Children of Men Sunday, Jun 22 2008 

4 stars and dvd and thriller , , , Humaira 9:24 pm

Imagine a world without children. Without pregnancy. A life of infertility.

A life without hope where the world is collapsing under the crushing weight of infertility, and refugees from all countries are coming to Britain. Yet they are treated in terrible conditions and live in slums.

Theo Farron is abducted by his former wife Julian and asked to transport a young refugee girl to the mythical Human Project which claims to have the answer to the infertility that ravages their world.

After a surprise attack where Julian is killed, Kee – the girl in question, reveals that she is pregnant. It is then up to Theo to transport this fragile but resilient girl through the refugee camps to the boat that houses the Human Project and perhaps save mankind.

Its a slow film to start with as it sets everything up. I thought I’d end up not liking it because I couldn’t identify with a world without children. It just seems like such an alien idea as the world is already overcrowded as it is. But, as the story progresses and the characters revere this pregnant girl with deity like status I started to feel the impact of a world without children.

Theo is a reluctant hero, but he doesn’t shirk his duties when he realises what’s at stake. He seems like a very real and very ordinary man thrust into this unusual situation.

The scene where the baby is crying and everyone, including the army men are stunned into silence is one of the most powerful one yet.

This is a hard film to watch, but its shot in a documentary style which makes it feel like you’re actually there.

Random fact: Kee’s name is a homophone for “chi” (also can be pronounced CHEE) which means the energy or force of life itself.

4 stars out of 5.

Children Of Men (2-disc Special Edition) [2006]

 

King Arthur Monday, May 26 2008 

3 stars and dvd , , Humaira 8:45 pm

King Arthur tells of the origins of the Arthur myth.

Arthur is a Roman soldier who’s men have been enslaved in the Roman regime for 15 years. Guinevere is a warrior princess of the rebel Woads, a Celtic people who resist Roman rule, and definitely not the wilting flower as portrayed in legend. And the knights are elite warriors who dream of freedom.

The knights are charged with evacuating a Roman family, one of whom is the god son and favourite student of the Pope, before they can earn their freedom and safe passage through the Roman empire. They must also battle the Saxons and learn that freedom comes at a price, one that is changed half way through.

To be honest, the first half of the film was OK, I was pleasantly surprised to see Mads Mikelson as Tristan. Clive Owen is perfect as Arthur and Keira Knightley lights up the screen as fierce warrior queen Guinevere, but the second half is just one boring and very long battle.

I fast forwarded through the battle scene and was just willing it to end, I was that bored! But, I would only recommend this if you like any of the lead actors and are curious to know what the film is like for yourself.

Random fact: According to Ioan Gruffudd (Lancelot), it took him months to grow the “scraggly” beard his character sports during the film. In addition, due to his Celtic heritage (Gruffudd is Welsh), the beard kept growing in red and had to be “painted” each day before filming, to match his brown hair.

I’d give this 3 out of 5 stars.

Rent this one, rather than buy I’d say.