Lurker > Johnbobb

Previous Lists (note: I don't have the final results saved for a lot of the oldest ones so if anyone else does, let me know and I can fill in missing info):

Disney
Pixar
Dreamworks
Studio Ghibli
Bluth
Anime
Anime II (winner: A Silent Voice)
Western Animation
Animation II (Winner: Zootopia)
Animation III (Winner: Wolfwalkers)
Animated TV Adaptations (Winner: South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut)
Animated DC Movies

Crime (Winner: The Godfather)
LGBT (Winner: The Talented Mr. Ripley)
Martial Arts (Winner: Kill Bill: Volume 1)
Musicals
Musicals II (Winner: La La Land)
Romantic Comedies
Sci-fi (Winner: Edge of Tomorrow)
Sports (Winner: Moneyball)
Westerns (Winner: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly)
90s Horror (Winner: The Silence of the Lambs)
00s Horror
10s Horror (Winner: Get Out)

ABCs of Death (Winner: W is for Wish)
Bourne (Winner: The Bourne Identity)
Cowboy Bebop (winner: The Real Folk Blues (Part 2))
James Bond
MCU (Winner: Avengers: Infinity War)
Planet of the Apes (Winner: Planet of the Apes (1968))

NEW TOPIC IS UP
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80219267

Welcome! We've just wrapped up our most recent list of 30 Organized Crime movies (thank you again to all that participated) and now it's time to figure out what happens next.

Typically, the way this works is that the members of the Crew would sign-up to host lists of their own in a loose rotating queue. It's gone this way for years now, but in the last year or two there's been a lot of changes with participants, which was also a big reason this has expanded into a more general "Board 8 Ranks." Several of the people that originally held places in the queue have since expressed lack of interest in running their lists, leaving the queue a little small.

As of right now, the queue is looking like:

• PrinceKaro - Animation IV (which has been requested to not happen yet as several movies on that list haven't come out yet)
• Snake - War/Slashers/Monsters/whatever else he might choose to go with
• Johnbobb - Crime II

Now with Karo keeping his list on hold for right now, and me and Snake both hosting recently, we really want to open this up to give others a chance to submit and host their own lists. Here you'll find the films/lists that have been covered in the past, as well as some potential lists that are up in the air, either due to needing a host/being unfinished/being recalled/etc.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BU5FjXnnNQgnHN9VSCAvGTNlA4ZTvkQDAhLoLwW95pQ/edit?usp=sharing

Just a few things we ask of anyone wishing to host their own list:

• Please have participated in at least 2 lists prior. This just shows that you plan to stick around and continue to participate so we don't worry too much about no-shows down the line.
• Make a list of ~30 films, under some sort of theme (genre is usually the go-to, but it could be a specific franchise, director, etc.). It can be less than 30 but try not to go over if you can avoid it to keep the lists accessible.
• The document linked above will list all the movies/lists watched before. A little overlap is fine, we just ask to try to keep the lists as original as possible (ie. if you want to run a sci-fi list, try to include ones that weren't a part of the original sci-fi list)

And that's about it! Here in a minute I'll post the full list of lists done before in-topic as well. If you want to jump into the queue, just say so here and post your list somewhere in the Planned Lists tab of the google doc (you don't have to have the whole listed crafted today, each list takes ~3 months to do so there's plenty of time to craft it as you go).

Additionally, if you do want to be the next host (ie. starting a list up within the next week or two) please say so! If it comes down to it one of us can host again but we want to make sure people have the chance to jump on board. If several people want to host sooner rather than later, we can try to do it on a first-come basis as needed.

Any questions, just ask!

UNSAFE [13]
[2] Beelzebub (Darkwing Duck)
[1] Black Phillip (The VVitch)
[2] Dark Prince/Satan (Puyo Puyo)
[0] Diablo (Diablo)
[1] HIM (The Powerpuff Girls)
[1] Lou (Guitar Hero 3)
[1] Mephisto (Marvel Comics)
[2] Ned Flanders as the Devil (The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror)
[0] Pac-Devil (Pac-Man World Rally)
[0] Robot Devil (Futurama)
[1] Satan (Haxan)
[0] Satan (South Park)
[2] The Devil (Charlie Daniels - The Devil Went Down To Georgia)

him

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/2/6/4/AAS3NhAAD16g.jpg

Rules (mostly copy/pasted from SMFFFC):

- You personally (no bots/scripts/lending of accounts) can save 1 character per hour.
- A character needs 4 votes to be saved.
- Saves must be clearly understandable to count. If you save "Satan" or "Lucifer" with no further context your save will be ignored.
- Last 1 character unsaved is eliminated.
- No alts, no rallying, no post deletion/editing (unless correcting an update), no spoiler tags, no offering to save for next round saves.
- You may only trade saves for other saves within this contest. This means no buying/selling saves, no trading outside things for saves, no trades involving future contests.
- If you want to update, make sure it's accurate.
- Only Johnbobb can start up new topics.
- Community Rule is in effect. Deliberate rules violations will result in bans.

UNSAFE [14]
[0] Beelzebub (Darkwing Duck)
[0] Black Phillip (The VVitch)
[0] Dark Prince/Satan (Puyo Puyo)
[0] Diablo (Diablo)
[0] HIM (The Powerpuff Girls)
[0] Lou (Guitar Hero 3)
[0] Mephisto (Marvel Comics)
[0] Ned Flanders as the Devil (The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror)
[0] Pac-Devil (Pac-Man World Rally)
[0] Robot Devil (Futurama)
[0] Satan (Haxan)
[0] Satan (Paradise Lost)
[0] Satan (South Park)
[0] The Devil (Charlie Daniels - The Devil Went Down To Georgia)

ELIMINATED
15. Lucifer (Supernatural)
16. The Devil (Bedazzled)
17. Dark Heart (Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation)
18. Lucifer (Helltaker)
19. Zorc Necrophades (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
20. Devimon (Digimon)
21. Chernabog (Fantasia)
22. Sadao Maou (The Devil is a Part-Timer)
23. Beelzeboss (Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny)
24. Satan (Ghosts n Goblins)
25. The Devil (Cuphead)
26. Devil (Tekken 2)
27. Satan (The Binding of Isaac)
28. Mundus (Devil May Cry)
29. Satan (Dante's Inferno)
30. Minion (Twisted Metal)
31. Icon of Sin (DOOM)
32. Beelz (Stephen Lynch - Beelz)
33. Dabura (Dragonball Z)
34. Satan (Persona)
35. Satan (Cygames)
36. The Devil (Slingo)
37. The Ruler of Heck (Rockos Modern Life)
38. The Red Guy (Cow and Chicken)
39. Giratina (Pokemon)
40. The Devil, y'know, from The Bible (SnapCube's Real Time Fandub of Shadow the Hedgehog)
41. Satanael (Persona)
42. Blackheart (Marvel)
43. Shinnok (Mortal Kombat)
44. Truck Satan (Clustertruck)
45. Rodin (Bayonetta)
46. Louisa Ferre (Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey)
47. Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer TV series)
48. Lucifer (Persona)
49. Lucifer/The Devil (The Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil)
50. Darkness (Legend)

Just popping in again to say while Red Robin does have decent enough burgers, their fry sauces are where its at

ChaosTonyV4 posted...

One thing I love about this game is how quick it is.

But I just had my first match where the person waited out the timer on every turn. It was awful.

I unfortunately made the mistake of playing a match earlier while waiting at the dentist's office, and then got called in around turn 5, and didn't think to retreat so I ended up having to time out and lose by default. Felt awful for whoever was on the other end having to wait for it to just time out. Felt extra awful because I was absolutely going to win

Big thanks to everyone who participated and followed along! Hope you guys enjoyed the movies (in spite of, or maybe BECAUSE of, their inordinate lengths).

Did you enjoy watching these films? Did you not enjoy watching them because you don't care for the crime genre and want to delve into something else? Stick around! I'll be throwing up a new topic later today as we try and decide what our next list is going to be. The future's up in the air right now, so if you want to run a list of your own, make sure to check out that topic once it's up!

Yeah, yeah, The Godfather winning and doing so almost 30 points ahead of the runner-up is hardly a surprise. It's very rare among all the Gauntlet/Board 8 movie lists that a winner has been so entirely clear-cut, with almost half the participants ranking it 1st and nobody ranking it outside the top 10.

Perhaps more surprising, nobody considered Pulp Fiction or Goodfellas their #1?

While the main results may not be startling, lets check out the outliers!

Outlier Ranking prior to final results
Poke: 204
plasma: 203
ssbm: 199
rockus: 197
Karo: 166
Vis: 165
Mythiot: 165
Snake: 160
John: 154
seginus: 152
Tangy: 148

Final Outlier Ranking
ssbm: 212
Poke: 210
plasma: 210
rockus: 200
Vis: 178
Karo: 169
Snake: 166
Mythiot: 165
John: 158
Tangy: 156
seginus: 154

Now THERE'S our surprises! At the very last moment, plasma leaps up into first place, just barely beating out Poke and Plasma who both tied for 2nd. Rockus, despite his constant lead throughout the contest, only just edges in as the 4th person to hit the 200 club. But what's that at the bottom? ANOTHER UPSET! Tangy's solid perch firmly at spot 11/11 is lost, again at the last moment, to seginus, who moved only 2 points over the last two rankings, leaving Tangy 2 points too high to take it.

Congrats to ssbm and seginus, our respective biggest and smallest outliers!

seginus
Marriage, war, death, birth. religion, Godfather takes up an operatic scope worthy of lengthy analysis but what I find most effective are the little slice-of-life details it spends time with. The old folks singing in Italian at the wedding and making the little kids laugh, the energy of the busy dinner table, the guy playing an out-of-tune piano with the poker game in the background. It's so confident taking time on this stuff that's more atmosphere/worldbuilding than plot. You gotta take the time to get the cannoli, even when you're offing a guy. And of course the cinematography, original score, and performances I think are justifiably iconic. I find myself appreciating its slow burn more every time I watch it.

rockus
What is there still to say about one of the most celebrated and acclaimed films of all time? Besides to simply agree that it deserves the acclaim. Impeccably cast, has some gorgeous textured photography by Gordon Willis, its straight up an all-timer. Incredible film.

Vis
Its crazy to me that this movie is as good as it is, because on-paper, it does a lot of things that Ive hated in the past. The runtime is absurdly long, and despite being a mafia movie, its very much a slice of life story about a family that just happens to be mafia. However, at no point during the three-hour runtime was I bored or looking at the clock. Every scene just did its job to keep me intrigued the whole way through. Even the opening scene was twenty minutes of a wedding, but that wedding was meant to show, not tell, about Vito Corleones power and authority as the titular godfather.

Its just fantastic character work across the board: Vito commands respect, but things go off the rails when he wont play ball with the drug trade. Sonny is reckless and impulsive, and its his hot temper that leads to his downfall, as he is incapable of treating the trade with the kind of finesse that is needed. Tom is calm, measured, and intelligentbut hes also not a blood relative, so they tend to ignore his advice (and honestly, I feel like a lot of problems couldve been avoided if people listened to Tom more). Fredo is a wimpy, easily-influenced loser that no one in the family really respects. And Michael is very stoic and loyal, but hes also willing to do what needs to be done, no matter what. Its interesting how much the movie tries pushing Michael as the good son, but that just makes him the only son with the stones to follow in his fathers footsteps. Its just a really solid story of the rise of a new godfather, especially in the wake of the downfall of the existing godfather.

Poke
What more needs to be said? A cinematic masterpiece, iconic lines/moments, people have probably exhausted themselves analyzing this film. But it's one of the best films and an important piece of Americana

Snake
A film that takes all of what came before but elevates to totally new artistic heights. A virtuosic masterpiece of thematic cinematography, juxtaposing heady themes of religion and family with the senseless murders of gangster flicks that dominated the early 30s and beyond.

ssbm
Rating: B+

It's so easy to like The Godfather. There's so many iconic scenes and the characters are really memorable. The first half of this movie is just banger after banger, all scenes that are firmly coded in popular culture. I really love the wedding scene introducing the movie. It really encapsulates how important family is to the mafia and that it's not always necessarily serious and bloody. It's a celebration. Later on, Sonny's reminded about how no business ever goes down during dinner and that's kinda similar. There's just kind of a holy sacrament space that Vito refuses to go over and many people follow his example.

Speaking of Vito, what a great character. Not a great performance; I can't stand Marlon Brando's acting and think it's really difficult to hear him. But man, I love Vito. Every line has so much weight to it and he really feels like he's at the end of his years and wants to pass down so much wisdom to his kids. Michael's also really great. I love his transformation throughout the movie and how he goes from hardcore hesitating to killing two people to mercilessly ordering a hit on all of his enemies during his godson's blessing. These two carry the movie, but the rest of the Corleone family is really good. I used to not like Sonny for being too much of a caricature. Now, I think his attitude and personality really adds something to the family and his presence is definitely missed once he's shot down.

I will say this movie is difficult to watch, in a conceptual way. This is my third time watching The Godfather and I feel like I like it more on each re-watch. This is my first time watching it with subtitles and that helps a TON. It's still tough remembering who is who, but you get a feel for all the varied characters.

Tangy
Ah here it is the movie that changed everything, Mario Puzos The Godfather. This film is legendary for several reasons and its a legacy that no fan of film can question. This film is nearly perfect in every way, but goddammit everything slows down when Michael goes to Sicily and I hate it. I get why hes there, I get thats important for his character, I get it the landscape is beautiful, but its the last thing I want to see as all this crazy shit is going down back in NYC. The other thing I dont understand is how it just immediately turned Michael into a piece of shit. Specifically towards Kay, like I get it your side piece got blown up in a car accident, but Kay literally waited two years for you to come back. Dude could at least be happy shes more loyal than he is. I dont know its really just nitpicking at this point. Just my reasoning for keeping it out of the Top 3 I guess.

1. The Godfather (1972)
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Runtime: 2h 55m
Score: 36

John: 1
Karo: 1
plasma: 1
Myth: 1
seginus: 1
rockus: 2
Vis: 5
Poke: 5
Snake: 6
ssbm: 6
Tangy: 7

John
There's an incredible amount to be said here, way too much for a write-up really, because The Godfather is, in my opinion, the closest thing that exists to a perfect movie. Every single aspect of this absolute epic is nearly flawless. The performances, writing, cinematography, music, and character development are all things I might honestly dare to say could not have been improved upon.
One thing that's always been a point of contention with older vs. newer movies is that some people insist older movies deserve more credit for establishing methods of filmmaking, movie tropes, etc. etc. Others might prefer newer movies, with the argument that doing something first doesn't mean they did it the best, and movies should be recognized moreso on how they improve or capitalize on existing methods and tropes. There are fair view on both sides, but The Godfather throws such a massive wrench into it all. Thousands of films, shows, etc have all taken what The Godfather created and tried to work with it, or even TRY to improve on it, and many have had great success in their own rights, but there is not a single movie that exists (to my knowledge) that managed to do anything Godfather did in a better way than The Godfather itself.
I mean nearly every single scene of this 3+ hour movie is a goddamn masterpiece. Luca Brasi getting strangled in the restaurant, his body slowly sinking offscreen beneath the sillhouette of the mobsters strangling him, as if he's sinking below waves, and then it pans to an outside view from behind the leaping fish by the restaurant's window, and then we don't get followup on this scene until a few scenes later when the Corleones receive a wrapped up dead fish paired with the unforgettable "It means Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes" and that emotional weight hits immediately. And before this we get Tom talking about Luca's powerful and unwavering loyalty, saying "even Sonny won't be able to call off Luca Brasi" when he doesn't know Luca's dead, and even BEFORE that in the very beginning of the movie we get a goofy but heartfelt scene of Luca nervously stumbling over the practice speech he wants to give to Don Vito juxataposed with Kay asking Michael about the scary man talking to himself, leading into one of the saddest scenes of foreshadowing in all of film ("That's my family, Kay. That's not me.") and all of this works together to make Luca's death such a powerful and well thought out tool, and keep in mind this is all within the first hour of a THREE HOUR MOVIE. And that first scene of the wedding just flawlessly sets up literally EVERY SINGLE plot thread of the entire film, from Luca Brasi dying for the family, to Vito being established as the most powerful mob boss in the five families, to Michael's eventual marriage and takeover of the family business, to Carlo and Connie's wedding (which istelf leads to him abusing her, and Sonny lashing out, and ultimately leads to Sonny's death. I mean I've seen this movie like 5 times already and it still blows my mind to this day how incredible this film is in virtually every way. THIS is why I love film. I mean I'm rambling about this film as I watch it because watching something that is this goddamn intricate and incredible that can still give me chills and make me laugh and cry and terrify and thrill me in equal measure after all these years is just an experience like no other.

Karo
Ah yes, The Godfather. The much lauded and oft-parodied masterpiece that is the first thing anyone thinks of when they think of a film about the mafia. It is iconic for a reason, the sheer number of memorable quotes in this film is staggering. Sleeps with the fishes. An offer he can't refuse. And that's just to name a few.
There are a lot of things going on, but the main story is of Michael Corleone, a young man who wants no part in the family 'business', yet is sucked into the world of crime by a series of unfortunate events. This story is very well done, it maintains sympathy and relatability for the character even as he heads down a dark path.
I consider The Godfather the end-all as far as movies about the mob go, and it is likely to never be topped.

plasma
This was my third time watching The Godfather, and it was by far the best experience Ive had with it. The movie is jam-packed with characters and plotlines to the point that its impossible to follow everything on a first or second viewing. Watching with subtitles helped me match names to faces, and I finally got a solid grasp of Sollozzo, Moe Greene, Barzini, and all the other scumbags that populate this world.

Of course, we dont watch for the antagonists in this one. The reason why this movie is so damn good has everything to do with the Corleone family. The wedding at the beginning might be the best introduction of an ensemble cast Ive ever seen, and its amazing how much characterization and worldbuilding is packed into those first 30 minutes. Once the ball gets rolling with Vitos near-assassination and Michaels march down the bloody path to godfatherhood, its engrossing character drama.

More than ever before, Michaels journey wowed me. Theres that glimpse of his potential future early on when hes being taught how to cook for all the other guys, and its such a great crossroads moment If he continues down his current path, hes destined to be the family bitch, but its not too late for him to take charge of his future (You can act like a man!). I totally empathize with why he volunteers to get revenge for his father. Its about more than Vito ending up in the hospital; its about Michael deciding who he wants to be. And watching who he becomes is as captivating as it gets, thanks to Pacinos performance.

To nitpick some things, its hard to overlook the fact the second half of the movie has some pacing issues. Michaels time away in Sicily is necessary for his growth but at the same time I kept thinking, Cmon, get back to America already. Another issue is Fredos lack of screen time. Hes not supposed to be a major factor in this movie, but the first time I watched Godfather Part II years ago, I had to check IMDB to make sure Fredo even was in the first movie. Hes just totally forgettable. When you condense such a large, intricate story down into 3 hours, I get that you cant give everyone the spotlight, but stillat least give me reason to remember him.

Minor issues aside, this lives up to its reputation. A+

Myth
I mean, it's the freaking Godfather. It's Marlon Brando's unforgettable old mafia don making unrefusable offers, petting his cat, and deteriorating while the increasingly brutal world moves on without him. It's Michael the clean-cut college student and veteran who allows himself to become a more ruthless and brutal mob boss than his father and brother could have dreamed of. It's the cycles of violence that permeate through the institutions of business, politics, family, and country that doom those inside them. It's the mesmerizing cinematography, sets and music that beguile you into admiring this world until the next act of brutal violence. It's the freaking Godfather.

ssbm
Rating: B-

SLJ's Jules carries this really hard. Obviously the beginning scenes where he delivers his judgement is great and immensely quotable, but it's actually the ending that propels Jules to legendary character status. I think the religion angle is a fascinating angle to explore a gangster. I also love him talking down and, like Fonzie, remain cool. I think without Jules, this movie would be good, but not great.

I'm surprised how breezy the other scenes are, though. Vincent and Mia has a surprisingly likable set of scenes, despite me not liking either character. I love how serious they look while dancing. Butch's segment is pretty good all the way through. I think the rape scene is a little wild. I have no idea how Tarantino comes up with these ideas. And Butch killing Vincent is just super interesting and shows again that life is fragile in the gangster world and can come at any moment. No one's safe, not even the main character.

Vis
I honestly thought, based on the Kung-Fu and Western rankings, that I would rank this higher than I did. But after watching it (my second viewing), its still good, but it doesnt quite stand up to the best of Tarantinos work. I love various aspects of the movie, and its extremely quotable, but aside from the Butch storyline, it feels just a little too dialogue-heavy. Im not gonna criticize Tarantino for writing too much dialogue, but I just prefer a little bit more plot to move forward beyond just a handful of scenes devoted to demonstrating Tarantinos penchant for monologues.

That being said, the overall plot is still solid. Its telling the story of two days through the lenses of three people, shifting through time a little bit as the film progresses. We start with a scene in a coffee shop where Tim Roth is talking about the benefits of robbing the restaurant before actually doing so, and then we cut to Vincent Vegas story, leaving the coffee shop on a cliff hanger until the movie is bookended with a final scene there. We also get a scene of Jules and Vincent working as enforcers for Marsellus Wallace, entering an apartment to rough up some deadbeats. Again, this is left on a cliffhanger until everything is tied up later with Jules storyline.

Anyway, the Vincent and Mia story is okay. Its a BIT too pop culture-heavy, and if Im being honest, Vincent is the weakest character of the trio of protagonists in the film. But Butchs story is great, and hes where this film largely gets its organized crime moniker. Watching what is essentially the hero of the film start out his story by murdering someone in a boxing match (that he was supposed to throw) is a great establishing scene for his character. The ass watch monologue is hilarious in just how deadpan Christopher Walken plays it. But really, watching Butch deal with the aftermath of his decision, particularly with regards to some pissed off gangsters, was really interesting, well-paced, and well-written in general.

Finishing the movie with Jules is also great, because he comes across as cool, and it feels almost interesting to hear him talk about leaving the life, because we know by this point that maybe he made the right choice. Vincent winds up nearly killing Mia and then getting shot and killed in a bathroom (which Ive noticed he spends a lot of time in, during the movieseriously, every time some major shit goes down, hes in the bathroomto his detriment). Its a solid two thirds overall, even the Vincent plot is decent for what it is.

2. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Runtime: 2h 34m
Score: 62

Myhiot: 2
Snake: 3
Tangy: 4
rockus: 4
Poke: 4
seginus: 4
Karo: 5
John: 6
plasma: 9
ssbm: 10
Vis: 11

Snake
Its like Reservoir Dogs on crack. While I personally enjoy Reservoir Dogs relatively more reserved pace, Pulp Fiction takes what that film established and cranks it up to 11. The plot is even MORE intertwined, the dialogue filled with even more pop culture references, the soundtrack fine tuned to a sharp point, oftentimes feeling structured as a musical. The film is god damn hilarious, while shocking deaths coming at key, integral moments (and in a non-linear) fashion almost make the film seem like a fever dream.

Tangy
How the fuck is this movie as good as it is and still only Tarantinos 3rd best movie? Pulp Fiction is practically a national treasure at this point and for good reason. The dialogue alone is top notch and just feels so realistic, it establishes the good friendship between Jules and Vincent and is super entertaining. Oh yeah and thats just in the first 20 or so minutes. Then we also have the sheer brilliance of the Mia Situation, I love how it builds from an awkward friendly date to her oding on heroin. In that little 5 minute window the situation goes from one crisis being averted to an even more extreme one knocking down the door. Seriously great stuff, there is one little problem though. I hate Willis in this movie so much. Every time hes on screen the pacing just completely stops dead in its tracks and we have to listen to him talk down to his wife. I can usually get past stuff like that too, but here it just goes on forever and it doesnt help that right before this we have that boring ass taxi scene. Hes just such an unlikable character and on top of that Bruce just seems totally tuned out for most of the movie. Honestly if it wasnt for that, this would have a shot at number 2.

rockus
Tarantino making anthology films cool again, even if it doesnt appear to be an anthology film at first glance. Fresh, stylish, and endlessly quotable its easy to see how Pulp Fiction became one of the most influential films of the 1990s with tons of imitators, but none with quite the same voice as Tarantino himself.

Poke
My one gripe is that I didn't care for Butch's story. Other than that, immaculate. The Jack Rabbit Slim's scene is one of my all-time favourite scenes in cinematic history. I loved the chemistry between Vincent and Mia, the buddy duo of Vincent/Jules, the dialogue throughout.

seginus
Familiar classic, probably seen it half a dozen times now. It's undeniably stylish and quotable, unusual yet accessible enough that the cult following makes sense. It's a little worn out for me now but I still managed to find new things in it - I never noticed that when Keitel is about to spray down Vince and Jules the nozzle on the hose looks like a pistol. Just a fun little detail. I also notice with both this and Reservoir Dogs things always escalate when someone goes to the bathroom. It happens to Vince like three or four times in this! His entire arc is going to the men's room. You ever notice that? I'm thinking it's not women's feet in the suitcase, it's piss!

Karo
Tarantino's non-sequential epic featuring various unsavory characters doing underhanded deals and talking about foot massage.
In the colorful cast of characters the one who stands out the most is Jules, played to perfection by one Samuel 'Motherfucking' Jackson in a manner that defies description.
I didnt really care for the boxer's storyline. Although there wasn't anything explicitly wrong with it, it was screen time that other much better characters could have had instead.
It's Tarantino being Tarantino, it's his usual style of taking dated old things and making them not-terrible. I feel this is the kind of oddball thing you will either like or you wont, and I for one liked it.

John
you don't need me or anyone else to explain why pulp fiction is good, I mean, come on

plasma
Ive never been a Tarantino guy, so I dont worship this movie like most other cinephiles. In fact, I expected Pulp Fiction to land somewhere around my Bottom 10 when I initially saw our list. But then the rewatch happened, and the first hour-and-a-half turned out better than I remembered, particularly Travolta and Umas big date. If this entire movie consisted solely of those two sitting and chatting about five-dollar shakes, this would be a top-tier movie in my eyes.

Theres actually plenty of top-tier content in this one. The performances, the dialogue, the philosophical ideas, the unique style I like a lot of stuff here.

But where the movie falls off for me is when Travolta gets killed in the bathroom. Whether or not hes dumb enough to leave his silenced machine gun on the kitchen counter is beside the point. I simply hate the fact that he gets killed off because it marks the end of the storys linear progress.

From there, the movie delves into flashbacks where we get to see the story from new perspectives. Ill admit that this nonlinear style does add depth to the story (Not to mention, it uniquely develops the storys central theme of life vs. death by resurrecting Travolta after hes killed), but the structure leaves me feeling cheated. Yes, there are great scenes in the back-half of the movie and some laugh-out-loud moments, but that final hour nonetheless leaves me wishing the story had continued forward. B

Avatar

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/9/0/7/AAS3NhAAD107.jpg

Watched this guy play every card in the danger zone and it destroyed 4 of them and then he ragequit

oh hey I played my first match with a Moon Girl/Devil Dino and won with two 17-power Dinos

Pokewars posted...

For fun, I believe plasma, ssbm, and I will all tie at the end for outlier.

what a slap in the face to rockus that would be

One neat thing about the game is how some things are specifically themed. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur are designed to pair with each other. Gamora, Star-Lord, Groot, Mantis and Rocket all have matching abilities of getting bonuses from gambling on where your opponent places their card.

Outlier Ranking
Poke: 204
plasma: 203
ssbm: 199
rockus: 197
Karo: 166
Vis: 165
Mythiot: 165
Snake: 160
John: 154
seginus: 152
Tangy: 148

What's this? A last second major jump from plasma to just 1-point short of 1st place?!? A drop all the way to 4th from rockus after dominating the entire list prior? A last minute jump from Tangy to put him just 4 points away from losing his bottom spot? We're in the 3rd hour here! Who goes out in cocaine-fueled shootout and who fades away into obscurity doing life without parole?

Planning to get the final two posted tomorrow, so stay tuned!

ssbm
Rating: B-

Goodfellas. Probably the most quotable movie on this entire list and I have it #11. Why am I breaking its balls? As much as I like slice-of-life movies, I feel like this movie doesn't commit to being a slice-of-life. I like the first two thirds of this movie. It's really when the movie starts handling the Lufthansa flight where I start to lose focus. The entire movie just kind of warps around the narrative of this flight. I just want to see Tommy and Henry just talk shit all day. It doesn't felt that I think Jimmy is the least interesting of the main trio and he plays a much bigger role after the Lufthansa theft.

I do love all the quotes and just the exploration of the gangster life. I particularly like Henry and Karen's relationship and how nasty it gets as the movie just goes on. Tommy is just incredible to watch and his introduction scene is one of my favorite in the whole series. This is probably the toughest movie to rank just because it's so different from all the other movies on the list. But I feel comfortable having it juuust outside the top 10.

Tangy
Goodfellas is the quintessential gangster flick. One of the landmark films for the genre. This film made gangsters cool again and its all thanks to Ray Liotta. This man brought in the performance of a lifetime. Perfectly representing the themes weve seen repeated since 1931. The Rise and Fall of the Mobster. Seeing that smug, yet charismatic persona come down to reveal the sniveling rat at the end is so satisfying. What a terrific performance. Seriously, may Ray Liotta rest in peace. He was a terrific actor and was gone way too soon.

plasma
Something about Goodfellas never clicked for me, and it wasnt until this rewatch that I diagnosed the problem. Its a simple one: theres barely any drama or suspense. The movie trots out one fun, energetic scene after another, and thats all it does. Theres no real plot, no discernable stakes. Its just This happened, then this happened, then Pesci shoots Tony Sopranos nephew, then this happened, and more of this happened.

Rather than crafting a cohesive story, Scorsese assembles a collection of amusing anecdotes from mob life. Which is fine, I guess, but it never makes me fear for the wiseguys. The only remotely suspenseful part of the entire film is when the helicopter tracks Henry prior to the final bust, and at that point, a high-stakes sequence felt misplaced.

Dont get me wrong, its a fun movie, and that Tommy DeVito is a funny guy, but Im not as high on Goodfellas as most. C

3. Goodfellas (1990)
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Runtime: 2h 26m
Score: 81

rockus: 3
Poke: 3
seginus: 3
Vis: 4
John: 5
Snake: 5
Karo: 6
Myth: 6
ssbm: 11
Tangy: 15
plasma: 20

rockus
Probably the most influential mafia movie since The Godfather, and the new bar to compare modern day crime films that came after it. Scorsese doesnt shy away from presenting the violence and downfall of a life in crime but he also doesnt back away from presenting whats so tempting about it either, which might lead some to declaring that he glorifies the Mafioso lifestyle, but hes just being honest. Also, how this didnt make Ray Liotta the biggest star in the world is the real crime. The quintessential modern mafia movie.

Poke
I once heard real-life gangsters say, this was like watching a home movie for them. And it does have that kind of feel. We see everything, from their hangouts and bars to making dinner in prison. It's such a great film, it doesn't feel the length of almost 2 and a half hours, and no shot is wasted. And so many iconic moments, it's unfair.

seginus
The tonal whiplash of the 'how am I funny' scene says it all, this movie wants to flip from making you laugh to making you uncomfortable and back all throughout. I love how it explores themes of loyalty, protection, and identity, as the genetic outsider Hill ultimately has to trade the company of the mafia for the anonymity of the state to save his mixed family. Bracco and Liotta's shared narration hits just right, along with the oldies soundtrack. The long shot into Copacabana is a classic, and the zany/paranoid final act is fun. I mean it's just funny, the way Scorsese tells the story. Not that he amuses me, just that he's a funny guy. That's all I mean...

Vis
Knowing that this movie is based on the true story of Ray Liottas character does a lot to make the plot and storytelling work. I dont think you could get away with the narration and the asides, and the explanation of how gangster life works, if it wasnt coming from a place of this being a real guy, trying to explain the life he once lived. And it really worked for me, because it was informative, but we also got to see and hear the inner workings of the character. Yes, he devolved into a complete drugged-up asshole, but at the same time, we still got to know him as saner and calmer than most of the people he associated with. Plus, the story arcs of Jimmy going from well-respected and in-charge to paranoid and trying to cut any and all loose ends, was fascinating. Tommy being a psychopath made for an interesting plot device, because the other characters constantly had to work around him. The whole film was just fun and exciting, but you still got all the characters getting their comeuppance, one way or another. It was just really good overall.

John
This is a 2.5 hour movie that is excellent for the majority of its runtime, with only a few lulls, particularly in the last hour when Joe Pesci is gone and Henry is spending his time looking at helicopters. But so many scenes of this could be paired against some of the all-time greats and easily hold their own. "Funny like how, like I'm a clown? Like I make you laugh? Like I amuse you?" is something I heard parodied dozens of times before actually seeing Goodfellas, and the parodies honestly don't do justice to how much Pesci just dominates a scene here. Henry being released from his first pinch to a celebrating crowd is so unbelievably heartwarming that it's immediately easy to understand a sympathize with how a young person would get drawn into this life, and even in prison there's still a comfortable lovingness and family to the way they gather together to make dinner. I'm also a little biased because I come from an Italian lineage that I like to think of as a significant part of my identity, and this is arguably the most Italian film on this list next to the Godfathers.

Snake
To me, Goodfellas represents a marked transition of the gangster flicks of old to a new era - one where black comedy, smarmy & irreverent dialogue, and a postmodern web of violence takes a stranglehold on the film industry. The pace is faster, the characters more larger-than-life, the events seemingly fantastical but always grounded in this grimy sense of twisted morality and abandoned humanity. On top of all that, the film is also visually impressive, with of course the masterful one take scene taking all the credit.

Karo
The story of a young boy who grows up to be a 'wise guy' and the epic tale of his life in the mob.
There is a lot of betrayal, snarky inner monologue, and people getting whacked. Things are always interesting and it has a certain style that makes it stand out among the many films of similar subject matter. It was certainly one of the more enjoyable things to watch on this list.

Myth
This feels like an even more significant turning point in the gangster genre than even The Godfather, a modern gangster film is more likely to be modeled after Goodfellas with its gritty realism than the relatively romantic Godfather films. And with good reason, since this film is a blast. Ray Liottas not so good fella Henry Hill joins the mob looking to become rich and powerful, and he gets it, along with a dangerous and unstable environment where anyone can get whacked and anything easily gotten can be just as easily lost. The whole cast kills it, none as well as Joe Pesci as extremely bad fella Tommy DeVito.

ELIMINATED
[3] Lucifer (Supernatural)

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/0/8/AAS3NhAAD1zY.jpg

I don't feel like trying to go into full explanation so here is just verbatim the message I sent to my friend after seeing it

so
there's a cult horror movie from like 6 years ago called Terrifier, typical guy dressed as a mime killing people movie, with very mixed reactions because it is EXTREMELY brutally violent and gory
I don't think you'd be a big fan
there's one scene from it that is particularly infamous that I really don't care for because it feels in bad taste and kind of different in tone than the rest of the movie
it features a woman hung naked upside down, being cut in half vertically from crotch to face. It was hard to watch
well ANYWAY so Terrifier 2 just came out like a week or two ago, has a higher RT score by like 30%, and people in the B8 horror topic were talking about how it's way better than the first, and I saw it was playing in Regal tonight so I thought wth why not I can spend 80 minutes watching a dumb horror movie
THE FUCKING MOVIE WAS TWO AND A HALF HOURS
and I should make it clear, the movie did not need to be two and a half hours
the movie didn't need to be 2 hours
holy shit was it something to sit through

Oh no give me a rundown

oh man like
ok so by itself it's a pretty simple, guy dressed as a clown terrorizes some people, goes particularly after a 20-something girl and her family
only like it started trying to add in like supernatural elements that were really half-baked and didn't make sense? like the clown (his name is Art the Clown, and he's mute like a mime) starts seeing visions of a creepy little clown girl that follows him around but other people dont see her
except the final girl and her little brother
they can see her
and final girl's dad apparently had a tumor in his brain and went crazy and killed himself a year earlier, but in his notebook there are drawings of Art the Clown and then also this elaborate like angel valkyrie halloween costume that the girl was making for herself
also her room magically catches fire at one point after she has a nightmare about the clown and a burning building
but like the clown has become a local legend after the events of the first movie so whenever he goes around in full costume people just think he's some guy dressed up as the real killer for Halloween (the movie makes a jab at real-life assholes dressing up as Dahmer for Halloween which was pretty good admittedly)
so of course Art starts killing off all the girl's friends and family in disturbing, loooong torture sequences
and he's like god-like invincible for some reason in the way Michael Myers is sometime, but like even more goofy invincible
but then she gets like mortally injured, but then this magical sword suddenly heals her and she comes back to life to kill Art and chops his head off and then the creepy clown girl comes and takes his head and her eyes glow all demony
and that's basically the movie
which is spoilers but I don't think you'll ever watch it and I can't say I'd recommend it

No I wont ever watch that hahaha oh my god

also apparently there's a midcredit scene but I didn't see it because I left the second the credits started to roll
and since I got out of the theater a solid hour later than expected I went and got taco bell for dinner and it slapped again
seriously get some taco bell asap while it's this good [editing note: the taco bell near the theater is usually garbage but the last two times I've been there it's been really shockingly good]
also it should be mentioned that the writer has literally no idea how human beings talk to the point that M Night Shyamalan dialogue sounds natural by comparison
oh also at one point the little clown girl mimics the voice of the brother over the phone to mislead the main girl and that power is never used or referenced again

They were just like, can we string together imagery to make a scary movie but not have it matter

honestly yeah
so originally the Terrifiers were short films and anthology stuff before he made a full movie of it, and the movie was just stuff from the short films stretched into a whole movie
and this like every scene just felt "ok what's something really violent or maybe silly that could happen now" and then a thin thread of plot stringing them together

went to see Terrifier 2 tonight

everyone in this topic AND the horror topic lied to me except Corrik

Persia
Kirby

UNSAFE [5]
[3] Black Phillip (The VVitch)
[2] Diablo (Diablo)
[2] HIM (The Powerpuff Girls)
[3] Lucifer (Supernatural)
[3] The Devil (Charlie Daniels - The Devil Went Down To Georgia)

update coming

UNSAFE [14]
[0] Black Phillip (The VVitch)
[2] Dark Prince/Satan (Puyo Puyo)
[0] Diablo (Diablo)
[1] HIM (The Powerpuff Girls)
[2] Lou (Guitar Hero 3)
[1] Lucifer (Supernatural)
[2] Mephisto (Marvel Comics)
[3] Ned Flanders as the Devil (The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror)
[2] Pac-Devil (Pac-Man World Rally)
[1] Robot Devil (Futurama)
[3] Satan (Haxan)
[2] Satan (Paradise Lost)
[0] Satan (South Park)
[2] The Devil (Charlie Daniels - The Devil Went Down To Georgia)

Lou

Fun fact: Even with 35 eliminated characters, we've yet to hit a single BINGO, either vertically or horizontally

Him

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/0/2/AAS3NhAAD1wK.jpg

Rules (mostly copy/pasted from SMFFFC):

- You personally (no bots/scripts/lending of accounts) can save 1 character per hour.
- A character needs 4 votes to be saved.
- Saves must be clearly understandable to count. If you save "Satan" or "Lucifer" with no further context your save will be ignored.
- Last 1 character unsaved is eliminated.
- No alts, no rallying, no post deletion/editing (unless correcting an update), no spoiler tags, no offering to save for next round saves.
- You may only trade saves for other saves within this contest. This means no buying/selling saves, no trading outside things for saves, no trades involving future contests.
- If you want to update, make sure it's accurate.
- Only Johnbobb can start up new topics.
- Community Rule is in effect. Deliberate rules violations will result in bans.

UNSAFE [15]
[0] Beelzebub (Darkwing Duck)
[0] Black Phillip (The VVitch)
[0] Dark Prince/Satan (Puyo Puyo)
[0] Diablo (Diablo)
[0] HIM (The Powerpuff Girls)
[0] Lou (Guitar Hero 3)
[0] Lucifer (Supernatural)
[0] Mephisto (Marvel Comics)
[0] Ned Flanders as the Devil (The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror)
[0] Pac-Devil (Pac-Man World Rally)
[0] Robot Devil (Futurama)
[0] Satan (Haxan)
[0] Satan (Paradise Lost)
[0] Satan (South Park)
[0] The Devil (Charlie Daniels - The Devil Went Down To Georgia)

ELIMINATED
16. The Devil (Bedazzled)
17. Dark Heart (Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation)
18. Lucifer (Helltaker)
19. Zorc Necrophades (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
20. Devimon (Digimon)
21. Chernabog (Fantasia)
22. Sadao Maou (The Devil is a Part-Timer)
23. Beelzeboss (Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny)
24. Satan (Ghosts n Goblins)
25. The Devil (Cuphead)
26. Devil (Tekken 2)
27. Satan (The Binding of Isaac)
28. Mundus (Devil May Cry)
29. Satan (Dante's Inferno)
30. Minion (Twisted Metal)
31. Icon of Sin (DOOM)
32. Beelz (Stephen Lynch - Beelz)
33. Dabura (Dragonball Z)
34. Satan (Persona)
35. Satan (Cygames)
36. The Devil (Slingo)
37. The Ruler of Heck (Rockos Modern Life)
38. The Red Guy (Cow and Chicken)
39. Giratina (Pokemon)
40. The Devil, y'know, from The Bible (SnapCube's Real Time Fandub of Shadow the Hedgehog)
41. Satanael (Persona)
42. Blackheart (Marvel)
43. Shinnok (Mortal Kombat)
44. Truck Satan (Clustertruck)
45. Rodin (Bayonetta)
46. Louisa Ferre (Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey)
47. Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer TV series)
48. Lucifer (Persona)
49. Lucifer/The Devil (The Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil)
50. Darkness (Legend)

Kirby Super Star (1996) I didn't play until it re-released in Kirby's Dream Collection (2012) so that would be 16 years

Some of the matches people post online are just hilarious

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/5/5/3/AAS3NhAAD1vZ.jpg

I love that the opponent just left turn 1

Outlier Ranking
Poke: 204
rockus: 197
ssbm: 191
plasma: 186
Vis: 164
Karo: 163
Mythiot: 162
Snake: 158
John: 152
seginus: 152
Tangy: 136

Poke becomes the first to hit 200, and with a 7 point lead and only 3 movies left to drop, has he secured his lead? SSBM gets a massive jump up to 3rd, while Karo and Vis both make big strides up. Meanwhile, Tangy still sits at the bottom, pracitcally immovable at this point

ssbm
Rating: D+

This movie has two separate plotlines that switch back-and-forth: Michael and Vito. Vito's scenes are great. I love learning how he grows up from this mute kid to a neighborhood boss. I especially love the scene with the landlord that he sizes up first and then just, with a few knowing glances, gets the landlord to flee from the city. I do, however, have an issue with Michael's scenes. Sonny and Vito's presence are sorely missed. Hyman Roth is a fine antagonist, but I think the entire plot between Michael and Roth is just kinda confusing. Like, I think Michael was lying to Roth early on about wanting to kill Frankie. And then Roth's men attempt to kill Frankie. And then Michael's trying to figure out why. And then we have this casino deal that Roth is participating in, kind of. I dunno. It was really hard for me to follow with little pay-off.

I think the last third of this movie is good, though. Michael figuring out that Fredo is the traitor is great. Fredo's stand (or sit) against Michael is great. I even like Michael and Kay's marriage frustations, culminating in Kay saying she got an abortion. I wonder how that played out back in 1974, since Roe v. Wade is 1973. Maybe it's just the sort of movies I watch, but I don't ever hear about stuff like angrily getting abortions even today. But yeah, it was intense to watch. I also love the final scene of the flashback of the entire Corleone family, with all of their vibrant personalities showing and how it's just Michael.

plasma
The first time I watched Godfather II, I found it to be a complete slog due to its overlong runtime and the Vito segments. The thing that bothered me most was how the Vito plot (which clocks in at about 45 minutes) didnt seem to contribute to the Michael plot in any significant way. I generally hate stories that rely heavily on flashbacks, time jumps, dramatic irony, etc., so I initially thought Id be ranking Godfather II in my bottom ten.

Then the rewatch happened. And now Im conflicted.

Godfather II definitely has issues. The pacing is all over the place, the main plot gets muddy at times, the Vito parts are longer than necessary, and the Michael parts lack emotional pull until New Years Eve. Some of the major ingredients are either rushed (Kays arc) or random (Mama Corleones death occuring as a writerly excuse for Fredos murder). The movie feels both too long and too short, too meticulous and too lazy, too intense and too flat.

And yet I can forgive most of these issues because the last twenty minutes of the film are an absolute firestorm. Michaels tragic arc reaches its end with soul-melting heartbreak and doom. The juxtaposition of his plotline with Vitos conveys a poignant sense of regret when you consider all the sacrifices Vito made and all the love he had for his family. Michael, in the course of about ten years, undid what Vito built over the course of fifty. The penultimate scene with the Corleone siblings preparing for Vitos surprise party is brutal to watch, and the final image of present-day Michael staring regretfully into the void that his Nevada estate should come with a health warning. A-

seginus
Cleverly uses a split prequel/sequel timeline to feed as much back into the first one as it takes out, fleshing out the saga in a three-dimensional way. These movies look incredible, the characters and atmosphere feel so authentic and rich with detail. I love all the scenes of the Corleones brooding in their dark house like a bunch of vampires. The patience of the story allows the tension to simmer as Vito works his way up to avenge his dad and Michael works his way up to whacking his brother, before that final stinger that Fredo was the only one who supported him going to war before the first movie. Oh, the betrayal! I'm still not convinced it exceeds the first one, but they both keep growing on me.

Poke
While not as great as Part I, it still is a fantastic sequel. Not too many sequels can say they live up to the original, and even have it debated that it's better, but this one certainly does.

Karo
In The Godfather: Vice City, Michael Corleone expands his business out of New York with the help of fellow mob boss Hymen Roth, and of course they both try to kill each other.
Much like the first movie, Godfather 2: God Further features Michael being the same badass kingpin who casually leaves all his detractors swimming in a river of their own blood, but this time around he begin to lose a part of himself along the way.
There are a bunch of Vito flashbacks have more to do with the first movie than this one, and the connection with the main story is tenuous as best. While it is intriguing to learn about Vito's youth, when you are coming up on three and a half hours of runtime you should ask yourself is this really necessary to the narrative you are trying to tell here.
Michael's main story here is as compelling as the first film, they just needed to trim off some of the fat and make it sleep with the fishes.

Vis
I dont like referencing other movies on the list in comparison to one another, but I kinda have to when it comes to the two Godfather films on this list. The first film is amazing, and it does a great job of telling the rise of Michael Corleone from the seemingly-detached son of the Corleone family, into a ruthless crime boss. And overall, if you consider the two films a duology, they do a good job of demonstrating how that rise to power can lose you everything in the process. However, as a standalone film, I just wasnt able to enjoy Godfather II as much as the first (or as much as at LEAST a couple other films, as of the typing of this write-up).

I dont know. The film is still great, and the characters are great, but for me, the narrative didnt tie together as well as Id like it to. It felt very much like this was an event-driven movie rather than a character-driven movie, which is what sets it apart from the first film. So much of the movie is spent in Cuba, dealing with Michaels efforts to feign interest in a hotel deal with Hyman Roth (which is all so he can get in close and have Roth assassinatedbut this fails and Roth winds up an afterthought until hes killed in the closing minutes of the film). You also have a senate investigation into organized crime, which is briefly propped up by a surprise witness who SEEMED to have died much earlier in the film, only to then reveal that hes been alive the whole time. These little events just lack the same impact and connectivity that we got in the first film.

Meanwhile, the melodrama of Michaels life was hit or miss for me. I appreciate him being characterized as a control freak towards his sister, eventually cowing her by the end of the film. And I appreciate his marriage falling apart, and Kay doing whatever she can to try and hurt him on her way out. Plus, the breakdown of his bond with Fredo (who has been a pathetic, but otherwise good-natured simpleton) was heartbreaking, as Michael couldnt let it slide that his own brother nearly got him killed. Fredos death was the killing of Michaels last shred of humanity. All of this was great characterization, but it was just a little too unpleasant, without enough intrigue in the crime aspect of the film for me to feel satisfied by it.

Finally, I have to address the prequel sections of the film. I appreciate them as well, but I almost feel like they detract from the movie just a little, because they feel so out-of-touch with the majority of the content in the film. Now, on a closer analysis, I get it. Especially with that final scene, showing Vitos rise compared to Michaels is necessary. Despite being a killer and getting his revenge, Vito is very much a charming man throughout his life. He knows how to gladhand and boost his reputation to get what he wants. Michael, by comparison, is very cold, and just seems to take the most logical emotionless path possible at all costs.

That final scene really ties the movie together, and I think goes a long way towards bolstering it for me. You have the whole Corleone family, happy and together and celebrating Vitos birthdayand then you consider Michael. By the end of this film, hes lost just about everything. He holds his children and his sister by force, his brothers are dead, his parents are dead, and he generally treats Tom with complete detachment. Its horrifying that this is the cost it took for him to become the all-powerful crime boss that he is, and you have to wonder if it was worth it. Vito seemed happy with all that he had, and he still have the love of his family to back him up throughout everything. Michael has nothing, and its a really sullen ending to his story.

4. The Godfather, Part II (1974)
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Runtime: 3h 22m
Score: 92

Tangy: 1
rockus: 1
John: 3
Myth: 3
Snake: 4
plasma: 6
seginus: 8
Poke: 11
Karo: 12
Vis: 18
ssbm: 25

Tangy
The Godfather Part II is the perfect film. It is absolutely flawless in every way. I love how the passage of time is handled here. Gone are the days of Michael dealing with other families, now hes dealing with something worse. Capitalism. Hyman Roth is such a great villain, because hes the very definition of untouchable. The man is practically having heart attacks daily, but his money is keeping him alive. This is the only villain who has gotten close to taking him out and it was all through strategy rather than the brute force that Michael is used to. Times have changed. Amongst all the drama with Roth we have Frank Pentangeli, the dear family friend of the Corleones. He adores the traditions of the old days and is constantly fighting to keep them around, regardless of how often he is pushed away and disrespected. Then in a brilliant move by Roth, the failed hit causes Pentangeli to turn on Michael. Thus leading to Michael controlling Frank through his brother. Realizing now that hell forever be a disgrace, kills himself in his bathtub. Sorry Frank. Times have changed. Then theres the story of poor Fredo Corleone. Despite a strong love and desire to work for the family, he just ended up getting shot off to Vegas to work for Moe Greene. However this is where Fredo starts to change. Brought in by the glitz and glamor, the free booze, the cocktail waitresses, he has access to it all. He just has to follow Greene. This sets the stage for us in the present as we see how easily Fredo can get lured in by Roth. So much so that he helps set up a hit on his own brother. This is when Michael realizes even family can turn on you, money is the true form of power now. Michael has changed. Michaels fall into destruction is so beautifully displayed here. He once had hopes and dreams to separate from his family, but at this point he realizes the dream is impossible and must own himself for the monster he is.
(Intermission)
Were transported back to 1901 as a young Vito Corleone is arriving in New York City in one of the most depressingly beautiful sequences Ive ever seen in a film to date. We flash forward 16 years and to see that Vito has managed to grow up into a man of respect. He wont let his harsh upbringing affect his good heart.
Even if his home and culture are deteriorating around him. The Vito flashback sequences are such a treat. Its such a great overview of Vitos rise to power as its juxtaposed with Michaels rise in the present. Truly showing the difference between the past and present.

rockus
I go back and forth on which Godfather film I prefer and even now Im not entirely sure whether I like the first or second one more. Its split of narrative between two time periods might make it seem a little less focused and concise as the first one but I cant argue against the riches it offers in doing so. The beautiful sequences in the old country and De Niro as a younger Vito are some of the best moments in the series of films. Just like the first film its another stone cold classic.

John
This is a 200 minute movie that is really two 100 minute movies woven together as both prequel and sequel to what is perhaps the closest thing we'll ever get to a perfect movie. It's a hell of an undertaking, and probably they only way to possibly do justice to the original. Did you ever wonder how Don Vito Corleone came to be the most respected and feared man in all of New York? You'll get your answers. Did you ever wonder what Peter "leave the gun, take the cannoli" Clemenza was eating 40 years earlier? You'll get that answer too! (spoilers: it's one of the best-looking pastas I've seen in any film outside of A Clockwork Orange). Either of these films could have been a great film on its own, but woven together you get a picture of over half a century of a family's fall, rise, fall, rise and fall again. Personally I've always enjoyed the prequel half of this film more than the sequel, with DeNiro doing justice portraying a younger version of one of the greatest film performances of all time, but that's not to say the sequel story is ultimately anything less. The young man descending into darkness is gone here; by the time Godfather 2 starts, Michael is the full godfather, with his own opening mirroring that of Vito's in the first film. But Michael isn't the friendly, lovable godfather Vito was. Michael is entirely business, rarely ever letting his emotions show through until goddamn Fredo comes along to break his heart. Are the execution of Fredo and Roth on the same level as the baptism that ended the first film? Not quite, but damned if they didn't come close. Comparisons aside, this is still one of the greatest films of all time without question.

Side note: If there's exactly one takeaway from both Godfather 1 and 2, if you see a Sicilian man holding an orange, show some goddamn respect.

Myth
Coppola brings back everything that was great about his original masterpiece and increases the scope, delivering a sequel-prequel that is roughly equal to its predecessor. Id put it slightly behind the first since I prefer the tighter story of the original to the less focused sprawl of the second, but theyre both fantastic at what they do. Pacino gives probably the best performance of any movie on the list as Michael descends further into moral abyss. The sequences of young Vito, escaping mob violence in Italy only to confront and conquer it in America are flawlessly done, the slow triumph of Vito contrasts perfectly with Michael falling into desperation and losing nearly everything he cares about.

Snake
While it may come down to personal preference on which Godfather you like best, its undeniable both of these films are top of their class cinematic masterpieces. However, to me, Godfather 2s ambitious multi-generational storyline rewards close attention and greatly enhances the themes of the original and how the price of vengeance spans decades.Its just a film that has a stranglehold on your attention front to back.

I used to love Five Guys, and they're still delicious, but yeah their prices just aren't excusable anymore.

You used to be able to get like two bacon cheeseburgers and a large fry to split for like $20, which was still kinda pricy but it was worth it, but now the same meal will cost you like $35 and at that point it's just not worth it anymore

My main deck I usually rely on:

1- Ant-Man
1- Mantis (sometimes Hawkeye)
1- Nightcrawler
2- Angela
2- Star-Lord
2- Scarlet Witch
3- Ironheart
3- Bishop
3- Wolfsbane
5- White Tiger
5- Blue Marvel
6- Odin

The biggest combos I have obviously tend to be Odin with either Iron Heart, White Tiger or Wolfsbane

It's not really a solid theme there but I've tried building them a little more themed (discard/destroy with Apocalypse, Ongoings with any combination of Spectrum/Onslaught/Iron Man/Blue Marvel) but I always end up falling back to my main deck

I've only ever seen the Devil Dino/Moon Girl combo used once by an opponent so I'm surprised there's so much hate for it

TotallyNotMI posted...

This has got to be Wiccan, yeah?

https://tvline.com/2022/11/01/joe-locke-agatha-coven-of-chaos-wandavision-spinoff-disney-plus/

if so that seems like solid casting

Rick
-

Watched both DuckTales and Animaniacs and don't feel particularly strongly for one more than the other

sonic heroooooooes
sooonic heeeeeroes

Outlier Ranking
Poke: 197
rockus: 194
plasma: 184
ssbm: 170
Mythiot: 161
Snake: 158
Karo: 155
John: 151
Vis: 150
seginus: 148
Tangy: 133

Poke v. Rockus, the fight of the century for 1st, with plasma scrabbling toward the top just behind them. Meanwhile, Tangy is still comfortably on the bottom with very few reveals left for others to still compete

Snake
A hard-hitting depiction of the Rio De Janeiro drug war and the culture that surrounds it, this is a hard film to watch at first, but as you begin to peel back its layers it becomes a much more emotionally affecting experience. This is really director Fernando Meirelles & Ktia Lund's show; their effective, intense and visceral style of filmmaking ensures you'll be left with something to talk about when it's all said and done. An uncompromising look at life on the wrong side of the tracks in Brazil. This is really one of the best crime action films I've ever seen.

seginus
Hits the extreme ends of the spectrum with some of the bleakest and most blissful content in the list, finding respite in the nuggets of friendships and romance in a landscape of murder and poverty. It feels authentic enough that the based-on-a-true-story 'twist' doesn't really come as a surprise; familiar genre conventions like the split timeline and first-person narration come across as organic. The still shot of the apartment changing over the years in montage is a classic. That one shot on the beach, magical. For stretches, it can be oppressively grim and that does get tiresome at times, but there's enough style and heart to make it worth the bitter taste.

plasma
Scorseses best work since Casino. It feels like Goodfellas set in Brazil, but with higher emotional stakes and a nasty central villain. Wait, Scorsese didnt direct this? Oh

I loved the first half of City of God. It does an excellent job setting up not just a foreign world but one splattered with criminal activity. The early scenes with the Tender Trio drew me right in, and even though many characters get introduced in rapid fashion (something I complained about with other movies on this list), I had no trouble acclimating to this crew and understanding their goals, fears, and frustrations.

The Satan-spawn known as Lil Ze steals the show here. Kid is TERRIFYING. Complete psychopath, and anytime he gets offended or jealous, you know shit is about to go down. That scene where he shoots the little boys foot left my jaw hanging, and immediately afterwards Ze peer-pressures one of his henchmen underling into executing another boy. Nasty stuff, and its great to see a loathsome villain like him get his retribution at the endeven if it signals a new generation of murderers in the process.

I have to admit the second half of the movie was a letdown for me. The first half sizzles in terms of worldbuilding and conflict, but the back half feels flabby: Lil Ze oversees his empire, then predictably kills Benny when Benny tries to leave, then a gang war brews until everything pops during the finale. During this time, our narrator/protagonist Rocket disappears for a while, and the movie loses something during his absencewhich is weird to complain about because Rocket is a passive observer rather than a take-action focal character.

I get that this is based on a true story, but City of God nonetheless stalls down the stretch. My main problem is that the second half forced me to think of this movie as journalism rather than an immersive experience. Rockets growth into a reporter is important to both him and the plot, but at the same time it distanced me from the story. Maybe that was the intentto show how Rocket is distancing himself from this particular worldbut it nonetheless drains some of the magic from this one. B-

rockus
Not the kind of film that I expected to see in this list. To me more of a coming of age crime adjacent film than anything. But its nice to see another foreign film make the lineup and this was one of my favorites back in the day. Theres a lively rhythm to it that made it endlessly rewatchable for me when I first saw it and though Ive cooled on it a bit since then its still pretty great.

Poke
A powerful message of violence begets more violence. And hit home that it's kids growing up in this kind of environment and continuing the (seemingly) neverending cycle.

5. City of God (2002)
Directed by: Fernando Meirelles and Ktia Lund
Runtime: 2h 10m
Score: 108

ssbm: 1
John: 7
Myth: 7
Karo: 8
Tangy: 8
Vis: 9
Snake: 9
seginus: 11
plasma: 12
rockus: 12
Poke: 24

ssbm
Rating: A+

There's so much I love about this movie. I love all the different characters and how they make the City of God feel so alive. I love all the stories that make up the movie, from the macro to the micro. I love the individual scenes that evoke so much imagery. We'll tackle these one at a time. Rocket's a great main character. He's likable, he's got a stake in the story, and he's got his own development as time goes on. The gangsters, ranging from Lil Ze to Benny to Carrot to Knockout Ned to the Trio to the Runts, are all engaging to watch. You can all see why they got involved in the gangster lifestyle. Lil Ze in particular is just a complete fuck-up that you hate him all the way through. The scene where he has Steak'n'Fries shoot two of the Runts in the feet and then killing one of them is absolutely heartwrenching to watch. After watching The Rehearsal, I kinda wonder if it's OK to even have these children actors act as if they got shot. Ah well. It was a different time.

Benny is kinda hilarious. In a bad movie, he would ruin my suspension of belief of this super cool gangster that unites everyone, even Lil Ze. But here, it works. Every time you see him, he's just got this aura of "hey, this guy's cool." I have no idea how he's best friends with Lil Ze, but I guess childhood friends go a long way. I like Knockout Ned's story of getting involved in Carrot's gang to fight off Lil Ze and slowly being corrupted, to the point that he's killed by the innocent that he once wanted to protect.

Like I said, the stories just speak for themselves. The movie's well-paced and packs a lot of content for just 2 hours. And yet, it doesn't feel blisteringly fast at all. There's a ton of characters, but all of them are properly introduced and I never feel lost. It even packs some "filler" scenes like the story of the apartment that Lil Ze takes over or Rocket's attempted romance with Angelica. And yet, it all just feels naturally part of the story. Honestly, one of my favorite movies of all time.

John
City of God isn't an easy film to watch. It's dark and violent in a way that even a list full of murder and betrayal doesn't quite prepare you for. The biggest success of the film i is in its presentation, breaking a lot of story into small, digestable sections that really let you dive into specific characters and events and makes them all more memorable for it. Benny deserved better, Li' Ze is a literal walking nightmare, and Knockout Ned is a truly tragic portrayal of how a once kind person gets pulled into being a villain in his own right.

Myth
A bleak and disturbing, especially since children are often both the victims and perpetrators of its stark violence, yet it never loses its sense of humanity. A beautifully filmed and edited expose of the slums of Rio de Janeiro and the cycles of violence that its youths find themselves trapped in, I dont think ever seen a more haunting use of the line based on a true story elsewhere.

Karo
This semi-true life story Focuses on crime in the Brazilian slums and features some truly gangsta children. Like there are some seriously hard-ass 8-year-old motherfuckers here who will pop a cap in your ass if you so much as blink.
The characters were vibrant and I enjoyed seeing them grow up and (mostly) come to bad ends, and it was certainly refreshing watching a film featuring something other than the overused Italian mob.

Tangy
I really need to watch some more movies that take place in Brazil, cause this was great. I think where it really gets me is how good the setup was. The decision to make the Tender Trio so likable at the start was brilliant. Not only does it give a strong sense of how close knit the community is here, but it also creates mood whiplash as we see how they end up influencing the youth around them. Enter Lil'Ze who is easily one of the most ruthless antagonists I've seen in a film yet. Leandro Firmino does such a good job of showing the intimidation factor of this character. The second he enters a room you just feel the tension rise. Which naturally lends to a great ending for such a monster of a character seeing the kids get the best of him in the end was insanely rewarding. I also adored the setting, the beach scenes in particular were gorgeous and seeing them in comparison to the favela creates some great juxtaposition.

Vis
On the one hand, this is not a movie I think I would want to sit down and watch a second time. Its not filled with fun personalities and quotable lines, and memorable scenes. What it IS, is just plain gritty and realistic. I mean, the opening segment with the kids in a weird shanty town felt off, but the second they hit the time skip and really started focusing on older life in the favelas, the movie came across like I was watching a documentary. Yes, you have memorable cast members in the drug gangs: Knockout Ned, Lil Z, Benny, Carrot, but none of them really come across as cartoon characters, you know?

Like, Bennys a cool guy, and hes meant to be Lil Zs calming influence, and theres a plotline where Benny swoops in and steals the narrators girlfriend. But hes never painted as just some scumbag, nor does the narrator really act like its the worst thing in the world. The plot just feels that much more lived in, because you have those moments where something major happens, but the characters just play it off. Rocket could easily have gone down that route of becoming a hoodlum and avenged his brother and continued the cycle of violencebut he largely just wanted to stay the hell away from Lil Z whenever possible. I found that interesting, because it gave him almost more credibility as a narrator, being unbiased about the story he was telling. And ultimately, it IS just a cycle of violence, so long as youre willing to perpetuate that. Lil Z rose to power, and he fell just as quickly, succumbing to his own inner demons. Its a tale as old as time.

colliding posted...

I wonder if any prominent youtubers have any thoughts on the wonder man casting

IGN commenters sure do!

scarletspeed7 posted...

I'm fucking pissed let Dr. Manhattan be Dr. Manhattan

Also black manta

Titans
Dbz