Goodfellas. At least something happened in that film that was half interesting. I never was as bored as I was watching The Godfather... waiting and waiting for something of any signifcance to happen to make my attention spike, but alas, my eyes just got bored and wandered the longer the film went on. I wish I hadn't bothered buying the trilogy on DVD as the other 2 will not be watched. It was more a case of everyone telling me how good it was and they couldn't believe that I hadn't seen it, so when I finally did, it was more 'meh' than 'marvellous'.
I don't know which one I could pick between Goodfellas and Casino though... both brilliant films.
I don't think you can compare the two as one is a slow paced trilogy with lots of back story and more in depth look at the characters and how they grew up.
The other is a 2-3 hour film and so everything is more condensed down.
Godfather II by a nose, GF's and Casino are both stunning films as well.
Shame to say I don't think Godfather II would work with youngsters today, its a film you have to watch and think about and given the short attention span of many youngsters today it would be doomed to box office failure
I love all of them.....The Godfather (all series of them), Goodfellas (I love Pesci)....and Casino (I thought Sharon, Pesci and De Niro were fantastic)
These films are my all time movies....and I can't fault them at all.
If people think that the Godfather is slow and love Goodfellas, then they have missed the essence of mafia type movies.
The Godfather is the place to start in order to appreciate the others IMHO.
Although i would place Godfather II just ahead of the Godfather. Goodfellas is an excellent movie - one of my all time favourite. Joe Pesci gives one of his greatest ever performance in that movie.