In the heart of sunny Rio de Janeiro lies a dark world of poverty, violence, and the crumbled lives of young children.

Rating: 10/10 (15 October 2016)

"If you raise a snake, expect to get bitten." Unfortunately, those who raised Lil Dice never received his own words of wisdom. The 2002 film City of God, directed by Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund, is anything but what the title might suggest. The viewer is taken on an unforgettable childhood journey that is narrated by Rocket, a young boy who grew up in Ciudad De Deus (City of God), one of the deadliest slums in all of Rio de Janeiro. From the very beginning, City of God is the type of film that captivates an audience with its unique visual style, letting the viewers know they are in for a true cinematic treat. In 2004 the film was nominated for four Academy awards, including Best Cinematography and Best Director. In spite of the severe hardship and the gut-wrenching violence, the cinematographic effects of the film leave the viewer glued to the screen, immersed with intrigue, and begging to hear more about the story of each character, who, at one point or another, fell prey to the evil world around them. The visual appeal of the film cannot be overemphasized. All aspects of editing, from lighting and camera angles, to moving camera shots and mechanical distortions of movement, are pieced together in the most brilliant and fascinating forms. Visual effects are not the sole appeal of the film, as the film takes the viewer on a nose dive into the life stories of several characters, allowing the viewer to understand the characters on a personal level and, in some cases, even form strong emotional attachments. In fact, many of the characters in the movie were recruited from the slums of Rio, including Alexandre Rodriques, who plays Rocket and had grown up in the actual City of God itself. In the City of God, the "hoods", or gangsters, are the role models for little kids playing in the streets. They are the ones the little kids look up to and grow up wishing to be. However, these hoods are nothing but kids themselves, young boys, who are given a gun at a young age and made to believe that poverty can be escaped through the short lived treasures of crime. As much as one would love to see Goose, Benny, or any of the other hoods put down their guns, it is important to remember that "a hood doesn't stop, a hood takes a break."