Sunday, December 20, 2009

From My Netflix Queue: City Of God (2002)


Holy crap. That's all I can say. Without a doubt, if I had seen this before I had written my list here for the films of 2002, this would have no doubt made that list. Fans of The Wire should find this one. It doesn't have exactly the same top-to-bottom look at the drug business, but it takes a similar detailed and uncompromising look at it, but its even more raw. Two kids from the slums of Rio try to use their natural talents to find their way in the world. One is a photographer and the other is viciously murderous drug dealer. The directors use their story as a way to explore deeper issues of the cause and effect of violence and the drug trade, as well as the damage to the people around them-the damage that starts early in their lives, in the shadow of a a corrupt and vicious society. I don't want to give away too much because there are a lot of surprises-many of which are hard to take. It also looks amazing-the camera, along with the lives it follows, rarely stops moving. And the soundtrack is amazing too.

4 comments:

  1. I would probably eliminate "Narc" for this from my 2002 list.

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  2. Truly amazing movie! Check out City of Men, too.

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  3. Kevin, there's a sequel of sorts too, City of Men. Also excellent.

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  4. Is there really!? Hello Netflx queue! Thanks for the heads up, guys.

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