#4

Scott's Top Ten of The Decade Continues...

 #4 City of God (2002)

First of all, let it be known that this is a tough movie to watch. It has some of the most terrifying and heartbreaking scenes in cinema.  So… you’ve been warned, not everyone should see this.

The film focuses its unflinching lens on the rampant gang scene on the streets of Rio de Janeiro. The story progresses from one generation of killer teens to the next. It is a raw depiction of the underbelly of all those terrible stories you see on the news – filled with heroes, villains, and victims. But not once is the evil not understood by the viewer. We see through beautiful craft just how evil begets evil – we watch with horror as a child is robbed of innocence and given a gun in its stead. It is Lord of Flies tale that is impossible to forget, even if you want to. And I cannot praise the direction and editing of this film enough, more than most movies this one transports you from the couch to the world on screen.

Favorite moment: Maybe it isn’t my favorite, but the scene that always sticks out in my mind is the one where a young boy is peer-pressured into shooting another child in order to be accepted by a gang. Yeah… not a happy moment, but it really encapsulates the tragedy of the whole movie.

- By Scott