City of God
by Fernando Meirelles, K?tia Lund
(Click here)
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: Alexandre Rodrigues, Douglas Silva, Leandro Firmino, Matheus Nachtergaele, Phellipe HaagensenDirector: Fernando Meirelles, K?tia Lund
Brand: Disney
Producer: Andrea Barata Ribeiro
Producer: Bel Berlinck
Producer: Daniel Filho
Producer: Donald Ranvaud
Writer: Br?ulio Mantovani
Writer: Paulo Lins
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: Portuguese (Original Language); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled)
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 130 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-06-08
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Miramax Films
DVD Reviews of City of God
DVD Review: Cidade de Deus
Summary: 5 Stars
Many movies try to recreate the real world, giving us a "true" story that's supposed to be gripping, gritty, and scary but never completely accomplishing the goal. Other times we get movies that would appear to give us what we were expecting if it weren't for the fact that they've been done over and over again. In 2002, though, Fernando Meirelles gave us a new story that showed us a new world. Focusing on the true story of Rocket as he grows up around the gangs in Cidade de Deus, a neighborhood in Rio de Janiero where gangs of children ran free to rob, loot, and deal drugs, City of God feels more like a documentary than a dramatic theatrical film.
Narrated by Rocket (Alexandre Rodriguez), City of God begins with the story of the Tender Trio. The Tender Trio, a teenage gang that pretty much ran Cidade de Deus in the 60's which also included Rocket's brother Goose, robbed gas trucks at gun point, stealing the money and giving the propane to the people around them. They never made much off the money, so a young hanger on named Li'l Dice gave them the idea to rob the rich in a local hotel. Things don't go quite as planned and everyone in the hotel ends up dead, with the Tender Trio hunted by the police. Fast forward to the 70's and Li'l Dice, now Li'l Ze, is the most respected hood in Cidade de Deus. Having killed all the members of the hotel in the 60's robbery, and Goose, Rocket's brother after that, he got a taste of blood. As Rocket tries to avoid him, Li'l Ze kills off all the drug dealers in Cidade de Deus making way for him to be the only hookup in the slums. But, as he gains control of the slums, he kills the family of one man who is going to try his damnedest to take him down.
City of God is a gangster movie through and through, but while you might see some things that remind you of other gangster movies you never feel that this movie is being derivative. The director does borrow things from, say, Martin Scorsese (e.g.: the talk of how drug dealing works in the slums reminded me of Casino), Meirelles always makes it his own. And while the movie is a gangster movie and does deal with a gangster making his way up the chain and ruling the crime world in a neighborhood, the movie never feels like it's taking the usual route, giving equal time to the rise of the Li'l Ze and to Rocket's venture in becoming a photojournalist and staying out of the crime world.
The film looks absolutely amazing. The cinematography gives everything the feel of being in the sun drenched City in Rio de Janeiro. On top of that, the camera moves gives the film a sense of urgency and a certain freshness that makes everything feel that much more real. The writing reminds me a bit of Quentin Tarantino, it's a bit all over the place, but in a good way. As you meet a character that's important to the story your whisked away into the world of who they were before they entered into the story. It works in much the same way as Tarantino's ADD addled films, but never takes away from the story as it has in other films that have tried to copy the "Tarantino Method" so to speak.
While all of that works to make an amazingly gripping film, there would be nothing without the actors. Typically, in my reviews, I would prefer to point out great performances, but in this movie that's nigh impossible. From the Runts (young groups of children who loot and rob people and businesses in the slums) to the main characters, everyone works as a team player. The point is that they're performances are so genuine, so unique, that everyone feels like the live and breathe in this world. When watching this movie you feel like you are visiting Cidade de Deus, and that's what you really want from this type of movie.
In this movie I can see no bad, but there are things that you should know before you watch the movie. The majority of the violence is dealing with children and teens, which makes the violence more frightening and disturbing. Meirelles doesn't shy away from anything, even murdering a six to eight year old child. One of the great things about the way the violence is handled though, is that you never want the violence to happen, you always feel disturbed by the violence that does happen and prefer to stay away from it as the movie goes on (the way it really should be in movies). The movie is in Portuguese so you will have to read subtitles, but I have to say, if you choose to do so, you'll be rewarded by the story you receive. I highly recommend this movie to anyone, and everyone!
DVD Review: The plain truth of african influnce on earth
Summary: 1 Stars
Hello, This film won 4 academy awards and is number 177 on the list of most relevant movies of all time. Soon this will be the norm on earth because it's human nature. Stupid people encouraging violent people and drugs sales to finance the whole thing.If you have lots of problems in your family with Africans you probably shouldn't watch this. If you live in a city with lots of Africans then you MAY want to watch this.If your an educator in an African neighborhood then your should watch this movie to better understand that like the 9/11 terrorist you are responsible for educating these people making them nearly impossible to catch.DVD Review: Shocking & Relevant
Summary: 4 Stars
This film contains elements I most dislike to see--excessive, graphic violence & excessive, graphic violence directed at children--and there's more. CITY OF GOD contains scenes of excessive, graphic violence executed by children. We're not talking about the sort of aberrant violence found in movies like LORD OF THE FLIES where the violence is more or less psychological, used in the interest of illustrating artistic concepts; no, the violence in CITY OF GOD is the cold illustration of a mundane, day-to-day reality. Despite my own emotional squeemishness, I couldn't take my eyes from watching every second of every scene in this potent & shocking movie. The only serious problem I had with the movie was its ending. There was an abrupt detachment of focus from the central issue of slum poverty & violence, to an almost lighthearted conclusion that seemed to reinforce the idea that by "following your (artistic) dream and by hard work," you can liberate yourself from--the cycle of poverty & violence. In CITY OF GOD this is somewhat balanced with the fact that the artist (photojournalist) in this case "gives something back" by drawing attention to the terror of the ghetto. Unfortunately, this line almost parallels exactly the current propaganda of USA capitalism. It's the old "American Dream" mantra. The main difference is that the conditions of poverty outside the U.S. are so drastic that a film like CITY OF GOD simply can't help but be more artistically & significantly relevant than, let's say, AMERICAN IDOL.
Pan's Labyrinth
The Orphanage
Shiver
DVD Review: Relentlessly Boring
Summary: 1 Stars
Watching this movie was as excruciatingly painful as the real life characters and story.
Two of my friends walked out before seeing the entire dreadful extravaganza. If I want to experience
the pain and suffering of people in poverty, all I need to do is turn on the Los Angeles nightly news
to see the latest drive-by shooting in Compton, or a dead body found in a dumpster in San Dimas, or the latest group of illegal immigrants arrested and deported, or the latest DEA drug bust
Prefer reveling in the extraordinary scenic beauty of Rio, the incredible Brazilian cuisine, the fantastic music,
the world-class Carnaval, and the vitality and joy of the special people who live there.
I always judge a film by whether or not I will view it again. I'll donate my copy to someone who prefers suffering
over joy and happiness.
DVD Review: very compelling
Summary: 4 Stars
this film brings alot of action and it tugs at your heart as it has strong content. film is street and very real and i saw it the other night and it was disturbing but it kept your attention from start to finish. a strong film that breaks into several parts and themes.time periods.
Description of City of God
Celebrated with worldwide acclaim, this powerful true story of crime and redemption has won numerous prestigious awards around the globe! The streets of the world's most notorious slum, Rio de Janeiro's "City of God," are a place where combat photographers fear to tread, police rarely go, and residents are lucky if they live to the age of 20. In the midst of the oppressive crime and violence, a frail and scared young boy will grow up to discover that he can view the harsh realities of his surroundings with a different eye: the eye of an artist. In the face of impossible odds, his brave ambition to become a professional photographer becomes a window into his world ... and ultimately his way out!Like cinematic dynamite, City of God lights a fuse under its squalid Brazilian ghetto, and we're a captive audience to its violent explosion. The titular favela is home to a seething army of impoverished children who grow, over the film's ambitious 20-year timeframe, into cutthroat killers, drug lords, and feral survivors. In the vortex of this maelstrom is L'il Z (Leandro Firmino da Hora--like most of the cast, a nonprofessional actor), self-appointed king of the dealers, determined to eliminate all competition at the expense of his corrupted soul. With enough visual vitality and provocative substance to spark heated debate (and box-office gold) in Brazil, codirectors Fernando Meirelles and K?tia Lund tackle their subject head on, creating a portrait of youthful anarchy so appalling--and so authentically immediate--that City of God prompted reforms in socioeconomic policy. It's a bracing feat of stylistic audacity, borrowing from a dozen other films to form its own unique identity. You'll flinch, but you can't look away. --Jeff Shannon
General DVDs
DVD Video
- Action & Adventure
- African American Cinema
- Animation
- Anime & Manga
- Art House & International
- Classics
- Comedy
- Cult Movies
- Documentary
- Drama
- Educational
- Fitness & Yoga
- Gay & Lesbian
- Horror
- Kids & Family
- Military & War
- Music Video & Concerts
- Musicals & Performing Arts
- Mystery & Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Special Interests
- Sports
- Television
- Westerns
Bestsellers in General DVDs
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Full-Screen Edition)Release date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
![Quantum of Solace [Blu-ray] Image](/images/Quantum-of-Solace-Blu-ray-B001PPLIFU-X.jpg)
Quantum of Solace [Blu-ray]MGM HOME VIDEO (UNDER FOX); Release date: 2009-03-24; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
Lost: The Complete Fifth SeasonRelease date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $36.99
Price in other shops:
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Single-Disc Edition)PARAMOUNT HOME VIDEO; Release date: 2009-10-20; DVD
Best price: $12.25
Price in other shops:
Terminator Salvation (Widescreen Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2009-12-01; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
![G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Two-Disc Edition + Digital Copy) [Blu-ray] Image](/images/G-I-Joe-The-Rise-of-Cobra-Two-Disc-Edition-Digital-Copy-Blu-ray-B002NXSRX4-X.jpg)
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Two-Disc Edition + Digital Copy) [Blu-ray]PARAMOUNT HOME VIDEO; Release date: 2009-11-03; DVD
Best price: $18.90
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Two-Disc Limited Special Edition + Digital Copy)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $19.99
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Widescreen Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
![Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy & BD-Live) [Blu-ray] Image](/images/Harry-Potter-and-the-Half-Blood-Prince-Blu-ray-DVD-Combo-Digital-Copy-BD-Live-Blu-ray-B000ZELISO-X.jpg)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Blu-ray/ DVD Combo + Digital Copy & BD-Live) [Blu-ray]Warner Brothers; Release date: 2009-12-08; DVD
Best price: $15.99
Price in other shops:
Star Trek (Single-Disc Edition)PARAMOUNT HOME VIDEO; Release date: 2009-11-17; DVD
Best price: $8.49
Price in other shops:
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
CarandiruRelease date: 2004-09-21; DVD
Best price: $24.96
Price in other shops:
Y Tu Mama TambienVERDU,MARIBEL; Release date: 2002-10-22; DVD
Best price: $3.46
Price in other shops:
Central StationMONTENEGRO,FERNANDA; Release date: 1999-07-13; DVD
Best price: $8.50
Price in other shops:
The Motorcycle Diaries (Widescreen Edition)Universal; Release date: 2005-02-15; DVD
Best price: $5.05
Price in other shops:
Maria Full of GraceHBO HOME VIDEO; Release date: 2004-12-07; DVD
Best price: $3.59
Price in other shops:
Bus 174Release date: 2004-07-20; DVD
Best price: $5.39
Price in other shops:
City of MenUniversal Studios; Release date: 2006-09-26; DVD
Best price: $21.80
Price in other shops:
Amores PerrosLions Gate; Release date: 2001-09-25; DVD
Best price: $4.67
Price in other shops:
Elite SquadElite; Release date: 2008-10-28; DVD
Best price: $5.10
Price in other shops:
City of MenBuena Vista Home Video; Release date: 2008-07-01; DVD
Best price: $6.27
Price in other shops: