I didn’t enjoy The Godfather Part II. Is that okay?

Cineplex’s Park Lane theatre hosted two screenings of The Godfather Part II (1974) in early February to celebrate the film’s 50th anniversary. I caught the second screening and wasn’t surprised to find that it was better attended than the majority of the nine other films I’ve watched in theatres thus far this year. Only Mean Girls (2024), Anyone But You (2023) and the Dune (2021) re-release drew bigger crowds.

The Godfather Part II is perhaps the most prominent in a class of films that any aspiring cinephile “has to see.” The best picture-winning sequel to the best picture-winning The Godfather (1972) will often be found alongside Citizen Kane (1941), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and Pulp Fiction (1994) in a list of “great films.”

As the credits rolled for the 3 hour and 22 minute film, I felt a familiar feeling, one that I felt as the credits rolled for “great films” Easy Rider (1969), Jaws (1975) and Alien (1979). Relief because it was over and guilt because I didn’t really enjoy it.

That feeling is in sharp contrast to the satisfaction I feel when I get to tick a classic film off my watchlist that I enjoyed or even loved. The Wizard of Oz (1939), Casablanca (1942), Psycho (1960) and A Clockwork Orange (1971) fall into that category.

In early February, I watched Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise (1991), a film that I’ve been excited to watch for years. It was an uncomplicatedly joyful viewing experience. The hype attached to one of the most iconic endings in film history (which I did know about before watching it) might actually overshadow the legacy of the rest of the film.

From the first time Geena Davis, as Thelma, takes a candy bar out of the refrigerator, I was invested, entranced and desperate to know what would happen next. It’s a true two-hander between Davis and Susan Sarandon (Louise), but I found myself moving through the film with Davis. The captivating performances are just part of what makes Thelma & Louise not only a “great film,” but a film that I had a great time watching.

I watch movies because, in addition to striving for an enjoyable time, I want to learn about the history of cinema and the evolution of the medium. I watch films from the past to better understand the films of the present. Both The Godfather Part II and Thelma & Louise inform my understanding of the films that came before and came after.

So whether it’s a boring time at the cinema (again, sorry Francis Ford Coppola) or a thrilling adventure on Amazon Prime (thank you Ridley Scott), I rarely regret watching a movie. At worst, I’ve lost a few hours of my life and at best, I’ve … enjoyed a few hours of my life?

Whatever grand motivations filmmakers may have, movies are made to provide enjoyment and escape. For viewers, including myself, films aren’t the most important aspects of life. So yes, it’s fine that I didn’t enjoy watching The Godfather Part II.