The Godfather Part II
Francis Ford Coppola
Few films have made an impact as the iconic Godfather series. If Godfather I was Marlon Brando’s opus, then Godfather II was Al Pacino’s. The film brilliantly crafted from Mario Puzo’s book leaves an indelible mark on the viewer. Francis Ford Coppola manages to capture Michael Corleone at his almost snake-like best. Also, who can forget John Cazales epic performance as Fredo, who’s final Hail Mary brought many a viewer to the cusp of tears. A masterpiece.
The Dark Knight
Christopher Nolan
“Legend, Mr. Wayne.” Liam Neeson utters these very words in the previous instalment of a trilogy that will live long in all our memories. Christian Bale delivers a performance that you expect from an actor of his calibre, but the one man who stole the show was Heath Ledger. This movie will stand the test of time for being an acting masterclass from Ledger and a plot that will leave us wanting more.
Rashomon
Akira Kurosawa
What can be said about Kurosawa that hasn’t been said already? One of the finest directors that cinema has been graced with, Rashomon, is his finest work. From the mind-numbing camera work in the forests to the astounding interrogation scene, Rashomon brings the greatness of actor Toshiro Mifune to our screens. Rashomon is the very film that cinephiles crave for.
There Will Be Blood
Paul Thomas Anderson
Based on Upton Sinclairs Oil! There Will Be Blood tells the tale of a gold miner turned oilman on a quest for more wealth. This brilliantly-crafted film boasts Academy favourite Daniel Day Lewis who racked up the nomination in this movie as the ruthless oilman, Daniel Plainview with Paul Dano, who makes this role his own, as the perfect foil to Lewis’ Plainview.
Taxi Driver
Martin Scorcese
As far as De Niro, Scorcese and historical movie scenes go, none gets bigger than “You talkin’ to me?” One of the greatest movies to be ever made, Taxi Driver takes us on a journey to experience the life of Travis Bickle, albeit an uncomfortable one. It shows us the life of a man whose mind has been warped by war and pain. The suffering that is portrayed by De Niro feels real. It makes the movie-goer look away from Bickle’s hard life, yet we are drawn to it. One of the great films of its decade, capped by one of the greatest acting performances that we have been privy to.
The ones that almost made it:
Good Night and Good Luck: George Clooney
The Shawshank Redemption: Frank Darabont
The Green Mile: Frank Darabont
Captain Phillips: Paul Greengrass
Goodfellas: Martin Scorcese
Akshay George Finney is an avid movie goer, theatre actor and fan of Martin Scorcese, Al Pacino and Tom Hanks. Based in Chennai he is currently pursuing a master’s degree in engineering.
