3. THE GODFATHER I & II (1972, 1974)

If you're enjoying The Sopranos - and according to every TV critic, you have absolutely no right not to be - you absolutely must build your mobster movie foundation with these first two parts of America's reigning trilogy. What, is this news to you? Does this amuse you? We're talking about The Godfather! Parts I and II are ranked by pretty much every critic who's ever inked a review as two of the top ten films every made. There was a Part III made in 1990, but it's kind of like the black sheep of the family (not to mention that Francis Ford pulled one of the biggest cinematic blunders in history by casting his daughter in a prominent role). But still, the first two are tremendous. Parts I and II are the Iliad and the Odyssey of American cinema: great Mediterranean epics packed with violence that are also foundational pillars of our cultural library.

When you watch these movies, you'll be constantly remarking, "Oh, so that's where that came from." These flicks gave birth to an entirely new vocabulary - offers you can't refuse, horses' heads in beds, "favors" - and we've fallen nostalgically in love with it all, especially Marlon Brando as a Jabba-the-Hut figurehead who can barely open his jaw. Who cares if you don't see any civilian victims of organized crimes like shaken-down shopkeepers, drugged-up prostitutes, or drive-by collateral? That's what all the later mobster films are all about. But for now, enjoy this heavily romanticized tale of a mafia boss's son taking over the business.

Part II is groundbreaking in that it's one of the first prequels ever made and one of the only film follow-ups that improved on the original (notwithstanding Toy Story 2). II didn't beat I's box office, but it did grab more Oscars and many die-hard fans prefer the old-country feel of this earlier tale of Don Vito Corleone's rise to power.

We could go on for hours about how good these movies are, but seriously, we're talking about the basics here. Don't embarrass yourself any longer, go see these.

Notes:

  • Part I was nominated for 9 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Director, Actor, and THREE Supporting Actors

  • Part I won 3 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Actor (Brando), and Screenplay

  • Part II was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Director, Best Actor, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress

  • Part II won 6 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Robert De Niro), Screenplay, Score, and Art/Set Decoration

  • Amazingly, Part III was nominated for seven Oscars (including Best Picture, Director, and Supporting Actor)

  • In all three films, oranges signify an impending death (or a close call)

  • Part I placed #3 and Part II placed #32 on the American Film Institute's "100 Greatest Movies" List