Cidade De Deus (City of God)

[Roger]

This is an excellent movie, one that I would definitely add to my list of the best of 2002. I've been waiting anxiously for months for it to show here in the 'Nati and it just opened Friday at the Esquire. Unfortunately, it's not likely to show anywhere else in this town so the boycotters will have to wait until it hits DVD, if Blockbuster will bother carrying it, that is.
To give a little background, it's about a handful of people growing up and then later taking over, through drugs and gang violence, a slum in Rio de Janeiro known as City of God. It mostly follows four characters: Buscape (Rocket), Ze Pequeno (Lil' Ze), Bene (Benny) and Mane Galinha (Knockout Ned) through the Sixties and Seventies.
It's violent. It's sad. It's shocking and unfortunately, it's real life for a lot of people living in the slums of Brazil. The story is, at least loosely, based on real people and real events and as the credits run there are photographs of the real Buscape, Ze Pequeno, etc.
I highly recommend it.

[Sovrana]

I've been hearing lots about this movie and I have a question about it.

I have a book called The City of Joy that I think too was made into a movie once. It seems to share the theme of City of God though this one takes place in Calcutta, India.

Is there a known link between these two? City of Joy was writting in 1985.

I suppose I could look this up, but anyone here know?

[Roger]

I don't think there's any connection. Cidade de Deus was written by a guy named Paulo Lins. I haven't found a date of publication, though it seems I read in an article somewhere that it's been around for quite a while.

[dlawson]

City Of God is back in theatres, thanks to a number of award nominations. Showcase Cinemas Western Hills is the only current option for those of us in both Cincinnati and Dayton.

I strongly suggest you make the effort to see this film. It is by far my favorite of 2003.

[shivvy]

This is an AMAZING film that I was lucky enough to catch almost a year ago at the Esquire.

Did you happen to see the ad in the "Weekend" section for it. Bob and Harvey are up to their old tricks. That is an incredibly deceptive advertisement, making it look like a teen movie or something. They'll do anything to try and make money.

The dvd has been pushed back to June so that they could pop it back in theaters (The release date was scheduled for Feb. 17).

If you get a chance, check it out at Western Hills. My guess is that it will play for a week to small crowds and be gone by next Friday...

[Roger]

See this movie.

'nuff said.

[Santos-Dumont]

Just saw it and WOW. Did/do people really really live through that? The expression of the violence and sadness of the slums in and around Rio was very depressing. Good movie though especially like the Kid who came to "kill my father's murderer" and his tie-in at the end. Favorite line was "journalists must not know how to screw"

[dlawson]

AMC Newport has picked it up for this week, which kind of makes me wish I had waited to see it again.

Oh, hell...I'll see it a third time.

[The Schnoo]

I just watched the R2 dvd.... has english subtitles, so that was good...

All i can say is... Damn... I've watched some shocking shit in my time, I've watched pretty much every gangster epic you can think of... but damn.

Hell of a film, I dont' wanna go into detail as a lot of people haven't seen it, but it's a relatively honest look at what happens in these slums... Brilliant film, definitely deserving of every accolade.

-The Schnoo

[c-lando]

unbelievable...

you must see this.
you must see this.

[sueque222]

NOW PLAYING AT THE HOLIDAY AUTO THEATRE (on rt. 130 near hamilton), which just reopened this week!

double feature w/ cold mtn, which starts at 8 (city of god starts around 10:35) ... planning to bundle up and go this tues or wed :)

[DogStarMan]

Originally posted by Santos-Dumont
Just saw it and WOW. Did/do people really really live through that?
I just heard about this movie on NPR. They interviewed the kid who plays the gang leader. Evidently, all the actors are from the slums and yes, they did/do still live like this. I really want to see this one.

[Roger]

Bumped because I'm not above pimping my favorite movie.

[jonbonjela]

if you like this movie then you gotta see Amores Perres -it's even better!!!

[mizary]

I just finished watching this last night...

It was pretty good. It was hard to follow in a few places... I kept listening to their voices and forgetting to read. I wish I knew portuguese.

I liked the fact they the "actors" were real people... I never knew that... But I do remember noticing some heavy acne on some of the kids and thinking where did they get such "ugly" actors?

Personally I love seeing "ugly" people on tv. It's one of the reasons I liked freaks and geeks. Although those kids were "tv ugly" not "ugly ugly" (simpsons ref.) like the kids in city of god. :)

If you liked this you would probably like
"the devils miner"
http://www.thedevilsminer.com/

I saw most of this on PBS a few weeks ago... I can't get it out of my head.

the world can be a pretty horrible place... it's good that us "rich americans" get to see that once in a while. It makes taking a hot shower or drinking a beer or going to a movie seem like a big deal.

--mizary

[Handy Smurf]

if you like this movie then you gotta see Amores Perres -it's even better!!!
Also a great movie. I own both on DVD and have seen them each a half dozen times or more...but City of God is so much better

[FencingFreak86]

Bumped because I'm not above pimping my favorite movie.
a very very good movie. nice choice to be your fave. ;)

i just saw this a few weeks back for the first time...blew me away. i especially love how they used unknowns...it really paid off in full by the end.

[Roger]

if you like this movie then you gotta see Amores Perres -it's even better!!!

That's a favorite as well. Looking forward to his new one, Babel.

[jonbonjela]

That's a favorite as well. Looking forward to his new one, Babel.

haven't seen "21 grams" yet - that's #2 in the trilogy!!!(any comments?)

[specialk]

Also a great movie. I own both on DVD and have seen them each a half dozen times or more...but City of God is so much better

i have to agree with ya here handy. and i love amores perros.

man, that's a tough one.

[mizary]

Hmmm I never realized that 21 grams was the same guy as Amores perros.

I didn't like 21 grams... I know I didn't like a movie when I keep forgetting I've seen it. After I watched it the first time I think I got it again from the library totally forgetting I'd already seen it. I don't really remember enough to say why I didn't like it. I don't think I liked Benicio Del Toro's character. Also I don't think I liked the story line...

I saw Amores perros years ago... I remember liking that one. I'd like to see it again someday.

Hmmm... looks like he did one of the bmw films (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285930/) too... that was such an odd concept.


--mizary

[Motti]

Needless to say, a top10 movie for me. Unfortunately, the living conditions shown in the movie are very, very real. The acting is just amazing, IMO.

I don't know how is the translation in the subtitles, but this is probably a world record for curse words (which enhances the experience, obviously).

Did you know that Mané Galinha, one of the main characters, is played by Seu Jorge (of The Aquactic Life fame)? I know some boarders are quite fond of his music.

[Handy Smurf]

haven't seen "21 grams" yet - that's #2 in the trilogy!!!(any comments?)
I actually bought that on DVD a few months ago and havent gotten around to watching it yet :o
Mainly because I have so many other movies lined up to watch and I don't spend much time watching movies to being with...which is odd since I own so damn many

[Handy Smurf]

i have to agree with ya here handy. and i love amores perros.

man, that's a tough one.

I do think some of the actors were much better in amores perros, not to say that cidade de deus had bad acting...I've never not been impressed with Gael Garcia Bernal.

[FencingFreak86]

I do think some of the actors were much better in amores perros, not to say that cidade de deus had bad acting...I've never not been impressed with Gael Garcia Bernal.
he's amazing in everything he does...i just started watching "Bad Education" and i'm almost finished with it...he's incredible in that.

but back on topic (hehe), the acting was quite good in City of God, at least for me. mind you, i have trouble judging acting ability when they're not speaking english, but they still seem genuine and powerful.

[Handy Smurf]

he's amazing in everything he does...i just started watching "Bad Education" and i'm almost finished with it...he's incredible in that.

but back on topic (hehe), the acting was quite good in City of God, at least for me. mind you, i have trouble judging acting ability when they're not speaking english, but they still seem genuine and powerful.

I didnt mean to say the acting wasnt good in City of God, because I thought it was very good. I just thought there were a couple performances in Amores Perros that stood out

[afterdinnerman]

Along the same lines as "City of God" is "Bus 714". It's a documentary which chronicles a young homeless man who takes a Rio city bus hostage. The flick goes into great detail about the conditions the city's homeless live in and the corruption and incompetance of the city's police force. The drama which unfolds between the hostages, the hostage taker, the police and the media is really compelling and pretty heartbreaking because you know that there is no way that the situation would end well.

City of God was one of those movies I just didn't care for when I first saw it, but have grown to love over repeated viewings. Such a clausterphobic and hopeless feeling movie.

Motti, I'd be curious to hear your thoughts of that movie or that situation in general being a resident of that country.

[Roger]

haven't seen "21 grams" yet - that's #2 in the trilogy!!!(any comments?)

Personally, it was my pick for best picture that year; whatever year that was, though I can definitely see how it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. It's very dark, but then so was Amores Perros, and it's not an easy flick to get into initially. It's kind of like a jigsaw puzzle. It almost seems like he took the movie and cut the print every couple feet or so and then put it back together randomly. For about the first fifteen minutes you'll be disoriented by the cutting and you won't have much of an idea what the hell's going on, but around that fifteen, twenty, minute mark some of the pieces start fitting together.

[FencingFreak86]

Personally, it was my pick for best picture that year; whatever year that was, though I can definitely see how it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. It's very dark, but then so was Amores Perros, and it's not an easy flick to get into initially. It's kind of like a jigsaw puzzle. It almost seems like he took the movie and cut the print every couple feet or so and then put it back together randomly. For about the first fifteen minutes you'll be disoriented by the cutting and you won't have much of an idea what the hell's going on, but around that fifteen, twenty, minute mark some of the pieces start fitting together.
luckily, going into the movie i knew the scenes were out of order (but i STILL had trouble following). but of the group i saw it with, i was the only one who knew this...needless to say, about 30 min in someone asked "is this movie going all over the place or am i missing something HUGE!?"

it was a good movie, but i think putting it out of order just confused the audience...it didn't have the same effect that, say, Memento had on putting the events out of order.

damn i keep derailing this thread :p . city of god rocks!

[Motti]

Motti, I'd be curious to hear your thoughts of that movie or that situation in general being a resident of that country.

Oops, forgot about this thread. And I'm sorry to say I haven't seen "Bus 714", which looks pretty cool from your description. I'll watch it as soon as I get my hands on it. That leaves little room for comment, I guess.

Anyway, even without seeing the movie, I'd bet the movie is on the money about homeless situation and the crappy Brazilian police. See, I have no problem in talking about this, but I'm afraid it may seem a bit dramatic, like a social LiveJournal or something. It's not like that.

First of all, there are lots of homeless people in Brazil, specially in larger cities, certainly much more than in the US. Most of traffic lights have children asking for money and it sucks, obviously. It's just a big complex problem, since even the jobs that do exist pay too little, public education is horrible and so on. It's really a hopeless situation for these people, unfortunately, and everytime I see someone poor that has NOT become a criminal I'm impressed.

And the police just about sucks entirely. It's not like they're specially incompetent, it's just that they don't do anything except if money and/or public/political pressure is involved. I really hate the Brazilian police, and I'm certainly more afraid of the police than of the criminals.

That said, I don't think it's the Wild West it seems to be. Lots of people have quite comfortable lives, living in good/great neighborhoods, with good jobs, good (expensive) education and so on. It's just that this is the incredible minority (like, 5%) of the population, and, well, this sucks. But there are lots of benefits, people are friendly and so on. I'm okay living here, and most people wouldn't live anywhere else in the world. I'd like to live abroad but mainly for culture purposes (uh, like, going to more concerts).

Sorry I'm not in CE/P, BTW. Hope this doesn't ruin the thread...

[Daddy]

I finally watched this last night on DVD.

Great, great movie.

The sequence in the beginning of the chicken watching the other chicken get turned into lunch was hilarious. Where they find a chicken who could act?

I also liked the bit at the start of the sixties section where the boy bounces the ball off his foot a bunch of times then boots it into the air, pulls out a gun, and shoots it.