CHILDREN OF MEN Post-Release Discussion - Page 2

finally it has arrived!

Amazing movie. Continues to reverberate in my head days after seeing it.

Obviously the refugee camp being the main highlight, but the scene at the Fishes safehouse where they guy with the dreads shows up in the middle of the night and the subsequent revelation and escape was just awesome on all levels.

I basically knew from Devin's review that something heavy was going to go down with Luke, but didn't see it coming that way at all.

I see it tomorrow so I chose not to watch this due to spoilers.
But for those of you that loved the one-take and want to see it again...*spoilers*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o88-4Vy22VY

It's so nice seeing that again.

You're welcome...It's nice to know after the movie I'll probably come home and watch that as many times as I want.

I've watched it about 10 times already, just looking at the camera work....

Finally saw it last night and was absolutely blown away. Great concept, great visualization, great characters, great symbolism, just a great movie on every level. The visceral depiction of violence, from the early coffeeshop bombing, was absolutely jarring. Coupled with clear allusions to current events, the movie really strikes an alarming chord. Thankfully the moments of humor prevent the story from deteriorating into outright despair.

Fab Funk asked if anyone had gotten an older John Lennon vibe from Caine's character. Funny, but that's exactly the person that sprang to my mind. Could have been the Lennon song playing during one of his scenes, or the rounded glasses, or the world perspective. Makes me wonder if the comparison was intended.

Just saw it today and I agree that it deserves every bit of praise it has been getting. I can't remember last when I was so wrapped up and drawn in by a movie.

This movie just straight kicked my ass. I've never seen a future world so perfectly realized. So many times, a director will put the CGI front and center. Here it's almost throw-away glimpses and always in service of the story. After this movie, I think it's safe to say we have Spielberg's successor. Just an insanely talented film maker who puts the story first even in the greatest spectacle.

One thing that I thought was interesting was the aspect ratios of the TVs. They weren't 16X9 but rather super widescreen (2.35:1?) A very plausible development in TV technology. It's the little things like that that elevate this movie and make its world a little richer.

Just came back from the theater and I have to echo everyone's reaction to the movie. My favorite of the year and possibly one of my favorites of all time.

As someone who has a somewhat vague recollection of the book (I read it about a decade ago) I am astounded by how much the Cuaron has added. And enhanced. I remember a book with an interesting premise but not much follow-through. There was almost nothing, NOTHING, found in the book that was transferred to the film other than the premise and the characters (from what I remember). I'm so glad that the director managed to inject so much of his startling vision into the work.

I hate to compare this to a Harry Potter movie, but you can see Cuaron doing this in Prisoner of Azkaban, where he managed to add his own ideas to the work and thereby created something almost infinitely better. It's something Kubrick did, reworking novels to fit his artistic frame to create better film (and earn the ire of the respective novelists).

Last thoughts (because I think I might be rambling here), this had to be one of the most tense movies I've ever seen. It was like a long dark tunnel where I didn't know what was going to happen and who it was going to happen to. I'm sure there were some funny moments after the first act but I was too busy gritting my teeth to crack open a smile. I might loosen up at the next viewing. AND there will be a next viewing. Soon. Like tomorrow.

Oh, yeah, most effecting battle scenes ever? Possibly.

Saw this tonight, and it absolutely blew me away. Its going to take me awhile to fully digest this film. Just...wow.

Random insane thought of the night (and this is by no way a dig on the film's quality) but I kept being reminded of Half Life 2 for some reason. I think its mostly to do with the fact that the film is entirely told/shot from Theo's perspective, and that it had a very strong sense of small people moving through larger events, a feeling Half Life conveyed as well.

And a train (or bus in Children of Men) sequence.

yes i instantly thought of City 13 or whatever its called from HL2

This movie is exaaaactley like Half-Life 2. If they made a Half-Life 2 movie with the quality of Children of Men, it could be the best movie ever made. Believe it.

Amazing movie by the way, my favorite of '06.

Just think of the fun internet reviewers would have had with this if it sucked.....

"Children of Meh" anyone? This movie continues to be on my mind. Wonderful film-making.

I was awed by this film. For me it was the most intense theatrical experience since Munich. The violence felt real. And scenes like (SPOILER) the birth had me on the edge of my seat just as much as the chase sequences. The birth scene alone is a triumph of special effects in service of immersing the audience in the story. And the importance of it in context-- the rebirth of humanity-- makes it profound. The action/chase scenes are as amazing as has been said, but I would say that the birth is the scene which has to be seen to be believed.

In general I was greatly impressed by how real the whole film seemed, considering the sci-fi premise. This is one of the best films I've seen.

This movie was just...wow. I am absolutely stunned by how good this film is. I went in with extremely high expectations, and they were still exceeded. Everything about this film is absolutely perfect. I cannot wait to see it again.

This film did more for my faith in religion than Passion of the Christ ever could dream of. Why the religious right hasn't jumped all over this film and hoisted it on their shoulders is beyond me.

That said, my only complaints with this movie is that I think killing Theo off at the end of the movie was a bit much. I get that it was to show how he sacrificed his life to save humanity, but it seemed to hammer home the Jesus metaphor a bit more than necessary (also, some people in the audience laughed when Jasper was killed, but that wasn't the movie's fault). Anyways, it's not that big of a complaint, and I'm not that upset that they did (I'm also open to any other interpretations). Even smaller was that Theo and Julian seemed to kiss and make up a bit too quickly, but I'm sure that as done in order to make her death more tragic (we can spoil the movie in this thread right?) Other than those two quibbles, this film is flawless. One of those films that I'll always remember seeing it in theaters for the first time and will stay with me for quite awhile I'm sure.

Aaaah spoiler! Goddamn it, me.

Don't worry. A collegue at work spoiled the end without me asking. Still, I went to see it and in no way it made the movie any less powerful, emotional, thrilling, poignant, sad, funny....

Saw this tonight with the wife. We both loved it, but she (like others apparently) found it depressing as hell. She's in the last year of her PH.D. in Political Science, with her disertation/career focus on human rights. The refugee camp scenes put her to tears, and she said she finally had images to go with the horrible things she read about in Chechnya.

My mom looked at me with utter confusion when I told her it's one of the most uplifting films I've ever seen (she eventually came around though).

See, it could be argued as to whether or not Theo is dead or just unconcious from blood loss. Either way, I don't see Theo as a Jesus figure--the film is decidedly not about religion (or at least, any particular religious entity) for such an obvious parallel to be made.

Perhaps it's possible he could've been saved, but I doubt anyone is going to reach that conclusion first. Also, the message I took away was a spiritual one and not necessarily a Christian one, but I still see Theo as a Jesus/savior figure (again though, I'm open to interpretation as I have a limited ability to read into the subtext of film and Jesus is the easy go to one.)

pretty brilliant movie.

i found it depressing and a sad comment on our world's current path. The prospect of a happy ending was somewhat uplifting, but not enough to offset the entire tone of the movie.

I am glad the jesus theme wasn't hammered over our heads.

I didn't see much Jesus-oriented in the film. It's not a virgin birth (they even make a joke about that) and Theo is no Christ figure at all. He doesn't die for our sins - he dies for his own. When the movie begins he has nothing worth living for and at the end he has found something worth dying for. That arc has nothing to do with the Christ story.

i don't even think he died for his own sins to be honest, he died just doing what was the right thing to do.
The Jesus comparison is utterly unwaranted in this case, honestly I can't imagine how anyone could draw that out of this film.

Great movie, although it's my own damn fault for letting this get too overhyped in my head. It's a great flick, sure, but it never hit me on an emotional level the way Pan's Labyrinth or The Fountain did, and I walked away from it marveling over the technical aspects instead of the story or characters. It's still an amazing achievement that would be near the top of my list during any other cinematic year.

I feel the same way. It's a great movie and I loved every minute of it. I thought it looked great and was executed flawlessly. But I didn't really feel any emotional connection to any of the characters.

I felt for Kee through out and Jasper as well. Both seemed the only 2 in the film who had some life in them. Everyone else seemed to have given up except Julian and she was more focused on the cause than anything. But she still had enough heart left to get Theo involved as a back up instead of blindly following the cause.

Julian's death was a shock and Jasper's was so hard to watch. I can see how you can have little emotional connection to most of the characters , but Kee and Jasper deserved and achieved a connection.

And the ending coming out of the make shift hospital was truely inspiring. Too bad people still screwed it up.

I'm still trying to decide what I think of the movie. Not sure if the CHUD buzz spoiled it, but I don't see it as the best movie of all time, or the best of the year.

Spoilers ahead.

It's brilliantly staged and shot, I'll say that. I would have preferred not to know about the single-take shots, especially the shot in the car, because I knew what was coming. Still, it's amazing what Cuaron did. He mentions something in his interview about the main character interacting with his surroundings, and wanting to capture that. I think the multiple long takes really does immerse you fully in the world. The dystopian future in London is wholly believable not because it's front-and-center, but rather because there are so many details in the background which are wholly believable. And the choreography of the shots, especially the end block-wide battle, makes everything seem much more real than any action or war movie. I'd even go so far as to say that the last 20 minutes are the best action movie I've ever seen. Brutal, yet completely believable. As is the birthing scene (which, for a second, made me think that the baby was born dead).

I guess I'm judging parts of the film using a frame of reference that's based on conventional movie making. Cuaron bucks so many basic trends it was difficult for me to get involved in the story. No closeups, no lingering takes (until the end), little exposition, the surprisingly quick death of Julianne Moore, the fact there was almost no time to dwell on the demise of many minor characters was a bit unusual. The movie moves so quickly that you can't really think about everything until after it's all over. Hell, even the big antagonists in the movie either die in the background (Patrick, with a well-placed squib) or off-screen (Luke).

Like others, I got a bit of a Half-Life 2 feel from the movie from the grim setting. But the way nearly every sympathetic character dies (most of them quite unceremoniously, either on-screen or implied) reminded me a lot of The Pianist. There's quite a lot more violence than I expected, and even though it was not over the top, it's more real, and it's rough to see the umpteenth person trying to help Theo and Kee take a bullet in the head.

I guess that's why I don't necessarily see the big hope message of the movie. The climax to me seems the descent of Theo and Kee on the staircase, and the temporary ceasefire. But ultimately, the humans fuck everything up and start killing each other again. Hope apparently, can only last for so long, and it seems to me that even if the Human Project is real and not part of a larger hoax and that they manage to repopulate the world, it will only be a matter of time before someone ruins it again. So ultimately, what was the point? I guess Theo's transformation and ultimate sacrifice in the hope of mankind's renaissance, but man, a lot more people paid the price for such a small chance.

It's definitely a movie I need to see again, although I think it'll be more for the technical aspects than the big emotional payoff. As far as moviemaking goes, though, this is some of the best stuff I've ever seen.

EDIT: Just realized that Jarvis Cocker's 'Running the World' plays over the credits. Which reminds me -- the soundtrack for this film is top notch.

Walking out of the theatre, I thought two things; that this was one of the greatest movies I've ever seen and what I have to do in order to see it again.

Region 2 DVD streets 1/15.

Yeah, I want to see it at least once more in a theatre, though, and maybe one where it's not fucking underlit like it was tonight.

Still, this movie is fantastic enough to make me reconsider buying a Region free player.

I need to process this some more, but one of the things I loved about this movie was the sublety. My favorite one has to be Owen's wearing a "London 2012" Olympics fleece through the last third of the movie--as others have mentioned, a small detail that both reminds you that the movie's set in the future and reminds you of events in the present (the subway bombings).

That scene where he and Kee and the midwife are sneaking out of the Fishes' compound as dawn is breaking--was that all done in one shot? I remember a buddy of mine telling me about it, but I was so into the movie, I didn't realize that's what I was watching until they were down the road.

Also, I agree that the film isn't particuarly religious, but I did think it was extremely spiritual and there are moments that are meant to hearken back to those stories. Cuaron mentioned in the CHUD interview that the scene with Kee at the end was inspired by Moses parting the Red Sea, and it was hard not to think of baby Moses set adrift down the Nile by his mother in that last sequence in the tunnel.

I wouldn't call Theo a Jesus figure, if anything he's Joseph.

Was the ping pong ball sequence CGI or real? I loved the scene and was trying to wrap my head around it the whole time it played.


Also, is Patric the fish guy with the dreadlocks? I'm a big fan of Charlie Hunnam from Undeclared but didn't realize he was in the movie until the credits. He's the only person I could think of that would be him.

I agree with those who loved the shit out of it. I thought it was the most believable future I've ever seen on film. I was sold on Cuaron as a humane person when I heard 'witness the fitness' by Roots Manuva on Jasper's car radio. The seen where Jasper gives his wife Quiter was well-worthy. My belief was tested at times (a few Deux ex Machines when Theo et al were saved by explosions and perfectly timed distractions), but overall one of the most satisfying experiences I've had in a theatre in years. Better than Borat.

Clive Owen is now officially able to steal anyone's girlfriend/wife, that guy is the muthafucking alpha thespian. I'm down for his next ten films.

Really good movie, totally over-hyped.

Did not get me on any emotional level, and it felt like the movie was just a long version of the trailer. No surprises, no revelations, no shocks, not much adrenaline, Julianne Moore was terrible and all the characters were pretty obvious and stock. As soon as Michael Caine showed up I could see his entire arc and (spoiler) death coming a mile away, and it played out just like it seemed like it would.

Again, I enjoyed it, the technical aspects were off the charts (especially the Ping Pong Ball/Car sequence), but it's not as crazy-good or unique as people are hyping it out to be. Solid and slightly empty.

I know you guys don't agree, that's fine

Loved it. I loved how one full shot was the entire climax of the movie. Also loved some of the confused girls I was with afterwards.

Girl- "Why was everyone fighting? That was so fake. Tony Blair and what's his name wouldn't let that happen."

Yes, that's him.

I loved this. I got so caught up in it that I was shaking throughout a good portion of the film. This just took down The Fountain as my favorite film of the year.

Just sat down for this on Friday...and wow.

Saw it with my mother and my uncle and we were all crying at the end.

Amazing stuff.

Quite possibly the best film I have seen in the theatre, mind you I was born in 1983. To me it was better than they hype, unlike The Fountain which was to me very good (time could change this I will admit)

The only thing that I can add to this is that Alfonso wants to direct another Potter and the thought of him doing HBP or Deathly Hallows after this makes my mind hurt from excitement.

Spoiler Ahead
Caine has been on such a role lately I thought he couldnt equal his best moments pre 1990 but he has, and too me he has passed Olivier and Guiness for the crown of best damn actor ever. And to have him shot so bruttaly on screen, was even more gut wrenching than the first death.

Also "chivo" has no cemented his standing, after New World I thought he would be stuck in Malick land, and while there was one big one in CoM with the trees creeking in the wind, the rest was just freash and exciting. Being an ardent anglophile, seeing Danny Huston running the Ark of Art was pure brilliance, Pink Rloyd refrence and all, unlike Devin I dont see it as quite so negative, without the British and thier love of archealogy alot of the worlds artifacts would have been detroyed and thier existance never known in real life, but it is a double eged sword.

Also finally some Radiohead in a great mixed soundtrack, even better than Marie Anoinette and The Departed.

As much as I want Marty to get an Oscar, Alfonso deserves it for bringing us this masterpiece.

Serious?
Ever?
Jeeze.

I don't think the plot of the film is all that original, it's a film about finding the value of life in a time where life is seen as meaningless, and perhaps the value of finding something in life to believe in worth dying for. I don't know how Moore could be considered terrible in this, I think she delivers the line about hearing loss rather well, and that's that. But it seems like you posted not to discuss this. So I don't know why you posted. As for over-hyped, I don't think you mean that. You saw a movie that you thought was good not great. Fine. You might not have seen it had people not lost their shit over it. But it's still a good movie. And if the film was over-hyped for you, that's your fault. Devin thought The Fountain was the best film of the year. His enthusiasm helped get me into the theater, especially because I couldn't stand Requiem for a Dream. It's not my favorite movie of the year, but it's in my top ten. The purpose was served. But also, CoM is a pretty amazing film, if only on a technical level, so I don't know.

Perhaps a reviewing for you is in order. And that's cool, some times you have to rewatch things to let them settle. But, I'm just saying, perhaps it's worth reconsidering.

Can't really say much aside from what's already been said, other than:

What a fucking fantastic and beautiful film. People walked out of the theater whining about how morose and depressing it was, but I couldn't stop thinking about the bursts of humanity and beauty throughout the whole thing. Maybe that makes me a dumbass liberal pansy-ass hippie idealist, but I couldn't care less.

It was just a very powerful, moving, and amazing film all around. The moment in the third act that was mentioned in the review nearly drove me to tears, and it's been a long time since I've felt so emotionally affected by a film. Sadly enough I haven't seen Pan's Labyrinth or The Fountain yet, but this totally kicks The Departed and Crank completely out of the picture as far as best of 2006 for me.

as far as the "jesus" thing my post was referring to...i guess I should have been more clearer in stating...

I am glad they didn't hammer the nativity/birth of jesus comparisons over our head too much, which was being thrown around far too often by other mass media reviews of the movie.

Just wanted to add that my theater LOVED when Theo broke Sids face with the blunt object.

The audience let out a collective "Jesus"when that happened.

Amazing film. I went in knoiwng that there were amazing shots and what not, but I wanted to see if the story and the characters engaged me first, without concentrating on the filmmaking so much as letting them tell the story. It worked. It's not my favorite film of the year, but it's up there. And even then, those long takes stunned me.

Yeah, I think I'll cave and buy the Region 2 DVD.

Everyone winced in mine...it was classic.