Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues) lives in the "City of God" a violent, crowded slum found fifteen miles outside of Rio de Janeiro. Rocket's has lived his life dreaming of becoming a photographer,and he has the talent to realize his dream. His dream is hampered by the daily nightmare of living in City of God. The violence and gangs grow in intensity over the course of Rocket's life and hangs as a constant threat.

The film isn't just about Rocket, he is simply the narrator. He is our guide through a decades long tour of the dangerous hellhole. The film spans across the years, catching up with characters and then losing track of them. Rivals fight, spouses argue, crimes are committed and too many people die in too many ways.

The content of this film is hard to watch. I strongly warn you about this. Children are shot and killed. Women are raped. Men are gunned down. This is not for the faint of heart. It is a film for those who need a dose of realism. If nothing else, this film will make you feel gratitude for your station in life.

Cautions: Persistent violence, harsh language, nudity




This is the first Afghan film shot after the fall of the Taliban in 2002.

The film tells the story of a young girl who lives under the brutal regime. Both her and her mother are thrown out of work by the Taliban and ordered to remain indoors unless accompanied by a male. Since the girl’s father and brother are dead, this condemns the women to a life of endless poverty.

Under the rules of the Taliban, the women sneaking out alone for food to live would be a capital offense. The only choice is to send the girl out, dressed as a boy to find work and food. The girl takes on the name Osama and ventures out into the Taliban control world of Afghanistan. It is only a matter of time before she is found out.

This is a great film that expresses quite strongly the difficult path of women under Muslim rule. If you have any interest in what our men and women have saved people from “over there”, this film may give you a glimpse. It is easy for Americans to ignore and dismiss the suffering of people in lesser cultures. Films such as this plead for us to pay attention to what is happening in this world. The barbaric notions of our ancient past are actually still breathing just around the corner.

Cautions: Violence, sexual situations





Darren Aronofsky directed this tragic story about a washed-up wrestler named Randy 'The Ram' Robinson (Mickey Rourke). Robinson is a slow-witted lummox who is at the end of his career. Once a national All-Star Wrestling star back in the 80's, Robinson has descended into wrestling small venues of a couple hundred people while sleeping in his van because he can't make rent. Robinson attempts to cobble together a normal life out of the spent remains of the past few decades but finds living outside of the lights and rink troublesome at best.

Aronofsky covers the action with a very natural light and very little intrusion. The key to the film is that the slow disintegration of Robinson seems like we are witnessing reality unfold. The combination of Rourke's brilliant performance and the organic development of the scenes makes this is a riveting film.

Much has been said about Mickey Rourke's performance. The praise is justified. The biggest surprise from the film is Marisa Tomei in the role of aging stripper Cassidy. Cassidy, like Robinson, makes a living by her body but that body is becoming too old. Robinson's body is breaking down, her's has to compete with girls fifteen, perhaps twenty years, younger. The parallels between the two aren't lost on Aronofsky and he plays the two off one another with fantastic results.

Cautions: Language, violence




Tsotsi (which means “thug”) is a young punk gang leader in a shanty town in Johannesburg, South Africa. The film opens with Tsotsi thoughtlessly committing a series of vicious and wholly unnecessary crimes that are so reprehensible that even his own gang shuns him. This series of crimes ends with a car jacking.

In the film’s only moment that comes close to being predicable, Tsotsi finds a cute infant strapped to a car seat in the back. Strangely stirred by the baby, Tsotsi cannot leave it behind and smuggles the child back to his filthy home in his crime ridden part of town. There he must, for the first time, think of someone other than himself.

Newcomer Presley Chweneyagae shines in the titular role. Chweneyagae gives one of the best debut performances I have ever seen. His character is enthralling and his screen presence is undeniable. And this isn’t some cheap role, this is a fully realized character that goes from being a sociopath to a shamed young man trying to redeem a life of crime. Chweneyagae manages the extreme peaks of this character with a talent that deserves wide praise.




Ang Lee's adaptation of Du Lu Wang's book is a visual treat and one of the great films in world cinema. What amounts to a mixture of quest tale and love story, the film follows two narrative paths. Master Li Mu Bai (Yun-Fat Chow) a legendary warrior retires from fighting to settle down. He gives his treasured sword "The Green Destiny" to an old friend.

Before long, the priceless sword is stolen and Li Mu Bai must track it down. He is accompanied by Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) who is also a gifted fighter. The couple have a long history and have shared an unspoken love for years.

Li Mu Bai is also hunting down the villainous Jade Fox, a dark and dangerous foe who killed his master.

In addition to this quest, Jiao Long (Ziyi Zhang) a beautiful young girl gets involved with Li Mu Bai, Shu Lien and the Jade Fox. Jiao Long connects all of the loose ends of the story and proves to have surprising secrets for all involved.

This is easily Ang Lee's best film. It is the best work from everyone involved. Everything about this film, its look, its cast, its inventiveness, its emotional punch, everything is top notch. When film makers dream of making movies, this is the kind of film they fantasize about creating.

Labels: list, miscellaneous, The Top 50 Movies of the 2000's