I think "litmus test" is a great phrase for this film.

Not only has it divided film fans, but it's divided them in such a way that each camp just doesn't seem to get the other. I mean, I loved The Night Listener, but, while I was disappointed by the lukewarm response in this forum, I could understand why someone wouldn't like it as much as me. On the other hand, I was a little bit bored (and let down) by Pan's Labyrinth, but didn't lose sight of why someone else might love it.

Now, I really wanted to hate Children of Men, but was astonished by it despite myself. I didn't plan on seeing it because I've overdosed on dystopian sci-fi in my time, and exected a tired rehash of all those Monster-Behind-the-Iron-Curtain themes than just don't seem that relevant anymore. I also didn't want to see it because Snrub liked it and recommended it, and he hates it when I flat out refuse to see his favourite films.

Anyway, I ended up seeing it and thought that it was the best film I'd seen in years. But was surprises me is, I really can't understand in this case why anyone wouldn't like it. I actually went to Rotten Tomatoes and browsed the rare handful of rotten reviews, but just didn't "get" them. What they were saying just didn't seem connected in anyway to the film I saw. And those who find themselves on the other side of the fence, judging by this forum, seem equally exasperated and baffled by those who do - it's like some are taking the overwhelming positive response to it almost personally.

I don't think that it's a touchstone for who "gets" cinema and who doesn't, but it's certainly a good way to gauge whether someone goes to the cinema for the same reason as you. I remember, after seeing The City of Lost Children (which we all loved), one of my friends swore in a moment of fervent devotion that, from then on, he would "vet" potential girlfriends by showing them the film and making sure that they loved it. I'm 99% sure that he never implemented that plan, but still - I think something similar happened to me with Children of Men, in that I think it's a good way of quickly establishing whether someone is on the same cinematic wavelength as me. If I knew that someone didn't like it, I would take his or her film recommendations with a pinch of salt anyway...

Keeping in mind, the "other side of the fence" in this case is still B+/A-. :O :O :o

Anyway, I'm most surprised that Snrub has smart friends. :up: :o

He's not a real doctor, Kypade.

I'd usually take umbrage to this sort of comment. But in the case of Children of Men, I genuinely believe it's true.

Box... make love to me.

Hmm the doctor did warn us one of your conditions was cronic lying.

But the doctor forgot to tell you about his own chronic lying

Nor do I.

Loyal about to engage in a 24 sex orgy with the 5 most beautiful women in the world

Women: Take us now you....................Pleasureboy?
Loyal: Indeed I shall (for the purpose of this post Loyal is a slight snobby nobelman)
Women: Yes help us forget that crap movie we saw before you came.
Loyal: Why what cinematic production was it?
Women: Children of Men
Loyal: (Zips up trousers), I have standards of decency and you ladies are across the line. (turns in a comical manner) Good day to you all.

Walks out door.

I refused to have sex with my girlfriend when she said When a Stranger Calls was a better movie than The Hills Have Eyes. Seriously.

Even snobs find the term "cinematic production" pretentious.

My god

You people act like characters on Desperate Housewives

We're not even together and we still fight about it to this day. It's funny.

Hmmm when I think about it the love/hate Children of Men test should be used everywere.

Examples

Bankmanager: Did you like Children of Men
You: No
Bankmanager: Oh I'm sorry we can't forward you this new loan, oh and did i mention repomen are currently removing your car from your garage

Army Recruit: Welcome to the army son, you'll enjoy the reletive ease of Camp Comfortable Safeland for your 2 year sign-up where you can watch Children of Men over and Over.
You: I don't actually like that movie
Army Recruit: Oh......................did I say Camp Comfortable I meant Camp Slaughter and Pain over in Iraqiranistan.

And the most overrated film of all-time goes to...

Seriously, guys. WTF.

"OMG THIS MOVIE IS AMAZING, IT IS A GROUNDBREAKING FILM. I WISH THERE WAS A HIGHER GRADE THAN AN A+, I WOULD SO GIVE IT TO CoM."

Zingrage (TM). Guaranteed to give off 20% more energy then the next leading rage power supply.

No Zingaling kind of has a point

Scenario A: A group of people that really love a movie, they talk about it for months, they quote it, they praise it, and it's all great. Name for this? Passionate fanbase. Yay!

Scenario B: A group of people insisting that if you don't give the film a perfect mark, you don't 'get' cinema, and you are an unworthy person and film watcher. Name for this grouping? Batshit cult and/or Let's meet up and chop some fucking heads off in the name of Children of Men! fanbase.

No but seriously, the 'If you don't love this movie you don't understand film' argument in treading in baumer's trademark LOTR loonie levels.

You guys are nuts

But I love you

If you dont give CoM a perfect grade, then you're pretty much a rapist... it's that simple.

PM me, I can help you out...

(BTW, I'm not going to be able to make it to this week's head chopping off meeting due to a dentist appointment. Can somebody ask Snrub to chop a couple extra for me? Thanx in advance. See y'all next week...)

From my point of view, I think it's a case of: "If you don't love this movie then you and I have clearly been going to the cinema expecting or wanting two completely different things, so we're unlikely to have helpful discussions about which films are 'good' and which are 'bad', since we're operating from completely different viewpoints."

Have you ever had one of those arguments about politics or current affairs, where it goes on for hours and hours and you get more and more frustrated that you can't make the other guy see how obvious the right answer is, and then you finally seize on a reductio ad absurdem argument that you think will clinch it? "Hang on a second," you go. "You've been saying A and B - right? Well, if A and B are true, then X, Y, and (god help us) even Z must be true!" - where, of course, X, Y, and Z are unthinkable and ridiculous. But sometimes, the other guy just turns round and goes, "Oh, yeah, totally - X, Y, and Z are sound logic, I love that stuff." At which point, the argument usually grinds to a halt because you realise that you're not just disagreeing over twiddly little details - you're actually on completely different planets; you build your opinions from different foundations - you have different ideas about the most basic issues of right and wrong.

Well, Children of Men could do exactly the same for me if the disussion was about cinema, rather than ethics. If I was arguing over films, and I found out that some guy disagreed with me on a number of different movies, then I might try to persuade him by reminding him og specific scenes or selling particular strong points... but if he or she had seen Children of Men and casually went, "Oh, yeah, I thought that was over-rated" then I'd prob'ly run out of steam completely, and think, "Ah, that's the problem - we just aren't looking for the same thing at all." I really rate the film that highly. I wouldn't think that the other guy didn't "get" cinema, I'd just realise that him and I prob'ly didn't share much common ground on the subject.

It's like, say two Christians are discussing some nicety of the New Testament, and the first one can't understand why the second one is disagreeing with everything he says. After a while, the second Christian goes, "What? Oh, no - I think there's been some misunderstanding - I'm actually a Jew..."

CHILDREN OF MEN - 8/10 (B+)

It was really good. A sad, depressing movie.

It is an amazingly original and brilliant film, but not as great as all of you are making it out to be. Now that i have seen it, i do believe that the biggest mistake of this year's Oscars was not giving cinimetogrpahy to it. The camera work was sensational and probably the best "filmed" film i have ever seen. All and all though i should the story was too simple and that there could have been more character development and less action. Definitly a must see though!

B

It's been what? Months? And I'm still deeply moved by the film.


In all honesty, this is easily one of the most moving film experiences I've ever had.

Box has spoken.

I can't wait to see this again. I'm too cheap to buy DVDs anymore (Especially with Netflix), but I might make an exception here. Either way, this is at the top of my queue and ready to arrive on Tuesday. Whoo.

I think my love for the film has...subsided. Greatly.

It now isn't in my top three of the year (Pan's Labyrinth, The Fountain, Little Miss Sunshine)...