Children of Men
 

So I finally got around to watching Children of Men today. Holy crap. I haven't been so moved by a film in ages, what a truly powerful piece of filmmaking! I really felt somehow like I was a part of the story, it pulled me in and didn't let go until the credits rolled. Some scenes are so tense I was actually sitting on my couch, leaning forwardwith my teeth and my fists clenched; and the action scenes were incredibly fluid and brutally realistic.

I think the most amazing thing about it was the way it was filmed; almost every scene is done as one continuous shot, rather than multiple angles and cuts. The effect of this is that your perspective is constant, which reinforces the feeling of being a part of the action. The tremendous amount of work that must have gone into choreographing this film is truly awe-inspiring.

If you haven't seen this film, go out and buy a copy of it IMMEDIATELY and set aside time to watch the entire thing. You won't regret it. This is one of the most brilliant films I have ever seen.

Anyone else seen it? What did you think?

RE: Children of Men
 

ya.. i saw it a while back at a tournament and i thought it was very good.

i think one scene was a continous 11 minutes and it made some record of longest unedited scene. it has a very good plot and set in the perfect time zone. very well done.

RE: Children of Men
 

If your talking about the one where they are running through the road and then into the building it is actually 2 shots not one. They just edited it to look like one. If you watch closely there will be blood on the lens then it just disappears at one point. They way they do it though it just slowly fades out so you don't notice it. Just a heads up, but it is an incredible movie! I should go rent it... hmmm...

Josh

RE: Children of Men
 

I haven't seen it yet, but it sounds like it's pretty good.

I think the movie that moved me most will probably always be "Crash". Such an amazing movie.

RE: Children of Men
 

ya.. crash is pretty deep

RE: Children of Men
 

your probalby right, but wasn't there some scene in that movie that won an award? and yes that was the scene i was talking about. if iremember correctly, its where they get into the city, gothrough it, run into the building and get shot at by a tank, and live to tell about it

RE: Children of Men
 

One of the little touches I liked was when he goes to visit his cousin, the Minister, and they're standing next to the window - outside the window is one of those huge parade balloons, just floating in place on its tethers. Thing is, it's shaped like a pig - a giant flying pig. I guess it's supposed to represent the ironyin the plot; the irony of the immortality of youth. Any thoughts?

RE: Children of Men
 

HEY, THAT WAS MY THING!! But it was a great movie, im gonna have to watch it again tomarrow now...DAMN YOU!!

RE: Children of Men
 

I agree! What an excellent movie. I had to go get the book after seeing it twice. I liked the way they used imagery alone to tell so much of the story. There are so many things you pick up on that are unspoken. Ah geez, I'm gonna have to go watch it now! I'm getting no sleep tonight, thanks!

The movie did receive an academy award nomination for its single shot scenes, but they are not actual single shots. They are stitched together from multiple shots and aided by CGI in some cases (in the long car ride scene, the roof of the car was CGI).

One interesting tidbit: Michael Caine's character is supposed to be like an older John Lennon; he knew him personally and built the character around his personal experiences with Lennon. Pretty cool.

Oh, I almost forgot, the flying pig is a reference to the Pink Floyd album Animals.

RE: Children of Men
 

Yup! But to the untrained eye it does look like a single shot.

Josh