Film: Children of Men

[Benefit]

Children of Men is one of 2006's Top 5 films. It's an amazing movie.

Production values were of superior quality; massive single-shot sequences (of course they cheated with CGI splicing) speak for themselves. Set design had a very clear philosophy and adhered to it throughout: with the population rendered infertile, humanity no longer cares about sacrificing for the advancement of the species. No trash collection, stagnant technology in non-practical fields, muted colours, abandoned schools, dilapidated set pieces (potentially they could have done more with the refugee camp I thought). I love plush, beautiful and engaging set design but it didn't have a place in this film.

Heavy influences drawn from contemporary and classical art, music, film and philosophy. Michelangelo's Legless David and Picasso's Guernica framing a sterile dining room were wonderful touches. The film is a richly textured meditation on cultural and religious iconography. The viewer is left to take or leave what they may from the political and social commentary; Cuarón is trying to push you one way, but one of the functions of film is to present visual imagery in a provocative way. Particularly well done was Theo and Kee's entrance into the refugee camp at Bexhill, where their bus passes refugees being beaten, humiliated, searched and killed. The scenes are very consciously reflective of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo.

Clive Owen is perfect. You've never seen Michael Caine play a character like this before. The supporting cast was truly excellent as well. Peter Mullan was superb as Syd the Immigration Officer.

This is not a film for non-thinkers; if you don't get the cultural, social, political, historical, contemporary and religious references (they are everywhere), then the film will lose much of its appeal and texture for you. Unfortunately, the box office receipts (a paltry 70 mil) suggest most people don't want to think when they watch an action movie.

I can see how a scene like the one captainball's mentioned could border on cheesy; yet somehow it doesn't. Yeah, it probably wouldn't happen like that in real life. But within the reality of the movie it just... works. And it works beautifully.

Can't forget the beautiful and understated score, which blends classical (Handel and Mahler), contemporary and some old school rock (John Lennon drops in with Bring on the Lucie).

I didn't like y tu mama tambien that much, but The Prisoner of Azkaban and Children of Men have shown Cuarón to be a terrifically gifted director and visual craftsman. Five stars.

 

[Finder]

I dunno, Benefit, beautiful scenery with some subtle historical and social commentary doesn't equate to five stars in my book. The character development was so subtle it was almost non-existent.

 

[DarthMom]

great review as usual benefit!

i don't see the scene with the baby being cheesy at all. and to me it is totally plausible....this baby is something noone know was possible, it signals that it will not be the end of the humanity...what would you think would happen? that they continue fighting amongst the savior? i found it to be a very moving and believable scene.

 

[L2R]

a tv series?

"Bionic Woman" executive producer David Eick tells SCI FI Wire that he's working on a pilot script for a proposed TV series based on P.D. James' novel "Children of Men".

Alfonso Cuaron's 2006 film of the same name scored great acclaim, but it departed quite dramatically from the novel - using only the basic story concepts. This new show is expected to follow James' work much more closely.

"It's really taking root more in the origins of the novels in that it will focus on the cultural movement in which young people become the society's utter focus. Much like our culture, whenever Lindsay Lohan does something [and] it becomes the headline of every news show, it's about how, when you don't have a responsibility to the next generation and you're free to do whatever you want, where do you draw the line?" says Eick.

Eick adds it will question how society defines responsibility, freedom and a sense of values when it doesn't necessarily believe humans will survive as a species. "So it's a very compelling, I think, human question that science fiction has always explored extremely provocatively. It's not really a war show like the movie was. It's more an exploration of that issue."
Previous Article Related News

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news08/080328j.php

 

[JoeTheStoner]

trailer park boys randy bump.gif time

im re-watchin A LOT of movies recently due to a recent/rapid blu-ray addiction. jesus tits and god america this is a beautiful film in hd. the dark/grimey future U.K. plus long single shot scenes wit the shakey cam give it that real life documentary grimey feel is f'n awesome.

interesting reading the comments, gotta co-sign with what benefit said. was reading the wiki critics "calling the film a "modern-day Nativity story" like the barn scene, kee jokin about being a virgin, etc. i was on the verge of shedding a single tear when they left the building with the baby then go right back to fighting, shit we forgot how precious life is.

i think this will be one of my all time favorite movies!

Cafe Bomb Blast Scene

 

[Kraken Mare]

The one-take tracking shots are impressive, particularly the uprising scene, in the refugee camp.

 

[JoeTheStoner]

The one-take tracking shots are impressive, particularly the uprising scene, in the refugee camp.

vid is blocked i got the bluray right here tho. also worth mentioning the bus ride into the camp after the guard takes away Miriam then the camera pans to the left, through the caged bus windows you see people in cages one standing with a hood over their head just like this photo from Abu-Ghraib. then the bus starts up and you see all the ppl round up and escorted into camp, really awesome scene.

i recall reading there was one scene of a women holding her, i suppose son who died in the uprising scene crying looking up, it was based on some biblical painting... then i watched it again and with that in mind the part where that gypsy women takes theo and kee upstairs to a room and its dark with just a lantern and a few candles for lighting i think that would make for a powerful painting cuz its right before she gives birth.