Films/DVD Asylum

• We'll just have to disagree about this one... - Harmonia 21:04:00 02/19/08 (1)
  In Reply to: RE: A brave try... posted by Jazz Inmate on February 19, 2008 at 17:47:49

  Stephanie Zacharek in her Salon review says pretty much everything I feel about CoM - only she says it much better than i ever could. (See below). There's not many modern movies I'm passionate about but this is one. Thrilling. To me, anyway.

  This and Pan were the only films I saw in 2006 where I immediately wanted to run back in and see them again.

  Clark and I and several others here will never get over CoM not being nominated for BP or Cuaron fro BD, though of course as I always say, there are far more great movies that didn't won the Oscar than there are great movies that did.

  As for CoM, be careful how you interpret what's up on the screen - Cuaron deliberately leaves a lot open to interpretation by the viewer. CoM can be a difficult movie to read because it is so very dense (not necessarily complex, as it's essentially the story of one man's inner journery). The story is told primarily visually, much of it in the corners and margins of the frames. And there is a *lot* going on, if you read it. CoM infuriated hardliners on both the left and the right, a sure sign to me that it's doing something right. Finally, CoM is a genre film, and unashamed of the confines that imposes.

  I'm delighted that HD DVD threw in the towel so now I can look forward to owning this someday sooner on BD. You can keep Babel, as I'll never want to own it.

  Cuaron is my favorite Amigo, for this film, and for Y Tu Mama Tambien, HP3, The Little Princess and a very underrated (if slightly flawed) modern version of Great Expectations.
  

  • Salon.com Review of Children of Men   (Open in New Window)

  
  

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  Edits: 02/19/08   02/19/08
  • There's no doubt Cuarón is hugely gifted - Jazz Inmate 00:47:41 02/20/08 (0)
    In Reply to: RE: We'll just have to disagree about this one... posted by Harmonia on February 19, 2008 at 21:04:00

    I even liked his Harry Potter film, especially compared to the other Potter films (which may not be saying much). But the reason CoM upset people on the left and right is because it cast the terrorsts and government as equivalent. And while the left might believe that terrorists have greater justification in their actions than government, and the right may believe the opposite, I am so tired of the Hollywood premise that "both are equal", which appeared to be a theme of CoM. It is such an easy idea that it requires and commands no real thought. The story was empty rhetoric about saving the world in the backdrop of this human impotence that was never explained and only served to emotionally manipulate the audience about the hopelessness in the future.

    The roles played by race and gender were not interesting. If the movie really wanted to make a gutsy statement about a black woman or baby being the future or the savior of humanity, why did we need a white male to protect them until he became a martyr? I saw the entire vision of the future and salvation of humanity as nothing but a cheap attempt at transgression to make up for the ills of the past. The Michael Cain character was like a John Lenon figure, smoking reefer and getting martyred himself. It really bothered me, and not because it was good but because it was so superficial. It may have masqueraded as a complicated exposition, but the story was simple and the message was telegraphed right down the name emblazoned on the ship at the end.

    It wasn't only the story but many of Cuarón's choices that I didn't like, including the shakey/handheld camera during the action sequences.
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    "I have found that if you love life, life will love you back." -Arthur Rubinstein (1887-1982)
    
    

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    Edits: 02/20/08

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