The Godfather Part II (1974)

We watched this directly after The Godfather and I do not recommend following our lead. Not only is it a LOT of time in front of a screen, but it makes this feel like a letdown rather than the extremely good film that it is.

The most riveting portions of this movie are Vito's origin story. After he's marked for death as a young boy in his small Sicilian town, he's sent to the states on his own. He's a quick-thinker with a strong sense of justice who eventually becomes known as the guy who can help. As a juxtaposition to that rich storyline, Michael's rise (or descent?) in the "now" feels dirty rather than triumphant. I was rooting for Vito and mourning for Michael -- I basically wanted to stay in the flashbacks.

In short: it's a decent follow-up to a magnificent film.

A-