The city of god, was a fictionalized version of several true stories the plot. The film revolves around following the lives of two characters, Rocket and Li’l Dice, from their childhood, under authority of the previous generation, until the generation following them takes the reigns of power. It’s a storytelling method that prioritizes powerful and compelling characters with the explicit purpose of illuminating the world of Rio de Janeiro, a place where that generational spread occurs in only twenty years, violence dictates success, and success represents a spiraling downward of the city.

In this world, poverty is implicit. The people have only a few viable career options (work low level jobs for low wages, farm for self-sustenance, or join with a gang through which all economic and military power in the city is derived). The film shows how they would steal but also try selling fish in the streets as a way of making money. The film didn't show any real jobs or ways teenagers and/or adults could possibly make good money.

Li’l Dice, representing all the most negative qualities that result from mistreatment, lack of education, poor environment and lack of support structure. He grew up to see only two motivations in life (money and power). As Rio de Janeiro expands and its need for thievery to survive dissipates, the criminal lifestyle stays intact and expands along with the city due to the criminal culture and way of life that’s already been established. Li’l Dice overthrows the drug trade in the city, and takes a new name: Li’l Ze.

Rocket, the main character, has a life goal to become a photographer; instead of being able to achieve that dream by prescribed path such as attending a university and being folded into career, Rocket makes use of the cheap, kodak-style camera he’s able to get his hands on. He works as a delivery boy for a paper, and not until becoming 20 years old, coinciding with Benny’s death, is he able to get a camera. Even then, he becomes employed as a photographer only because of the pain and disillusionment he has access to photographing as a local from the City of God. Even Rocket, the most altruistic and peace-loving character in the film, works for the violence.

In Rio de Janeiro, people can’t buy what they want. They can’t have the careers that they want. Education is a scarce and typically unwanted resource. Electricity is not guaranteed; even nice clothes have to be traded for, or otherwise acquired from outside the city. Ethics are not taught except through the church, which is voluntary. There is no support structure to aid the children affected by violence and crime, so the problems exist as an expansionary cycle. Evil, tyrants win until they’re overthrown by other tyrants while all heroes are killed after a painful, long and futile fight. The largest industry is illegal narcotics trade. Gangs outgun the police and run both the city’s crime and its services; order exists only insofar as the gangs allow it to, and dismantling the drug trade means allowing anarchy into the city. There is no ebay.com, and there are no Puerto Rico vacations; in the City of God, there is only struggle.

“City of God” was a fictionalized version of several true stories that depicted the slums outside Rio de Janeiro as a whirling nightmare of gangs and drug dealers. “Bus 174” is a documentary about the actions of one of those lost boys, who on June 12, 2000, engaged police in a day-long standoff after he took a bus hostage. The entire incident was broadcast on live TV, becoming a shocking portrait of violence and police incompetence. The film uses footage from that day and new material.

Bus 174 shows a stand off with the police, when a man takes a hostage at gunpoint on a bus. It is the true story of young man who holds those on a bus hostage. Because the television media were at the scene, a major part of the movie is televised live footage of the hijacker and his hostages on the bus. It is difficult to watch since the film showed parts that were live and no acting was made up. However, in addition, comments from those who knew the hijacker as a child and teenager are included, as well as comments from the police and hostage negotiating team. Also included is footage of the hijacker and his "associates" interviewed earlier in his life.

It would have been interesting if it had just been about the tragic bus hijacking itself with the inept police response and the media carnival atmosphere that existed. But it goes far beyond that. It explains the background as to why this happened. We are given the details of who the hijacker was and his upbringing in the favelas of Brazil. He was orphaned at a young age and lived in the streets with other homeless children. Crime became a way of life, as well as frequent violent episodes with the police.

Since so many television crews were shooting footage, I tend to think that more graphic footage may exist of some of the scenes that those who made the film chose not to use. But this movie was an edge of seat thriller. A chilling documentary of a real life event. I kept wondering how I would have reacted if I were on that bus. Would the Chicago Police and Swat Team react different? I would hope so.