Movie reviews: July 20

Jul 20 2008 Mickey Mcmonagle

CITY OF MEN (18) ******

City Of God, the 1992 masterpiece about bloody gang wars among children in the slums of Rio, remains one of the best films ever made.

Following it - especially with a movie adaptation of the TV series spin-off the original film spawned - was never going to be a walk in the park.

Douglas Silva and Darlan Cunha star as Acerola and Laranjinha, orphans and best friends. Laranjinha is about to turn 18 and decides to track down his missing father - uncovering a secret which threatens the bond between the pair.

The never-ending gang war is raging in the background, threatening the lives of everyone in the slum. In the middle of this carnage, Acerola's wife lands a job in Sao Paolo which means he is left to take care of their son Clayton by himself for a year.

Not the action-packed whirlwind of the first film and those, who like most fans in this country, missed out completely on the TV show will be confused from time to time. There are flashbacks to fill in as many gaps as possible though.

Overall it's still a great movie but there is a marked change of pace. It feels more like a family drama with the violence as a backdrop.

WALL.E (U) ***** Hailed as the best Pixar animation yet, this latest effort starring an incredibly cute little waste collecting robot named Wall. E is on course to live up to the hype.

Earth has been abandoned by humans, who have headed off into space because the planet is too covered in rubbish - leaving behind Wall. E to clean it up.

Then a reconnaissance robot named Eve arrives to see if Earth is now fit for humans to return - and Wall-e falls for her.

When a ship returns to collect her and her evidence of new life on earth - a plant - he stows away to rescue her.

He finds humans have become hugely fat, living on a luxury space liner and must save Eve and retrieve the plant.

It's a wonderful film which will appeal to all ages.