Of course The Godfather is in here. The rite of passage from civilian to criminal is a tale of the student surpassing the master. The most beautiful thing about the Michael Corleone version of this tale is that it was a path he never intended to take, but something he felt he had to do at his core. Michael comes back from the war wanting nothing to do with the family business but step by step he completes his initiation. Starting with the best intentions of protecting his father and supporting his family, he has a taste of being victimised by corruption. Discovering he is not protected by the city he realises that family and friends are all he has to watch his back. From watching over his family he turns to street retribution and then to murderer. Taking vengeance on the men who attacked his father, Michael seals his place in the family business and is accepted into the fold, but he doesn't stop there. After laying low fails to keep his loved ones safe, Michael is once again driven by vengeance. His family is disrespected into the mud, their influence fades and with his father's passing they look to be slowly erased. To lose all his father has built for them and have the welfare of his family diminish to others is unacceptable - it's time to take charge. So comes the finale and the final corruption of Michael's soul; the deal with the devil to live the life of criminal sin, completing his passage with flying colours. If the criminal underworld had an awards ceremony with certificates, Michael would take first prize... and most likely anything else he wants, being he killed all the other contestants.
Film Graduate, tea chugging, whiskey sipping metal head. Love of films, video games and a perfectly healthy appreciation for comic books. Black Bolt is the greatest superhero and Rock Me Amadeus is the best song ever made. No, don't argue.
