Children of Men
I doubt I'll ever want to see it again -- It''s that bleak. It's also a fantastic, gorgeously made, thoroughly engrossing & thought-provoking film. Not to mention, the best sci-fi film in many, many years, a brilliant metaphor for a civilization that tends to forget its actions endanger future generations. (So, y'know, timely as well.)
Oh, and--getting to the really important bit--it also had a very cool battle. Did anyone else notice that long, Altman-like one-short when he's stumbling around looking for Kee and the baby with the battle raging, blood splattered on the lens...? Thrilling, disturbing, and masterfully executed. (I really hope they can get Cuaron back for the final Potter film.)
That said, I have to admit that the battle did stretch on a bit too long for my taste--I was like, "Oh, just get to the boat already!"
Loved the leads (especially the way they evolved into a latter day Holy Family), loved Chiwetel Ejiofor (Dirty Pretty Things, Serenity) and Charlie Hunam (from the original Queer as Folk), though I could've done with a bit more Julianne Moore (god, I love her) and Michael Caine, as well.
Being a dog person, I couldn't help but notice the one truly selfless stranger they encountered, the gypsy woman in the camp--the only one who put herself at risk to help them--had that little terrier. (A Wheaton, I think--though maybe it was just a very dirty Westie.) She carried and protected that dog the whole way -- mirroring Kee with her baby.
I can't help but think that detail is not coincidental. There were other strange little pet-oriented moments. The dogs at the farm liked Clive Owen -- as did the cat. Michael Caine had pets, too, and they also liked Clive Owen (who doesn't?).
Meanwhile, all those cows and horses had been burned to death.
It would be interesting to do a serious reading of the piece focusing on the animals--I bet it'd be revealing.
Oh, and--getting to the really important bit--it also had a very cool battle. Did anyone else notice that long, Altman-like one-short when he's stumbling around looking for Kee and the baby with the battle raging, blood splattered on the lens...? Thrilling, disturbing, and masterfully executed. (I really hope they can get Cuaron back for the final Potter film.)
That said, I have to admit that the battle did stretch on a bit too long for my taste--I was like, "Oh, just get to the boat already!"
Loved the leads (especially the way they evolved into a latter day Holy Family), loved Chiwetel Ejiofor (Dirty Pretty Things, Serenity) and Charlie Hunam (from the original Queer as Folk), though I could've done with a bit more Julianne Moore (god, I love her) and Michael Caine, as well.
Being a dog person, I couldn't help but notice the one truly selfless stranger they encountered, the gypsy woman in the camp--the only one who put herself at risk to help them--had that little terrier. (A Wheaton, I think--though maybe it was just a very dirty Westie.) She carried and protected that dog the whole way -- mirroring Kee with her baby.
I can't help but think that detail is not coincidental. There were other strange little pet-oriented moments. The dogs at the farm liked Clive Owen -- as did the cat. Michael Caine had pets, too, and they also liked Clive Owen (who doesn't?).
Meanwhile, all those cows and horses had been burned to death.
It would be interesting to do a serious reading of the piece focusing on the animals--I bet it'd be revealing.
posted by Scott at 3:20 AM
2 Comments:
I read something comparing him to Noah. It may have been on Joe's blog.
Can't say enough about the movie. I loved it.
I think I will see it again.
I don't want to think about seeing it again, but I suppose I'll have to... If only to consider what the symbolism of the dead livestock meant.
BTW, a friend on a message board pointed out that the flier the Fish used to contact Theo was for a "Lost Dog." Hmmmmm.... Pets were clearly the stand-ins for kids, and so the pet owners were the ones who remembered what it was like to have unconditional love... which the vast majority of human beings, without children in their lives, had forgotten.
Brilliant film. Just brilliant.
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