The Godfather (1972 film)

There are too many things to go over on a technical level here, too many delicious choices with cinematography and editing and writing, not to mention acting, that attempting to single all of them out in this format is a fool’s errand. For me, the greatest accomplishment here is conveying a grand scope while keeping everything accessible. This is a three-hour film with a large cast primarily focused on the balance of power between street gangs, and no attentive audience could either be bored or confused by any of it. There’s a reason this is a popular choice for GOAT.

10