A tale of two films

We haven't had a great deal of time to vegetate in front of the box this Christmas... but we have managed to watch a couple of films...

The first an incredible film, which I thoroughly recommend to anyone with a fairly strong constitution (at least in terms of graphic violence) Fernando Meirelles awesome and award winning "City of God"... the film records the rise of organised crime and gang warfare in the favellos (slums) of Rio.  The story revolves around a young lad growing up in the heart of the slum who dreams of being a photographer.  The young gangsters (circa 8-18) are played by actual residents of the Cidade de Deus, the vast majority had never acted before and the lot of them are superb, believable and even the most disturbed characters have a real human quality... which may well have grown from the actors real understanding of the situations and circumstances that turn children into non-chalont killers!

Alexandre Rodrigues as Buscapé (Rocket)

The second film, well the least said about the drivel that is "The Da Vinci Code" the better (Lou made me watch it) suffice it to say that my 10 year old niece would have worked out that the globe linked with Newton was an apple before these so called academics... and the extra clue describing (rosy flesh containing seed - or something like that) might even have made it possible for Nathan to have worked it out! (sorry if I've spoiled it for you ;) )  Oh well, I'll give Ron Howard some credit it is a marginally better film than it is a book!  On the other hand he did wimp out and put in some excretions at the end to pander to the religiously sensitive cinema goer... (just because Jesus may have fathered children doesn't mean he couldn't have performed miracles... and the suggestion that his descendants may also have divinity, blah blah blah)... if you haven't endured this, just don't bother it's rubbish from start to finish.

A big pile of Garbage!

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Comments

[neil warburton]

mark city of god had a huge impact on me for the following reasons.
Its a tale of how through adversity your dreams can still be achived. We as christians often fall at the first hurdle of adversity and live in regret. Yet god would have us live in the life he has given us, and to the full. Also the world need a people of hope who know pain and humanity but also its possible to live your dreams!!

[Mark]

Good thoughts, Neil... I also liked the way that the journey to escape the violence started by Rocket finding himself at the very heart of it... but in a different role!