Children of Men - More than worth your money (and time)
I had the chance to see Children of Men, and while I'm not quite sure I'd call it "This generation's Blade Runner", the movie is darn good. Just to be sure folks get it - this is not a science fiction film, not any more than 1984 or Brave New World. It is a rather chilling look at how quickly things can downhill when faced with an inescapable situation. Luckily we don't have to worry about losing our civil liberties over here. ;) Sly personal attack against our lovely President aside - I would strongly recommend this film.
On a side note - I also saw Lady in the Water. Now - I've always like Night's film, even The Village. Lady in the Water is horrible though. Almost "Highlander 2" horrible.
Comments
Highlander 2 - ouch! Gotta love a movie where the producers say "Please forget we ever did this movie..."
I also enjoyed the movie Children of Men. However, I have a feeling the book is 100 times better (it just has that feeling of a great book where the director was forced to scrap so much goodness in order to fit the movie into a specific timespan).
The special effects and background settings were great and fit the story well (IMO).
The special effects and background settings were great and fit the story well (IMO).
# Posted By Jeff Coughlin
| 1/7/07 4:22 PM
Agreed, on both! We really enjoyed Children of Men, amazing direction and cinematography, and a great story. I'll have to pick up the book.
And Lady in the Water was the worst movie I have seen in years. I don't know why we stayed for the whole thing...
And Lady in the Water was the worst movie I have seen in years. I don't know why we stayed for the whole thing...
# Posted By Rachel Maxim
| 1/7/07 6:08 PM
I loved this movie. Here's a great review of Children of Men and a funny send-up cartoon as well!
http://paralleldivergence.com/2006/10/27/children-...
http://paralleldivergence.com/2006/10/27/children-...
# Posted By Stuart
| 1/7/07 9:27 PM
Lady in the Water....just THINKING about it still makes me shudder....And I wasn't thrilled with the Village either, tho I didn't actually *hate* it. But Lady in the Water...what was he THINKING?
IMHO, his films have never reached the level of The Sixth Sense since he did it (tho signs was cute).
I will see Children of Men on your recommendation, Ray. Is it a 'family' movie, or a 'parents only' movie?
IMHO, his films have never reached the level of The Sixth Sense since he did it (tho signs was cute).
I will see Children of Men on your recommendation, Ray. Is it a 'family' movie, or a 'parents only' movie?
# Posted By Neil Bailey
| 1/7/07 10:27 PM
i don't think i'll ever see another m. night movie.
loved sixth sense.
i can watch unbreakable over and over (and each time catch something i missed in previous viewings).
i even enjoyed signs (to a degree...but not nearly as much as sixth sense or signs.).
the village was one of the few times that i felt a movie was completely and utterly without a single redeeming value. usually, even if i don't like a movie...i can see where others might have. or i can look at it objectively and see where there's merit in it.
not with the village. it was just so much a POS that i can't even bring myself to gamble another 2 hours of my life to watch an m. night movie.
i know nobody asked. just sayin' :)
loved sixth sense.
i can watch unbreakable over and over (and each time catch something i missed in previous viewings).
i even enjoyed signs (to a degree...but not nearly as much as sixth sense or signs.).
the village was one of the few times that i felt a movie was completely and utterly without a single redeeming value. usually, even if i don't like a movie...i can see where others might have. or i can look at it objectively and see where there's merit in it.
not with the village. it was just so much a POS that i can't even bring myself to gamble another 2 hours of my life to watch an m. night movie.
i know nobody asked. just sayin' :)
# Posted By charlie griefer
| 1/8/07 2:03 AM
Neil - parents only. Mainly for the violence although there is one brief shot of nudity. Plus - I just don't think a child will get or even enjoy the film.
# Posted By Raymond Camden
| 1/8/07 5:02 AM
We saw Children of Men this weekend and were very impressed. I thought it was very powerful and incredibly well made. Definitely parents only -- heavy stuff.
We rented Lady in the Water on the advice of a friend who said it was profound and affected them deeply. When it was over we looked at each other and burst out laughing. How will we ever face our friend again?
We rented Lady in the Water on the advice of a friend who said it was profound and affected them deeply. When it was over we looked at each other and burst out laughing. How will we ever face our friend again?
# Posted By rdb
| 1/8/07 8:05 AM
Well, read some reviews ray. The only thing that would "likely" cause babies to cease to be born would not just be something that would cause a fertility problem, but a complete disfunctional intimacy issue all together. My guess is that would be more of an issue to most than the lack of having children to most.
On the flip side, it is a shame that when we look at average population growth in America the figures are so tainted. Our population is not growing enough for the workforce to be replaced. Yes there are enough children being born. Yet, what is the number of those who actually reach the work force, and how many of them are legal Americans? Now... not an alarmest view like the movies because it's pretty close. What we need to realize is things we have created like social security rise and fall on having a sufficient workforce to fund the system. We had a baby boomer society that was followed by a lesser cycle and that is the type of challenges we face keeping our systems to which we have made ourselves dependent.
The movie does sound interesting... thought provoking to make us all think about our values. Are children our future only if they are still being born. Do we focus on our children because we want them to know truth, or so they can fit into society. (It seems this movie accurately brings some overtone that being politically correct challenges an honest reality check... any comments on that?)
On the flip side, it is a shame that when we look at average population growth in America the figures are so tainted. Our population is not growing enough for the workforce to be replaced. Yes there are enough children being born. Yet, what is the number of those who actually reach the work force, and how many of them are legal Americans? Now... not an alarmest view like the movies because it's pretty close. What we need to realize is things we have created like social security rise and fall on having a sufficient workforce to fund the system. We had a baby boomer society that was followed by a lesser cycle and that is the type of challenges we face keeping our systems to which we have made ourselves dependent.
The movie does sound interesting... thought provoking to make us all think about our values. Are children our future only if they are still being born. Do we focus on our children because we want them to know truth, or so they can fit into society. (It seems this movie accurately brings some overtone that being politically correct challenges an honest reality check... any comments on that?)
# Posted By John Farrar
| 1/8/07 8:45 AM
Haven't seen Children of Men, but definitely want to.
The Sixth Sense was wonderful. Unbreakable was so fricking *slow* to be unbearable - its like he sat with a stopwatch to see how long he could go without having anyone do or say anything ("Bruce, just walk around a bit, we've got another two minutes to waste"). I loved Signs, all except for the director's cameo (he can't act for crap). I guessed The Village within a few minutes and was horribly let down with the whole thing. I'll probably borrow Lady in the Water from someone at some point mainly because i want to see *how* bad it is.
I took my family to see Night at the Museum and was plesantly surprised - it was better than I thought it would be, given I don't like Ben Stiller, though I couldn't stand Rick Gervais' part as he was unfunny.
The Sixth Sense was wonderful. Unbreakable was so fricking *slow* to be unbearable - its like he sat with a stopwatch to see how long he could go without having anyone do or say anything ("Bruce, just walk around a bit, we've got another two minutes to waste"). I loved Signs, all except for the director's cameo (he can't act for crap). I guessed The Village within a few minutes and was horribly let down with the whole thing. I'll probably borrow Lady in the Water from someone at some point mainly because i want to see *how* bad it is.
I took my family to see Night at the Museum and was plesantly surprised - it was better than I thought it would be, given I don't like Ben Stiller, though I couldn't stand Rick Gervais' part as he was unfunny.
# Posted By Damien McKenna
| 1/8/07 9:16 AM
Highlander II was so bad, it ruined the first movie me as well.
I haven't seen Children of Men, but what I have seen in the previews and the trailers I do not think I will go see it anytime soon. It is movies like these that makes me not like Science Fiction.
Here is the problem with most Science Fiction. It is the future. Things look bleak. Conditions are horrible. Isn't that kind of depressing. The other problem with Science Fiction is that producers and writers feel they to explain everything.
I haven't seen Children of Men, but what I have seen in the previews and the trailers I do not think I will go see it anytime soon. It is movies like these that makes me not like Science Fiction.
Here is the problem with most Science Fiction. It is the future. Things look bleak. Conditions are horrible. Isn't that kind of depressing. The other problem with Science Fiction is that producers and writers feel they to explain everything.
# Posted By David Fekke
| 1/8/07 10:46 AM
My wife saw that movie and then later finished reading The Kite Runner. She had very strange dreams.
she told me to go see it which i will when I have some time.
she told me to go see it which i will when I have some time.
# Posted By Kebab Dylan
| 1/8/07 10:55 AM
just testing this flex blog entry
# Posted By shull
| 3/21/08 7:05 AM
your time/date doesnt show on the Entrys for 'Posted At'
# Posted By shull
| 3/21/08 7:06 AM
IMO, The Village was horrible! I saw it in the theater and had figured out the plot about 20 minutes into the movie. Seems to me like Night is getting more predictable. I wasn't a big fan of Unbreakable either come to think of it. Sixth Sense was great though - someone told me what happened and somehow I was still shocked and surprised at the ending.