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Thursday, September 25, 2008

It's Scary 'Cause it's True

I am a huge huge fan of dystopian literature. It appeals to my pessimistic nature, sometimes I prefer to see the big grey cloud instead of the happy silver lining.

Children of Men fast became one of my top 10 movies ever. Clive Owen is superb and don't get me started on Julianne Moore 'cause this post would never end. The basic plot is man the species has become extinct and England is totalitarian government. The stark visuals are unbelievable. And there's a hat trick; director Alfonso Cuaron wanted an animal every scene, watch for it.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the awesome film was based on a novel by P.D. James. The book is different from the film but it's an amazing story. Ms. James (I'm being formal 'cause I don't know her first name) is a challenging writer, though the story takes place some years in the future, the writing feels Victorian almost. My fave scene in the novel happens when all the middle aged ladies with time on their hands from not being able to fuss over grandchildren, start treating china dolls like babies. One tweed clad woman comes up to the other and takes the doll and smashes it against the wall. Greatness, indeed.

Boyfriend liked the movie because there is a chick holding her severed arm.

3 comments:

Lydia said...

love love love children of men. soooo amazingly good, sad, scary, eye opening....ah! loved it!

next time you come out here you so totally need to go to the sci-fi museum with us!

Anonymous said...

I'm a huge Clive Owen fan, but I was very disappointed in this film.
The book is one of my favorites; quite a departure for Dame James.
I wish the film had kept at least a little of the optimism of the book, as well as it's quirkiness. I felt the film was overly dark and I didn't like how Theo was nothing at all like the Oxford professor of the novel.
Oh well, at least it starred Clive.

phairhead said...

lydia, sci-fi museum. we are so there!

MQ, couldn't leave a comment on yr blog over on livejournel. so big anglophile too! I HEART DAVID TENNANT!!