Featured article: "'Godfather' versus 'Goodfellas': There can only be one Boss"

Article link: http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/08/12/the-godfather-vs-goodfellas/

No doubt inspired by the recent Mob Week, two writers at Entertainment Weekly discussed two of the greatest films of all time in an effort to declare a number one. Most people think this is a no-brainer and simply state "The Godfather." But "Goodfellas" is an excellent movie in a very different way. The writers and commentors pointed out those differences, which I think are valid. "Goodfellas" is a gritty, realistic look while "The Godfather" is "drama with a capital D," as Kevin Sullivan puts it. In a way, I agree with him. "The Godfather" operates on a grander scale about family and similar heavy themes. "Goodfellas" exists in something closer to the real world. On a personal level, I find "Goodfellas" more entertaining, but the perfection of "The Godfather" cannot be ignored.

It's an enjoyable article that is genuine without being pretentious, which is incredibly refreshing. So enjoy, fellow movie lovers!

Mob Week on AMC - my kind of movie marathon

This week is Mob Week on AMC, hosted by Rudy Guiliani. They are showing classics of the genre of crime/mafia films, including interesting interviews with real-life mobsters and lawmen during the commercial breaks.

As I post this, I'm watching "The Untouchables," the Brian de Palma movie based on the real events of law enforcement trying to bring down Al Capone in Prohibition-era Chicago. If you've never seen it, it's absolutely worth a view. The cast is excellent and the writing is very memorable. I first saw this movie when I was very little (probably way too young for a film like this, but hey, my parents know good movies) and a lot of it has stuck with me. "They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the Chicago way."

The last two nights featured "The Godfather" and "The Godfather: Part II," which are obvious must-sees for any film lover. Other movies to be aired this week include "Scarface," "Goodfellas," (one of my favorites of all time) and "Donnie Brasco." For a complete schedule, click here.

It's appropriate, then, that I post my 100th entry about such a great topic. Too often we get marathons of shows or movies that are only marginally related to each other or not at all. Here we have a worthy theme with enhancing extras. Oh, and really kickass promos. Have you seen those promos? (I wish I could link to them for you, but they aren't online anywhere I can find. I guess you'll just have to tune into AMC's Mob Week then!)