The Godfather

1972.

#3 / #2

Winner of 3 Academy Awards.

THE GODFATHER tells the story of the Corleone crime family, focusing on the third oldest son's rise to take his father's place as Don. The film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, and Abe Vigoda.

Eddie: THE GODFATHER is one of my favorite movies. I've probably seen it twenty times, and each time, I find something new that enhances my enjoyment of the movie. The performances are all perfection. You can't find a single moment that you'd change.

But the real beauty of the film is its story, based on the bestselling novel of the same name. The story's not about mafia or crime: It's about family. It's inconsequential how you feel about gangster movies. This flick is universal because everyone can relate to having a family, to struggling to live up to the example that your parents have set. (Of course, for most of us, that doesn't involve becoming a mafia boss.) Underscoring the importance of family are the two events that bookend the movie - a wedding and a baptism. Too good. Too solid of a movie to skip. Too great.

Sarah: My family watches this film every year on Thanksgiving. And being Italian, I can relate to the focus on family and food. Eddie already said everything, so I will only add that there are so many life lessons to be learned from THE GODFATHER.

Why You Should See It: Michael (Pacino) tells Fredo (John Cazale), "Don't ever take sides with anyone against the family again." It's a great moment where mafia and family collide.