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SlumpBuster
01-16-2007, 12:44 PM
My wife and I saw Children of Men this weekend, rather than Pan's Labyrinth. Tough choice, though, and we will probably see Pan's Labyrinth next weekend. Glad to hear EricL recommends it so highly.

Be warned though, it is a rather intense, violent and provocative movie. Don't let Julianne Moore's presense mislead you, this is definately not an American studio picture.

But it seems like one of those pictures that you could miss if you don't actively seek it out.

ForeverAutumn
01-16-2007, 01:53 PM
What, exactly, is the premise? It sounds kind of like the book The Handmaids Tale. In this book there is some sort of apocolypse which is caused by Christian Fundamentalists who take over the American Gov't and, by rule, the USA. Most of the women become sterile (presumably from chemicals and environmental polutants, although I don't think that this is confirmed). Those women who are still able to bear children become property of the rich and powerful. They are kept as slaves to procreate with the men and bear their children who are raised by their wives.

Is this similar to Children of Men?

nobody
01-16-2007, 02:32 PM
Saw it this weekend myself. Some similarities, but some big differences.

In this one, they don't know what caused the infertility and there aren't groups of fertile women left. The world is just fizzling out. Tghere's also a heavy backdrop of oppression as immigrants are being rounded up and shipped out and the world in general is collapsing. It's set in England and we get vague references to it being the last country "standing," but they never really go into detail as to what's happened elsewhere.

It's worth seeing if you like apocolyptic sci-fi kinda stuff.

I've always heard The Handmaid's Tale is good...never have read it yet though. Maybe I'll pick it up soon.

ForeverAutumn
01-16-2007, 07:45 PM
I've always heard The Handmaid's Tale is good...never have read it yet though. Maybe I'll pick it up soon.

Thanks for the synopsis. It sounds like something I'd like.

I highly recommend the Handmaid's Tale. It's told through the eyes of one woman (A Handmaid). Through her thoughts, you get glimpses of her past life in the world as we would know it today and then see how her life has changed in the new world. What I found most fascinating about the whole story is to see how she adjusts throughout. It's a beautifully written, yet very disturbing, story.

SlumpBuster
01-16-2007, 08:16 PM
Yeah, I read Handmaid's Tale in high school. Nobody's right. This story is vastly different. The only similarity is the infertility angle. This movie is running in full tilt allagory mode like Animal Farm or the Crucible. Six different viewers will come away with six interpretations. I saw it as having a strong theme about fatherhood and the role of provider/protector. But, my wife didn't see that at all. The film steers clear of telling you what it is about.

Cardiac
01-30-2007, 08:17 PM
I caught the trailer many months ago on Google when their video feature was new, and could not wait to see it. It met and exceeded my expectations. The only disappointment was that the music featured in the trailer by Sigur Ros was not featured in the film...

I saw it with my girlfriend who is legally blind, and we see movies together frequently. She sees well enough to get the gist, but I have to read subtitles and other text to her and explain very visual plot points. Her hearing is extraordinary though, and after the film on the way home, she said something about at the very end of the film before the credits start to roll, that you could hear the sound of children playing in a playground... I guess I missed it or wasn't paying attention. Did anyone else catch it?

Troy
01-31-2007, 08:33 AM
Good to see this movie come up here.

I saw this around xmas. It's classic dystopian sci-fi taking place in 2027 when no human has given birth in over 18 years. The world has gone to hell and blood runs in the streets. The story centers around a prostitute who becomes pregnant and the power stuggle over her by rebel factions.

It evolves into a spectacular and harrowing chase film. The last act is an amazingly violent and exhausting battle sequence in a British seaside town turned into a refugee camp/internment camp that rivals the battle scenes in "Saving Private Ryan." Even more amazing is one 7 minute section of this long battle sequence takes place in the street, into a building, upstairs, back and forth down long hallways, back downstairs and into the street again all in ONE SHOT with no cuts. It's truly bravura film-making. Ditto the road ambush with the camera spinning inside the car as motorcyclists attack from all around. This film was nominated for the cinematography oscar® in the upcoming awards. It deserved a best picture nod too, but if it doesn't win for photography it'll be a crime.

It's the most interesting roll I've seen Michael Caine take in years. The entire cast is impeccable (even the animals) and Clive Nolan is the perfect numb and reluctant hero leading the mother and newborn child through the battlefield in flip-flops. So many movie cliches and pre-conceived notions get smashed in this film. This was made by the same director that made the acclaimed "Y Tu Mama Tambien" and he has not lost touch with his ability to create vulnerable, living, breathing characters that just feel real.

Overall, the films religious, environmental and social implications are staggering.

It's the most powerful film I've seen in at least 10 years. Yeah, it's that good.

The progrock connections are VERY strong in this movie as well, with a montage set to "Court of the Crimson King" and an amazing shot of Battersea Power Station with the giant Pink Floyd pig baloon floating in front of it! Made me LOL in the theater.

It's the one to see in the theater.

SlumpBuster
01-31-2007, 09:41 AM
*************SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!********************

I consider Julianne Moore to be an "A" lister. She's one of my all time favorites that gets even sexier with age.

It is a special kind of film making where an "A" lister is willing to get shot dead in a gruesome manner in the first 20 minutes. There you are getting set up to have a great chase movie with Clive an Julianna rekindling their romance, when... BLAMMO!.

Hell, we had to wait until the last 10 minutes of the Departed. I'm sure their are other examples, but I'm drawing a blank on any that wouldn't qualify as a goofy set up cameo.

Troy
01-31-2007, 10:43 AM
*************SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!********************

I consider Julianne Moore to be an "A" lister. She's one of my all time favorites that gets even sexier with age.

It is a special kind of film making where an "A" lister is willing to get shot dead in a gruesome manner in the first 20 minutes. There you are getting set up to have a great chase movie with Clive an Julianna rekindling their romance, when... BLAMMO!.

Hell, we had to wait until the last 10 minutes of the Departed. I'm sure their are other examples, but I'm drawing a blank on any that wouldn't qualify as a goofy set up cameo.

Exactly the type of thing I was talking about when I was saying the movie smashes convention. After that sequence I was TOTALLY nailed to the story because it was SO shocking, unexpected and heartbreaking.

I finally saw Departed last weekend. Man, great movie too. The media saying it's "Scorsesse's worst film to be nominated for best picture" is WAY off the mark. It was his best film since Casino (which I personally liked more than Goodfellas because I find the whole historical Vegas milieu more interesting) or Goodfellas.

Worf101
02-05-2007, 05:17 AM
Spent, limp, wrung out and completely drained. That's how that film left me. Mindblowing movie. Deep, scary, sad, poignant... I can't say enough. Visceral beyond words. As a Veteran the last 20 minutes was extremely hard for me to take. Right up there with the first 30 minuts of SPR, but boy was it moving.

Da Worfster

PeruvianSkies
06-22-2007, 08:46 PM
FINALLY got around to seeing this film, which I had every intention of seeing since it came out....whew. I agree with those that give this film great props and thought i'd add my thoughts as well.

Is this film the BLADERUNNER of the 21st Century? Hardly. However, it has great potential and i'd be curious to see if they plan on doing a longer cut. I felt that the film could have been even bolder with some of it's statements. It felt, in many ways like another film I greatly cherish: THX-1138. There is a pivotal scene in this film, known here as The Julianne Moore scene, which I feel is rivaled by very few films in the past few years. It is so brilliantly executed and established, which gives me hope in filmmaking again. The setup of the scene, the camera movement, and the heightened sense of fear during this scene is superb! It's basically a POV shot during the sequence and our adrenaline pumps on full blast. There are other highly memorable scenes as well and includes some good soundtrack choices like one of my personaly favorites from John Lennon's album Mind Games: Bring on the Lucie (Freda People). Also great use of Radiohead's Life in a Glass House. I guess it's fair to say that partnering this film with V FOR VENDETTA makes for two superb politically charged films in recent years that it's like Vietnam all over again, although those living in the US already knew that one!