20. The Godfather

dir. Francis Ford Coppola

Francis Ford Coppola’s mafia opus is so effective because of the way it draws us into Michael’s descent to the dark side. As the film begins, we understand how he wants to distance himself from the family “business.” But slowly, gradually, we want in just as much as he does. Emotions are heightened, lines are blurred, and suddenly there’s no reliable moral compass. Michael is no longer concerned about what’s right and wrong, but about what he has to do. This fractured moral tale is told with haunting cinematography and explosive performances from many of the greatest American actors of the ‘70s. Suspenseful, emotional, and propulsive, The Godfather is the mob movie to end all mob movies.