I watched two well done but pretty bleak movies this weekend. The first was Children of Men. This one tells a story of a world gone mad after a series of cataclysmic events. It's a world devoid of children. There have been no babies born in 18 years. No one knows why. A flu pandemic is mentioned but the rest of it is left to our imaginations with just a clue here and there being dropped for us to ponder. Great Britain is a police state that is trying to close their borders and round up all immigrants. There are rebel forces organizing an "uprising" against the police state. Clive Owen tries to navigate all of this with a woman who can do something that hasn't been done in 18 years: Give birth ... and hope, I suppose. The movie is very well done as I said but rather bleak. The film doesn't have much faith in government or humanity. I still liked it. Great soundtrack.
The next one I watched was Breach. Patsy watched this one with me and was surprisingly engrossed by it. She doesn't usually like spy movies. This one is based on the true story of Robert Hanssen, who was convicted of espionage. Chris Cooper plays Hanssen as paranoid and enigmatic. He is not at all likable in this. The film wisely didn't go into the whys of what he was doing. Most of what I had read in news accounts of this story were included in the film. I had read about his desire for an exit plan from his handlers and that he secretly videotaped his wife and himself making love and passed the tape around. I'm not sure how much of the rest of it is true and how much was embellished to suit Hollywood. This film is very well done.
Quote of the Day
As the sound of the playgrounds faded, the despair set in. Very odd, what happens in a world without children's voices.
Miriam, Children of Men
Blog of the day here.
Quote from said blog: "I still feel strongly that Universal has taken a bad beat on the accusations that they are burying a film that could easily sell."
I've seen both these movies and liked "Breach" more than "Children of Men." (Sci-fi usually doesn't do it for me. And this was no exception.)
I doubt many in the public appreciate the extent of the damage caused by Hanssen's treachery. We probably haven't been told the full extent. Very compelling movie. For me Chris Cooper is one of those actors where I have to answer the question "Why shouldn't watch this movie?" rather than "why should I?".
K-
Thanks for the info on "Children of Men." I remember the commercials & had wanted to see it. I'll probably like it, considering that I don't have much faith in the gov't or humanity, either.
I think I liked Breach better, too, Kem. And I totally agree with you on Cooper. His film choices are amazing. He's been in some of the very best movies I've seen in the last few years. Lone Star, American Beauty, and October Sky to name three of my faves.
Anxious to hear what you think of it, Lana.