Quartile rating: 8.5/10 · 1 rating
In the poverty-stricken favelas of Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s, two young men choose different paths. Rocket is a budding photographer who documents the increasing drug-related violence of his neighborhood, while José “Zé” Pequeno is an ambitious drug dealer diving into a dangerous life of crime.
City of God is a landmark of world cinema. Its non-linear, kaleidoscopic storytelling and kinetic handheld cinematography set a new standard for crime dramas. The ensemble acting, largely from non-professional favela residents, is astonishingly authentic. Its novelty is undeniable — the film's voice, energy, and structural audacity are singular. The ending, while effective, is slightly abrupt and somewhat conventional in its cyclical-violence message, preventing a clean sweep of top marks across the board.