Have you not seen The Godfather?

[Vkw10]

I've beenin the room when various family members watched The Godfather on TV, so I've seen parts of it. I've never seen Star Wars, although my brother went to the first twice, which was major praise since movie tickets and gas to drive 45 miles to theatre probably cost him a full day's pay bagging groceries. I enjoyed Citizen Kane as part of a campus film series several years ago.

Never seeing Star Wars is a handicap during trivia games with people in my generation and social network. So is my complete lack of knowledge about Friends and Sex & the City.

[hmaria1609]

My dad has watched I & II whenever they're on TV.  (AFI has "The Godfather" among its list of great movies) I've watched bits and pieces but not in full. They're so long!
As for III, it's not often on TV. I'd heard it wasn't a great end to the trilogy. However, it's gotten renewed attention because of its theatrical release this week:
https://www.polygon.com/2020/12/1/21755036/godfather-part-3-new-version-cut-review-coda-death-of-michael-corleone

Another review:
https://variety.com/2020/film/columns/godfather-3-coda-review-death-of-michael-corleone-francis-ford-coppola-1234846553/

[Hegemony]

I haven't seen it, because I make it a point to avoid Mafia movies. I've seen about a million other movies, though.

[kaysixteen]

I too am a Gen Xer who does not care for mob flicks and has never seen a Godfather movie.   I have by now seen all Star Wars movies, and really none are as good as the original trilogy (does this have something to do with the fact that I was a kid then but clearly an adult by the time the rebooted the franchise?  Still, I do appreciate Gen X cultural assumptions, having seen all the Dirty Harrys, Rambo, various Schwarzenegger and Norris opera, etc., plus 70s disaster movies, perhaps my favorite genre.   I used to make Beverly Hillbillies references in class, but wonder whether I will ever do so again, the next time I work as a teacher...

[nebo113]

I saw The Godfather on Christmas Day the year it came out, and I was past my teens.  Obviously, I am not a Gen Xer.

[histchick]

Gen X here, haven't seen The Godfather.

[Anselm]

Many of these movies won't make sense unless you read the film critic reviews and commentaries.  Citizen Kane is significant for the camera techniques and directing.    I do believe that there are certain movies that everyone should watch at least once.  A few that come to mind are Metropolis, Fantasia and Andrei Rublev.

[downer]

Many of these movies won't make sense unless you read the film critic reviews and commentaries.  Citizen Kane is significant for the camera techniques and directing.    I do believe that there are certain movies that everyone should watch at least once.  A few that come to mind are Metropolis, Fantasia and Andrei Rublev.

Interesting. But why?

Arguably everyone should read the Iliad and be familiar with some Shakespeare in order to be culturally literate and see how so much depends on such major works. Is there a similar relationship between those movies you mention and what is streaming on Netflix now?

I think I saw Metropolis when I was a kid, but I am not sure. I haven't seen Fantasia or Andrei Rublev. What am I missing?

[theblackbox]

I'm younger than most everyone here who has responded, but I sincerely think The Godfather I and II are very worth the watch. I don't watch or enjoy lots of mafia movies either. Just really great acting and interesting storylines.

There are so many TV shows and movies today, I agree it's hard to make jokes or references with students that even half of them would get, regardless of how contemporary (Stranger Things) or recent past beloved sitcoms (Friends, Seinfeld) they are.

[clean]

I didnt see Game of Thrones either, and I think that was probably a pretty widespread show, so there are likely plenty of things that I missed there as part of the culture.

(Though I missed Downton Abby too, and someone already mentioned Sex in the City).

Probably not as culturally long lived, I dont watch The Great race, Survivor, the bachelor, or any other 'vote 'em off' like shows (add The voice, the mask singer, dancing with the stars...)

Still I probably waste too much time in front of the TV as it is!  I guess that I will just have to make due with my cultural ignorance! 

[apl68]

Many of these movies won't make sense unless you read the film critic reviews and commentaries.  Citizen Kane is significant for the camera techniques and directing.    I do believe that there are certain movies that everyone should watch at least once.  A few that come to mind are Metropolis, Fantasia and Andrei Rublev.

I've seen all of these except Andrei Rublev.  Everything I've read about it makes it sound like an even grimmer experience than people often assume Citizen Kane would be.

[ohnoes]

I've seen parts of all three Godfathers; I've slept through most of each of them on multiple occasions.