Alfonso Cuarón - Children of Men

[Paul Git]

I really don't understand why some films have such great poster art, yet such awful DVD covers. Surely you'd just use the same for both? The Star Wars films are a particularly bad example – the posters for Episode II & III were lovely, hazy painted artwork, whereas the DVD covers looked like someone had done it in photoshop in about ten minutes. Anyone know why this is the case? Paging Kerraig…

I spent my prolonged and delayed journey to work today wondering precisely the same thing. It looks like some awful attempt to make the film look more 'actiony', whilst just making it tacky in the process.

Hopefully any special release with more extras will have a more fitting cover.

[roskelld]

I think it's fine. How often will you really watch all those features? An 8-minute documentary is perfect imo.

I love extra features. I'm still working my way through the Lord of the Rings ones, nearly finished Two Towers. It's great, and it's really extended the length of my interest for the movies. I've not watched them with the commentaries yet, so there's another 48 hours or so of extras.

[Chosty]

I love extra features. I'm still working my way through the Lord of the Rings ones, nearly finished Two Towers. It's great, and it's really extended the length of my interest for the movies. I've not watched them with the commentaries yet, so there's another 48 hours or so of extras.

That's the thing - where one Earth do you find the time to watch films as long as 'Lord of the Rings' with all the different commentaries? Aren't there about three different ones?

[Exit Chamber]

This is a film I would be particularly interested in a commentary for. I'm not a huge fan of them, but done well (ie the Carpenter/Russell one on The Thing) they are ace.

[lordcookie]

Absolutely brilliant. I missed it during its cinema run (a Clive Owen movie didn't really appeal to me that much) but after all the praise it had been getting I thought I better check it out. The two key long-take sequences obviously stick out but the whole film is so carefully crafted. The way London looks is beautiful (in a really run-down crappy kind of way). It is very clearly the future but a future that is believable and real. The little touches such as the London Olympics sweatshirt and other references just add to the overall ambience. Cuaron spoke of The Battle of Algiers as a key influence and I think this is very evident.

The cast were all great and I was amazed to see so many big actors (although not necessarily big names) in very small parts. I have read some criticisms that it never looks at the big picture and is too vague but I see neither as negatives at all. It puts you directly in the action and you feel the paranoia and uncertainty of Theo and Kee.

Wonderful stuff its just a shame I'll have to buy another DVD copy when the 2 disk special edition inevitably is released.

[Shoes]

The DVD features may not seem much on paper, but they explain how they did the car scene and there's behind the scenes stuff from the Bexhill bits and how they generally brought to life a future London.

I think it's fine. How often will you really watch all those features? An 8-minute documentary is perfect imo.

Like someone said, if you love the film, you do. Or at least I do. A chunky, 60 minute documentary would have been great for this. Eight minutes doesn't seem anywhere near enough.

[Paradigm]

I've no idea how anyone can describe an 8-minute feature of probably the best film of the decade as being 'perfect'. Madness.

[inquisitor]

Not sure if these have been mentioned as I only just watched this. Did anyone notice the neat little touches like the ringing in the soundtrack after the bomblast that was meant to represent the ringing in his ears. Also when they drag Miriam off the bus in the background where all the refugees are being tortured there is one refugee in a cage with a pointed hood on standing in the same pose as the tortured Iraqi prisoners.

I read an interview with Cuaron where he said the reason he filmed with such a wide angle was that he wanted the environments to convey the background story to the reader rather than having it in the dialogue.

[Paradigm]

Aye, noticed those. That was what made the movie. Like I said at the time, you got glimpses, nothing explained because it wouldn't have been - the movie only followed the protaganist. Everything around him just built up into a coherant picture of the future. Was immense.

[Smitty]

I read an interview with Cuaron where he said the reason he filmed with such a wide angle was that he wanted the environments to convey the background story to the reader rather than having it in the dialogue.

The film is a remarkable success in that regard.

[lordcookie]

Also when they drag Miriam off the bus in the background where all the refugees are being tortured there is one refugee in a cage with a pointed hood on standing in the same pose as the tortured Iraqi prisoners.

Not only that, the man is played by the same man that was in that infamous picture from Abu Ghraib.

[inquisitor]

Aye, noticed those. That was what made the movie. Like I said at the time, you got glimpses, nothing explained because it wouldn't have been - the movie only followed the protaganist. Everything around him just built up into a coherant picture of the future. Was immense.

Owen mentioned in an interview that most of the close ups of him in the film were of the back of his head.

The film is a remarkable success in that regard.

I agree. An example is the suicide medication Quites, no one ever explains what it is yet you see it on billboards and TV ads and then when Cain has it for his wife there is no need of an explanation.

Not only that, the man is played by the same man that was in that infamous picture from Abu Ghraib.

[Chosty]

One little detail I noticed was that, on the TV news reports, the 'BBC' had become the 'BCC'.

What's all that about, then?

[lordcookie]

Either they weren't allowed to use the BBC or maybe it has been changed to the British Communication Company to move with the times.

[Chosty]

Either they weren't allowed to use the BBC or maybe it has been changed to the British Communication Company to move with the times.

'Communication'

Could be, could be.

[fatoy.japa]

Missed this in the cinema so picked up the awful-covered dvd earlier this week; Paradigm has already summed it all up so let me just say that I agree wholeheartedly. Without a doubt one of the most stylistically accomplished and powerful movies I have seen in my lifetime.

Wonderful.

[JohnC]

Just watched it. I knew nothing about it before and it wasn't what I expected. It was better.

The only thing I didn't really like were the cars. They kept dragging me out of it a bit. I know they probably couldn't afford to do proper custom near-future cars, but having so many present day cars with big shiny hubcaps and bits of plastic stuck on just jarred with me a bit. Probably wouldn't have been as bad if they chose more generic present-day cars to work with, but they picked a lot of ones which stand out, such as that Renault with the weird back end.

Other than that, it was a well realised world. And there was tension because I never felt it was certain that the baby would actually make it.

[Paradigm]

It was an Avantime, I believe. Probably chosen because nobody here actually bought one. Futuristic enough to look, er, futuristic, but current-day enough to still be tangible. I quite liked its choice, actually. Reminded me a bit of using futuristic-looking modern cars in Dark Angel, for example (weird Pontiacs, I think), or Chryslers in The Matrix.

[Hulot]

I confess that the thing I most clearly remember about the cars in the picture is that one of them looked slightly similar to a Citroën DS - which just goes to show what an incomparably magnificent job Flaminio Bertoni did over fifty years ago! - involuntarily reminding me of Jean-Luc Godard's equally apocalyptic Week End, not to mention its infamous traffic jam scene. (Children of Men's final scene, too, evokes a classic, namely Ugetsu monogatari by Mizoguchi, which I'm convinced was - unlike the Citroën to Godard - the recipient of a deliberate tip of the hat.)

[Paradigm]

Another one for my DVD rental list then. Christ.

[JohnC]

Now that you mention it, I've seen the Citroën DS being used as a futuristic car in lots of things.

[Major Britten]

I agree. An example is the suicide medication Quites, no one ever explains what it is yet you see it on billboards and TV ads and then when Cain has it for his wife there is no need of an explanation.

Actually it is mentioned a little bit when Theo goes to Jasper's house for the first time, he picks the box up and asks if it really works and Jasper complains about the government putting in suicide kits into rations but still making pot illegal. I missed that little detail the first time round but now I know what it is its quite obvious what they are talking about.

[inquisitor]

Actually it is mentioned a little bit when Theo goes to Jasper's house for the first time, he picks the box up and asks if it really works and Jasper complains about the government putting in suicide kits into rations but still making pot illegal. I missed that little detail the first time round but now I know what it is its quite obvious what they are talking about.

Yes it is. I should have been clearer. I was referring to the bit before where we see Cain sprawled out in his chair with the pack at his feet, the inference being he has taken it. I just watched the movie again and that final seen with the long take is simply fantastic. Reminded me of the Piano for some reason.

[Simmy]

Just finished watching this. I'm almost speechless.

It'd have been absolutely perfect if my mum didn't ask me to help her take her shopping in halfway through the single take at the end but alas... This is the best film i've seen in years.

Stunning

[kerraig UK]

I confess that the thing I most clearly remember about the cars in the picture is that one of them looked slightly similar to a Citroën DS - which just goes to show what an incomparably magnificent job Flaminio Bertoni did over fifty years ago! - involuntarily reminding me of Jean-Luc Godard's equally apocalyptic Week End, not to mention its infamous traffic jam scene. (Children of Men's final scene, too, evokes a classic, namely Ugetsu monogatari by Mizoguchi, which I'm convinced was - unlike the Citroën to Godard - the recipient of a deliberate tip of the hat.)

I would say the end is most definately a stylistic nod to Mizoguchi. If not then its blatant plagiarism.

[Sloth]

I watched this last night and my only regret is that I missed it at the cinema.

Not a lot I can say that hasn't already been said.

Stunning.

And surely the most realistic (fake) birth ever committed to film.

[mash]

And surely the most realistic (fake) birth ever committed to film.

I thought that to. Can't see why you've spoilered it.

Can't say I was enamoured as the everyone else, thought it was a good film and there was some things which made me smile. 'Intafada' on the wall in the refugee camp and the Pink Floyd reference for starters

[JohnC]

I thought it was slightly freaky when the baby came to life. Maybe it's that uncanny valley effect.

[Simmy]

I thought it was slightly freaky when the baby came to life. Maybe it's that uncanny valley effect.

Indeed. I felt the same, however for a CGI baby it's pretty well done. And the whole birth sequence is very realistic

[geldra]

I thought the baby scene was amazing, in fact i'm even more amazed now as i didnt have it down as CG until i read it here. In fact i was gutted as i thought the baby was still-born until it moved then i was massively relieved, dunno if that was the intention or dodgy cg now, haha.

This is the sort of flick you need to watch a zillion times just to get all the detail. If i had one criticism it would be the geordie's accent being off in a couple of places.