While most movies these days talk about frivilous scenarios and people saying absolutely nuthin', City of God is a break with that trend. 

This film based in Rio De Janeiro, Brasil is about a slum in Rio that is home to violence and drug abuse and trafficing and one young man's growth and trials to become a respectable adult and photographer. 

Directed by Fernando Meirelles and based on Paulo Lins novel of the same title this film shows you Rio beyond the travel spot and gives you insight on how desperate people are just trying to live for the next day.  This film is presented in Brazilian Portuguese with English Subtitles and stars Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino Da Huba, Jonathan Haagensen, Phellipe Haagensen, Douglas Silva, Daniel Zettel and Seu Jorge. 

The film makes a point to show you the families of the main families in detail beginning with a look back in time and then allowing you to pull everything together and see the ramifications of past actions.  Some feelings involved in the movie are love, hope, frustration, greed, jealousy and exhaustion.

I don't want to give the story away but the cinematography is great in this film and the plot is great (especially being an artist myself and struggling to make).  You see another world and understand that struggle is international.

It gets a 4.5 globes because although this film is one of the best films I've ever seen the bonus features ("News From A Personal War", original language track and subtitles aren't justice.  You would have liked to see some interviews and more indepth features. 

Suggestions, comments, questions feel free to drop me a line at clayton@geoclan.com. One!