It’s unfortunate that Alfonso Cuarón’s film Children of Men never found the audience it deserved, at least theatrically. Sure, it has been hailed as one of the best films of the year it was released, is often cited as one of the best science fiction films of the 21st century and was critically praised but for whatever reason, the audiences didn’t show up. The film lost money on its theatrical release. But Cuarón’s film is brilliant. It’s powerful. And it leaves you with a sense of hope for humanity.
Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our Disease Films series with Cuarón’s 2006 film Children of Men. We talk about the theme of hope and the religious overtones within the film, looking at why they work here and how they differ from the original novel written by P.D. James. We chat about Cuarón and his penchant for long shots, noting how there are over 30 minutes of shots in this movie that run 45 seconds or longer in single takes. We look at what it takes for Cuarón and his team to pull off these incredibly complicated shots. We discuss the performances, including Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Caine and Clare-Hope Ashitey, and why Owen should’ve been nominated for an Oscar. And we deliberate on why this film was critically received so well but never quite found its footing.
It’s a marvelous film well worth watching and discussing. We enjoy talking about it here, so what are you waiting for? Tune in!
