A masterpiece for the ages

Rating: 10/10 (4 February 2016)

Set in the slums of 1960s and 70s Rio De Janeiro, this masterpiece somehow manages to be both a romantic coming-of-age tale, a brutal drama, and an action-packed gangster movie all in one.
The cinematography is a visual feast and the palates used for the different eras of the film help define the climate and mood of the neighborhood at that particular time. Very well done. The visual style of the film is both exciting and innovative. Not the controlled camera movements of a slick American mafia flick but instead seems to be inspired by the rhythm of neighborhood in which the film takes place- very frenetic, raw, and loose camera-work that feels like a documentary at times while seamlessly sneaking in extremely stylish homages to gangster films of the past.
The cast- which seems to be full of mostly non-actors and unknowns outside of Brazil- seems to be expertly chosen. There isn't a single second of the film that isn't believable.
If you haven't seen this film yet it should be at the top of your list. Easily one of the greatest films of all time.