The Godfather: Part II (1974)

This celebrated film stars in fact Al Pacino and it is a great bla bla bla music - Nino Rota, image, bla, acting, bla bla. I'll try to stay focused on DeNiro. The 1972 'first' Godfather stared in the role of the older Don Vito the well-known forty-eight years old Marlon Brando who won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role Oscar. The part was heavily worked and Brando's deep involvement is known. At 31 Robert DeNiro creates Vito Corleone in 'The Godfather:Part II' and wins the Best Actor in a Supporting Role Oscar (Coppola accepted the award at the ceremony as DeNiro was not attending). DeNiro filled graciously Brando's shoes even in the fragmentary flash back the narrative allows. There is a quality in the silent Vito that I cannot find a word for. He is not exceptionally smart nor exceptional in other ways. If possible I would call him very mediocre: he displays a certain combination of ambition, focus and values that bring him in the forefront. He is not a man that shows much, that one can easily read. Yet one can feel a vibe that renders him special when you meet him. He would not shine if the camera would not pay attention. DeNiro plays the part with great restraint and conveys a subtle power that generates relations and events like ripples around his character. Even if praised to death The Godfather is one of the must see movies for many internal reasons, and, if nothing else, for the deep influence it had.

Blood Diamond (2006)

People say 'Blood diamond' is a good movie and DiCaprio is a great actor. That may be true for them but I beg to disagree: I do not know who to blame for the movie so I will pick on just a few things like lDiCaprio. The movie is supposed to be close to others like Hotel Rwanda, Munich etc. capturing supposedly a tragic story of Sierra Leone. I usually get all emotional in front of such things even when badly made but this time all the questions I had in the first place about this type of theme gave me an unpleasant visceral reaction. Why are we making entertainment out of such things? It is almost as if the movie presents an extended version of the five o'clock violent news bulleting. It achieves exactly the same: we say 'poor people' and think 'why is this news?'. After all there is no news that people die and that we can be incredible cruel to each other. I have no idea what I am talking about but I see what we do without being in a war, even to people we call friends. I would like to see totally insane scenarios where diamonds do not matter to anyone and where people live in pace and harmony. That would be some news and I would run up to the first person on the street and I would slap them hard in the face just to see how they turn the other cheek and hug me in tears. I will then go off to make trouble to the establishment by hiding the salt at the table, the paper from the toilets and inject silicon in random faces to confuse the hell out of interpersonal communication. Until these fun times I will be doubtful of movies eliciting cheap emotional flow. DiCaprio. I do not know what I miss in this guy. Wait. I know. I do not 'believe' his manliness. It might be his voice but I really do not really believe he smokes. He is just ridiculous when he does the rough killer as kindergarten children planing a terrorist attack on some cherry tree in the neighborhood. His death manages to light a generous smirk if not a honest grin. He boldly claims without any relevant context 'I like to get kissed before I get fucked'. Does it ring any (better sounding) bell? I mean... Sonny (Al Pacino 1975) and Danny Archer (DiCaprio 2006) have exactly this line in common and there is nothing but a glaring confirmation of the two movies and actors' quality. I will add (to be fair) that DiCaprio did a good job in Catch Me If You Can (2002) and very good as Rimbaud in Total Eclipse (1995). Another ludicrous part: Amsterdam Vallon in Gangs of New York (2002). Is there a pattern? Take a look at the picture – is he to be taken seriously? I would not watch Blood Diamond again even if Djimon Hounsou makes a nice Solomon Vandy and even if I like Jennifer Connelly. As a girl. Which makes me think there is more potential in her that I could see so far.

Any Given Sunday (1999)

      I have no idea what american football is but I am sure it could not be as great as this movie shows it. I watched it a few years ago for the first time and many times after that and always my  hair will get up ... the music, the crazy editting, the cast  (except the girls) are just fantastic.       Here's some names: Oliver Stone is directing, Al Pacino, Dennis Quaid, James Woods,  Jammie Fox.  It is clearly one of the most energetic movies I have ever seen and it attempts to extract great things out of football. Overall it is a great experience and if you do not know the movie yet - go get it and watch it twice. It worths mach more than many of the movies on this list.