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Ever since its release in 1972, Francis Ford Coppola's gangster masterpiece The Godfather has been at the forefront of cinematic excellence, oftentimes being one of the first films that come to mind when considering the greatest films ever made. With over 50 years to build up and sustain its legacy as one of the all-time greats, it's no wonder that the film has become one of the most legendary cinematic achievements of all time. However, just because it's often the first film that comes to mind for the all-time greats doesn't mean that there aren't films that manage to be unironically better than the icon of perfection.
There aren't very many, as it takes a great deal of exceptional filmmaking craft to be able to live-up to and surpass the quality of Coppola's legendary masterpiece. It certainly doesn't take away from the qualities of The Godfather, as many people still believe that the 1972 classic is the very best that cinema has to offer. However, it's also hard to ignore the similarly exceptional qualities inherent to these 6 films, who at the very least put up a close fight against The Godfather, if not directly surpassing it in quality.
'Parasite' (2019)
It's exceptionally rare for a film in the 21st century to be able to amass a legacy and the levels of quality to live up to the countless classics of the previous generations, frankly due to just how much had already been explored within the medium by the time the new millennium started. However, one stark exception to the rule that has risen to massive heights as the icon of exceptional contemporary cinema is Bong Joon Ho's Parasite, a legendary story of class divide, thrills, and comedy that helped reinvigorate many audiences to the glory of international cinema.
From exceptional performances to a powerful and timely message at its center, Parasite finds an exceptional balance between its grounded mature filmmaking and overwhelming charm in its execution. It's easily one of the most approachable and endlessly endearing arthouse film ever made, able to be equally enjoyed by general audiences and hardened cinephiles in its craft. It's easily the greatest cinematic achievement of the 21st century, and it will truly take something special for another film to be able to reach its level of overwhelming quality and legacy.
'Schindler's List' (1993)
The magnum opus from one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Schindler's List is a powerful exploration of emotional pain and dread that provides the full gravitas and pain of the Holocaust and continues to stand as Steven Spielberg's greatest achievement. It's one of the greatest examples of utilizing the medium of film to reflect upon and learn from one of the most painful atrocities in human history, with the film still being widely considered to be the height of World War II movies and Holocaust stories. Spielberg goes all out to maximize and amplify the emotional weight and impact of the characters and pain on-screen, creating an unforgettable tour-de-force that leaves a hole in the hearts of the audience.
This brilliant work of art has only grown more celebrated and legendary with each passing year, as the shining beacon of quality among an entire filmography of legendary cinematic achievements. Everything that makes Spielberg’s distinct style of earnest, humanist filmmaking is in full force in this masterclass of emotion, amplifying his strengths to create a beautifully tragic work of cinematic artistry. Singular moments like the little girl in the red dress and the "I could have done more" scene still stand out as some of the biggest tearjerkers that cinema has to offer, feeling so palpable and raw in their emotional earnestness that they confound the mind.
'High and Low' (1963)
While various western filmmakers will often come to mind when considering the most influential and important figures in cinematic history, it's hard to ignore the overwhelming craft and mastery within the line of work of legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Kurosawa arguably has more masterpieces to his name than any other filmmaker in history, and any number of these legendary films could have arguably earned a spot on this list. However, the one that distinctly stands out as his best is High and Low, his timeless police procedural that has gone on to directly influence a wide array of thrillers and crime films alike.
While the film may not be as immediately recognizable as something like Seven Samurai, High and Low's endearing qualities and commentary on corporate morality and the psychology of post-war Japan makes it a deeply expressive and compelling experience. While Kurosawa is overwhelmingly associated with the various masterpieces within the samurai genre, his seamless style fits the world and energy of High and Low's then-contemporary Japan perfectly. While the film was largely looked over compared to Kurosawa's other work when it initially came out, time has been incredibly kind to its strengths, with it now being considered one of Kurosawa's best and one of the very best Japanese films ever made.
'The Shawshank Redemption' (1994)
Seeing as the author is similarly touted as one of the very best storytellers of the modern era, there have been many masterful Stephen King stories that have managed to make for equally if not even more impressive cinematic experiences. However, the largely unanimous decision for the best King adaptation is The Shawshank Redemption, with the film amassing such an overwhelming legacy that many consider it the greatest film of all time. This beautiful story of perseverance and hope in the face of institutionalized dread, there is a timeless passion and craft in not just adapting the strengths of King's classic, but providing its own distinct strengths to amplify these themes and elements. Arguably just as important to the film's legacy as King's masterful original story is the directing and style of director Frank Darabont, whose execution perfectly amplifies the emotional power and weight of the story.
Shawshank Redemption's legacy as one of the very best cinematic experiences is arguably one of the only other films to live up to the stature of The Godfather. The film has even held the spot as the #1 highest rated movie on IMDb since 2008, where it ironically overtook The Godfather. Even without considering the wider opinion of one specific online userbase, there is a beauty and brilliance to the execution of The Shawshank Redemption that continues to make it an icon of what is possible with cinema. This timeless work of art has an outstanding legacy of greatness that only continues to grow with each passing year, as it will always be considered an icon of exceptional cinema.
'12 Angry Men' (1957)
12 Angry Men stands tall as one of the best examples of how a film can be truly masterful in its execution without anything super flashy or over the top in its story or production. It's arguably one of the most simple bottle movie concepts imaginable, following a group of jury members debating with each other about the innocence of a man being tried for murdering his father. However, as they delve deeper into this seemingly open and shut case, it devolves into a back and forth of drama and intrigue as they begin to question everything about the case, tearing into the trial as well as each other in the process. Through its usage of masterful performances and a brilliant original story, 12 Angry Men stands to be one of the most exceptional original dramas that cinema as a medium has ever achieved.
The brilliance of 12 Angry Men is that it's a story that could seemingly be told in any other medium, but whose strengths are distinctly amplified and thrived in the world of cinema. Each of these characters manage to be memorable and impactful in their own way, even without a real name for them outside their assigned number, and each of these men adds layers of depth and intricacies to the story and the mysterious crime at hand. Sidney Lumet's beautifully simplistic direction, utilizing pitch-perfect pacing and powerful emphasis on performances, proves to elevate and evolve the story to soaring heights.
'The Godfather Part II' (1974)
Is this cheating? Maybe. Do I really care? Honestly, no, because the vast majority of influence and stature that Coppola's legendary duology has received largely centers around the strengths and brilliance of the original film, despite the fact that the follow-up, The Godfather Part II, is genuinely a better film. This isn't to say that there isn't a lot of praise that is given to this legendary sequel, but so much of it is often eclipsed by the legacy and stature of the original film, in a way that at some points feels unjust. This darker combination of sequel and prequel elements builds upon the strengths of the original to create what is easily Coppola's very best film and the most striking, standout gangster movie experience of all time.
Its two distinct stories both feel equally powerful and emotionally compelling, building off of one another with the pacing of the film to create a highly engaging, memorable experience that consistently outdoes the original film. Some may miss the iconic performance by Marlon Brando, but it's hard to complain too much when Al Pacino massively upgrades for an even greater central performance while Robert De Niro provides a masterful supporting performance that builds off of Brando's iconic character. Nearly everything that made the original film great is also present within this sequel, yet the sequel manages to squeeze out just a bit more brilliance to create that much more of an effective gangster movie experience. One can only hope that in due time, more and more people will begin to respect and appreciate this sequel as not just living up to the original, but actively being an improvement over the original.
