City of Men -- film/miniseries

onetet

Just saw an "advance" screening of City of Men, the film. Advance in quotes because I guess an import DVD's been available for some time, and the film's already come and gone in other US cities...Anyway, I'm hoping someone here can break down for me the lineage of this film, maybe list all the different splinters of the post-City of God franchise. I know this film was based on the mini-series of the same name, which I haven't seen. Was this a)a remake of that series, b)a sequel to that series, or c)a few episodes of that series edited together?The film was enjoyable (although those here that warned me that it doesn't compare to City of God were on point), but it felt like an entire season of The Wire edited into a 2-hour film -- rushed and disorienting at times, thin at others. There are many flashbacks to scenes of the lead actors at a younger age, which made me think that perhaps this film was the last few episodes of the mini-series edited together with flashbacks culled from earlier episodes?

MoSS

It was an end/sequel to the series. It didn't tie up lose ends, it was just a 2 hour film with a random story with the characters from the show. It has flashbacks from the series, and it also has footage from Palace II, which was a 30 minute or so short film that was shown at a couple of festivals and was only released on the Dutch release of City of God 2 disc DVD set. The TV series was based on Palace II. IMO the series was great for the first 8 or 9 episodes. They had each episode detailing life on the hill. One episode for example was about the postal system on the hill. Another was about lookouts etc... Sometime around the end of season 2 and the start of season 3 (I don't recall exactly when), the series started to fall apart and they started to lose focus, which is the same experience I had with the City of Men movie, and I guess you felt the same way. I should note the series itself wasn't like The Wire in that each episode built on the last. The characters were the same, and some light references were made to prior episodes, but they didn't result in one long story. I think if you would have seen the series, the movie would have been a better experience, but either way I found it to be somewhat average.

Aser

have not seen it, but I would highly recommend the tv series. It's available on dvd domestically, shouldn't be hard to cop.

I especially enjoyed the episode comparing the lives of a black favela kid to white middle class kid. Much more similar than meets the eye.

SPlDEY

The City of Men movie is a continuation of the TV series City of Men. Which stopped airing in 2005?, but it felt like a few episodes from the series put together.

Which is not a bad thing, I just think they could've REALLY had an exciting story there. On par with City of God instead it falls just short in the hands of an average director.

It was ill how they used flashbacks to when the 2 boys were younger, because you get a since that they are Truly the characters they play. Hopefully the film will have a sequel for where they left the 2 boys off.

I'd love to see Alfonso Cuaron direct one in the style of Y tu Mama Tambien.

- spidey

oops beat me to it.

- spidey

onetet

It was an end/sequel to the series. Maybe a poor comparison, but somewhat like X-Files the movie in that it aired after the series was finished for good. It has flashbacks from the series, and it also has footage from Palace II, which was a 30 minute or so short film that was shown at a couple of festivals, and was only released on the Dutch release of City of God 2 disc DVD set. The TV series was based on Palace II. IMO the series was great for the first 8 or 9 episodes. They had each episode detailing life on the hill. One episode for example was about the postal system on the hill. Another was about lookouts etc... Sometime around the end of season 2 and the start of season 3 (I don't recall exactly when), the series started to fall apart and they started to lose focus, which is the same experience I had with the City of Men movie, and I guess you felt the same way. I think if you would have seen the series, the movie would have been a better experience, but either way I found it to be somewhat average.

thanks for the science dropped.

i'd always planned on seeing the tv series, but now that i've seen so much of the story crammed into 2 flash-back heavy hours, I dunno.

Anyway, re: the film as a finished product... I'd rate it far below City of God, but a few notches above the similarly-themed and IMO very overrated Tstotsi.

MoSS

It was an end/sequel to the series. Maybe a poor comparison, but somewhat like X-Files the movie in that it aired after the series was finished for good. It has flashbacks from the series, and it also has footage from Palace II, which was a 30 minute or so short film that was shown at a couple of festivals, and was only released on the Dutch release of City of God 2 disc DVD set. The TV series was based on Palace II. IMO the series was great for the first 8 or 9 episodes. They had each episode detailing life on the hill. One episode for example was about the postal system on the hill. Another was about lookouts etc... Sometime around the end of season 2 and the start of season 3 (I don't recall exactly when), the series started to fall apart and they started to lose focus, which is the same experience I had with the City of Men movie, and I guess you felt the same way. I think if you would have seen the series, the movie would have been a better experience, but either way I found it to be somewhat average.

thanks for the science dropped.

i'd always planned on seeing the tv series, but now that i've seen so much of the story crammed into 2 flash-back heavy hours, I dunno.

Anyway, re: the film as a finished product... I'd rate it far below City of God, but a few notches above the similarly-themed and IMO very overrated Tstotsi.

Man, you got me before I could edit my post.

IMO the series wasn't like "The Wire" in that there was reference to a prior episode, or the entire season made up 1 story. Apart from the characters and locations, each episode was somewhat of a 1 off, like an American sitcom. I think it's worth watching season 1 and 2, as they are enjoyable. The movie itself was a random story, and apart from

**SPOILER***

the fact they looked for his father and had characters from the series, it wasn't really a conclusion outside of the fact they left the hill at the end.

I agree with Tstsoti 100%. It was VERY overrated, and City of Men was more enjoyable.

MoSS

Hopefully the film will have a sequel for where they left the 2 boys off.

I'd be interested in this also. We've seen 4 seasons and a movie on "the hill", it would be nice to see what happens to the 2 of them now that they've left and moved on.