South African film 'Tsotsi' presents the stark reality of shanty towns where youngsters resort to violent crimes as the only desirable way of moving forward in life. There is not much for them to do as they while away their time dancing over a couple of drinks in a nearby bar or killing innocent people for money. It is said that nobody can change anybody in life. It is only the circumstances which have the power to change an individual. This effect is viewed in this film as a young hoodlum with a troubled past decides to question his selfish ways. One has to marvel at the manner in which violence has been portrayed in the film. The use of physical force is very raw as no character hesitates in being trigger happy at the drop of a hat. For directing Tsotsi, South African director Gavin Hood chose the only novel written by veteran author Athol Fugard which portrays how there are moments in life when even an extremely violent person can experience feelings of genuine love.

Last year, I went to South Africa and before my trip, I watched a bunch of films about the country. One that I did not see was "Tsotsi"--and I am very glad I hadn't seen it! This is NOT because I dislike the film, it's a fine film, but because I went to many of the same places that were in the movie and "Tsotsi" would have scared me out of visiting Johannesburg and nearby Soweto!! That's because the film shows the lower and crime-ridden parts of society--where life is cheap and violence is common. Now I knew this could be a rough place--but the film shows just how rough--as well as how folks in the suburbs live in walled enclaves due to the crime.This film begins with a gang of young adults out to do no good. When they kill a man on a train, one of the gang members has had enough and confronts the killer, Tsotsi. This degenerates quickly into a vicious attack on this guy--and it's VERY clear that Tsotsi is a bad person. Next, he goes out to the suburbs and shoots a woman and steals her car. But, when he looks in the back seat later, he finds a baby. This does not instantly turn the thug into a decent man, but it does, in an odd way push him in that direction. I don't want to say more--just see the film.I have not seen all the Academy Award winners from 2006, though I did think that another nominee, "Joyeux Noel" was a tad better than "Tsotsi"--just a tad. But I still admire both films. "Tsotsi" gives audiences a rare look into the poverty of life in a township in South Africa and it also shows that within even the seemingly worst of us, there can be a spark of goodness. Overall, a very good film--one worth your time.By the way, if you see this on DVD, check out the special features. It shows two alternate endings and explains why the chose (correctly) to use the one that's in the film. This is really fascinating and worth a look.

'Tsotsi' is about a teenage gangster called Tsotsi (Presley Chweneyagae) . He is the leader of a gang of three other criminals. After killing a man on a train he gets into a fight with Boston (Mothusi Magano), the most intelligent gang member. Tsotsi then runs off into the night. After seizing the opportunity to steal a car and shooting the female driver, he realizes her baby is in the back. He takes the baby back to his house in a township just outside Johannesburg. The baby changes his life and gives him the strength to do the 'right thing'. I found this entertaining because it's emotional journey keeps you stuck on the edge of your seat with murder, kidnap and assault. It is thrilling and you grow an attachment to Tsotsi and you gradually understand his emotions and you come to terms with the emotional trauma that has hardened Tsotsi to the world. For example, when Tsotsi is having flashbacks of his mother and father, you feel upset for Tsotsi because his mother is dying and his father has no regard for Tsotsi or his mother. The emotions that Chweneyagae shows, connects the reader with the audience's empathetic emotions, thus creating a stronger and more powerful bond with the audience.'Tsotsi' is powerful as Chweneyagae performs this with a very impassive face, however, all the emotion is seen in his eyes. This is seen prominently in the final sequence. A close-up of Tsotsi holding the baby is very emotional because of the tough outer which has earned him the title of Tsotsi - Thug. However, if you look closer you can see his insides which his past has pounded till it is soft. The desperation in Tsotsi's eyes can be seen in detail from the intensity of the close-up. Furthermore, Gavin Hood, the director, has not made this film into a proper tear jerker but he has kept it true to life and it's authenticity makes 'Tsotsi' powerful, realistic and iconic.The film's authenticity makes it powerful but also raises many questions about South Africa's society and it's population of poverty. The majority of which is black. This large social divide raises the question that do the shadows of Apartheid still govern society in South Africa today even after all it's recent improvements, still seems a hostile place for many. Another issue raised more subtly in the film is the massive problem of HIV and AIDs in South Africa at the moment. This issue is shown mainly by the 'We are all affected by HIV and AIDs' posters placed throughout the film. In addition, Tsotsi's mother is very ill, most likely from HIV or AIDs. Ramming home the fact that it does affect everyone even our hardened criminals. What I have learned about South Africa from 'Tsotsi' is that it is a country split in two. Not by color but by attitudes to life. Like Miriam's (Terry Pheto) and The beggar's positive attitudes to life. The beggar lives just to feel the sun on his skin even though he 'lives like a dog'. On the other hand, there are attitudes to life like Tsotsi's and Butcher's who do not have a positive view on life but live just because they do. This contrast can be seen when Tsotsi is at Miriam's house. He is in a dark costume made up of a dark leather jacket and black trousers contrasting with Miriam's bright, light costume of oranges and yellows. Each character's colors represent their outlook on view on life.I would recommend this film because it as a film that involves it's audiences and the emotion connects them even deeper with the characters. For these reasons I would recommend it to those who love a realistic story and a lot of emotion , however it is very different in some ways to mainstream Hollywood but also very similar in other ways. So I would also recommend this film to those who want a break from the typical formulaic Hollywood films.

Six days in the violent life of a young Johannesburg gang leader (Presley Chweneyagae).This is a film about violence, crime and redemption. I am unclear what to make of it. The lead character was not likable, and his redemption hardly makes up for his crimes. So, not sure if I should applaud the film for its sincerity or be disappointed that the hero is not heroic.I did appreciate the contrast of rich and poor. One could easily make the point that the rich were bad guys and the poor were good guys, or at least exploited and oppressed. But that was never apparent. In fact, the wealthy man is the victim here and we have no reason to dislike him simply for his wealth. And although we may feel bad for the homeless, there is no reason to side with them.There was also a constant theme of AIDS in the background, though I am at a loss to explain what purpose it served.