Anyone seen Elite squad or Gomorrah?

[flyingjase]

Both sub titled films, which is something I rarely watch, but for some reason I've been getting into them recently.

They're both quite gritty documentary style films highlighting real situations

Elite Squad - about the Elite Police in Rio called the BOPE and how the slums are controlled by drug dealers and corrupt cops - great film and reccomend it.

Gomorrah - about the Naples mafia - the guy that wrote it now has a contract on his life because the film was so true to reality. Also, one of the actors was a member of the Mafia 'on the lamb'. When the police saw the film, he was nicked - what a numpty!

[surfymark]

I just got Gomorrah. Excellent film. Very gritty if you know what I mean.

There is no background music or anything like that. Very fly on the wall with nothing being done for effect. Just this is what happens. It shows several different stories from different people's points of view. Kind of like Crash but the stories are only really linked in that they all happen out of the same housing estate.

It is hard work to watch and follow but I found it really good. Not a standard Hollywood blockbuster by any means!

Hope that helps!
M

[Aiten]

I found Gomorrah to be one of the worst films I have ever seen. Complete waste of 2 hours. I usually like this kind of stuff, but just found it to be a few irrelevant stories mishmashed together haphazardly - loosely connected by an obvious and tired theme. (Mafia = bad)

Other than the amusements watching the two petty criminals with big noses, I can't see what the fuss is about.

[flyingjase]

surfymark said:

I just got Gomorrah. Excellent film. Very gritty if you know what I mean.

There is no background music or anything like that. Very fly on the wall with nothing being done for effect. Just this is what happens. It shows several different stories from different people's points of view. Kind of like Crash but the stories are only really linked in that they all happen out of the same housing estate.

It is hard work to watch and follow but I found it really good. Not a standard Hollywood blockbuster by any means!

Hope that helps!
M

If you like that, then I recomend you also try Elite Squad - better film (IMHO) but agree with you comments

[flyingjase]

Aiten said:

I found Gomorrah to be one of the worst films I have ever seen. Complete waste of 2 hours. I usually like this kind of stuff, but just found it to be a few irrelevant stories mishmashed together haphazardly - loosely connected by an obvious and tired theme. (Mafia = bad)

Other than the amusements watching the two petty criminals with big noses, I can't see what the fuss is about.

Interesting view - it is hard work but I liked it, but maybe that's because I like all things gangster. The thing I liked is that it didn't glamourise the mafia like most films of this type do. In Gommorrah, the mafia aren't rich, powerful people, they are ordinary folk trying to make a living the only way they know

[EdJ]

flyingjase said:

Aiten said:

I found Gomorrah to be one of the worst films I have ever seen. Complete waste of 2 hours. I usually like this kind of stuff, but just found it to be a few irrelevant stories mishmashed together haphazardly - loosely connected by an obvious and tired theme. (Mafia = bad)

Other than the amusements watching the two petty criminals with big noses, I can't see what the fuss is about.

Interesting view - it is hard work but I liked it, but maybe that's because I like all things gangster. The thing I liked is that it didn't glamourise the mafia like most films of this type do. In Gommorrah, the mafia aren't rich, powerful people, they are ordinary folk trying to make a living the only way they know

I usually like these sorts of films too, but also found it just about the worst film I have ever seen. I really felt like I had completely wasted my time watching it - I did watch it to the end unlike most of the audience - it was quite surreal with everyone walking out throughout the film and at the end there were just a handful of us shaking our heads in disbelief.

The reviewers loved it though, so either they didn't watch it, or I'm perhaps missing something.