Some movies become classics because of their influence, others because of their performances or filmmaking, and a select few manage to excel in almost every area at once. 2003's City of God falls into the latter category. Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund's Brazilian crime drama is one of the most acclaimed movies of the 2000s, combining an enormous story with a filmmaking style that never stops moving.

Roger Ebert was among the critics who immediately recognized what made City of God so special. Ebert was one of the most influential critics of his generation, and his television partnership with Gene Siskel made film criticism part of mainstream movie culture. When he reviewed City of God in 2003, he awarded it four out of four stars, and his praise went a lot further than a simple recommendation.

Stephen King has recently given a new horror movie his seal of approval, and it's just like one of his best adaptations.

Set primarily in the City of God housing development in Rio de Janeiro, the movie follows several generations of young people growing up amid poverty and increasingly violent crime. At the center of City of God is Rocket, an observant young man who dreams of becoming a photographer and escaping the relentless drug wars consuming his community. The story stretches across dozens of characters whose lives intersect as the criminal economy of the neighborhood develops.

Among the most important is Li'l Zé, who grows up to become one of the area's most feared drug kingpins.

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