CHILDREN OF MEN
Genre: Drama, Action, Sci-Fi
Duration: 109 minutes
Plot: in 2027, in a chaotic world in which women have become somehow infertile, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea.
Analysis: Children of Men is one of my favorite movies and in my humble opinion the best of Alfonso Cuaron's films. The first and the last think someone should refer to while attempting to describe this movie is –of course– it's direction, which reaches perfection. There is nor a single shot, neither the slightest facial or body reaction not being orchistrated by Cuaron's command, thus serving precisely the purposes of the movie. What's more, Cuaron succeeds in creating with presicion the feeling and the atmosphere of a doomed world, not only visually but emotionally as well. You can almost taste the despair of the people that live in this futureless society. His scenes are powerful even when there are no noisy gunfires or breathtaking explosions –the absolute silence of the abandoned countryside made me shuddered with excitement and sorrow. Although the film describes a non-existent world, there is a plethora of indirect political and social references, that Cuaron manages to insert into the film with a smooth and clever way. Some of these "horrific" situations (e.g. the suffering of the refugees) may seemed as simple futuristic fantasies ten years ago (at the time when the movie was released) but nowadays constitute the plain reality...
Plot: in 2027, in a chaotic world in which women have become somehow infertile, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea.
Analysis: Children of Men is one of my favorite movies and in my humble opinion the best of Alfonso Cuaron's films. The first and the last think someone should refer to while attempting to describe this movie is –of course– it's direction, which reaches perfection. There is nor a single shot, neither the slightest facial or body reaction not being orchistrated by Cuaron's command, thus serving precisely the purposes of the movie. What's more, Cuaron succeeds in creating with presicion the feeling and the atmosphere of a doomed world, not only visually but emotionally as well. You can almost taste the despair of the people that live in this futureless society. His scenes are powerful even when there are no noisy gunfires or breathtaking explosions –the absolute silence of the abandoned countryside made me shuddered with excitement and sorrow. Although the film describes a non-existent world, there is a plethora of indirect political and social references, that Cuaron manages to insert into the film with a smooth and clever way. Some of these "horrific" situations (e.g. the suffering of the refugees) may seemed as simple futuristic fantasies ten years ago (at the time when the movie was released) but nowadays constitute the plain reality...
Apart from the magnificent direction (of which i could speak for hours), the plot is quite good and solid, offering us various unexpected twists, the dialogues remain keen and smart throughout the whole duration of the film, the photography manages to capture and feature even the slightest detail and the performances are elegant and convicing, with Michael Caine being trully enjoyable and moving in his role as an old and marginal yet wise hippie.
Things to notice:
Oscar awards (2007):
b) Best Achievement in Cinematography and
c) Best Achievement in Film Editing.
Personal Evaluation: 9.2/10
Things to notice:
- the brilliant direction of Alfonso Cuaron (i still can't figure out why he wasn't at least nominated for an oscar),
- the musical accompaniment (mainly english rock ballands of the '60s and '70s) that fits perfectly with the film's atmosphere and
- Michael Caine in one of the best performances of his entire career.
Oscar awards (2007):
- three (3) oscar nominations for:
b) Best Achievement in Cinematography and
c) Best Achievement in Film Editing.
Personal Evaluation: 9.2/10
Should be watched tonight if: you are simply looking for a great movie.
Trailer
