My Criteria For Film

Robert De Niro's character Vito Corleone embraces his new-born son Michael, symbolizing freedom they now have. 

The Godfather: Part II (1974).

      Reading, Television shows, and Movies are some of the preferences that people have for hobbies, interest, or just for entertainment. Whenever I read to myself, I found that I would have trouble with creating a picture in my head, till recently, I realized that I am just a visual learner. With television shows, I also realize how much of a big time investment we put into them. Now there are still some great shows going on today (maybe even better), however there have been a few where I have been left disappointed by the way they ended. Watching and enjoying movies has helped me with learning about writing and storytelling; visually understanding expressions; and overall the artwork that is being formed. Unlike television shows, I could watch a movie in one day and decide if I like it or not (with a good, bad or sad ending). As mentioned, writing and storytelling would have to be at the very top of my criteria with films. These are what always keep me wanting to watch, and hit the pause when I need to.  Now I feel that the next important part to bring such art on screen are the actors. There have been some actors that have stood out to me where they bring something completely different to either the character’s personality, the other actors on screen, or to the emotions they make the audience feel.    

            Now I’ve just recently watched the film Double Indemnity (1944) for the first time, and it was worth me saying that I should add this movie to my library. Now the story immediately hooked me in with the character Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) giving a confession to his manager Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson) about the wrong-doing he committed. This made me want to watch and see what crime he committed, who was involved, and why he was not successful. It was great form of how they had Walter Neff give his confession, but by using it as narration. Now I am a big fan of twists and surprises, so when we find out how Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) had already committed a crime before the killing of her husband, I knew it was not going to end well for all the characters. However, I felt the moral was that we do choose our fate, and we have to make sure that we are making the right decisions or our karma will come back to us. Even though Fred MacMurray did a great job portraying his character, I felt the Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson stood out to me. Stanwyck managing to make me feel bad for her and believe that she was the victim, until we learn that she had a master plan the whole time making her two faced and untrustworthy. After seeing that she was the antagonist, it made sense how Stanwyck acted at certain points in the film, like not even showing sympathy for her husband’s death when she should have. Now I have seen Edward G. Robinson in the film The Ten Commandments (1954), and I thought he was an absolute snake in that movie (which is a good thing), but after seeing this it made me appreciate his acting. Robinson character would be considered the investigator in the film, and I feel that it is a tricky job because he had to act somewhat oblivious in film for not knowing the closes person to him committed the crime. Not to mention that sense of passion he had to bring for his character, which (this may sound funny) convince me that a desk job is still a lot of hard work to endure. I would recommend Double Indemnity (1944) it would show people where a lot movies of today have gotten similar ideas from this film. 

Mr.Gowers (H.B. Warner) hugs Young George Bailey (Bobby Anderson) for saving him from making a honest mistake. It's a Wonderful Life (1944).

Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) sitting and recollecting his thought of his decisions. 

The Godfather: Part II.

        Now my two favorite films that follow two details would have to be It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), and The Godfather: Part II (1974). These two differ in many ways, but I always find myself to sit down, watch and enjoy these stories and actors. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) taught me that we as individual are important in this lifetime. I always enjoyed how they showed a kind of alternate universe when one person is not present, showing what difference an individual can make for others. Adding to my criteria, this movie has comedy, romance, and even suspense, overall these help give the movie great storytelling. Another thing that it brought out of me are the emotions, and the actors are part of this doing. For example, the scene when young George Bailey (Bobby Anderson) reveals to Mr. Gower (H.B. Warner) how he (Mr. Gower) accidentally switched the wrong medicine capsules, thus George saving the sick child from being poisoned, and Mr. Gower from the circumstances. This scene always gets to me because of the emotions these two actors brought out of each other. The Godfather: Part II (1974) did something completely different which was a prequel and sequel all in one film. It is amazing how the film goes from Vito Corleone’s (Robert De Niro) growth to becoming the Godfather to his son Michael Corleone’s (Al Pacino) current time and troubles as the Godfather, but I was always able to follow the stories. The director Francis Ford Coppola also showed how both characters had similarities dealing with tragic events, yet somehow both were able to survive in the end. To me I felt that the moral of this film was to not betray your family. As great of a cast as this film was, I feel that Robert De Niro and Al Pacino carried this whole film. I always felt that De Niro’s scenes were more the quiet but respectful scenes, while Pacino (whom I personally thought should have won the Oscar for his role) was calm but anticipated the worst to come, and was relatable to why he would become so angry at times. Although I have a huge library full of movies and a lot of other kind of favorites, I feel that both It’s a Wonderful Life and The Godfather: Part II always give a satisfaction for myself to say “what a movie”.      

 George Bailey's (James Stewart) and Marie Bailey 's(Donna Reed) wedding night. An underrated and romantic in scene. It's a Wonderful Life (1946).