The Best Films of the 2000s and more.
Posts tagged Children
City of God (2002)
Jun 22nd
Starring: Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Phellipe Haagensen
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Country: Brazil
Genre: Foreign, Crime
Best foreign drug war film of the decade.
There is a certain connotation that comes along with the word “foreign film”. The subtitles are a given, but I think generally thoughts of slow moving films about people and topics that American audiences can’t connect with. But City of God is the perfect example of a foreign film that transcends a specific audience. This tale of the rise of the drug wars in Cidade de Deus in the seventies has so much style that takes inspiration from all sorts of international films – from Tarantino-style storytelling to Guy Ritchie-style editing to a soundtrack straight out of seventies exploitation films. It has the same harrowing ping of a Scorsese film with the same flavor of Brazil’s other huge cinematic hit, Black Orpheus. Meirelles’ decision to use non-actors was a brilliant choice, rooting it in a similar realm as the best of international cinema. It’s incredibly stylish and super entertaining.
Little Children (2006)
Dec 31st
Starring: Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson, Jack Earl Haley
Director: Todd Field
Country: USA
Genre: Drama
Quite often these dramas that seem like they could be potentially overbearing end up being surprisingly watchable. Little Children is more than just watchable though, it’s a really unique and well-crafted piece of filmmaking. Its cast is tremendous, even the grossly underused Jennifer Connelly. The narrative moves along at a quick pace with a spot on voice over giving the audience insight into the character’s simple lives and complex minds. With content as heavy as this, there’s a certain foreboding feeling going into it, but it explores it in such a way that it emerges through the character’s discoveries thus taking a lot of the preachy edge off. Jack Earl Haley is outstanding as a sex offender rereleased into a suburban neighborhood, (and a public swimming pool in one of the most uncomfortable underwater scenes since Jaws.) Little Children isn’t the lightest of movies, but damn is it good.
