Esteban Bolanos-City of God

Rating: 10/10 (14 June 2012)

In my Film Appreciation class we just saw the Brazilian movie "City of God" directed by Fernando Meirelles. The movie takes place on the famous Favelas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The history is about two major gangs in this area that are fighting to gain the control of the business (drugs). This movie includes a lot of action and drama.
Brazil, 1960's, City of God. The Tender Trio robs motels and gas trucks. Younger kids watch and learn well...too well. 1970's: Li'l Zé has prospered very well and owns the city. He causes violence and fear as he wipes out rival gangs without mercy. His best friend Bené is the only one to keep him on the good side of sanity. Rocket has watched these two gain power for years, and he wants no part of it. Yet he keeps getting swept up in the madness. All he wants to do is take pictures. 1980's: Things are out of control between the last two remaining gangs...will it ever end? Welcome to the City of God.
The actors/actress in this movie are different as what we know. Some of the actors are professional workers, however, some of the kids/actors that appeared in the movie are residents of the favelas. Li'l Zé (Leandro Firmino) in my opinion was the best actor. He took the role of the "Big Gangsters" amazing; he represented respect in the favelas and also on the watchers. One thing, which clearly comes to mind, is Li'l Zé ear-to-ear smile, so vivid and yet so ironic since he personifies pure evil. Bené (Phellipe Haagensen) also did a great job interpreting the "cool" guy in the favelas. At the end, when he meats Angelica his feeling change and wanted to leave the drugs business and leave with Angelica. That attitude change really impact me because he became in some way a friend of the watchers. Buscapé-Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues) also did a great job. He was an "innocent" guy in the favelas, his only love was Angelica but he lost her. At the end he becomes a professional photographer and took all the photos that were publish in the diaries about the favelas. In my opinion, the only not as good job was Knockout Ned (Seu Jorge) he didn't took the role with the passion of others like Li'l Zé or Rocket who portrayed the real favelas residents.
I have seen this movie only recently (2012) and it's easily one of the better foreign films I have seen. Actually, it's probably just about one of the best films I had ever seen. This movie explains in a great detail what the Favelas look like during this three decades and what people suffer in "The City of God". I really like the camera techniques that were used in this film, they were very neat, some memorable shots that probably will be remember always. Maybe there was just one thing I didn't like and understand about this movie, Rocket was with Angelica (that was her precious love) and Bené just one day took Angelica and Rocket didn't said anything. Instead, it seem Rocket was a close friend of them, we can see this in the party scene when Bené gets killed.
"City of God" is not the kind of movie when the viewers learned respect or honesty. However, although there is a lot of violence in the movie we can learn what will happen to you if you get in this kind of business. At the beginning everything seems very optimistic, they win a lot of money and don't have to work. Nevertheless, in some years the consequences will be dramatically negative, you could end up dead or in jail in the best of the cases. This movie can change everyone views of crime and the favelas, this movie can especially impact people who have poor economic level and are about to enter the "black market".
Due to the violence and extreme level of crime this movie would be rated R. My final word of this movie is that is one the best foreign movies of all history and would have to congratulate the Brazilian government for the support that they give to film.
In "City of God" many technical aspects are presented. Meirelles movie is cinematographically talking very neat job. A perfect example of it, is a basic exercise, when a low angle is presented in a scene of the movie. While Lil Zé was about to kill the child from the other gang, he was a seen as a superior object while the child look inferior, just by the camera angle. Establishing shots were also presented throughout the movie, some examples of it is when they present the favelas during the 60s, 70s, and 80s.
Rating System: I would give the movie "City of God" a 9/10 due to the following reasons. Its and extraordinary film in the storyboard and script, a stupendous direction of Fernando Meirelles, and an neat camera job.
Short Biography: Esteban Bolaños is a freshman in Lincoln School, Costa Rica. Some of his favorite sports are soccer, basketball, and American Football. His is a passionate follower of Deportivo Saprissa and Real Madrid C.F. in soccer (his favorite sport). However, his most develop sport is horse riding or "dressage" which he is now competing in some inter-club competitions. Esteban won the 2011 Ranking of dressage, being some of his most notable prices.