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Movie-a-Day #252 -- City of God (aka Cidade de Deus)
WOW. That's the only thing that comes to mind when I think of this movie. I picked it up after only seeing one thing on its cover..."Maybe the best movie you will ever see" attributed to Ebert. Ok, I'll bite. 130 minutes later I sat back and said...it may not be the best I've ever seen, but it is damn close.
City of God is gripping, brutal, poignant, brutal, extravagant, well directed, brutal and beautiful. Taking place in the absolute poverty of ghetto Brazil, it is a subtitled trip into the world of a child who will (based on a true story) become a prize winning news photographer. The gangs are so real, the story so amazing and the directing, photography and cinematography so superb that I could not, in good conscience, let this movie slip from my top 10.
I have yet to see more than three movies that simply affected me as much as this one did, and stayed in my head. The other two are Godfather II which has already been covered, and another one that I will profile before my week is over. This movie stayed with me, in my thoughts and in my mental imagary before I went to sleep for weeks. It is an instant classic in filmmaking, and one of those movies that if you haven't seen it yet, you should just buy the damn DVD now and save yourself the decision. It is worth owning, and rewatching.
Plot:
Cidade de Deus (City of God) is a housing project built in the 1960's that--in the early 80's--became one of the most dangerous places in Rio de Janeiro. The tale tells the stories of many characters whose lives sometimes intersect. However, all is seen through the eyes of a singular narrator: Busca-Pé, a poor black youth too frail and scared to become an outlaw but also to smart to be content with underpaid, menial jobs. He grows up in a very violent environment. The odds are all against him. But Busca-Pé soon discovers that he can see reality differently than others. His redemption is that he's been given an artist's point of view as a keen-eyed photographer. As Busca-Pé is not the real protagonist of the film--only the narrator--he is not the one who makes the decisions that will determine the sequence of events. Nevertheless, not only his life is attached to what happens in the story, but it is also through Busca-Pé's perspective of life that one can understand the complicated layers and humanity of a world, apparently condemned to endless violence.
Trivia:
All of the amateur actors were recruited from favelas (slums) in Rio de Janeiro, and a couple of of them - eg. Buscapé/Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues) - actually lived in the Cidade de Deus (City of God) itself.
The director was once quoted as saying that if he knew the dangers of filming the movie in a Rio favela, he wouldn't have done the movie.
The film was not actually shot in 'The City of God' as it was too dangerous. It was shot in a neighbouring, less dangerous area.
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I'm the anti-TNT. I don't do drama.
Amazing film. I saw this in a marathon one day at a movie theater with a lot of sneaking--along with Monster, House of Sand and Fog and 21 Grams. That was one draining day, I'll tell you...
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---------------------------------------------------- "I don't flop. I don't complain. I beat you." - Shaquille O'Neal
Amazing film. I saw this in a marathon one day at a movie theater with a lot of sneaking--along with Monster, House of Sand and Fog and 21 Grams. That was one draining day, I'll tell you...
Jeez, that is bad Chaplin. Couldn't work Schindler's List and Requiem for a Dream in there too?
Amazing film. I saw this in a marathon one day at a movie theater with a lot of sneaking--along with Monster, House of Sand and Fog and 21 Grams. That was one draining day, I'll tell you...
Draining indeed. Monster and 21 grams in addition to this movie?? Dang, I'd be beat...your brain must have been in overdrive. I really liked 21 grams, btw. I *still* haven't seen House of Sand and Fog, though I want to very much.
BTW, you have terrific taste in films. You can recommend a movie to me anytime.
__________________
I'm the anti-TNT. I don't do drama.
Draining indeed. Monster and 21 grams in addition to this movie?? Dang, I'd be beat...your brain must have been in overdrive. I really liked 21 grams, btw. I *still* haven't seen House of Sand and Fog, though I want to very much.
BTW, you have terrific taste in films. You can recommend a movie to me anytime.
The I would definitely recommend House of Sand and Fog--IMO, the best of the 4.
__________________
---------------------------------------------------- "I don't flop. I don't complain. I beat you." - Shaquille O'Neal
Wow, that's saying a LOT, because City of God was amazing. I will definitely get HoSaF as son as possible then.
I definitely loved City of God, but I have to admit, I felt a bit detached from the situation--not only is it something I know nothing about, but being in Portuguese also contributed to not being so involved in the story.
Still a great, great film though.
__________________
---------------------------------------------------- "I don't flop. I don't complain. I beat you." - Shaquille O'Neal
I definitely loved City of God, but I have to admit, I felt a bit detached from the situation--not only is it something I know nothing about, but being in Portuguese also contributed to not being so involved in the story.
Still a great, great film though.
I think that might be one of the best qualities of film; taking me from what I know to things I know nothing about.
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I'm the anti-TNT. I don't do drama.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by D-Dogg
Draining indeed. Monster and 21 grams in addition to this movie?? Dang, I'd be beat...your brain must have been in overdrive. I really liked 21 grams, btw. I *still* haven't seen House of Sand and Fog, though I want to very much.
BTW, you have terrific taste in films. You can recommend a movie to me anytime.
want to add another great draining movie to that marathon? dancer in the dark. holy crap, it rips your heart out.
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