Children of Men (2006) predicts the present
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by Troler
Free Software fundamentally misses the point. It fails on a practical, ideological, economic, and political level. Let’s examine precisely how (in a slightly different order for the purposes of presentation).
When I left school, I came to be divorced from all the children. Gone are the halls of pre-adolescent boys and girls, laughing and running. Gone are the conversations I had with them about sex. Now I am in college, the only kids I see are behind wire fence in the kindergarten. There is no need to fret, for what was lost, was gained elsewhere. Now I have coursemates, people from various corners of Lithuania, with various beliefs, various backgrounds. One of them, let's call him Jack, lived two decades in UK. There, he came to understand the true color of the British. Unlike the bright red, white, blue in the Union Jack, there he found less saturation, less joy. Jack spoke of the dying country, the apathetic people and the struggling economy. ↩ Reply
When I came to watch Alfonso Cuarón's dystopian film Children of Men, the UK depicted seemed quite up par to what I've heard. That UK had outlawed immigration. Looking at the present day land, if not for influx of migrants, the Kingdom would become a Kill-dome with how fast the population is aging. No need for a world-wide infertility disease. ↩ Reply
![[embedded image]](/pictures/user_upload/Troler/WECC94MO7SOBBPAL.jpg "I swear, feet are thematically important, they represent the walk of determination for a goal higher than oneself")
I swear, feet are thematically important, they represent the walk of determination for a goal higher than oneself ↩ Reply
It could argued that my understanding of demographics of UK and of the attitude of the native pops is highly skewed by a single source. Such would've been before. But after watching the film, my worldview has once again changed. That's all due to Cuarón understanding the tension and climax. ↩ Reply
Surely, it seems the words are an exaggeration. How come having gratifying tension and climax can alter the way one interprets the world. It's not like Michael Bay has altered society in an unseen way. Well... Michael Bay made me rethink of the way I perceive emotion, human contact. If one director was able to achieve such a thing, why wouldn't an another be as well? ↩ Reply
Every seeming detail in Children of Men is used as a setup for a powerful payoff, later on. This Chekhov's gun type of technique was used when it was shown that the protagonist Theo Faron (Clive Owen) carried a pistol with him to work, it is a dystopian, full-of-violence UK, so it is normal to be armed. The movie starts of with an explosion of a café. The viewers were already perked up to expect Bayhem!. Roughly half an hour later after the pistol was shown, the protagonist was stopped by the police. He took out the gun and shot the officers, gratifying the setup. Such setups and payoffs occur over and over, and over again. c:1 ↩ Reply
At the same time, it increases tension. When there is knowledge about a specific car needing a jump-start so it could drive, it makes the lead-up to the action more suspenseful. ↩ Reply
It is in part achieved by the hand-held, long shots. Alfonso Cuarón avoids cutting if possible. This way the tension keeps building and building. In a sense, it's similar to boiling water with the lid on: the water having no way to release the pressure, keeps bubbling and bubbling, until it bursts out with feist and flank. It's all thanks to Emmanuel Lubezki for being able to keep up with the demands of the director. ↩ Reply
The funny thing is, Blender Dumbass noted that the cinematographer had a Lithuanian Jewish (Litvak) grandfather. What he did not bring up, is the fact that grandfather, Max Lubezki, was born in the city where I study. It's not the capital Vilnius, it's not the second largest city - Kaunas, neither is it third or fourth in population. Max left Lithuania during the Interwar period, when there were no more than 10 thousand people living in the city in question. ↩ Reply
I want to reflect how small of a probability it was that there was a cinematographer, whose grandfather was born in that particular city. In the city, one where I currently live. Jack, having experience the life in that country spoke few times about the course where Lithuania is headed. According to him, after 30 or so years Lithuania is going to be in the same boat as UK is currently in. He has doubts whether it is going to be as horrid, although birthrate decrease and migration are going to become more contentious than before. c:2 ↩ Reply
![[embedded image]](/pictures/user_upload/Troler/6NPDF9RKKXVEIRCB.jpg "Yes, even feet sculptures are justified, they're needed for corpses and having realistic close-ups")
Yes, even feet sculptures are justified, they're needed for corpses and having realistic close-ups ↩ Reply
According to my friend, Lithuania is headed towards Children of Men. ↩ Reply
Fin ↩ Reply
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Blender Dumbass
c:0 February 21, 2026 Gone are the conversation I had with them about sex.
It is a bit too much information, Vincent, but go ahead.
... replies ( 1 )
Blender Dumbass
c:1 February 21, 2026 Roughly half an hour later after the pistol was shown, the protagonist was stopped by the police. He took out the gun and shot the officers, gratifying the setup.
⤴ ViewI don't think you are talking about the Clive Owen character here. I think you are talking about Chiwetel Ejiofor character.
Blender Dumbass
c:2 February 21, 2026 I want to reflect how small of a probability it was that there was a cinematographer, whose grandfather was born in that particular city. In the city, one where I currently live
⤴ ViewMe thinking about Spielberg's grandparents being from Ukraine. LOL
Troler
c:3 February 21, 2026... c:0
Blender Dumbass c:0 February 21, 2026 Gone are the conversation I had with them about sex.
It is a bit too much information, Vincent, but go ahead.
@blenderdumbass Thank you for your understanding, Jules
Troler
c:4 February 21, 2026... c:1
Blender Dumbass c:1 February 21, 2026 Roughly half an hour later after the pistol was shown, the protagonist was stopped by the police. He took out the gun and shot the officers, gratifying the setup.
⤴ ViewI don't think you are talking about the Clive Owen character here. I think you are talking about Chiwetel Ejiofor character.
@blenderdumbass Yes...
![[thumbnail]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fc/Children_of_men_ver4.jpg/250px-Children_of_men_ver4.jpg)
![[thumbnail]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7e/After_the_Hunt_poster.jpg/250px-After_the_Hunt_poster.jpg)