City Of God : Movie Review : The City Of God

City of God is a movie that takes place in Rio De Janerio beginning in the 1960s. It is a story of a young Brazilian boy named Rocket who observes and experiences the shift in power and how that power is gained and maintained in the world of drugs. It can be said that unsavory choices are made in order for L’il Ze to get to the top, however it could be argued that he is just playing by the rules of the street. This is how macro-subcultural theories apply to the movie City of God, leaders take and maintain power through force as they have been taught and continue to teach others to do.

The self-awareness of the protagonist is affected by the tragedy because it gives an internal more personal conflict to the story and gives a state of disturbance towards the protagonist. This is could be added to a story to give a realistic view on a fictional story making the reader get more attached to the book.

The police in Rio de Janeiro regularly takes bribes from drug lords, abuses favela citizens, and sells back drugs and firearms to the drug trade. Because of this, the favela becomes scared of the police, which can make some places dangerous to be at which can make it easier for people to be killed.

The character helps understand the theme in the story, that individuality must be treasured in our society, because it shows what the emotional and physical links to the society in the book, as well as the mental states and feelings influencing the text.

appeals, as well as creating a deep connection between the characters and the reader. Steinbeck

looks at how the director choose to introduce the situation the characters face, the conflict that happens and the resolution of the story.

Matthew Lees’ “How many of the Bronx’ dreams?” is different from James McBride's “The city of Gods” because Lee discusses the lost dreams of Bronx’ New York while Mcbride focuses on the racial realities of America. In contrast, Lee discusses the dreams of people in Bronx’ New York “...Bronx’ dreams/...moved from the shadows/ how many of the Bronx’ dreams were even said out loud” (Lee 1). Lee begins by lamenting the number of lost dreams in Bronx’ New York. Lees purpose of persuading readers that Bronx’ New York is a lost city is supported through his diction and tone, by using the word “shadows”, an image of darkness that people feel. This darkness then gives the reader the feeling of hopelessness that the people feel, proving that many of

Additionally, the construction of characters is broken up in pieces that are not just history. Not only do the young characters in the film make it easier for the younger generation to sympathise and identify with. It also allows time for the viewers to reflect on what they have just seen. As well as this,

In the same way that audience becomes captivated by the highly stylized introduction, Rocket’s depiction of the early years of the favela and the Tender Trio. His recounting of the story takes form through a series of flashbacks, in which the story dissolves into his personal memory enhanced by the persistent narration, in which the juxtaposition of his character amidst the developing plot further serves to justify his burning desire to become a reporter. Given the introduction of the primary characters of the Tender Trio and their accomplices, Rocket reflects that “I was always too chicken to join my brother.” In these moments of self awareness, Rocket again foreshadows his secondary role as an observer in the larger narrative, leaving his character quite static throughout while the world around him develops for better or worse. Through Rocket’s youthful eye, these memories retain an almost playful tone further enhanced by Meirelles’ deliberate use of high-key lighting palleted by warm yellows from the sun. As these memories prolong in length, Rocket’s use of narration extends past what his character remains present to witness creating complexities in the unfolding chronology of events. As the story moves past the Tender Trio, events such as the Miami Motel become pivotal to both character and narrative development.

     The City of God is based on actual events that occurred in Rio de Janeiro during the 1960’s and 1970’s. The movie is about the rise and fall of a fearsome sociopath gang leader Li’l Ze, who reigned as king of the drug lords during the 70’s. The first part of the movie illustrates some of the forces that mold Li’l Ze into the man he becomes, while the second half shows his ruthless leap to power, followed by the war he wages against opposing gang leaders Carrot and Knockout Ned. The film is narrated by Rocket, a photographer who exists on the outskirts of Li’l Ze’s circle of dominance and control. In the film the city is filled with ruthless acts of delinquency and is basically in

All of the characters presented in the movie have a distinct personality, making the viewer engage deeply in the heart pumping action and drama.

Brazil has some of the most violent cities in the world. The murder rate in Brazil has been going through the roof each year. Some cities have a murder rate of 50 per 50,000 people. Most murder victims are usually male, poor and teenagers. Most of these crimes take place in the infamous favelas of Brazil. Murder is not the only crime leaking in the shallow streets of the favelas. High-profile rape cases, kidnapping, drugs, and weapons dealing in the favelas are the common headlines in Brazil (Griffin, Jo). These crimes are born in the favelas and spread through the streets of Brazil. The economic growth of Brazil over the years has benefited the rich puppeteers of the society, but it has made life more miserable for the poor (McCann, Bryan). Not just in Rio, but favelas have spread throughout many cities in Brazil and now they are the number one birthplace of different types of crimes in the country. In this paper, we will analyze an article published on the online version of ‘The Guardians” regarding the lives of people living in Brazilian slums (favelas).

City of God is a depicts the reality of the narrator’s life growing up in the slums on the outskirts of Rio. What was meant to be a small film project became a success in many ways. Although it quickly became an international sensation winning numerous awards the filmmakers were also successful with their use of various components of cinematography. One critic said that “City of God is a wildly entertaining film. The sheer energy of the movie is never less than compelling. Meirelles pulls out every filmmaking trick in the book, utilizing freeze-frames, montage, flashback, quick-cutting, and even strobe lights” (Millikan 1). I will analyze various scenes from the film and explain how each successfully applied film techniques. “The

The author’s understanding of violence is extended beyond the text and into the political history of Latin America, full of neo-colonial repression, racial discrimination and struggles.

The movie utilizes it superficial characters to the maximum to develop the story. For example, most of the characters in the movie serve the purpose of