The City of God: Film Review

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson depicts that wherever there is good, there is evil as well. The note included by Larson, ¨Evils Imminent¨ depicts this: ¨Beneath the gore and smoke and loam, this book is about the evanescence of life, and why some men choose to fill their brief allotment of time engaging the impossible, others in the manufacture of sorrow¨ (pg. xi). Larso shows this conflict of good and evil by comparing the two main characters, Daniel Burnham and Henry H. Holmes. Burnham is the head architect for the World Fair Exposition in Chicago circa 1893, taking on a daunting challenge. In contrast, Holmes is a sly psychopathic physician, who opens a hobbled together building to serve as a hotel for the

The Chicago World’s Fair occurred in 1893 to commemorate American history, specifically the landing of Christopher Columbus. This event had such a mass popularity that a book was written to commemorate the fair itself; it was titled, The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson. The portrayal of history in this novel is quite accurate when expressing the time period of the late nineteenth century in an elevated format, which allows the reader to draw comparisons of how the time mirrors the present, as well as differences in the ways it contrasts modern living, and most importantly allows a grasp of a total picture of the time period itself.

Erik Larson states, “The juxtaposition of pride and unfathomed evil struck [him] as offering powerful insights into the nature of men and their ambitions.” This quote relates to the premise of his book The Devil in the White City, which tells two different stories based around a central theme of the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893. One tells of the adventures and horrors that came with being the important figures behind the production of something as great as the exposition. The story focuses mainly on the architects, and even closer on the man who became the official leader of it all, Daniel Burnham. Intricately woven into the tale of the building of the fair is a story that is powerfully more

Murder, magic, and madness – those words succinctly described the World’s Fair, according to bestselling author Erik Larson. In his nearly legendary book, “the Devil in the White City,” the reader is led on a fantastical journey through the creation of a city of wonder and lights and through the horrors lurking behind closed doors. The vivid tales of two men – Daniel Burnham, a brilliant architect; and H. H. Holmes, a cunning serial killer – are subtly intertwined in the story of the White City. At least, that was what Erik Larson tried to present it as. Admittedly, Larson is to be commended for creatively portraying true facts in the form of a nonfiction narrative or novel; however, I dare say that “the Devil in the White City” greatly suffered

In relation to several critical writings on the analysis of religion, the film Holy Ghost People by Peter Adair is aligned intricately into such discussions. Emile Durkheim states in The Elementary Forms of Religious Life that “religion is a natural expression of society” (Durkheim). Through Adair’s directorial decision to keep his own narration to a minimum, the audience is able to observe a personal account of a Pentecostal church community in a way that seems less studied and more like a natural expression of the church members. Durkheim also states that “when I approach the study of primitive religions, it is with the certainty that they are grounded in and express the real” (Durkheim). As Durkheim points out, if these people truly believe they are being possessed by the holy ghost, then they are experiencing it and it is therefore real to them. Adair allows the audience to experience the presentation of the possessions without any additional narration, and so these sections seem more like a natural part of this religious group as a whole to frequently believe in and experience possessions.

“Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ” is centered on a man named Judah Ben Hur. Judah was a prince and merchant in Jerusalem and was accused of a crime that he didn’t commit. Hur had to go through trials and tribulations in order to survive and fight for the ones he loved. This film was intense, historically dramatic, and religious. The director of this film is William Wyler. Wyler centered the movie around a Jewish man, but also on a Christians prospective. Dennis Grunes stated in his article that “William Wyler made some excellent films (These Three, Jezebel, The Letter, The Best Years of Our Lives), but, following the estimable achievement of Friendly Persuasion (1956), which took the top prize at Cannes largely on the strength of blacklisted Michael Wilson’s

O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a film that will surely make you want to fall out of your chair laughing, and make you want to get up and dance. This film is an absolute classic. It is hilarious, adventurous, and makes you feel good about yourself. The most unique thing about this film is the main characters break out of jail for the wrong reason, and then go on a wild chase trying to get home. Another unique part about this film is that the main character is currently divorced and wanting to remarry his ex-wife. The film, O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a classic comedy because it has well-rounded characters, adventure, and a little bit of love.

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

The spectator is thrown into the reckless and expeditious world of the characters, creating a sense of hedonistic abandon and excitement. The chase leads to the first of the dramatic scenes within City of God. A heavily armed stand-off between Lil’ Zé’s gang, and the police ensues and we are introduced to Rocket who is caught between the two. It is here that the shot rotates 360 degrees, spinning us into the past, leaving the spectator keen to understand more. It is this exhilarating sequence of editing and camera work that has led some viewers to brand the film an indulgent exhibition of romanticized ghetto life. However, the producers of the film claim that the effects are present in order to assist the telling of a universally human story and are intended to capture its realism[9]. Kátia Lund commented on the rotation shot and remarked that “the critics would say this is a film from Hollywood, they’re doing The Matrix, these fancy shots. And the cost of the shot was...$20. Just a guy pulling a dolly”[10].

Many elements of the film Life is Beautiful can compare to the Bible. For example, Guido, the main character, acts as a Christ figure in that he saves his son, Joshua from the evils of the Holocaust. Another example that compares with the Bible is the tank that is promised to Joshua. Finally, Guido’s death eventually saves Joshua from his own death. Such examples in the movie are comparable to examples in the Bible.

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 historical events that have occurred in the world have shaped the nation, and the culture. These events have been studied, and have been created into historical films. Mel Gibson’s film, The Passion of the Christ is one historical film that has been created to depict the crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus’ resurrection is a historical event that has been studied, and is studied by Christians all over the world.

Jesus of Nazareth was a beautiful movie recapping the life of Jesus Christ. This film had no bareness, no vulgarity, and no sex scenes. It was ideal for both the young and the older audiences. I do not recall anything that may have gone against the word of God. Jesus of Nazareth embellished the birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It remained true to the four New Testament Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

“Children of Heaven” is a film that portrayed a story mainly about a brother and sister in Iran and a missing pair of shoes. The plot brought into perspective a different culture both within the family environment and between the rich and poor neighborhoods. In addition, the film described a variety of people’s attitudes when they encounter setbacks. The most significant aspects of the film were the social factors that distinguished fate, and the embodiment of the family value that displayed precious love. Moreover, the effect of environment, which depicted the different aspects of the community.