I saw it yesterday... revelatory cinematography and sound work. Lubezki might be even better here than in THE NEW WORLD. Great cast and intelligent script. I'm not sure I can fully agree with the reviews that place it alongside BLADE RUNNER, but it's certainly close to the best film of 2006.

I, like many others who posted before, also just saw it and was stunned by the great cinematography, script, acting, and so on. But just out of curiousity, how did everyone feel on the way it ended so abruptly?

**SPOILERS***



I didn't expect it to just end as it did, I liked that Clive Owen died, because I like when the director has the guts to kill off the main character for the sake of the plot. I decided that I liked the ending mainly because it really did not need to show what happens in the future because we can assume that she will have more kids and the baby girl will be fertile since her mother was, and the children laughing at the end was kind of a sign of this. Another random thing, I didn't put together the Elementary School and its significance until he was in the building, I thought it was really cool, yet creepy.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: titaniumdoughnut,

I don't think I honestly saw anything in 2006 that topped this. Cuarón's choice to make a blockbuster action movie in the vain of an artier, more dramatic piece was brilliant. After seeing Chan-wook Park steer into that direction, it was honestly the way I was hoping for movies to turn. The style just really pulled me into the movie and was easily the first time I've found a film suspenseful in a long while.
I hate to sound like I want to be poetic or cheesey or anything, but my one-liner review for this movie is that it's beautiful like a nightmare.

elliott (otiose)...

quote:

I didn't expect it to just end as it did

Funny, since I had formed a web of narrative events and sequences based on the trailer and reading the premise, and it turned out to be extremely close to how I would have directed the film. Cuaron made all the right choices, and the car ambush sequence was one of the most gripping pieces of filmmaking I've seen in a long time.

See? Even Evan liked it, and he doesn't like anything, it must be a good movie.

elliott (otiose)...

Honestly the edning was a bit too crammed with symbolism (they're lost in the harbor and everything is foggy- and they aren't quite sure if "Tommorow" [the boat coming to save get her] would arrive). Also her name was Kee- like Key to survival, etc. Still, it was a fine ending, not preachy, still a bit uncertain (the human project could still be wackos). Like Clive Owen said "No matter what happens, you hold her close"- I thought that line was so beautiful and delivered perfectly, free of any stomach turning fakeness. It was so real. I thought it was actually going to end with them just floating, unsure if the boat would come. That ending would have worked just as well.


The only other gripe I had- that baby was so CG. It looked so much like Gollum.

Best scene- Where they come down the stairs with the baby and everybody stops fighting. That seriously almost had me welling up with tears and I couldn't understand why (it was almost like an instinctual reaction). Talk about movie defining moments.

Honestly, he should win for best director but won't. Movie is natural, amazing- well everyone else has said it all pretty much. Sorry Scorcese- I love you, but if you're up against this guy for an oscar this year, I won't be rooting for you.

quote:

Originally posted by Nervous Larry:
The only other gripe I had- that baby was so CG. It looked so much like Gollum.

You thought the baby didn't look good? I don't know maybe I'm just losing my eye, but there for a minute I wasn't sure if it was some prosthetic, robot creation straight out of a David Lynch film or CG.

quote:

Best scene- Where they come down the stairs with the baby and everybody stops fighting. That seriously almost had me welling up with tears and I couldn't understand why (it was almost like an instinctual reaction). Talk about movie defining moments.

Yeah, same here; I kept getting goosebumps.

glad you guys liked the film. The critics in my country trashed the movie.They said that cuaron sold out and this was nothing compared to "y tu madre tambien".
I also thought that "children of men" was very good in many levels : script, actors and, of course, cinematograpy.One of my top movies of 2006.
Cheers. A good 2007 for u all.

The baby was clearly CG. Good CG, but still CG. There really was no other way they could have executed that specific shot...

I don't see any sign of 'selling out.' Genre films and popular entertainment that still maintain coherent, valid aesthetic sensibilities are the best kinds! From what I've seen of Y tu mama tambien, the style is remarkably similar. This film reminded me in turn of STALKER, CACHE, CITIZEN KANE and also Dardennes films...

Just watched it today, and I was completely blown away. I had heards so many great things going into so I was figuring I might be a little disappointed, but no. It was the most intense real movie I believe I have ever seen. The fact that it was documentary style without many cuts and really took you into the movie. I can't even really discribe how I feel right now.

Suprisingly funny actually. There were moments when I laughed out loud. I love the idea, one of the better "end of the world" ideas to come around if you ask me. Cinematography was awesome, set was awesome, acting was awesome, not really too much to complain about from me.

Yeah I know, I almost felt bad a few times for laughing at stuff, but there was genuinely funny stuff in there that wasn't out of place at all.

Dude the whole "get-a-way car" scene was hilarious... finally we dont see someone driving a car and smashing it threw a fence or jumping it over impossible lengths... this problem is smaller, but very difficult non the less lol

Amazing movie! I haven't been that involved in a movie for as long as I can remember. Wonderful directing, wow. I went twice this weekend and loved it each time. I especially loved its strong pro-life messages.

"I especially loved its strong pro-life messages."

I sincerly hope that's a really sarcastic joke. I'm praying for it.

quote:

Originally posted by Nervous Larry:
"I especially loved its strong pro-life messages."

I sincerly hope that's a really sarcastic joke. I'm praying for it.

Haha. Indeed. Although euthanasia is regarded as a crime against human dignity in this film, Cuarón recasts it as an act of heroic mercy. Anyone who casts this film as "pro-life" isn't watching very closely at all.

What a kickass movie. Lubezki is a magician. Cannot understand how the camera moves in this film.

quote:

glad you guys liked the film. The critics in my country trashed the movie.They said that cuaron sold out and this was nothing compared to "y tu madre tambien".

What an odd accusation, because Cuaron's been doing Hollywood stuff since the mid-90s. Anyway, I enjoyed Children of Men more than Y Tu Mama Tambien. Can't speak for Harry Potter...

I have come to the conclusion that it is not the camera that moves, but the audience. It's some kind of magical devilry.

quote:

Originally posted by Nervous Larry:
"I especially loved its strong pro-life messages."

I sincerly hope that's a really sarcastic joke. I'm praying for it.

Woops, now I look like a complete moron. I just now read about "quietus" and see what it is now. That was embarassing.. The part where Jasper is with his wife and tells her he loves her and gets the quiteus out is what got me. I didn't know what the quietus was, so I was just seeing it as him telling her he loved her which to me, as a pro lifer was very moving. And when the guys came out of his house after that and say, "there's a dead lady in there," or something to that extent, I was seeing it as them seeing her as a dead person because to them she was not truly living, but she was. I saw that as a pro-life statement, and now that I see what happened, it's a little disheartening, but he might have done it knowing he was going to die so she wouldn't have had the ability to feed herself, etc. But then again, I could still see it going either way, it left it open to the viewer what happened, or maybe that's just what I think. Hopefully I kinda redeemed myself for that mistake.