city of god

miss buenos aires · Post by **miss buenos aires** » Thu Feb 26, 2004 11:44 am

Has anyone else seen this? I suppose I could post about it in the "recent movies" thread, if there is one right now, but it deserves its own thread. Much better than Lord of the Rings, and I can't remember what else is nominated for Best Picture, but this is really a dark horse favorite for me.

Though not totally original, the tricks the film plays with narrative are interestingly done; the way the director loops into a flashback and then lets us know when we're back in the action is really well done. Most (if not all) of the actors are Brazilian street kids, and they do an amazing job--it's disturbing to think about the similarity of the roles they play and what their actual lives must be like. And yes, it is violent, but it's easier for me to see twenty people get gunned down than it is for me to see one person get the shit kicked out of them for five minutes, whatever that says.

My only quibble was the occasionally motion sickness-/epileptic fit-inducing camerawork.

Has anyone else seen it? Go out and see it! Then come back, and tell us what you think!

HungupStrungup · Post by **HungupStrungup** » Thu Feb 26, 2004 3:45 pm

I absolutely loved this movie and was repulsed by the casual brutality in the lives it portrayed at the same time. It's unique, involving, highly innovative and I recommend it highly!

girl out of time · Post by **girl out of time** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 8:49 pm

i had the chance to see this movie at the mar del plata film festival one year ago......and i loved it! ....best movie in the festival.......
......cidade de deus......or city of god ........is one of those movies that you know you gonna love after seeing the first 2 minutes of it.......plus, the story told in the film is a true one.....the characters are so vivid and realistic.....mainly cause most of the actors are everyday people living in the same places the movie talks about.....
if you haven´t seen it yet, don´t miss any other minute......go rent it!
you won´t regret it!!!!!!!! totally worth it!!!!!!!

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 8:52 am

I heard a story about this movie on BBC4's independant movie prize thing...or at least I think it was about this...but I can't find any thing about it on the net.

Apparently it was almost entirely directed by someone else, and the director had to credit the person who helped them do it.

Anyone else know anything about this, cos it's a good film...and Im sure that sullied some of the acclaim it got.

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 7:19 pm

I saw this last year and, I too, loved it. One film that seems to encapsulate the entire history of gangster films from the original 193? "Scarface" to Tarentino and Ritchie, while being based on a true story and in its own way totally original. It's fantastic and wonderfully surprising that the Oscars have given this terrific film a second life.

Though I consider it borderline heretical, if not outright blasphemous, to compare any mere 2 hour+ movie to the towering megalith that is LOTR (well, unless you just can't stand the site of hairy fee), I will say it's easily the second best film nominated this year -- or at the very least gives "Lost in Translation" a run for its money.

Re: the issue of the "other" director. As I understand it, "City of God" drawn from a short subject that was directed by a woman who's name I can't remember right now. This "City of God" was basically an extended version which the woman was involved with, and on which she did receive a credit, not "co-director", but something close. According the officially listed director, she worked mainly with the actors, while he oversaw the entire project. Still, there have been disputes over whether she didn't do more.

Film is so collaboarative that it's easy to get into a real Rashomon situation on something like this -- people are still arguing about whether Howard Hawks or Chritian Nyby directed the original version of "The Thing". In any case, it's not like she's getting no credit at all. It could be worse. Still, I'm sure she'd like it better if I could remember her name!

girl out of time · Post by **girl out of time** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 7:51 pm

the soundtrack of this movie is amazing too .......brazilian 60s & 70s soul!

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sun Feb 29, 2004 5:09 pm

Agree it's a great film. It was big here last year, and is now out on DVD. I have a dilemma in that I would like to get it, but my kids, the oldest especially (11) were really interested in it, and would want to see it if I got it. Do I hide the DVD? I think the scene where the killing gets so young that it's one small kid threatening another very small kid is one of the most unforgettably harrowing things I've ever seen at the cinema. I saw a brief news report on it recently, Oscar related, which said that Mireilles, if that's his name, tried stuff with local kids for months before actually casting. Interesting differences in opinion from current residents of the favela were quoted (they were given a special showing before it was released). Would like the soundtrack. The disco scenes were like somewhere I've visited in my dreams.

I echo the 'if you haven't seen it, you must' sentiment.

martinfoyle · Post by **martinfoyle** » Sun Feb 29, 2004 7:23 pm

I saw this Jan 1st last year. Depressingly I did'nt see a better film for the rest of the year. It more than deserves its Oscar nominations and, who knows, it might slip through the cracks and win some.