i didn't really read the reviews on this thread or anywhere else so i can gain my own unbiased perspective of the movie and i have to say it was not what i expected - and that's a good thing. i knew that it was semi-autobiographical and i expected it to be also like a semi-documentary - but it was so much more. everything from the dialogue, the camera angles, the music, the clothing, the pace a la Wong Kar Wai etc. was SO DAMN GOOD. one of the moments i liked/disliked (because of the emotional rollercoaster of it) was when Li'l Ze asked one of the kids to pick a kid to shoot - just the emotion on the two targeted kids made my stomach swirl, especialy the little guy. it was also dope to see the original newsreel at the end of Ned because it put a real timestamp in history for the audience. i know this is going to be in my top 5 for this year.