OWFilm World Cup Round 2: Brazil vs. Germany
OWFilm World Cup Round Two
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City of God takes on M in what is very much a classic vs modern classic battle the last time we had one of these type of fixtures the older classic Seven Samurai had no problems ousting The Motorcycle Diaries but something tells me that this match up might be a little closer. M is a hugely respected film within the German expressionist movement which thematically and dramatically influenced great directors such as Alfred Hitchcock however the fact remains that the film was made in 1931 and as good as a picture as it might be have enough people truly seen Langs masterpiece in order for it to be competitive with the modern and more colourful Brazilian representative. The decision is yours.
Tale of the reel is after the jump...
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City of God (2002)
OSCAR COUNT (0) IMDB (8.8, #17) RT (92%) EMPIRE TOP 500 (#177TH)
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Upon its release in 2003, City of God received hugely positive widespread reviews and was quickly hailed as the Brazilian Goodfellas. This is quite the compliment indeed but a commendable one at that as the film certainly keeps pace with Scorseses mafia classic in regards to its energetically driven storylines and its array of eccentric and striking characters. Director Fernando Meirelles has a fine handle on how to tell a story and he brings out the best from the films larger than life characters in order to present various emotional layers of warmth, humour, horror, adventure and tension. Ultimately we are told the story through the narration of the kind hearted and good natured protagonist Rocket and the longer we spend with him in the gangland environment the more we wish for him to escape and fulfil his dream of becoming a photographer. Although the film can be a little excessively whacky in places, it is careful still to show the tragic nature of slum life such as little kids finding their way into gangs and innocent people dying. There is also a brilliantly mirrored ending where a gang of youths are inspired by the carnage of war and plan their own path of dominance. No-one has learnt anything from the bloodshed. It is the films cleverly woven mixture of exciting set-pieces and harrowing details surrounding the gang culture which paint a brilliant picture of a world which is most comfortably viewed from a distance. For our protagonist this distance is protected through the lens of a camera and for us its protected through the medium of film. A true twenty first century classic. INTERESTING FACT: Actor Leandro Firmino is from the actual City of God and only attended the auditions for the film to keep his friend company. He had no plans to be in the film itself yet ended up playing the role of the films key antagonist Ze Pequeno. Makes you wonder how much acting was really involved. M (1931)
OSCAR COUNT (0) IMDB (8.6, #55) RT (100%) EMPIRE TOP 500 (#212th)
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Fritz Langs M was a key film made during the German Expressionist movement and is a truly astounding picture whichever way you want to analyse it. It works as a layered piece of drama in providing an intelligent amount of empathy for a mans uncontrollable inner evil. It works as an impeccably shot film which uses space and sound to maximise key moments of tension and suspense and it works as a vital piece of cinema - using a series of powerful dramatic techniques to create various feelings of sympathy, fear and anger. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the film is that it masters an art of implication which so many of todays Hollywood filmmakers could learn from. Take for example an early scene where one of the children goes missing after being seen stood next to the tall shadow of a stranger. We notice that she is carrying a balloon in one hand and bouncing a ball in the other. A few moments later the ball rolls from out of a hedge and the balloon goes flying into the sky. We can only imagine what horror has taken place in between. This is the kind of filmmaking which was and in many ways still is ridiculously ahead of its time the visuals are truly larger than life with dark, elaborate sets which help to highlight both the nightmarish world of the sick antagonist and the impact his murders have had on the town. Fritz Lang uses this arena to create a deeply unsettling and thought-provoking masterpiece and he seems equally comfortable with the films range whether it be talky, political sequences or slow, brooding moments of terror or even all out moments of chaos when the town descends into a frenzied panic. Perhaps the finest achievement however is from Peter Lorre himself who is so convincing in his role that he is able to provide empathy despite his horrific behaviour. M is a film which needs to be seen by anyone who is serious about their passion for film. INTERESTING FACT: Fritz Lang was initially offered the chance to become Joseph Goebbels propaganda filmmaker for the Nazi party but he turned the request down on account of his Jewish mother. WRITERS VERDICT: City of God is virtuosic filmmaking which takes the audience on an exhilarating ride with its frenzied action, emotion and well written characters. M however sits just outside my all time ten favourite films list and so this is really a no-brainer. For a film to still be so relevant and visually impressive so many years later is truly amazing.