City of God is indeed a very good film, and coincidentally, it may be apt to take note of Meirelles' use in the film of the freezeframe technique. Obviously one of the reasons it was (unjustly) promoted in distribution as "The Brazilian GoodFellas".

I watched the following these last two days:

A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies ** (1st Time)
1995, Scorsese/Wilson, US
Martin Scorsese presents in a talking head his influences behind much of his work.
A comprehensive made-for-TV document told in both chronological development and thematic patterns in American cinema. From the dissection of Gangster, Westerns and Musicals, to the account of individual directors who influenced him, the only complaint must be the geographical restriction of the title.

Pickpocket *** (1st Time; big screen)
1959, Bresson, Fr
A novice pickpocket becomes a skilled thief through practice and determination.
Austere presentation of a deceptively complex theme and character. No cinematic theatrics are to be found here, and it's a joy to watch because of that.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl ** (1st Time)
2003, Verbinski, US
A pirate who was once mutineered against and marooned on an island, teams up with the son of a former friend to save a Governor's daughter and reclaim his ship.
Enjoyable feast of a swashbuckler, agreeably entertaining and witty if a little overlong.

The Football Factory(1st Time)
2004, Love, GB
A Chelsea supporter and football thug has second thoughts about his chosen life, while his contemporariesorganise a fight with Millwall fans.
Unexpectedly down-to-earth portrayal of this horrid hobby, but in the process, it has been marred by stereotypes and uninteresting, unlovely characters, with a derivative narrative.

Mick