City of God
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Movie Reviews of City of God
Movie Review: One thing to understand....
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie is not just realistic in showing the extent of Latin American violence, but adds an artistic, sophisticated, indirect analysis of urban crime in cities such as Rio de Janeiro.
Many have compared it to Hollywood's crime dramas (Goodfellas, etc). This is not only inappropriate, but an unfair comparison. Goodfellas is based in a time and place much different from Rio's slums. The setting is richer and less violent, and the murder rates prove it. So for those who think that the violence in the movie is exaggerated, take it from a person who grew up in the world's most murderous city (Medellin, Colombia which has its share of shantytowns) and who has visisted Rio's favelas: City of God is Rio de Janerio's reflection upon itself, a fair, accurate critique of the urban decay, crime and corruption that are widespread in Latin America. Crime rates in Rio are many times higher than they are in ghettos in the US, which would explain American buyers' reactions to the film along the lines of: "this is so exaggerated". In Colombia, i have had scores of friends murdered at the hands of criminals. Please understand that this movie was the first I have seen that truly depicted violence in South America, despite some people's claims that it is unrealistic.
Future buyers should not expect this to be a Hollywood movie with good guys and bad guys. They should expect the reality of life in the world's most violent ghettos and embrace it. Most people who can afford DVD players have no idea what life is like for people in the 3rd world, and City of God is their opportunity to understand this lifestyle. If you want an unrealistic crime drama such as Scarface, stay away fromo this movie. But if you really want to know what MODERN organized crime is all about, then you should buy this instantly.
This movie is not about whether tourists should go to Brazil, either. In fact, Brazil is one of my favorite countries to visit because of the friendly people. If there is a lesson in City of God, it is that Brazil's criminals are not criminals by choice but are put in situations that force them into crime.
Fans of Goodfellas and Scarface, buy City of God if you want to know what organized crime is really like in the 21st century.
Movie Review: Authentic and indelible
Summary: 5 Stars
This Brazilian Portuguese language film set in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, the so-called "City of God," is a mesmerizing coming of age gangsta drama second to none you'll ever see. At the same time it is a tale of redemption and the triumph of relative good over relative evil.
Representing evil is the psychopathic L'il Dice/L'il Zé (Douglas Silva/Leandro Firmino da Hora), who kills people just for the joy it gives him. Representing the good is the story's narrator, Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues), who will grow out of the slum to become a newspaper photographer. And representing something in between is the charismatic Benny (Phellipe Haagensen). The acting is excellent, including that by the "runts," actual kids from the City of God; but what carries the film is sharp direction by Fernando Meirelles from an outstanding script by Braulio Mantovani from a novel by Paulos Lins.
I think Hollywood directors ought to note well that it is the authentic realism of the film as seen from within the City of God by one of its own that makes this such a compelling experience for the audience. None of this can be faked. True, the story is a bit romanticized as a (very talented) kid might tell it to his friends, but that is all the better because the world view of those kids is part of what makes this film so effective. Additionally, all the little side stories: the woman at the newspaper who takes Rocket home with her for, shall we say, personal reasons; the story of the girl Rocket loves; the desire of the "runts' to be men, etc., add layers of genuineness that also can not be faked or dreamed up by any filmland script writer. These things have to be lived.
Last time I looked Cidade de Deus was ranked #17 at IMDb, ahead of hundreds of great films. There's not much I can add to that. Is the film over-rated? I think so, and I think it will fall in the standings as time goes by. Good recent films tend to get a lot of attention, and then reach their level after some years have passed and they can be evaluated more objectively. Regardless, this is a watermark film for the Brazilian cinema and especially for director Fernando Meirelles who because of it rocketed from obscurity to world-wide fame almost overnight.
Movie Review: CIDADE DE DEUS
Summary: 5 Stars
Simply put, this is probably one of the single most significant films ever released, and (so far) undoubtedly the most important film of the 21st century. You know, I won't bog you down with technical and story details, 'cause you don't want to read those again. But the film is packed to the gills with so much rich detail and believably realistic acting from no one's residing in the very "favela" that is the film's namesake, which inherently implies that it warrants something uniquely special. Any misanthropic gutterpunk in the US can hate our government because of what it deprives its citizens, but you know what? They haven't seen this movie; they have not known true and calculated governmental neglect.But, I'll just let these facts speak for themselves: "Cidade de Deus" has remained in Bay Area movie theaters for going on fifteen months straight, the controversy of the film's failure to gain entry into the 2002 Oscars' Best Foreign Language Film category heralded delayed critical celebratory nominations for the following year, in which it garnered every single important nomination excluding "Best Picture". And the film is Brazil's number one all-time money maker. That not enough? The film's reception and high accolades are also responsible for the Brazilian government prompting socioeconomic reform. This is what I mean when I use the term "significant," and I don't use it lightly.
The direction is beyond craftsmanlike, the cinematography exemplary, the screenplay is crisp, layered, and cleverly nonlinear without ever making the viewer play catchup. And the editing... oh, man, the editing. It won the British Film Award for Editing back in 2002, and in case you don't know, that is a granddaddy prize for technical film achievement.
The film boasts maybe one of the strongest senses of place I've ever witnessed in film. This film takes place INSIDE that world; the world does not take place around the film, if that makes any sense.
If you want to watch something that will teach you about the forgotten corners of the world even more than being uncommonly entertaining and violently riveting, this is the film to wake up with. I cannot offer a higher recommendation.
Movie Review: "One of the best films you'll ever see"
Summary: 5 Stars
City of God (Cidade de Deus), based on the true-life novel by Paulo Lins, is the story of hoodlums and gangs living and growing up in the slums of Rio De Janeiro. A coming of age story that I thought was a cross between Scarface, Pulp Fiction and Angels with Dirty Faces. The story unfolds in a non-linear fashion, but not in such a way that the story ever became confusing.
Where the movie failed just a bit for me, and this is a very minor nitpick, was in not spending a little more time explaining some of the social and economic events that were happening at the time which led to the situation in the slums. Events were touched on at the beginning of the movie, but I would have liked a little more.
Where City of God succeeded so brilliantly was in how realistic and well drawn the characters were. There wasn't one character in the movie who was either all good or all bad. Everyone had their faults and everyone had personal issues that transcended what they might be doing in the movie. Screenwriter Braulio Mantovani and director Fernando Meirelles (he and I share a birthday!) didn't manipulate us by trying to lead us in certain directions and make us like one character over another. They let us watch the story and make up our own minds.
I found this to be a tense and hard-nosed crime movie and every bit as adrenaline-charged as The Godfather and Goodfellas, as well as the three I mentioned above. The movie also features an excellent soundtrack.
On the box cover there's a blurb from Roger Ebert that this is one of the best films you'll ever see. I'm not a big fan of absolutes, but I would have a hard time disagreeing with Mr. Ebert's assessment.
Because of the subject matter and the lives of the characters this isn't always an easy movie to watch, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be watched. I recommend City of God highly to anyone. The movie is in Portuguese with English subtitles. If you're not a fan of subtitles try not to let that put you off because this movie is well worth it. If you've ever wondered what a subtitled movie would be like, and you like crime dramas, then City of God is a great place to start.
Movie Review: beautifully merciless
Summary: 5 Stars
this is one of the most amazing pieces of cinematography i have ever seen. it is beautifully shot and put together including still frames and interweaving stories to give the true passion and emotions that rule the gangwarfare and overall life of the slums in rio. the actors although are hardly known deliver their roles so well that it is hard to think that it's just a film and not actually really happening there in front of you. the honesty of the narration and the fact we see the lives of the characters evolving makes us feel like we could really be living their lives with them. it draws you in like no other film has ever done because you see both sides of the war and can really appreciate yet never fully know the hardship that many people have to face daily. it is almost impossible not have loyalty to the lives of the young hoodlums we are introduced to and love immediately; especially the infamous trio whose smooth talking and childlike innocence in their petty crimes will win you over instantly. A hood never stops they just take a break, this film never stops enticing and enthralling you it takes a break. each story is separated by freeze frames alowing you to contemplate on the last and prepare for the next even more brutal scene.
I dont think it's fair to compare it to films such as goodfellas just because it too is spread over a large time period as i feel that Cidade de Deus is like no other. it is one of my favourite films that i've ever seen due to its ruthless honesty in portraying the slums in brazil and because of the simple yet stunning camera work and direction. Its not like other films that try to reflect the lives and harsh reality for people in the world, it really captures the passionate characteristics of the hispanic culture and the soundtrack just adds to this emotive piece of cinema.
The frantic and precarious lives are revealed to us decade by decade whilst throwing in extra shots from the past which suddenly help us to piece together all the events as the storyline evolves.
I don't have one bad thing to say about this film it was electric yet calming, perilous and urgent and altogether absolutely beautiful.