Topic: Children of Men

[shock]

Funny story: I actually read Pug's interview he posted and saw that a couple of the guys chimed in that Children of Men was their favorite movie of 2006.  I had never heard of it, so I checked it out.

WOW.  They weren't kidding.  I really, REALLY enjoyed it.  It's got a LOT of social commentary as well as lots of stuff on humanity in general.  It didn't lose my attention for one second.

It has a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.

"MOVIE CONSENSUS
Children of Men works on every level: as a violent chase thriller, a fantastical cautionary tale, and a sophisticated human drama about societies struggling to live. This taut and thought-provoking tale may not have the showy special effects normally found in movies of this genre, but you won't care one bit after the story kicks in, about a dystopic future where women can no longer conceive and hope lies within one woman who holds the key to humanity's survival. It will have you riveted."

[Pugnate]

Man I haven't seen it yet, though my friends have been raving about it. I should watch it.

[MysterD]

Oh yeah -- Children of Men was excellent.
Definitely some must-see stuff there.

[ren]

If you got the dvd, watch the extras. They're all really good.

[iPPi]

Great movie, great cinematography.

[Quemaqua]

It was indeed a great movie, but also sort of a pointless one.  I don't think it really made any real statements, and I believe the director said as much during an interview I read.  But it was very interesting anyway, and certainly beautifully shot.

[MysterD]

It was indeed a great movie, but also sort of a pointless one.  I don't think it really made any real statements, and I believe the director said as much during an interview I read.  But it was very interesting anyway, and certainly beautifully shot.

If that is what the filmmakers think our future is gonna' be like, it will indeed be a very bleak future....

EDIT:
Oh yeah -- I thought we had a Children of Men thread goin' already, somewhere...
Linky

[Pugnate]

I thought it looked good with some excellent scenes, but I didn't like it as much as you lot. It also had some of the most obnoxiously loud characters I've seen in a movie. I kept thinking, would you please stfu?. [spoiler]I also wasn't convinced that humanity would turn into total chaos because children had stopped being born. I also couldn't stand the sobbing in the opening scene. Yes the youngest person in the world died... he wasn't your relative. It was senseless and annoying. And then there were all the stupid characters who kept talking in loud voices even though no one could understand a word.I didn't like the loud choiry soundtrack either. [/spoiler]

Having said that, I still thought it was one of the better films of the year. I really liked the scenes shot at the end.

edit:

God Julianne Moore still looks incredible.

[MysterD]

In Regard's to Pug's post and his spoilers....
[spoiler]

I also wasn't convinced that humanity would turn into total chaos because children had stopped being born.

It could be a sign of humanity could eventually be dead, if nothing can be created anymore. Especially if civilization isn't doing anything to change this; they just let the Gov't control them.
And obviously, they weren't doin' anything to change any of this.

Civilization got lucky w/ Kee getting pregnant, basically.

I also couldn't stand the sobbing in the opening scene. Yes the youngest person in the world died... he wasn't your relative.

Well, he was killed over not signing a photograph. That kind of death is senseless.

Senseless just like reporting he was the "World's Youngest person..."
...Well, unless you have a serial killer going around killing off each time who becomes the "World's Youngest Person", after the previous one is killed!

What this movie is doing is obviously taking shots at how the media (especially today) is always glorifying "senseless news." For example, look at the most recent news in the paper -- who the hell cares about what Paris Hilton going to jail?

Also, what the movie is trying to also say that in our future, we'll still see more "senseless news" being reported by the media.[/spoiler]

[Quemaqua]

God Julianne Moore still looks incredible.

Indeed.  One of the few truly beautiful actresses that I enjoy.

[ren]

I thought it looked good with some excellent scenes, but I didn't like it as much as you lot. It also had some of the most obnoxiously loud characters I've seen in a movie. I kept thinking, would you please stfu?. [spoiler]I also wasn't convinced that humanity would turn into total chaos because children had stopped being born. I also couldn't stand the sobbing in the opening scene. Yes the youngest person in the world died... he wasn't your relative. It was senseless and annoying. And then there were all the stupid characters who kept talking in loud voices even though no one could understand a word.I didn't like the loud choiry soundtrack either. [/spoiler]

[spoiler]The book it was based on is quite different than the movie. In the book, the world does not turn into chaos, there is actually very little crime. Whoever does break the law is severely punished. Everyone knows their days are limited, and act accordingly. The thing with the book to movie translation here, (this is from what I remember reading a while ago so it may not be totally accurate) is that the director didn't actually read the book. He got some people to give him the important details and then put his own spin on it.

Also, the movie isn't really about a world where children are no longer being born. The movie is about a world without hope, the lack of children is just a way of delivering the message. [/spoiler]

[MysterD]

Click for more spoilers....
[spoiler]

Also, the movie isn't really about a world where children are no longer being born. The movie is about a world without hope, the lack of children is just a way of delivering the message.

Oh, that's for sure -- that world depicted in the film is EXTREMELY bleak.

And yes, that world was without hope, until Kee got pregnant. That lit the fuse.

And given the flick's ending, done in such a way that it's left up to interpretation, you can either believe there's more hope here (b/c Kee survived) or that there's no hope left (b/c Clive Owen is dead). [/spoiler]