Children of Men

[Sarah]

So I just watched this thing.  Will someone explain to me why it got four stars and hysterical praise from all kinds of critics?  Don't get me wrong, I thought it was perfectly all right, but I'm mystified by the over-the-top fawning.  I get that there are action sequences that were shot in single long takes, which is nifty, but is that enough to merit all the enthusiasm?  I think not.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

I loved it, for all the stated reasons - compelling story, great metaphor for contemporary capitalist malaise and the death of ideology, great action sequences, Michael Caine as a hippie.  I also love the Slavoj Zizek special feature on the DVD, because Zizek rules and I will unleash a dinosaur army of Stalinist superegos on the Petit Objet a of anyone who argues otherwise.

[Laurie]

Oh man, I have to add that to my queueueue. There's nothing like watching Žižek in a boat saying, "I want to fuck Mitch."

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Oh man, I have to add that to my queueueue. There's nothing like watching Žižek in a boat saying, "I want to fuck Mitch."

You and your fancy Slovenian Z's.  Did you buy those?

Where/when does he say that? 

I'm screening the documentary Žižek! in my class this semester.  I wonder what the kids'll make of it.

[Laurie]

Oh man, I have to add that to my queueueue. There's nothing like watching Žižek in a boat saying, "I want to fuck Mitch."

You and your fancy Slovenian Z's.  Did you buy those?

Where/when does he say that? 

I'm screening the documentary Žižek! in my class this semester.  I wonder what the kids'll make of it.

The Pervert's Guide to Cinema, regarding Hitchcock's The Birds.

[bruce]

Am I the only one who read the book and watched the film going ok where is the plot from the book.

The single shot through the battle was pretty cool though.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Oh man, I have to add that to my queueueue. There's nothing like watching Žižek in a boat saying, "I want to fuck Mitch."

You and your fancy Slovenian Z's.  Did you buy those?

Where/when does he say that? 

I'm screening the documentary Žižek! in my class this semester.  I wonder what the kids'll make of it.

The Pervert's Guide to Cinema, regarding Hitchcock's The Birds.

Whoa, I am Netflixing that shit right now.  Awesome.

Bruce, I bought the book after seeing the movie but haven't read it yet.

[Martin]

Yeah, Jason, you should totally see The Pervert's Guide to Cinema - 100% Zizek overload. I love when he re-visits all the "scenes of the crime", like The Birds, The Conversation, etc.

[Chris L]

I liked it.  It wasn't great but it was pretty damn good.  Between this and Y Tu Mama Tambien that director is amassing a helluva track record.  Didn't like Y Tu Mama Tambien?  Put on your WRONG shoes and dance the blues.*

*with apologies to Andrew Earles

[samir]

I agree with what Mr. Grote said, although it always pains me to see my city laid to waste on film.
The Pink Floyd album cover reference was neat, too.
AND! The girl with the baby went to middle school with my sister. FACT.

[erika]

Am I the only one who read the book and watched the film going ok where is the plot from the book.

The single shot through the battle was pretty cool though.

I watched the movie, then read the book, and for once I liked the movie better.

[Gilly]

Am I the only one who read the book and watched the film going ok where is the plot from the book.

Nope.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

I agree with what Mr. Grote said, although it always pains me to see my city laid to waste on film.
The Pink Floyd album cover reference was neat, too.
AND! The girl with the baby went to middle school with my sister. FACT.

Damn, Samir, I sense a competitor in the name-dropping contest.  Maybe Laurie and I should make like Hillary Clinton and John Edwards and Kucinich you.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Yeah, Jason, you should totally see The Pervert's Guide to Cinema - 100% Zizek overload. I love when he re-visits all the "scenes of the crime", like The Birds, The Conversation, etc.

It's not on Netflix.  Sob.  Maybe I'll buy it.

[Sarah]

I liked Y Tu Mama Tambien much more than I liked Children of Men.  The latter I just didn't think was so special.  The story is hackneyed with a couple of annoying holes (the mysterious deus ex machine of the Human Project and the silliness of one baby making all the difference:  there'd have to be mass fertility for the tide to be turned in humanity's favor), the metaphor heavy-handed, the acting acceptable but nuttin' special.  Michael Caine's character was a caricature, however likable.  Owen's was a stereotype.  The whole thing, in fact, was a cliché--well-done and reasonably interesting/entertaining but a cliché nonetheless.  The action, I grant you, was done well, but I think it should take more than snazzy action sequences to earn four stars. 

I call Emperor's New Clothes.