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	Children Of Men
	Alfonso Cuarón Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Charlie Hunnam, Claire-Hope Ashitey, Pam Ferris, Danny Huston, Peter Mullan 2006		In his skilled, unsettling, unforgettable screen adaptation of P.D. James' dystopian sci-fi novel The Children of Men, Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón embraces the project's inherent topical resonance to potent effect. It's a harrowing tale from the get-go: Most of the world is reduced to anarchy by the year 2027. Humankind has lost the ability to reproduce and is heading toward extinction. A fascist British government is roiled by terrorism, and maintains order by sending illegal immigrants and other undesirables to internment camps. While listlessly moving through this violent, hopeless situation, cynical bureaucrat Theo unexpectedly encounters Julian, a woman from his activist past. Julian asks him to help transport a girl who has a secret that could save civilization. Theo is reluctant to take on the task, but he's soon caught between warring forces that covet the girl or are trying to kill her. Clive Owen is marvelous as the conflicted, basically decent Theo; he's supported by a superlative cast that includes Julianne Moore as Julian, and the always reliable Michael Caine as Theo's aging stoner pal Jasper. Over the past few years, Cuarón has directed a number of beautifully crafted, provocative, extremely watchable movies that combine art-house smarts with a commercial sensibility (e.g. "Y Tu Mamá También," "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban"). "Children of Men," an exciting and convincing invention, holds to that high standard.


	Wednesday, December 18, 2024





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