The Movie "Children of Men"

[toblix]

Does it ever explicitly state that either sex is infertile?

It does, it does. At least, I think it does.

Also, the whole scripted sequence thing, with the mouselook and all that, Marek? I totally (as far as I know) did not even think about that! I was just talking about the mood and setting, but you're so right. That movie is like the scripted sequence from Heaven.

[Moosferatu]

I'm fairly confident that the movie never says what the infertility is due to.

[Wrestlevania]

Does it ever explicitly state that either sex is infertile?

In one scene early on, Michael Caine's character finishes a line with, "...now that woman can't make babies." But I wouldn't say that really makes it much clearer.

[Nachimir]

I'm impressed.

Clive Owen has a kind of everyman quality that would make him work as the main character to a game... his character in Children of Men certainly slipped off my empathic radar, and I'm not sure if that helped me become more immersed in the world or not.

The tracking shots are indeed stunning. If you're intersted in that from a technical standpoint then Russian Ark might be worth a look, as the whole 90 minutes was done in one shot (It's nothing like Children of Men though, being a meandering, non-linear account of various periods of Russian history).

I also impressed that the protagonist is only ever running from guns, seldom commits any violence, and is all round a hero without being the typical cinematic alpha male type.

The aesthetic in HL2 was a fairly simple trick, which Children of Men did diverge from: A fascist state filled with rotting architecture, but bathed in golden sunshine. The large, slightly decrepit brick railway station in my hometown always reminds me of HL2 near sunset, what with the tannoy announcements.

[Salka]

Does it ever explicitly state that either sex is infertile? As far as I'm aware it didn't really ever go into the cause of the lack of children (although I could have easily missed this as I was sitting next to Rusalka; who insists on talking during all the important and best bits of films and remaining silent during the boring bits :-P )

To say Clive Owen acted in the film is giving him far too much credit, he read out all the lines in a monotone voice, never adding a single hint of emotion to any of them. But besides the bad acting the movies was one of the best I've seen in a while, good story, some amazing unbroken shots and great sets.

I distinctly remember us BOTH talking through the important parts as Spaff had a go at both of us for talking.... And anyway if the important parts hadn't been ruined by rubbish acting, we would never have had that problem, since all I was doing was mocking everything Clive 'stupid rubbish actor' Owens said.

Man, the way I am whining about it, you'd think I hated it... but I in fact really liked it...

Michael Caines comment about women not being able to make babies was probably just down to men always blaming it on the women because they're afraid to admit they're shooting blanks, look at Henry VIII as a kind-of-example, he got all pissy because he couldn't have a son or some shit like that, it was all his fault but of course he assumed it was the fault of the woman but really gender is decided by spunk or something.

[MrChlorophyll]

Or, he was merely stating that women were, in fact, no longer having babies? Regardless of who is at fault, no babies being born.

A very non-specific statement.

Also: I have always liked Clive Owen, I don't care what anyone says.

[Nick]

Good flim, Clive Owen's acting was utter crap however. He wasn't the only one though, there were a few quite bad actors in there and I'm not usually one to care. To balance it out there were some good characters and actors in there also.

The film itself and the camera work was ace

[Marek]

The large, slightly decrepit brick railway station in my hometown always reminds me of HL2 near sunset, what with the tannoy announcements.

Heh I had this when I went on holidays to Hungary two years ago. I was seeing HL2 everywhere.

[toblix]

If you're intersted in that from a technical standpoint then Russian Ark might be worth a look, as the whole 90 minutes was done in one shot (It's nothing like Children of Men though, being a meandering, non-linear account of various periods of Russian history).

Also, if you're more mainstream there's Timecode, which is a 90-minute movie consisting of four 90-minute takes (that's right!). It's like 24 on crack.

[Mr. Burger]

I thought Children of Men was robbed at the Oscars, which only makes it that much better.

Damn it I have the same signature as Moosferatu.

[Nachimir]

There's a reel of all the graphics, fake adverts, etc. from the film here. Also, here's a direct link to download it.

[Roderick]

No, thenk yuo.

[Erkki]

No, thenk yuo.

You have become a spam bot!

[Roderick]

Someone deleted the spambot above me and ruined my pithy repartee

[Armchair General]

I saw your response and I thought it was funny Rodi.

For your wit, I thenk yuo.

[Nappi]

Yeah, thenkyuo for resurrecting more than 4 year old thread for no reason, Rodi. I was expecting Children of Men 2: Teens of Men or something to have been announced.

Edit: I am kidding.

Edited September 20, 2011 by Nappi

[Nachimir]

It was the spam bot that resurrected the thread. Also, this film was on Sky TV last night. Is NewCorp now running spam bots too?

(Man… start offering "Transmedia SEO" in the right circles and you could probably sell that shit for millions :/ ).

[James]

I guess if you're going to have fun with spam bots it's probably safest to quote the post.

[Sleepdance]

*Ahem* http://www.idlethumbs.net/forums/showthread.php?t=7493&highlight=bots

[Denial]

Trivia: "Children of Men" is a quote from Psalm 90:

Thou turnest man to destruction;

and sayest, Return, ye children of men.

For a thousand years in thy sight

are but as yesterday when it is past, 2 Pet. 3.8

and as a watch in the night.

Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep:

in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.

In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up;

in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.

Short version: "Return, ye children of men" means "time to die, humans".