Movies
I liked this film a lot when it was first released, it's been ages since I last watched it though. It was still early days for me as a film fan and I was a little easier to impress back then. Watching it back, it's clear why I once loved City of God, but it's equally clear that it has lost some of its power over the years. City of God is a pretty basic crime flick, though one that benefits from an interesting setting and cast. The performances are good, Meirelles' direction is slick and the pacing is perfect, but it does get a little repetitive after a while and it's not quite as shocking as I remembered it to be. Still a very good film, just not a full-blown personal favorite anymore.Read all
A movie with a message. I'm not too familiar with Meirelles' oeuvre, but clearly his approach is way less effective in Africa. The film felt forced, sentimental and pushy. The thriller elements aren't very exciting either, in the end I felt this subject would've worked a lot better as a documentary. Pretty disappointing.