the godfather
Widely chosen as the greatest movie ever made, "The Godfather", is about "Don" Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) wanting to transfer control of his crime dynasty to his son, Michael (Al Pacino). However, Michael is reluctant to take over the "family" that his father has provided. Soon, Michael finds out the nature of the family business, but his father is an "old-fashioned" man. He likes to do things the old way. That soon becomes a problem when the "new" ways of the business come into play, as Vito wants to keep his "old-school" values. This becomes a terrible predicament, especially for Michael, all for the sake of the family.
Currently, "The Godfather" and "The Godfather II" are ranked 2nd and 3rd on IMDb.com's Top 250, just behind "The Shawshank Redemption".
Currently, "The Godfather" and "The Godfather II" are ranked 2nd and 3rd on IMDb.com's Top 250, just behind "The Shawshank Redemption".
Goodfellas
Goodfellas is a movie directed by Martin Scorsese and is a true-life account of mobster and FBI informant Henry Hill. The story details the rise and fall of Hill a half-Sicilian New York kid who grows up idolizing the gangsters in his Brooklyn neighborhood. He begins hanging around the mobsters and doing odd jobs. As he reaches his teens, Hill is inducted into the world of petty crime, where he distinguishes himself as a "stand-up guy" by choosing jail time over ratting on his friends. From that moment on, he is a part of the family. He rises through the ranks to become a lieutenant, however, he quickly learns that his ethnicity prevents him from ever becoming a "made man," an actual member of the crime family. Soon he finds himself the target of both the federal agents and the mobsters, who feel that he has become a threat to their security with his reckless dealings and drug use. Goodfellas is considered to be one of the "best" mobster/Mafia films of all time.
Currently, "Goodfellas" is sitting at the 15th spot on IMDb.com's Top 250. It is pinned between "Inception" and "Star Wars".
Currently, "Goodfellas" is sitting at the 15th spot on IMDb.com's Top 250. It is pinned between "Inception" and "Star Wars".
miller's crossing
Joel and Ethan Coen co-wrote and directed the gangster film Miller's Crossing. It has Gabriel Byrne as Tom Reagan, the right-hand man of big-city Irish mob boss. The film opens with Italian mobster Johnny Caspar and his second in command Eddie informing Leo and Tom that they are going to kill a bookie because he has been revealing Caspar's fixed fights to other gamblers. Leo informs Caspar that Bernie pays for protection and is not to be touched. After the Italians leave in a huff, Tom informs Leo that he should give up Bernie. After a failed hit on Leo starts a full-scale mob war, Tom reveals to Leo the truth about his relationship with a mutual girlfriend. This leads to a falling-out between the pair. Tom goes to work for Caspar, but in truth, he is still loyal to Leo. Tom figures out how to manipulate all of the situations so that Leo survives, but this may cost Tom his relationship with his girlfriend Verna.
This movie is rated a 7.9 out of 10 on IMDb.com.
This movie is rated a 7.9 out of 10 on IMDb.com.
the untouchables
The Untouchables was an account of the battle between gangster Al Capone and lawman Eliot Ness. Kevin Costner stars as Ness, a federal agent who has come to Chicago during the Prohibition Era, when corruption in the local police department is rampant. His mission is to put crime lord Capone out of business, but Capone is so powerful and popular that Ness is not taken seriously by the law or the press. One night he meets a veteran patrolman, Jimmy Malone, and discovers he is one honest man Ness has been seeking. Malone has soon helped Ness recruit a gunslinger rookie, and a nerdy accountant. The men pursue Capone and his illegal interests. At first a laughingstock, Ness soon has Capone outraged, and the vain mobster strikes back. Ultimately, it is the most minor of crimes, tax evasion, which proves Capone's undoing.
This movie is rated an 8/10 on IMDb.com.
This movie is rated an 8/10 on IMDb.com.
the sicilian by: mario puzio
The year is 1950. Michael Corleone is nearing the end of his exile in Sicily. The Godfather has commanded Michael to bring a young Sicilian bandit named Salvatore Guiliano back with him to America. But Guiliano is a man entwined in a bloody web of violence and vendettas. In Sicily, Guiliano is a modern day Robin Hood who has defied corruption--and defied the Cosa Nostra. Now, in the land of mist-shrouded mountains and ancient ruins, Michael Corleone's fate is entwined with the dangerous legend of Salvatore Guiliano: warrior, lover, and the ultimate Siciliano.
(Summary Courtesy of goodreads.com)
(Summary Courtesy of goodreads.com)
casino: love and honor in las vegas by: nicholas pileggi
From the author of the best-selling Mafia exposé, Wiseguy, comes this inside story of the billion-dollar gambling industry and the secretive, dangerous men who run it. At the heart of this true tale of love, revenge, and murder Mafia-style are some of the most memorable characters in mob lore: Lefty, the brains of the mob's Vegas casinos; Tony Spilotro, the mob's muscle; and Geri, Lefty's adulterous show-girl wife.
(Summary Courtesy of goodreads.com)
(Summary Courtesy of goodreads.com)