If you haven't seen The Godfather, then you may be somewhat lost as tto what is going on in The Godfather Part II. How ever, it is still a great movie on it's own.
We left off the The Godfather with Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) running the family, Sonny Corleone murdered, and Don Vito Corleone dead of a heart attack.
There are two stories being told simultaiously here: the first story deals with Michael Corleone and his troubles dealing with his father's some-what shattered empire. The second story tells the tale of young Vito Corleone and his journey to America.
Several years after Vito Corleone's death, Micheal and the family are living in Nevada, running casinos. Kay (Diane Keaton) has left Michael; Connie (Talia Shire) hates him; his mother is ill and Fredo (John Cazale) is all he has left. ...Or so he thinks. The Corleones, under Michael, have tried to give up their illegitimate lifestyle, but it doesn't work too well.
Intercut between the 1950's scenes is the second story, one of Vito Corleone, from the time escaped death in Corleone, Italy, and arrived at Ellis Island, and then his early life in Ney York City.
We learn a lot about the young adult Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro). We find out how he saw his mother murdered, how he escaped murder himself, how he made it to American and made a name for himself, ascending the ranks in the community to become a powerfull man called "Godfather."
The Godfather II is a very "visual" movie, especially in the scenes of the young Vito as they are also spoken in Italian. The scenes of Michael in the 50's are in English, though. Francis Ford Coppola did a great job intertwining the two stories to make one seemless movie.
The Godfather is one of those movies that made motion picture history. (Didn't I already say that?) The Godfather Part II was the first sequal to win the "Best Picture" Oscar. (This wouldn't happen again untill Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won in 2003.) There are several great reasons why it won.
Number one, it continued a great story without reusing the same material from the first one or beating an idea to death. Two, the characters evolve even more than they did in the original Godfather.
Thirdly, there are two stories intertwined -seemlessly- which do not bog down, or slow the flim, nor do they make it too confusing.
The Godfather Part II would have to be the third best sequal ever made, behind Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
There is no more violence in The Godfather II than in Godfather, which is good because too much gore makes for a bad movie. There has to be that right "mix," and The Godfather II has it.
Plot: 
The two mixed plots make for a great story.
Visual Effects:
The toned down colors of the young Vito Corleone story was a nice touch, and as always, Francis Ford Coppola used great camera effects (sometimes very subtly) to benefit the film.
Sound:
Awesome score. Exceptional.
Character Development:
More than the first film, if not better and deeper developmentof all major characters.
Atmosphere: 
The movie starts off slow but picks up speed quickly.
Realism:
Warren�s Rating:
Movies nominated for Best Picture with it:
Chinatown, (1974); The Conversation, (1974); Lenny, (1974); The Towering Inferno, (1974)
9.14/10 Is the movie worth your time to watch?
2-05-04
Age at win: 31
Nominated for: Best Actor in a supporting Role, Vito Corleone, The Godfather Part II
Nomination: 1/6 (acting), 1/6 (total); Win: 1st
This is one of Robert's better movies. For starters, 98.8% of the time he is speaking in Italian (he does say a couple words here and there in English). That in itself should make The Godfather II a foreign language film!
Anyway, Robert's performace is subtle, yet brilliant. He doesn't steal the movie from Al Pacino, nor any of his other cast mates. What he does do, however, is make the scenes of the young Vito Corleone his own, without taking away from the other actors.
Truly one of his best movies.
2-05-04
