgil Sollozzo in the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Godfather).

The Godfather movie raises so many questions; the flick resolves so much with a directness, clarity and brutality that feels appropriate to the place this story lives. That the story doesn’t seem to meander despite coming in at a longer than typical length is a testament to the quality of the cinematic achievement; the settings and costumes feel remarkable in their own right. With so much that works, I grant The Godfather as directed by Francis Ford Coppola 4.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, January 7, 2023

Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer in the Michael Mann movie ‘Heat’

An ensemble cast to rival ensemble casts starred in a Michael Mann movie noted for its action, crime and drama. Al Pacino and Robert De Niro starred opposite one another in the movie about crime, law enforcement and the effect these lifestyles have on love in the Los Angeles, California based movie Heat (1995).

(From left, Val Kilmer as Chris Shiherlis, Robert De Niro as Neil McCauley and Tom Sizemore as Michael Cheritto in the Michael Mann movie Heat).

The movie itself begins with professional thief Neil McCauley, as portrayed by Robert De Niro, robbing more than a million dollars of bearer bonds from an armored truck with a crew including Chris Shiherlis, Michael Cheritto, Trejo and Waingro, with the last being new to the crew. Waingro, McCauley and Cheritto each kill someone during the heist, which brings heat upon and within the crew in introducing important thematic elements that will run through the full scale of the movie. Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Danny Trejo and Kevin Gage portrayed Shiherlis, Cheritto, Trejo and Waingro, respectively.

(From left, Diane Venora as Justine Hanna and Al Pacino as Lieutenant Vincent Hanna in the Michael Mann movie Heat).

With the theft and homicides history, the Los Angeles Police Department investigates the crimes. Lieutenant Vincent Hanna, as portrayed by Al Pacino, assesses quickly that the robbery was well planned. We learn quickly that Hanna has a strained relationship with his third wife, Lauren, in addition to difficulty emotionally connecting with his stepdaughter, Lauren Gustafson. Justine Hanna and Lauren Gustafson were portrayed by Diane Venora and Natalie Portman, respectively.

(From left, Ashley Judd as Charlene Shiherlis, Amy Brenneman as Eady and Natalie Portman as Lauren Gustafson in the Michael Mann movie Heat).

Meanwhile, the instinct of professional thieves is to manage the reality or perception of heat in their professional or personal lives. We learn after the heist that Chris Shiherlis was having marital problems with Charlene Shiherlis, as portrayed by Ashley Judd. We see Neil McCauley take a romantic interest in Eady, a graphic designer much younger than he is yet worth a look. Meanwhile, McCauley has a direct interest in putting an end to provocative behavior from Waingro, which becomes an extended storyline for the movie. Amy Brenneman portrayed Eady.

(From left, Kevin Gage as Waingro, Jon Voight as Nate and William Fichtner as Roger Van Zant in the Michael Mann movie Heat).

These relationships simultaneously worsen, suggest potential redemption for, and called for enlightened coercion when McCauley and his fence aim to engage solutions to their criminal and personal problems. In the aftermath of the robbery, Roger Van Zant has his hands in part of McCauley’s criminal plays. As the original robbery victim; Van Zant, as portrayed by William Fichtner, winds up in contact with Nate, the fence, and Waingro with criminal plots in furtherance of the original robbery. Waingro’s plans are pointed more strictly at addressing the heat raised by his actions in and since the opening robbery. Jon Voight portrayed Nate. The ways that each of these threads pull upon one another in resolving the many storylines is well done.

(From left, writer, director and producer Michael Mann, actress Ashley Judd and actor Robert De Niro in support of the Michael Mann movie Heat).

While the movie, as reported by Rotten Tomatoes here, performed slightly better among audiences than critics, there is more to recommend the film than to detract from it overall. The intrigue throughout the story was masterfully done, with the reward landing in the showdown between stars that one had been hoping for from the beginning the show. My biggest complaint was in the final portrayal of the ending, which left me wanting something slightly more in the form rather than the portrayal or outcome of it. Given the largely masterful criminal drama movie, I grant Heat as written, directed and produced by Michael Mann 4.25-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank in the Christopher Nolan movie ‘Insomnia’

Robin Williams as a villain? Al Pacino as a conflicted policeman? Hilary Swank somewhere outside the loop yet every bit the advocate for justice? Welcome to the Christopher Nolan movie Insomnia (2002), a remake of the Norwegian movie Insomnia (1997).

(From left, Hilary Swank as Detective Ellie Burr, Martin Donovan as Detective Hap Eckhart and Al Pacino as Detective Will Dormer in the Christopher Nolan movie Insomnia).

Al Pacino starred as Detective Will Dormer of the Los Angeles Police Department of Los Angeles, California. Detective Hap Eckhart, set to testify against Dormer in an internal affairs concern in Los Angeles, flies with Dormer to the fictional town of Nightmute, Alaska to assist in a murder investigation at the request of Nightmute Police Chief Charlie Nyback, a former colleague of Dormer’s. Paul Dooley portrayed Nyback as Martin Donovan portrayed Eckhart.

(From left, Hilary Swank as Detective Ellie Burr and Al Pacino as Detective Will Dormer in the Christopher Nolan movie Insomnia).

Nightmute, Alaska Detective Ellie Burr, as portrayed by Hilary Swank, picks up the LAPD detectives at the airport. While tension exists between Eckhart and Dormer, Burr greets the pair with a stated admiration for the investigative work that prompted lent support for Nyback in getting Dormer the opportunity to investigate the murder that brought him the LAPD detectives to Alaska in the first place.

(From left, Robin Williams as Walter Finch and Al Pacino as Detective Will Dormer in the Christopher Nolan movie Insomnia).

It was during the long daylight hours of an Alaska summertime that the course of the murder investigation took the detectives into near wilderness habitat in pursuit of the team’s murder suspect, Walter Finch. Robin Williams portrayed Finch, whose gun is left at the scene of a police-involved shooting that leaves one of the pursuing detective’s dead. Knowing how the notion of a shooting death looks, Dormer makes up a story that magnifies what Dormer knows is already a difficult situation back home.

(Maura Tierney as Rachel Clement in the Christopher Nolan movie Insomnia).

Suffering from the near constant daylight of an Alaska summertime, the difficulties back home, the original murder investigation, the police involved shooting and an offer by murder suspect Walter Finch to turn the plot of this psychological thriller into film noir, Detective Dormer confides some of his inner feelings to innkeeper Rachel Clement, as portrayed by Maura Tierney.

(From left, actor Robin Williams and director Christopher Nolan on set of the Christopher Nolan movie Insomnia).

The stage is set well in amplifying the tension within the film functioning from the Hillary Seitz, Nikolaj Frobenius and Erik Skjoldbjærg screenplays. Fundamentally, the centerpiece for this movie to me is the story and cinematic feel more than the performances of the actors, which isn’t meant to diminish the acting performances. The real casting surprise, which works for me as a portrayal against typecast, rests with the role of Walter Finch. Make no mistake in knowing that the film works. I offer Insomnia as directed by Christopher Nolan 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Al Pacino, Sean Penn and Penelope Ann Miller in the Brian De Palma movie ‘Carlito’s Way’

The pairing of Al Pacino and Brian De Palma in the movie Carlito’s Way (1993) brings the second movie review we’ve taken with the duo at Matt Lynn Digital, following Scarface (1983). Carlito’s Way brings into view the novels Carlito’s Way: Rise to Power and After Hours by Edwin Torres, with the latter being the bigger focus of the film while the title is drawn from the first.

(From left, Sean Penn as David Kleinfeld and Al Pacino as Carlito Brigante in the Brian De Palma movie Carlito’s Way).

Al Pacino portrayed Carlito Brigante in the movie Carlito’s Way. Brigante gains his freedom from jail thanks to an issue in the trial that had put him behind bars. David Kleinfeld, as portrayed by Sean Penn, serves as Brigante’s friend and attorney. Carlito, of Puerto Rican descent, is back on the streets of the boroughs of New York City, New York following his release, aiming to keep his nose clean. Carlito is persuaded to accompany his young cousin, Guajiro, on a drug deal that goes south. John Ortiz portrayed Guajiro.

(From left, Al Pacino as Carlito Brigante and Jorge Porcel as Reinaldo ‘Ron’ Saso in the Brian De Palma movie Carlito’s Way).

Carlito takes Guajiro’s $30,000 from the botched deal and buys into a nightclub operated by gambling addict Reinaldo ‘Ron’ Saso, as portrayed by Jorge Porcel. It is at this bar that Benny Blanco, as portrayed by John Leguizamo, makes multiple rejected overtures to Carlito Brigante to go into business together. Brigante, who dreams of retiring to the Caribbean once he can save sufficient money, looks to rekindle a relationship with Gail that he had prior to release from jail. Penelope Ann Miller portrays Gail.

(From left, John Leguizamo as Benny Blanco, Luis Guzmán as Pachanga and Al Pacino as Carlito Brigante in the Brian De Palma movie Carlito’s Way).

While the romance is pursued, Pachanga serves as Carlito’s right hand man in the mission to grow what enterprise the two pursue following Carlito’s release from prison. Pachanga, as portrayed by Luis Guzmán, becomes frustrated following an incident between David Kleinfeld and Benny Blanco’s girlfriend, Steffie, who is a waitress at the club. The incident with Steffie, Blanco and Kleinfeld, with Ingrid Rogers portraying Steffie, alienatates Pachanga and Carlito.

(From left, Al Pacino as Carlito Brigante and Penelope Ann Miller as Gail in the Brian De Palma movie Carlito’s Way).

Kleinfeld meanwhile escalates things for Carlito Brigante further with a separate client, Anthony Taglialucci. This raises stakes for Brigante between Kleinfeld, Gail, Pachanga and the conflicting questions of loyalty, friendship and his own ambitions for the course of his life. How things work themselves out brings successfully gets achieved in a sequence perhaps less memorable than with Scarface, yet compelling still.

(From left, actor Al Pacino and director Brian De Palma on set of the Brian De Palma movie Carlito’s Way).

Carlito’s Way feels a bit like a redemption tale for the character Al Pacino portrayed in the Brian De Palma directed movie Scarface. Carlito’s Way draws Carlito Brigante with a much clearer moral, and arguably ethical center than was the case with Tony Montana in Scarface. When taken with the storylines of Benny Blanco, Pachanga and David Kleinfeld, I found the full exposition satisfying. Carlito’s Way perhaps does not live up to Scarface, though I enjoyed this movie experience enough to rate Carlito’s Way as directed by Brian De Palma 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, October 2, 2021

The Year 2020 in Movies

With the oddness that has been the year 2020, new movie releases have been few and far between. Matt Lynn Digital continued to look into the past for movies to enjoy and review with you. The year saw us review thirty-six (36) films through the year, which we will share with you by decade, shared from highest rated to lowest.

(Argo starring Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin and  John Goodman was a 2012 gem that leads the 2010s with 4.5-stars from Matt Lynn Digital).

Argo (2012) leads the way for movies from the 2010s. The film earned 4.5-stars on a scale of 1-to-5 stars, which is the highest rating matched only twice for movies this year. Earning 4.0-stars for the decade were Game Night (2018) starring Jason Batemen and Rachel McAdams, Captain Phillips (2013) starring Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi and The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) starring Matthew McConaughey and, for a second time this decade, Bryan Cranston.

(Matt Damon makes two appearances for the 2010s, the first with the 2019 film Ford v Ferrari).

 Ford v Ferrari (2019) offers the first of two starring roles in the Matt Lynn Digital movie reviews for Matt Damon and Christian Bale. The story of the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans earn a rating of 3.75-stars along with The Martian (2015), which starred Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig and Jeff Daniels and Gravity (2013) starring Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, and Ed Harris.

(Tom Hanks returns to our list with the 4.25-stars granted Cast Away by Matt Lynn Digital).

The Robert Zemeckis film Cast Away (2000) starts in the holiday season where the character portrayed by Tom Hanks faces tremendous odds while delivering an outstanding movie granted 4.25-stars. The movie Ray (2004), starring Jamie Foxx in the role as Ray Charles and the Ang Lee movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) starring Michelle Yeoh and Yun-Fat Chow each earned 4-stars in their 2020 reviews.

(The Martin Scorsese film Gangs of New York featured among the best portrayals of a movie villain ever delivered by Daniel Day-Lewis. The film earned 3.75-stars from Matt Lynn Digital).

Gangs of New York (2002) leads a stable of five movies to earn 3.75-stars from the decade that began the 21st century. While prominent, the performances by Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Brendan Gleeson, Liam Neeson and John C. Reilly held sway in part for where the ranking placed. Other films from this decade gaining 3.75-stars included The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) starring Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck, The Blind Side (2009) starring Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw, Friday Night Lights (2004) starring Lucas Black, Billy Bob Thornton and Tim McGraw, and Elf (2003) starring Will Ferrell, James Caan and Zooey Deschanel.  The Skulls (2000) starring Joshua Jackson,  Paul Walker and  Craig T. Nelson earned 3.5-stars.

(Fight Club starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter and the Martin Scorsese movie Goodfellas starring Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Lorraine Bracco lead the 1990s with 4.5-stars granted by Matt Lynn Digital).

The film Fight Club (1999) and the film Goodfellas (1990) bookend the 1990s with a pair of movies earning the 2020 top rating of 4.5-stars offered by Matt Lynn Digital. The football movie Rudy (1993) starring Sean Astin and Ned Beatty is joined by baseball movie The Sandlot (1993) with Denis Leary and the military, political intrigue movie The Hunt for Red October (1990) starring Sean Connery, James Earl Jones, Alec Baldwin and Sam Neill with ratings of 4.0-stars.

(For Love of the Game starring Kevin Costner, John C. Reilly and Kelly Preston lead 1990s films getting 3.75-stars by Matt Lynn Digital).

Baseball and borderline romantic comedy film For Love of the Game (1999) earned 3.75-stars from Matt Lynn Digital in 2020. The film Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995) with  Richard Dreyfuss and the Ron Howard film Far and Away (1992) with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman join For Love of the Game with 3.75-stars. Earning 3.25 stars is the film The Usual Suspects (1995), which starred Kevin Spacey, Stephen Baldwin, Benicio Del Toro and Kevin Pollak.

(The Brian De Palma and Oliver Stone film Scarface with  Al Pacino,  Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert Loggia and Steven Bauer kicks off the 1980s with a 4-star rating by Matt Lynn Digital).

The 4-stars earned by the organized crime movie Scarface (1983) is joined by the Steven Spielberg film Empire of the Sun (1987) starring Christian Bale, John Malkovich and Joe Pantoliano and Tim Burton‘s film Beetlejuice (1988) starring Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton. The Richard Donner film Scroooged (1988) starring Bill Murray, John Forsythe, David Johansen and Carol Kane completes the decade with 3.75-stars.

(Ridley Scott‘s film Alien starring Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt and Ian Holm earns the best rating of the 1970s for Matt Lynn Digital at 4.25-stars).

Alien (1979) closed out the 1970s with quite the impact, garnering 4.25-stars for a science fiction story that stands on its own. The Martin Scorsese concert goodbye The Last Waltz (1978) with The Band leads three other productions getting 3.75-stars. Joining The Last Waltz with 3.75-stars include the baseball movie The Bad News Bears (1976) with Walter Mathau and Tatum O’Neal, the western movie The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) starring Clint Eastwood and John Vernon and the comedic war movie Kelly’s Heroes (1970) starring Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Don Rickles, Carroll O’ Connor and Gavin MacLeod.

(The Man Who Shot Liberty Vance and The Lady Vanishes achieved two different things in two different decades to complete the movie reviews by Matt Lynn Digital in 2020).

The John Ford movie The Man Who Shot Liberty Vance (1962) starred John Wayne, James Stewart, Lee Marvin and Vera Miles in a western that earned 3.75-stars. The Lady Vanishes (1938) put Alfred Hitchcock on the proverbial map with a political commentary in the guise of a thriller starring Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lukas and May Whitty. The Lady Vanishes earned 4.0-stars from Matt Lynn Digital.

(Blog friend Cobra reviewed the movies Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight in a single sharing on Matt Lynn Digital).

Matt Lynn Digital also enjoyed sharing a review of Richard Linklater‘s Before Trilogy of movies. Blog friend Cobra reviewed Before Sunrise (1995), Before Sunset (2004) and Before Midnight (2013) in a single review. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy explore the notion of relationships a bit more fully and cleverly than often happens with any movie franchise. It is with thanks that we look back to this sharing.

Share the Matt Lynn Digital blog with your friends if you see value in what we are doing. We feel these reviews provide excellent content that we would like to continue offering.

Matt – Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Al Pacino, Steven Bauer and Michelle Pfeiffer in the film ‘Scarface’

In a recent dinner gathering with a few close friends, Airport Friend made a reference to the 1983 Brian De Palma directed written by Oliver Stone. The film features a pair of Cuban refugees with a criminal past, played by Al Pacino and Steven Bauer, with a criminal past that make their way to assembling a cocaine empire in Miami, Florida. Scarface (1983) in the movie that we portrays the exodus and excess that questions loyalty, trust and the meaning of family.

(From left, Michelle Pfeiffer as Elvira and Al Pacino in the title role as Tony Montana in the movie Scarface).

Al Pacino plays Tony Montana, or the title character of Scarface. Montana earns the nickname Scarface owing to an injury that occurred before the events of the movie begin. The film Scarface itself begins Montana and fellow Cuban expatriate Manny Ribera, portrayed by Steven Bauer, being included with a group of families and prison rejects being permitted the opportunity to emigrate to the United States. A disreputable agreement occurs with Miami drug lord Frank Lopez, as played by Robert Loggia, gains Ribera, Montana, and other criminals green cards to enter the country in southern Florida.

(Steven Bauer as Cuban expatriate Manny Ribera in the movie Scarface).

Ribera and Montana become a cook and dishwasher at an eatery until an arrangement to purchase cocaine is arranged. After the deal goes really wrong in a tragic way for the expatriates, Ribera, Montana, and a couple of friends engineer a recovery that puts the Cubans into exceptionally good graces with Lopez. It is during the beginning business with Lopez that Montana takes notice of the trophy wife of Lopez, namely Elvira. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Elvira.

(From left, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Tony Montana’s younger sister, Gina, and Richard Delmonte as Fernando in the movie Scarface).

As the story of empire growing for Tony Montana and Manny Ribera grow, the introduction to Tony Montana’s mother and sister occurs. It is in this period that we meet Gina, the younger sister of Tony Montana as portrayed by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. We also learn something of the relationship between Montana and Ribera in how Ribera helps address an uncomfortable situation between Gina and Fernando. Fernando is portrayed by Richard Delmonte.

(From left, Steven Bauer, Al Pacino and Scarface director Brian De Palma on the set of the film Scarface).

Meanwhile, Lopez sends Montana and Ribera to Cochabamba, Bolivia, which serves to reveal much about loyalty, revenge for perceived disloyalty, and establishes the path towards a couple of significant events that will help resolve the full impact that the movie Scarface ultimately has. The events in Columbia, looking back at the past as well as establishing of a connection between Tony Montana and cocaine kingpin Alejandro Sosa, are decidedly relevant. Paul Shenar plays Alejandro Sosa.

(From left, Al Pacino and Scarface screenwriter Oliver Stone on the set of the film Scarface).

Much of the dynamics throughout Scarface are best experienced firsthand and through the watching of the film. Portrayals of drug use, violence, ethnic and gender stereotypes, and sexual orientation were in ways more cavalier and less inclusive than are similar norms today. These were deliberate elements of Scarface, and in important ways decisive in the way the story of Scarface occurred. Acknowledging these things, my rating for Scarface is 4.00-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Saturday, October 24, 2020

Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and the film ‘Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood’

Have you ever thought a fictionalized, highly stylized slow burn of a fictionalized telling of the place and time of the Charles Manson murders would come to the movies? 50-years after the events that inspired the story, director and screenwriter Quentin Tarantino brought us just such a fictional retelling of the time, the place, and an fact-adjacent retelling of those events in his fictionalized Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood (2019).

(Left to right: Brad Pitt as Cliff Booth, Leonardo DiCaprio as Rick Dalton and Al Pacino as Marvin Schwarz in the film Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood).

A largely ensemble cast offers a fairy tale setting of sorts to the Hollywood film industry of the late 1960s. Al Pacino is introduced early in the film to introduce the primary protagonists, namely Leonardo DiCaprio as Rick Dalton and Brad Pitt as Cliff Booth. Dalton is a former television actor in the fictionalized National Broadcasting Company (NBC) series Bounty Law, which is purported to have been a cowboy series starring Dalton as the lead with Booth as Dalton‘s stunt double and close friend.

(Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate and Rafal Zawierucha as Roman Polanski in the film Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood).

Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood has Dalton, circa 1968 and 1969, renting a home next to Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate. Rafal Zawierucha portrays Polanski as Margot Robbie portrays Tate. The original Manson murders had Tate and others becoming the victims of the murders that are facts that are adjacent to the story in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood.

(Left to right: Margaret Qualley played Pussycat, Dakota Fanning played Squeaky Fromme and Austin Butler played Tex in the film Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood).

Three hippies and others from the Manson clan that lived on Spahn Ranch, or Spahn Movie Ranch, at the time the Manson murders were taking place over multiple weeks in 1969. Squeaky Fromme, Pussycat, and Tex were three of the figures portrayed in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood. Dakota Fanning, Margaret Qualley, and Austin Butler played those three, respectively.

(Left to right: Emile Hirsch played Jay Sebring, Timothy Olyphant played James Stacy and Julia Butters played Trudi Fraser in the film Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood).

In pulling together some of the era exposition of the film, Jay Sebring as portrayed by Emile Hirsch brings Polanski and Tate to a party at the Playboy Mansion of Hugh Hefner. Rick Dalton has dreams of getting closer to Polanski and Tate, yet at this point has no chance of interaction with them per the nature of the social circles of the town. Later, Dalton interacts with James Stacy as portrayed by Timothy Olyphant and Trudi Fraser as portrayed by Julia Butters on the set of the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) television show Lancer (1968-1970). It is partly through work such as this that Dalton is able to employ Cliff Booth while maintaining their friendship.

(Left to right: Mike Moh played Bruce Lee, Luke Perry played Wayne Maunder and Kurt Russell played Randy in the film Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood).

Luke Perry‘s final acting role before his untimely death was in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood as Wayne Maunder. Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth both interact with stunt coordinator Randy, as portrayed by Kurt Russell, on the set of American Broadcasting Company (ABC) show The Green Hornet (1966-1967). The pretext for this was an attempt to land Booth work, which led to establishing Booth in a way where Booth meets Bruce Lee as portrayed by Mike Moh.

(Left to right: Margot Robbie, Leonardo DiCaprio, writer and director Quentin Tarantino and Brad Pitt from the film Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood).

Much of the above is background to introducing you to many of the people and characters populating the place and time of Los Angeles, California, err Hollywood, back in the time of the Charles Manson murders. The film definitely offers a sense of place regarding the look and feel for what Hollywood is and was. I am assured by those who lived it that the feel of time and era were solidly portrayed as well. The exposition of feel, look, and place were a substantially told and experienced part of the film that I enjoyed. Some may struggle with parts of this, as the storytelling was slow at points. I think this is realized in the Rotten Tomatoes rating for the movie, which landed at an audience score of 70% fresh at 3:00 PM EST on Thursday.

The flourish in bringing about the telltale conclusion of the movie, with flare and the forthright smacking of the audience directly between the eyes from a cinematic perspective, were present. It would have been a significant disappointment for me had this been missing. The final sequence that brought much of the tale to resolution, upon reflection a day after seeing the film, has grown on me since the initial viewing. The style of the film was top notch. The purpose and exposition of the film was appreciated and of high quality in romanticizing the period of Hollywood that Tarantino grew to appreciate film. The slower storytelling through the opening almost two hours of the movie, I think, is perhaps the biggest opportunity of anything I see in this offering. I rate Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood at 4.25-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Saturday, August 17, 2019

David Mamet and the film ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’

If you take a look at the description listed by the Internet Movie Database for Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), you get one fragment of a sentence. That fragment  describing the movie is this: “An examination of the machinations behind the scenes at a real estate office.” Just like that description of the movie, which was adapted for the movie screen by original playwright David Mamet, this review may be merely the fragment of the fuller picture that this movie deserves. Thanks to friend of the blog Cobra for turning us onto this movie in a listing of his favorite movies.

(Al Pacino as Ricky Roma in Glengarry Glen Ross).

Glengarry Glen Ross offers the colorful language of full-throated criticism of the modern American business culture. Highly rated among critics and audience goers alike, the movie begins with the cutthroat declaration that all but two members of the sales staff will be fired at the end of the month based on the meritocracy of closed sales. Hot seller Ricky Roma, as played by Al Pacino, conveniently is missing from that meeting.

(Alec Baldwin as Blake in Glengarry Glen Ross).

In a role created specifically for the movie, the character named in credits as Blake sets the tone as the motivator sent by the home office of Mitch and Murray to abusively, with profane props and profane language, to motivate the salesmen to close sales that simply aren’t there to be closed. As the working class men will attest, the leads rationed out by  office manager John Williamson lack either the money or the desire to actually invest in land. Alec Baldwin stars as Blake for a single, devastating, tone-setting scene that establishes the desperation that becomes the commentary of the movie.

(Jack Lemmon as Shelley Levene in Glengarry Glen Ross).

Shelley Levene reacts first and perhaps with the most immediacy in response to the tone offered by Blake of Mitch and Murray. Jack Lemmon portrays the role with an elegant deftness that is the truth of his character. Levene first fails in three separate attempts to get office manager John Williamson to offer him special favors that will help Levene keep his job. Visiting the home of a client that never was going to buy, Levene unbeknownst to others in the office commits the office burglary for the special leads, the real leads, that are going to save his job in some desperate hope of keeping a time that has past from catching up with him.

(Ed Harris as Dave Moss in Glengarry Glen Ross).

As Dave Moss, Ed Harris solicits the confides his frustration with similarly frustrated salesman George Aaronow. The character study in growing desperation between these two grows from mutually agreed upon frustration to actual planning for a burglary of the office. Moss aims to convince Aaronow to break into the office as Moss masterminds the plan. The whole urgency of the plea is misguided as Aaronow is moved by compassion while restrained by the sensibility of a moral compass that says such talk is the moral nonsense that it seems to be.

(Alan Arkin as George Aaronow in Glengarry Glen Ross).

Alan Arkin potrays George Aaronow, who finds the schemes of Mitch and Murray, Williamson, Moss, and the others he only learns of after the burglary as complete nonsense. Aaronow’s desperate meltdown over lunch on day two of the movie, which responds with the humanity and dignity that all these salesmen deserve and are losing, real teeth. Williamson responds to this with perhaps his first loss of professional coldness, or perhaps his first showing of his cold sympathy for the reality his salesmen face, by repeating his invitation to George Aaronow to go to lunch.

(Kevin Spacey as John Williamson in Glengarry Glen Ross).

Kevin Spacey portrays the office manager that blithely follows the rules offered by senior managers, casting aside legitimate concerns among the men whose livelihood will end at the end of the month. The office theft perpetuated between the first day portrayed in the movie and the second is further handled in a ham-handed way with a police detective while further ignoring the moral depravity developing with Ricky Roma, Shelley Levene, and a couple who purchased real estate from Roma while under the influence of alcohol the evening before. The sleazy techniques used by Roma to continue closing the deal, and by Levene through multiple plays through the movie, are perhaps the clearest commentary offered by writer David Mamet through this film. Mamet‘s skill in having George Aaronow’s meltdown almost sidetrack the Roma Levene criminal play was emotionally brilliant.

(Left to Right – Kevin Spacey, Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Alan Arkin, and Ed Harris in Glengarry Glen Ross).

The story of this movie is straightforward, direct, and powerful. While the language is graphic and profane, the language seems like a justified usage of the grittiness if there ever is. The feelings and situations present in this movie are substantive, interesting, and satisfying in raising a glimpse into characters reacting authentically to very real stress and frustration.

(David Mamet, the playwright and screenwriter of Glengarry Glen Ross).

There are professional situations I have experienced where that candor of expression is something I’ve craved expressing, albeit with less profanity. This, I think, lends to the credibility of the writing and experience. All this said, I rank the drama and quality of the exposition in this film, at first watching, at 4.5-stars on a scale of one-to-five stars.

Matt – Saturday, April 20, 2019

Remakes and Sequels in the Service of Story

Matt Lynn Digital recently reviewed the Disney animated movie Dumbo (1941). We did so anticipating the live action movie Dumbo (2019)‘s theatrical release in the United States on Friday, March 29th. Without making a fine distinction between remake and reboot, we at Matt Lynn Digital wanted to review why some remakes work well while also looking at why sequels, as a distinct thing from remakes, also are worth the time.

(The movie A Star Is Born was first made in 1937 with remakes in 1954, 1976, and 2018).

Followers of the 2019 Academy Awards will recognize A Star is Born (2018) as a featured nominee for best movie. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga starred in the directorial debut for Cooper. Part of the success this movie enjoyed rested in starring a well-known musician and actor (Cooper and Gaga) in featured roles executing their craft using contemporary film and musical take on a movie that had been made three times before. A Star Is Born (1976) with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, A Star Is Born (1954) with Judy Garland and James Mason, and A Star is Born (1937) with Janet Gaynor and Fredric March were others that succeeded with a similar compelling story.

(1939’s movie The Wizard of Oz was remade as The Wiz in 1978).

We at Matt Lynn Digital have ranked the movie The Wizard of Oz (1939) as the fourth best movie ever made. Starring Judy Garland and her friends the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion singing and dancing in the service of an adventure of rural versus city, labor versus management, poor versus rich, the music enhanced the telling of a story that has endured for many years. The same themes with a Motown soundtrack and an African American cast including Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Lena Horne, and Richard Pryor starred in The Wiz (1978). A powerful story serving powerful audiences are powerful reasons to remake a movie.

(1982’s musical movie Annie was remade in 1999 and 2014. All take inspiration from Little Orphan Annie of 1932).

The final look into remade movies includes the music filled song of looking towards tomorrow with family with Annie (1982). In reprising a heartwarming tale of the adventures of a young girl in finding her family, whereas The Wizard of Oz and The Wiz both reinforce getting back home, the original stars Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, Aileen Quinn and others. Annie (1999) rebooted the franchise for television with Kathy Bates as a notable star. Annie (2014) offered an entertaining review of the movie with a more robust and contemporary telling of the underlying story with stars Jamie Foxx, Quvenzhané Wallis, and Cameron Diaz. The 1982 and 2014 movies experienced commercial success. Each of these movies trace back to the comedy and drama Little Orphan Annie (1932).

The notion of making sequels to movies often is more creatively deliberate. Its goals are often are not to retell a story with a more modern take or for a more modern audience, as we explored with some examples above. Instead, sequels seek to extend a story or take themes explored within a story to something more robust or fanciful.

(1972’s The Godfather experienced sequels in 1974 and 1990).

The Godfather (1972) joins with The Godfather: Part II (1974) and The Godfather: Part III (1990) to tell the trials and tribulations of an Italian American mafia family with the surname Corleone. The story tells of how Vito Corleone became a major American criminal, how he died, and then how his youngest son Michael Corleone succeeded him and then became corrupted. The first two movies often are considered superior to the third movie in the sequence. Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, and Talia Shire are notable stars in these movies.

(2005’s Batman Begins was followed by The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises in 2008 and 2012, respectively).

The Dark Knight Trilogy of movies collectively refers to Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, and Heath Ledger are notable stars telling the background story of Bruce Wayne (aka Batman), his becoming a crime fighter, and some graphic crime and violence he fights while simultaneously fighting his own emotional baggage wrought by the death of his parents at the hand of violent crime. Christopher Nolan became a director of worldwide reputation thanks to these movies.

(The 1975 blockbuster movie Jaws was followed by sequels in 1978, 1983, and 1987).

The movie Jaws (1975) led to three sequels, namely Jaws 2 (1978), Jaws 3-D (1983), and Jaws: The Revenge (1987). The first movie launched the career of director Steven Spielberg, who directed only the first movie. Roy Scheider starred in the first two movies, as did Murray Hamilton, and Lorraine Gary. Other notable stars in the original were Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss. The notion for all four movies was to extend the suspenseful interplay between unsuspecting folks on the beach, a hungry great white shark, and the engaging conflict the allows the audience to question who is the predator and who is the prey. Each movie in the series had a different director. Both the quality and originality of the series suffered from one movie to the next in this series, which is to say that this series demonstrates cases where sequels failed in the mission to extend the story into new and original places.

In walking through some notable remakes and movie sequels, my aim was to begin a dialogue for where one or the other is appropriate. Especially with some examples of sequels, we are aiming to stake more ground for where sequels are not appropriate. For example, two sequels for Batman Begins seem justified, and a second sequel for The Godfather seems unwarranted. Multiple follow-ups for Jaws seem clearly unnecessary. The remakes of films largely seem justifiable reaches into new territory. What do you think?

Matt – Wednesday, March 27, 2019