Children of Men: Don't Ignore The Background

[@paulm2835]

Not a war movie, yet has some of the most gripping combat I've ever seen. Made a decade ago, still feels fresh. Juxtaposes the noble human with humanity at it's worst seamlessly. Glad I found this near-masterpiece.

[@AA-tb7jm]

@Renan Barone if this isn’t a masterpiece I want to know what is.

[@sameerhafeez7029]

A A it's a damn good movie

[@forrest.0569]

Why you say near?

[@flavio7180]

It is a masterpiece, and it deserves to be ranked quite highly in the list of the best movies of this century so far.

[@scordova98]

It is a masterpiece. And as a combat vet I can tell you this is the most realistic depiction of war I have EVER seen.

[@dreamerx360]

my god. this film was so good. alfonso cuaron had no business going that hard.

[@Aster_Risk]

+dreamerx360 He always goes hard. i don't think he can not do that. :D

[@skateordie002]

They all do, all three of them; they always do.

[@rodrigomedinaniembro5858]

It is his masterpiece. You should see "Y tu mamá también", a mexican film he made back in 2001, right before Children of men. It´s a whole different story, but it is beautiful.

[@manictiger]

@Edgy Boi Idk about that. The early scene has a ton of whites in the cage. I'm guessing Slavic.

[@manictiger]

​@Edgy Boi How's that case in point? If it was white guilt propaganda, it'd be all brown people, but it's not. It's just a government gone completely nuts because the population is completely nuts.

[@YourBeingParanoid]

The scene where the soldiers kneel down and pray as the baby is brought by, is still one of the most powerful moments I've seen captured in film.

[@Mel1lvar]

What I loved in Children of Men was the role animals played. The numerous dogs and cats owned by people, the sheep running through Bexhill, the Deer in the abandoned school, the cows surrounding Kee in the barn, I loved how the presence of animals were almost a replacement for the children the world had lost. Very nice video though it did get a little preachy towards the end.

[@JosephOD]

Kinda like the Nativity story with Theo=Joseph, Kee/Baby= Mary/Jesus and their journey

[@olliemad]

Is it ever touched on why the school is empty? It felt like strange writting.

[@JosephOD]

symbolically emphasize the lack of children, a facility built for them is empty despair basically

[@lfesuzuki]

Schools require students. The youngest person alive was 18 years old.

[@olliemad]

Yeh but where are all the children? Was it a bad school?

[@kittyykatie]

I was rewatching this again and I noticed how Theo slowly has his belongings (thus his identity) taken away. First his shoes at the safehouse... then his watch is taken away at the refugee camp... then his cigarettes when Marichka asks for payment for the room.... and then the brandy when he uses it on Kee when she is in labor.

[@Cosmiclight475]

I don't think he loses his identity. I see it as, the more of his possessions he left behind, the more empathetic and human he became. He was a hero by the end

[@folktheorem]

Perhaps is more about the evolution of his character. Hi got his shoes and watch taken from him by the circumstances, but as you phrased it, he willingly gave his cigarettes and alcohol, which by the way had the only function of helping him to cope with life, since he found meaning in the future, he no longer needed those things. He used them instead to pursue that new meaning.

[@javihache8066]

I see the reflection of his friend Jasper in there... Faith defeating chance...

[@antonsterlin9720]

The loss of his shoes was very Zen, "un-learning" his status and needs (he made due). The loss of his watch parallels Nazi plunder, and pulls back the mask of govt legitimacy. The payment from the "fish" to Theo, the bribe of weed to Sid, the stolen watch, paying the gypsy in cigarettes... it all underlines the greed and selfishness of humanity. In the end it was the faith of Julian, the lowly gypsy and her religious cohorts, and the Miracle of Kee's baby that temporarily unblinded mankind, long enough to save the child. We see that as soon as the baby is away the rebels and military go back to fighting and later an airstike is called in. Theo lost his valuables and found his value.

[@user-fs9ko6wg2o]

豆腐饭

[@25delly]

It's funny how 2027 is just 7 years away. Edit: 3 years away 🥺

[@chriz9959]

i dont think its funny, but i get your point

[@XiangYu94]

Damn. I just woke up and saw this. I think imma go back to sleep lol

[@25delly]

@@XiangYu94 man fuck you 😂😂😂😂 lol

[@luciacuevas611]

Chriz Watts irony

[@wizardgherkin]

Be a lot closer after the election.

[@gdaddy3695]

one of my favorite films. a real masterpiece

[@MatataMcCleskey]

He'll yeah!

[@safwanbabasafwan6762]

Steve the Racist Spider sec Thai

[@paschalmbaka5662]

Still alive man, reply this.

[@dannnsss8034]

A masterpiece? Obviously someone hasn't watched Avatar yet, thank me later.

[@b44442]

@@dannnsss8034 Shyamalan really outdid himself with that one

[@ninab3526]

In the scene where the girl reveals she is pregnant the background was what caught my attention first. The cows as a symbol of fertility. And also pay attention to the behaviour of the other animals! What a masterpiece of a movie.

[@victorgoddamnsullivan7728]

Another painting influence is in the end of the movie. The last shot with Theo on the boat is like Claude Monet's "Soleil Levant". Cuaron really did a masterpiece.

[@chriz9959]

very good observation sir

[@herenotqueer]

Wow thank you for finding that!

[@victorgoddamnsullivan7728]

@@herenotqueer You're welcomed :)

[@MatataMcCleskey]

One of the best movies I've ever seen.

[@Knight-Bishop]

This movie is one of the best I have ever seen; artful, deep, hauntingly relevant 10 years later.

[@manictiger]

Hello, I'm from the year 2020.

[@walterino831]

Hello I'm from the year 2021

[@Knight-Bishop]

🤣

[@thetragedyofcommons]

i’m from the year 2023

[@bluish_blue]

I'm from the year 2022 🤓

[@kimdahyun2893]

this movie aged like fine wine

[@oceania2385]

I agree

[@manictiger]

I don't know if that's a good thing.

[@NiekKuijpers]

The world has aged like milk since it came out

[@fabricegelinas5920]

Still getting better

[@oz4074]

Hey Dahyuna

[@SquareInsider]

Children of Men is probably one of the most underrated, best movies I've seen in decades. I fucking love this brutal realism of this movie. I don't think it's ever been done in such a way. And the cinematography? Seriously the best since T2.

[@NoKapprio]

T2?

[@tomhardy6215]

This movie had phenomenal cinematography, but there are definitely other films that most would agree had better cinematography. For example, Blade Runner 2049 and There Will Be Blood. T2 was a great film but its cinematography wasn't on the same tier as the two I mentioned and Children of Men.

[@davidd4696]

Children of men isn't underrated, noticed by the academy..

[@MemeViceGanda]

Yow whats T2?

[@rbdriftin]

Alfonso Cuaron does something very similar in Y tu mama tambien where the background tells a story about Mexico's political and social landscape.

[@Nerdwriter1]

+Rob B. (driftin) Absolutely. I was more emotionally impacted by Y Tu Mama Tambien, I think. Love that film.

[@rbdriftin]

Nerdwriter1 it's my favourite ever film.

[@Pentay]

+Rob B. (driftin) Hey, nice quote from this video.

[@christianmercado7583]

+Nerdwriter1 Can you make a video essay on Y Tu Mama Tambien please?

[@ubebebeyan]

ɷɷɷ I Haveee Watchedd Thisss Moviee Leakedddd Versionn Hereee : - t.co/RlKbv1hghK

[@joesubel]

I've watched a lot of movies, tv series, anime and the such but the cease fire scene was the first scene where I found myself unable to hold back my tears. Honestly, this scene was so powerful in many ways and even with the majority of good reviews this whole movie is still highly underrated. Stellar storytelling and cinematography.

[@edris4920]

You gotta fucking love at 2:18 with that advertisement. Even when the world's about to die on its knees, there's still got to be some money left to be made. Give me a break. I wouldn't be surprised if this shit actually happened, which it might as well.

[@panjul-g9h]

yeah dude, people are desperate

[@starhunterterra9849]

The problem will not be just women not giving birth anymore, but a combination of excessive population and increased infertility or choice not to have them (Who can blame anyone for making that choice these days) in both men and Women.

[@googelplussucksys5889]

How immature to blame the ones who are actually doing something *against* a dying world population. A mere advertisement doesn't necessarily mean they are corrupt profiteers, which the biomedical industry generally isn't.

[@gensoumusic2145]

why would there not be?

[@santiago24601]

at 6:50 discount Botox! :D

[@josephgavrilides8383]

The most underrated movie of the 21st century and one of the best.

[@homelessjoe]

Perfect film. My favorite movie of all time.

[@kirklandbond4765]

Joseph Lynn Not perfect

[@gog_magpie]

and sad to 😦

[@CRCKFRMR]

It is, friend

[@ohlawd3699]

Well, that little war scene in the end was cool.

[@MrTlong2010]

Respectable pic :)

[@lednerg]

RIP Sir John Tavener (1944 - 2013) Composer of the song, Fragments of a Prayer, used for the score of the film and this video.

[@sammuel1971]

Emmanuel Lubezki was the cinematographer for this film.. his most recent work was on the revenant. Children of men is excellent.

[@aldomc1255]

+sammu el Birdman.

[@techniclepanther7538]

Best thing about Children of Men is that it is one of few films which is able to so succinctly criticize capitalism and communism in one fell swoop. It's brilliant.

[@techniclepanther7538]

wut

[@karlboson4803]

Be quiet.

[@SA-bq3uy]

im jewish, what am i in control of exactly?

[@MrImChaz]

Fascism does that too! ;)

[@moldvox]

given a long enough time line all systems find corruption, decay, and entropy.

[@Ryz414]

The strange thing is this was filmed before the Europe immigrant crisis.

[@Ryz414]

***** yeah right, sorry.

[@MrEdwar084]

+Adrian Spaghetti don't be naive, most are staying not going back to Syria, specially the ones who made it to germany.

[@MrEdwar084]

+Sea Pony funny thing is most Syrians don't even wanna go to Britain, or france for that matter, most are headed for germany.

[@MrEdwar084]

***** no, it is because germany is the country that made them feel the most welcome, that message was received by the refugees.

[@DrunkBastard]

+edwar ramirez They're not refugees. Most aren't Syrian, most are young males (75%), most are Muslim (not persecuted by ISIS like Christians and Yazidis) and most of those who _are_ Syrian have been living in Turkey for years and are just now coming to Europe, because Angela the Whore of Berlin has helped the EU BREAK ITS OWN Schengen rules.

[@youluvana]

I like how this film is more unpredictable and makes more logical sense than most movies. Gunfights are realistic.

[@calska140]

Cuaron's storytelling through photography direction and next to zero exposition is scarcely paralleled. One trick he does in this film, that I immensely appreciate, is slowly panning over people's array of family photographs. It's such a simple trick but it adds so much to the story, not least of which is emotional impact. It immediately pushed me over the bridge from sympathy to empathy.

[@fabianvalenzuela3935]

This is why Children of Men ,to me, is the greatest film of all times.

[@TeetoPlastic]

Well done.

[@Nerdwriter1]

+Barba Ro Thanks.

[@TeetoPlastic]

jack j I'm not sure that I understand what you mean.

[@jack.jay.]

+scipure decker That deeper than "Am I Ready or not?" Rather, it refers to "Perception of Reality". But sometimes it seems that based on the fact that you know, fall into this trap of consciousness called "inevitable". My post was that case when I fell into that trap at some point.

[@jack.jay.]

hum, funny

[@DumpsterJedi]

+vladi zar That plot point has far more symbolism than just culling the herd as it were. It was a blow to all that we take for granted, including nature, biology, security, and order. The fact that all the world collapsed into anarchy and nihilism at one disruption to our normal life is the evidence of that.

[@winstonsmith84]

She's in a manger( barn) like Mary in the gospels.

[@alexandernolan]

Snowman Asylum I was going to say something similar about a cow shed.

[@minimalist34]

Cows were symbols of fertility in ancient India and ancient Egypt

[@winstonsmith84]

Ancient memes.

[@hedaya2405]

and ancient Greece

[@DaveNoodles]

The ending does clash a little with the rest of the video, especially the bits about consumerism... Still a good video though.

[@Nerdwriter1]

+DaveNoodles How so?

[@elspoko]

+edwizard1 You mean like a Syrian kid who drowns in the Mediterranean but is found with Nike's and a Spongebob shirt on?? Or a Chinese protester being brutally arrested while someone tapes the whole thing on the latest iPhone? Or being a soldier in the Middle East playing XBox a day after your platoon mate was sniped a few days ago? I think the ad was supposed to be jarring. It made us realize that while we're worrying about what car we drive, what brand of clothing we wear, and what type of vibrator we masturbate with, real world-changing events are taking place and we hopelessly entertain/consume ourselves into a coma.

[@eddsork]

+edwizard1 Very insightful :D

[@justinhensley2944]

Spock somehow any of those things is the fault of capitalism. I can make silly connections too, that doesn't make them remotely right.

[@jamesbubbastewartjr]

+DaveNoodles You're right. Funnily enough, the ending functions like a background, standing for the (inescapable) reality of late capitalism that we'd rather repress/ignore.

[@Bread-nx9fo]

The French breaking out of Bexhill was the funniest shit to me, I like to think that the guards were saying "BLOODY HELL CHRIS, IT'S THE FRENCH, THEY'VE TAKEN OVER!"

[@jonbaxter2254]

It was a bleak, almost hopeless film, but there were sparks of humour and joy and hope to keep me going. A masterclass.

[@JCMELKOR]

2:00 "the hustle never ends for us, wise guys" one of Tony's most badass moments

[@Thesignalpath]

Brilliant insight into a brilliant film. Thanks.

[@Nerdwriter1]

+The Signal Path Blog Thanks!!

[@gibrancasta4262]

+Nerdwriter1 my opinion: its not about cuaron, its all about lubeski, for sure

[@brockmobile]

+Nerdwriter1 I have to re-watch this, thanks so much

[@MrSatmary]

+gibran casta yeah you're right. not about cuaron at all. without lubezki this film wouldn't be anything.

[@DannyBlack]

exactly... i still am in awe of how they did that car scene all in one shot

[@trublacking8572]

Sometimes I feel like we're moving closer and closer to this

[@bengalboypaco3140]

We are

[@dulls8475]

We are because we value our safety over our freedom.

[@zm1786]

They already are pushing the unalive yourself medicine to teenagers in canada that are depressed. Now they're pushing it on those addicted to drugs

[@realevilcorgi]

"Neo-conservative" What does that even mean? Conservatism never actually went away.

[@realevilcorgi]

Ethan Bassadone or, you know, since you're apparently sooo smart you can just enlighten me yourself, genius. Also, that's ableist. I'm triggered.

[@ethanbassadone8378]

realevilcorgi simple, im a loafer. Its not energy efficient to explain all this shit. Even explaining myself Now is a waste of energy. Stop. Damit. Shit. Malfunction, malfunction.

[@realevilcorgi]

Ethan Bassadone Wow so edgy and le cool :^)

[@montetown5741]

+nolan nez neo-conservatism is a cover for Zionism pure and simple,

[@frxnlab]

+realevilcorgi This is roughly how I understand it: Neo-Conservative is a reference to not just a set of morals and ideals, but also to an economic model based on an extreme free market economy and the political policies needed to institute it. They seek to underwrite it with so-called 'traditional values' even though the principles of this economic ideology is quite modern. It's all a fiction of course, constructed on a historically inaccurate myth of some long lost past in which balance and stability had once reigned. It mostly appeals to people with isolationist and inherited belief systems seeking authoritarian figures to guide them. Conservatism generally appeals to the lower educated or less informed who tend to feel confused in a complex world with no rational tools to guide themselves through it. They like coded practices and deify it, quite literally with the church. This helps simplify the world to them in clear black and white divisions... but usually leads to internal turmoil because reality is chaotic and grey and refuses to abide by it. The neo-conservatives only proclaim conservative value though in a bid for power and profit, appealing to these less informed voters through the usual tricks authoritarian figures wield - inflexible morality with absurd claims of it's universality, fear of the other and projecting themselves as strong father-like figures. The irony of course being that the economic policies they promote are liberal to the extreme...it holds no moral code or value unless dog eat dog can be counted as one. In a way one can think of it as an anti-Christian model that seeks to destroy the idea of charity, goodwill, sharing and fairness. Humans have always fluctuated between the extremes of conservative and liberal which is mostly guided by the economic state of a society. Conservatives tend to be more successful in times of crisis and liberals in times of plenitude.

[@violin2971]

Oh. My. God. How have I never even heard of this movie before now? Do you have some kind of master list of the most beautiful movies ever created? I would love love love some recommendations! This was another fantastic analysis by the way

[@UrbanJumpMonkeys]

Try there will be blood. Beautifully shot and just an amazing movie. One of my favorites.

[@Spearced]

+violin Amadeus, The Illusionist, Shutter Island, plenty more to mention...

[@v8matey]

+violin Movies of consumerism destroying the world? V for vendetta. Equilibrium. Gamer. The Runningman. The island. In time. Gattaca.

[@TheRealIanAikido]

+violin try The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, hauntingly beautiful film. Also Road to Perdition, American Beauty, and The Road.

[@FungusMossGnosis]

+violin For a few movies along the same lines as CoM, and just as beautiful: *_Alphaville; Fahrenheit 451; Weekend; Zardoz_*.

[@chrisnightingale5529]

A fascinating analysis of a highly underrated film. Beware the background and what hides in the shadows!!

[@austingaebe5400]

This film is, in my opinion, the best science fiction film do far from the 21st century. It's political, it is extremely artistic, and it is a fascinating world that viewer does not want to leave by the end of the film. Not even joking, I thought about this film when hearing news about the Syrian refugee crisis and then I saw this on my timeline and I thought this was the perfect film to draw comparisons to our contemporary world. As always, great video!!!

[@hitachicordoba]

+Austin Gaebe agreed and LOL at all the holier than thou "You must be a celibate vegan monk in order to criticize anything ever" trolls

[@MrKioder]

+Austin Gaebe Its a good film but what about snowpiercer. e can also draw a lot of connections between it and the modern world.

[@bingbongstudios225]

+MrKioder Snowpiercer is good as well.

[@MedhaavMahesh]

+Austin Gaebe to me it is the 2nd best with eternal sunshine of the spotless mind being the best

[@jchristx72]

+lordDEMAXUS - would add Her

[@jakobervorhood]

Watching this from 2020 is kind of chilling.

[@crypticthinker1380]

Watching this from 2021 is kind of realistic.

[@haweater1555]

It'll be even more chilling in 2027.

[@jokerzwild00]

OMG you people are LARPing. It's like you want to be living in this movie's world. Nope, people are still popping out kids at higher rates than ever. We live in the most prosperous time in the history of the world. Could things be better? Absolutely. Have things been worse? Oh hell yes, literally every other era was worse by almost every single metric. We still have a ways to go though, there is no utopia here.

[@archangel4597]

@@jokerzwild00 lol the bubble you live in will pop sooner or later. it seems to be supported by insecurity and wishful thinking anyway.

[@wor.g]

Man...this is a gorgeous breakdown of this amazing film. Incredibly well done

[@KieranMajury]

I just thought he played a lot of Half Life 2 and liked how you could move about during the exposition.

[@Nerdwriter1]

+Kieran Majury Hahahaha

[@rekabneb]

"consumerism bral blah blum blah" ... "STICKERRRRS!" "BUY MUH STUFF!"

[@winternitz_]

+Ben Baker LOL YES.

[@rekabneb]

Haniff Din" consumerism is bad yet please buy my plastic covered in glue and ink so I can tell you how bad consumerism is" "and don't watch this video either because consuming electricity, metals and plastic in the form of a PC is bad mmkay" all of his points in this excellent video were good but that last sales pitch was not appropriate

[@williampan29]

+Haniff Din If you attend a Yoga lesson and once you were relaxed the tutor just blast out car horns from gigantic speakers and scare the shit out of you, and he just come up and tell you that's what you are going to experience once you finish the lesson and back to the street anyway, are you going to calmly accept that?

[@williampan29]

Haniff Din ????? then why don't you ignore Ben Baker's comment in the first place and act like a child? He didn't offend you first, what gives you the right to call him an idiot?

[@Moreoverover]

+Haniff Din You lost the argument.

[@bryanchu5379]

I was always confused a little by the title "Children of Men" cuz it didn't really make sense to me. Then I showed this movie to my dad and he said he thought it was called "Children of Men" as opposed to "Children of God". Just something to think about.

[@bryanminghan]

Just watched the film! I think it could be a reference to Genesis 6 when the children of men increased in evilness so God told Noah to build an Ark. This dovetails with the symbolism of how The Human Project rescued them using a boat. Also nice name!

[@test42356y]

@@bryanminghan it's a biblical reference, except to psalm 90: "Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men"

[@eXtremeDR]

I like the scene inside the kiosk - all the newspapers which cover the windows are actually designed for this scene. "RUSSIA DETONATES NUCLEAR BOMB: KAZACHTAN ANNIHILATED".

[@Smokey94462]

Clive Owen is underrated and so is this movie.

[@mudkips8399]

He really is, terrific actor. If you don't watch it already, you should check of the show The Knick. He's the lead in it and is really great

[@Nerdwriter1]

+As You Were Reading My Very Long Username I Stole Your Sandwich I agree. Clive is elemental. So underused in Hollywood these days.

[@OberynTheRedViper]

+As You Were Reading My Very Long Username I Stole Your Sandwich What? This movie is critically loved. How is it underrated?

[@mudkips8399]

+OberynTheRedViper The movie is loved yes, but the actor, the lead, is underrated

[@korlu01]

Genius film. COMPLETELY underrated!

[@Guenes____]

In the Scene at 4:30 you also see the Sheeps walking away from the Mother (Mary) with her death child (Jesus) which can symbolise that the Sheeps are not protected anymore from the Shepherd Jesus and the Humans are not protected anymore from God.

[@rabbitfishtv]

I watched this video last month, and then finally got around to re-watching "Children of Men" last night. What a heartbreaking grand opera of a film it is! And I finished the journey by re-watching this video. Thanks for the wonderful insights, artistic and political.

[@bernardweaver2416]

Dude this was a a brilliant video, dissecting an amazing film and tying parallels to current events. Well done.

[@EisforEvil]

I've never said this on a video before, but who is disliking this?

[@TheWeeCrafter]

UKIP.

[@jakecropper9609]

+TheWeeCrafter le ebin UKIP boogeyman meme

[@neocon70]

+EisforEvil JJ Abrams. not enough lens flare.

[@Activillusionation]

+EisforEvil Trump and his followers.

[@purpandorange]

+TheWeeCrafter LOL except UKIP is 100% right

[@error2k2]

"the worsening climate as result of the unchecked expansion of capitalist enterprises" "BUY MAH STICKERS!"

[@donHooligan]

+error2k2 if you wake one day to find yourself in a cage, would you NOT use items in the cage to get free?

[@error2k2]

donHooligan Yeah totally, if I found myself all of a sudden in a totalitarian society which used a minority group as scape goats; with horrific racial and religious policies. I would totally join death camps or secret police since I hate them but I have to use those items to escape... Oh wait, no I wouldn't. I forgot I would be against that.

[@donHooligan]

error2k2 wow. totally didn't answer the question...but i applaud your imagination. you may want to remember to take your medication On Time, though.

[@error2k2]

+donHooligan 1. You said a "cage" implying that capitalism is a cage. Well guess what, it is not a cage for me. But since we are using metaphorical "cages" I did answer you because my idea of a cage would be the society I described. And I told you I wouldn't use the items I found in that cage if I was personally against it. 2. Yes, go for a childish personal attack with no basis. Many people actually need medication but for you it's just a joke to attack someone. Well done on your well thought out rebuttal.

[@donHooligan]

error2k2 you misread the implication. i don't understand why you don't have the mental faculties to just Answer the question As It Was Asked... that's why i guessed that you didn't take your medication, on time ...your paranoid rant seemed like a clue that something was "off balance."

[@wizardwarrior713]

This was really thought-provoking. I just watched the movie for the first time tonight and noticed some of these things but it means even more to know the works of art being referenced. Wow. Especially the one of the mother cradling her son.

[@IndayLancer]

This movie gives me Half-Life feels.

[@lewislabuff8862]

Wasn't that what the combine did, they put up a infertility field, it was brought up a lot

[@lewislabuff8862]

@Joe Precisely

[@willbrine1404]

You've reminded me that it's time for me to rewatch this film. Thanks.

[@waseemchoudhry4465]

This movie is the prime example of silent worldbuilding through the background

[@lancegoodthrust546]

Wow, I was expecting a cliche hipster view of this movie. But actually authentically enjoyed this review. Good job!

[@wilhelm3594]

I'm sorry sir you must be mistaken

[@tyty8484]

Only stable government left on Earth because they adopt anti-immigration authoritarianism: bad guys. Future of humanity: black baby. Reason for global sterility: Zika mutation + unimpeded immigration. Shoe horn in some Climate Change.... Did we watch the same thing? This is SJW 101. What is the message this movie is trying to get across? And btw, Britbongland is already gone. Women cant go to London anymore without a male escort and a hijab.

[@Lowlightt]

The reason for global sterility is unkown. Nobody knows that and basically the human race has a timer on it. They know they are going to die off eventually and all humans will be gone. The black baby wasn't because she was black per say it was because she was an immigrant which goes against the propaganda the government has been spewing that immigrants caused the sterility problem. She could have also been white but still an immigrant and it would have been the same effect. The message of the movie is not about what caused the incident, its instead about hope. The world has no hope. Everyone is very aware that the human race will be gone forever and everyone is dealing with it in different ways. The chaos, the violence, the war, everything is because the world has no hope and everyone is simply going through the motions. However the baby represents hope. And the movie is about what happens when the hopeless suddenly are forced to address hope again.

[@najadamu2724]

What are you on?

[@Worldwidegam3r]

I don't think they would have shot her. I think the government would have taken her and privately used her to find a cure and say hey we did it all ourselves.

[@THEGlassIED]

There is such a thing as digging too deep when analyzing movies. You end up imagining some deeper meaning that isn't really there.

[@cozmicmojo2181]

+THEGlassIED I totally agree and I've watched documentaries that grasp at strings to find obscure meanings behind every gesture in a film but I think most of the things he mentioned in this were intentional by the director and well thought out.

[@theartist124]

+THEGlassIED You better stay WAY clear of any Kubrick film!!!

[@THEGlassIED]

+the artist Seen 'em all.

[@theartist124]

+THEGlassIED Must have driven you crazy, seeing all his alternate meanings and metaphors, like all of the space references in The Shining! (BTW, really incredible photography on Flickr, photography is my hobby and you're amazing, wow!)

[@THEGlassIED]

+the artist Thank you for the compliment. I forget the name, but that documentary about all of the theories of secret meanings in the movie "The Shining" is a great example of how people can over-analyze artwork. I'm sure the movie makers intentionally put subtle meaning into their movies, but I don't think it goes as deep as most people think it does.

[@octogonSmuggler]

I tried to get my ex roommate to watch this with me. She didn't understand how amazing it is. She just called it boring. 😭

[@nexstbob6911]

It was boring af

[@thebrunetteinroom7]

She most likely watches keeping up with the Kardashian’s or some 💩 like that.

[@BamBoy88]

2 stickers for $3... Righhhhht.

[@Zombiesnyder13]

I see Alfonso Cuaron as the new Stanley Kubrick This movie for instance follows many of his traces, continuous uninterrupted shots, details and most of all, symbolism

[@jaidevs9107]

bro what you think of Roma?

[@calfborg]

Cuaron’s focus on the background as a world-building style communicates so much in an elegant way.

[@SponzifyMee]

America needs to take in way more refugees than they're current doing right now. Since they began the whole campaign in the middle east, and did VERY little good down there. With all the "If you are not with us, you are against us" bs.

[@Fook_Yu]

+SponzifyMee Yeah no, despite what the media is saying, most of these migrants weren't in any immediate danger. Most of them aren't real refugees, they are economic migrants, emigrating from Syria to seek work and benefits from countries such as Germany. That's why they are bypassing through countries such as Hungary and Greece and not stopping there. Why do you think there are so many migrants that aren't even from Syria? Countries that aren't in any immediate danger or conflict? Also 75% of these migrants are men! Women and children arguably need refuge more than men. These men should be fighting for their country, not deserting it! These men want to work in europe and send their money back to their families that they left at home.The same home that is supposed to be war-torn! Don't get me wrong, I'd move to Europe from the middle east too. But with THIS MANY immigrants, the amount of crime they will bring is astounding and will irreversibly change europe for the worse. The crime rate has already skyrocketed in Sweden but no one wants to openly blame the immigrant ghettos for fear of being labelled racist! In some areas of Britain, there are muslims protesting in the streets demanding Shariah law to be enforced! Laws that would take away basic rights for women and non-believers! I'd support some immigration but 800,000 for Germany in 2015 and another 500,000 each year afterwards is INSANE. Germany has political motivation to recklessly open its borders because its population isn't growing anymore. Their economy is too reliant on constant population growth like many western countries, not very sustainable. Corporations want migrants who will do the same jobs as europeans but for less pay. This will make the job market more competitive and make most jobs pay less than they did before. This will only create a greater divide between the rich and the poor as only the richest 1% of germans will profit from this. For these reasons, speaking out against immigration can be considered a crime in Germany. You can face up to 3 years prison for doing so and you'll have to pay thousands of euros in fines as well as have your pc and phone confiscated. They have no freedom of speech there and their anti-immigration protests are inaccurately portrayed by the media as outright xenophobic to keep inline with their censorship and wrongful imprisonment of "racists". Do you really want that many migrants in America? I'd support some SYRIAN refugee intake but only if they were families and with the proper background checks. What Germany has done is completely reckless.

[@DanielSzilagyi]

+fook yu thank god someone here has some brains and is able to actual see what is going on and not be blind to just be sympathetic because they want to be keyboard warriors or whatever.

[@TheBananaThug]

+SponzifyMee Go look at a map. It will give you some understanding to the realities of the refugee situation. Go look at the countries around Syria, and see which ones are stable and not at war. Then go look at the countries the "Refugees" are actually going to. You will notice something. They are traveling far distances to reach countries like Germany, when there is safe countries very near them that they are able to go to. Now go research the types of benefits. Housing, money, and such, that the countries they are going to offer them. Ask yourself now, are they really that desperate to move their family to a safe place? Or is money more of a factor?

[@rekabneb]

+SponzifyMee I don't recall the civil war in Syria being started by the German or American military.

[@SponzifyMee]

Ben Baker I recall the US starting a war in Afghanistan and Iraq, leaving years later without having improven the place one bit, opening up for ISIS and the likes.

[@ZacharyORay-is7us]

Looks like a fascinating and relevant movie, however it appears to be concerned with the wrong issues. The problem is not xenophobia. The problem is ethnomasochism. If Europe continues its refugee and immigration trends Europe will only exist as a geo-political bureaucracy and the native peoples and their culture will succumb to the abyss.

[@kelanbarr9646]

Even if Europe accepted all possible immigrants, the immigrant population would reach a maximum of 5%.

[@ZacharyORay-is7us]

KiwiDelta "all possible immigrants"? What do you define as "all possible"? "Asians" are already 10% of Europe's population.

[@kelanbarr9646]

Zachary O. Ray Many examples given are that of all of Syria immigrating. However, I feel that a better representation is 5-10% from each country in an affected area. Either way, that is an insubstantial population.

[@ZacharyORay-is7us]

KiwiDelta have you seen the damage 5-10% can do? Do you watch the news? Do you realize their birthrates are 3x that of native Europeans? In a couple generations they'll go from 10% to 30-40%

[@kelanbarr9646]

Zachary O. Ray XD Mathfail.

[@giniwelle]

5:20 she's a Sri Lankan. She's weeping uttering sinhala words... that sound was not unfamiliar sound for many Sri Lankans at that time because the civil war was at its peak...

[@billykelly1013]

While I've never gotten this movie as many have. I was always impressed by the level a detail in the background.

[@JamieWhiffen]

First video I've seen of yours and I think I'm going to end up going down the rabbit hole that is your channel. Keep up the great work!

[@Nerdwriter1]

+Jamie Whiffen Welcome to The Nerdwriter, Jamie. We have a lot of fun here.

[@zenithquasar9623]

Love, love Cuaron's method of filming! I fell in love with this film when I first watched!

[@wotwott2319]

Children of Men, a.k.a 10 years after Brexit

[@Aconitum_napellus]

Bf 109 K-4 Hey, Brexit could be a great opportunity.

[@wotwott2319]

who said it's a bad thing? I mean, London IS the only functioning Government left in Europe.

[@Aconitum_napellus]

Harith Azmi What do you actually mean by that though?

[@wotwott2319]

Nox Aeternum I meant in the movie, London is the only functioning government left in Europe. Meaning the rest of the EU turned into a massive shithole.

[@Aconitum_napellus]

Harith Azmi Oh right, well yes, I suppose the point, at least according to this video, is functioning, but at what cost? And do we want this function?

[@penttikoivuniemi2146]

The mother cradling her dead son also brought to mind- as a Finn- the painting "Lemminkäisen Äiti", which is based on the Finnish national epic, Kalevala. A mother grieving for her dead child is one of the most shocking, potent, universal symbols in the entire world, and one that clearly demonstrates that in the end, no matter how much our belief-systems and national cultures differ, we are all the same.

[@R3dp055um]

Oh please. Other than the narrator saying so, what evidence do you have that the boy is her son? Did you notice the woman is black and the boy is white?

[@KaX321]

Welcome to a world where mixed race births are not only normal, but more common than pure race ones.

[@Danishruyu1]

R3dp055um, you're only spouting criticism by context when questioning the image. It doesn't matter if the boy is literally her son, what matters is the image and how the audience interprets it. By the way that particular moment is expressed, majority of people will think that he is her son at instinct.

[@Kevinegan1]

One of my favorite movies. I loved the tribute to King Crimson "In The Court of the Crimson King." There is a more subtle tribute to another great British musical group that I bet most people never spotted. When the chauffeur driven car arrives at Battersea Station (Lost art building) look up between the two right stacks. There is a giant floating pig tethered between the smoke stacks. That is a tribute to Pink Floyd "Animals" album in which Battersea Station with a giant pig floating between the stacks was the scene used as the album cover. The floating pig is seen again in the scene where they are all sitting at a large table. Just outside the window is the giant floating pig. The younger people who came after Record Albums are missing out on a lot of really cool artwork that was the hallmark of a great album.

[@ughIrats]

I’m pretty sure most people spotted it. Pink Floyd is a huge group and symbol of a pig quite the popular one.

[@totalcrash5006]

have you ever watched the video?? it is literally mentioned lmaoo

[@jaredj631]

One movie that was better then the book.

[@emotown1]

+Jared Jeanotte *than , man. Then and than are different words in English, each with their own specific meaning, a trait that English shares with most other languages :) Still, good to know & I'm going to watch it again I think.

[@jaredj631]

+Keith Roberts haha, I can blame Siri for that one. I was using voice to text. I should be more careful with this powerful technology.

[@jaredj631]

+Keith Roberts haha, I can blame Siri for that one. I was using voice to text. I should be more careful with this powerful technology.

[@emotown1]

Ah thanks, that hadn't occurred to me. Give Siri a stern talking to, then ! Cheers.

[@Xerxesjc28]

+Jared Jeanotte Agree. I saw the movie then read the book. The movie was so much better in most parts. I do like the book only in explaining more of why does the main character seem so messed up (how he killed his child by mistake) and why his wife left him.

As an artist, a "story teller/animator/movie maker" wannabe, and a big knowledge thirsty guy, I find your channel to be one of the best informative, well narrated, constructed and researched on youtube. Not to mention very diverse. I wonder if you considered doing a collaboration with an artist (like an animated episode). Cheers and you have my full support! :)

[@MattiaSinisi]

I think that the protagonist has seen that background so many times that he doesn't have to look at it any more to know how it is, but we (the viewers) are new to that world.

[@beasaroze5596]

3:29 *symbolism She is in a stable like the virgin Mary

[@michamus]

Consumerism is destroying the world! Hey guys, buy 2 stickers from me for the price of an Afghan's daily salary.

[@bunkbeds3001]

+michamus which is what, like, two stickers an hour?

[@uegvdczuVF]

+garrett robertson a day...

[@matthmatthmatth]

+michamus Hey guys, look at michamus. He's using the internet, which is probably equal to 50 Afghan's daily salary! Wonder what he's gonna do? Is he gonna close his account and forward the money to families in need?

[@theartist124]

+michamus The guy has to survive, don't we all!?

[@paul_bellini]

+matthmatthmatth He didn't say HE despised consumerism.

[@kilimanjaro5537]

Just seen it today. There’s a lot of foreshadowing of the future of the world in this movie...

[@mrScififan2]

This is a wonderful presentation. Very thought provoking.

[@alex_harnar_618]

Children Of Men (2006), ‘Threads’ (1984) and Requiem For A Dream (2000) are the three movies in my opinion that everyone on earth should watch. They are cinematic masterpieces. The three most depressing movies I’ve seen, but the acting, the special effects, the cinematography, the messages. It’s all done SO WELL! 👌👏👏👏

[@SkyForgeVideos]

You should add Soylent Green (1973) to your list. If you haven't seen it you need to!

[@igorlukyan206]

The scene where they’re walking down the stairs with the baby, surrounded by the speechless soldiers and wounded refugees with stretched out arms, looks like something straight out of a renaissance painting

[@movienerd202]

It's like the 2nd coming of Christ.

[@VTRDC27]

Man this movie is good. I'm going to watch it again right now.

[@dashazam]

6:45 "Stripped of subjectivity" Eh...that's arguable.

[@1pink2pink3pink]

6:49, I finally realized, 2 years after watching this movie for the first time that the religious fanatics are not being led by a 12 foot messiah, but they are all kneeling...he just looks tall in comparison

[@XxXVideoVeiwerXxX]

That self promo at the end of this video...made me laugh.

[@Nerdwriter1]

+XxXVideoVeiwerXxX It makes me cringe, but I'm hustling. It's all so that I can make more videos.

[@XxXVideoVeiwerXxX]

No i get ya, it was just funny considering the subject matter.

[@remingtonpenaranda7762]

that shit was funny ahahha

[@dlysele]

It was a very good movie. I remembered watching it and thought that it would definitely become a classic.

[@ImaJWalker]

If people cannot see this movie as a warning shot, of things to come then we are truly doomed.

[@bremex]

I've always thought that Cuaron was a more creative director than Iñarritu... ok, they both are. But Del Toro is also brilliant. Dammit, they're all so good!!

[@miamoben]

+bremex As far as creative intellect goes, Stanley Kubrick trumps them all.

[@PabloCorinthian]

+Hansthehorrible Kubrik is not part of the Mexican trio. Which is why bremex grouped them together like that.

[@bremex]

PabloCorinthian Grazie ;)

[@dead-eyeddrifter5756]

I like your Goku gi.

[@mostlymessingabout]

I just rewatched this on Netflix. Great to have a non-Brit pick up so many of our references. Well done Gringo 🙋‍♂️

[@riparianlife97701]

The scene where the car races backward was perfect. There was a tiny hint that the rebels weren't really trying to stop the car. Their club swings seemed awkward and weak. Truly amazing film.

[@matthewclark7955]

such.. such a brilliant film. one of my absolute favourites

[@Cal6009]

Wow, I loved this movie for it's visceral qualities, how tactile and lived in the world felt and a how it made such a high concept science fiction idea feel so grounded, realistic and uniquely British, the emotion in the performances, how you felt immersed in the world by the brilliant cinematography and sound design. but now I love it even more for all the things packed in that I didn't even notice the first few times.

[@WaterhouseFilms]

I found a few things while watching this movie, okay I may be wrong here. There's a scene when Theo is being taken away and he's been talking about how his ears are ringing from the explosion earlier. Julian says to him as he walks away, "the ringing is the sound of that frequency dying and you'll never hear it again, enjoy it while it lasts." I think this is a representation of Julian because when she gets shot in the car, we hear the drowned out frequency as she dies, metaphor for how Theo will never see her again and he should have appreciated while it lasts. Another thing I noticed is the abnormal attraction of animals to Theo. I think maybe this is used to show him as a representation of Mother Nature. As an act of nature brings the first pregnancy in years, Theo is also acting to help this baby get born and the life and survival of the woman. I also think there is some symbolism with Theo's shoes. He ditches his old ones (old live) and trades them for some sandals which make his feet very venerable so this might suggest that during that time, he is getting opened up to all this crazy stuff, but when it comes to finishing the mission, the rebels give him a new pair of shoes. This might be the representation of his character arch throughout. Well I might be wrong, I'm still young

[@heinrichdavid3001]

yes theo becomes vulnerable in flip-flops, like an ordinary guy during his flight he has dirty feet and you can hear the sound of flip flops throughout the movie. He fights with syd and loses his right flip-flop when running he throws it saying (hoo fuck) and his sandal flies down the hallway

[@Noodlemonkey7]

I just watched it again and I still crying… I can’t. I’m so sad over humanity!

[@PythagorasHyperborea]

This isn’t a movie. It’s a plan.

[@arnoldlane68]

I never droppet tears over a film analysis before. Thank you, thank you so much.

[@AustinMCraigDoesNeatStuff]

This is a really well done analysis on one of my *absolute* favorite films, inexplicably overlooked way too often. But... what gives with the anti-capitalist rhetoric? It wasn't commerce that ruined the world in Children of Men, nor is it what ruins ours. Crippling [poverty is slowly but surely being eradicated *entirely* by technology, an extension of commerce. Surely the biological catastrophe in the film highlights the harsh reality of government, not commerce. Would love to hear thoughts.

[@pacmanfantastic]

+Austin M. Craig I agree with you that the "biological catastrophe in the film highlights the harsh reality of government" more than it does commerce. However it does demonstrate the effects and ramifications of commerce that have lead to much of the harsh reality of that government. In addition, looking at the growing effects of climate change (which is largely caused by the extraction fueled practices encouraged in a free market capitalist system) and much of the predictions of where it leads, it is in fact unchecked commerce that is ruining the world. And while you are correct in stating that crippling poverty has decreased through technology, economic inequality between the rich and poor is at the highest levels it has ever been. And as long as the access to the said technology is facilitated through an inherently inequitable system, poverty itself cannot be eradicated. Even if it could, the pace at which that would occur is much too slow in relation to how much time we have left to address climate change. One of the major coming consequences of climate change is a huge migration of climate refugees (the UN predicts 150 million by 2050) and judging from how the current refugee crisis is being handled, the harsh reality of government illustrated in the film may very well be what we see. But this harsh reality will manifest as a result of climate change which is a result of commerce, thus demonstrating my original statement. Again, I'm not saying that government has no fault in this, just that the current system of commerce is closely intertwined with the current reality of government. Buckminster Fuller has a quote that I love; "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, you must build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." The current existing reality - the capitalist system (or any other that is wholly centralized really) - is predicated upon inequity, war, and extraction as core aspects of its continued existence and growth. Therefore, any attempts at fighting those issues without addressing the system as a whole are meaningless on a larger platform (not including the immediate impacts of band-aid solutions such as charity). Only through creating a "new model" that is sustainable, self-sufficient, equitable, decentralized, and collaborative can those issues be properly eradicated. My overall point being that despite the many benefits that capitalism has provided throughout its dominion, I don't personally see how any conversation on the severity of the aforementioned issues can be discussed without showcasing the role of capitalism in their perpetuation. Sorry if I got carried away, but I couldn't resist. =)

[@JozefLewitzky]

+Austin M. Craig It seems that the analysis blamed both - conservative / fascist goverments and capitalist policies. Conservative governments in this analysis of CofM control borders in the interests of capitalism - yes free trade, no you don't get the full benefits. In this world the effect is amplified massively because of infertility and the fall of most stable governments, leading to stricter immigration policies in the remaining UK government.

[@JustinColletti]

My thoughts exactly +Austin M. Craig Totally lost me as soon as he started with the non-sequitir anti-free markets rants. Made no sense.

[@NavidIsANoob]

+Austin M. Craig More like consumerism being used in a way to lead people away from the harsh realities of a brutal, unforgiving world. Thousands of 'fugees' being mistreated everyday but let's spend all month mourning the death of baby Diego. It's what keeps people small, and diverted. That's what I got from it.

[@squamish4244]

What kind of freaks me out is that we will know in this century which way civilization is going to go - the Children of Men direction or the Star Trek-type vision. Which means that I and pretty much everyone else who is relatively youthful right now will live to find out. There are powerful trends pushing in both directions. A lot of it depends on how serious climate change turns out to be, and specifically the stability of the polar ice caps, which we don't know enough about yet.

[@BlownMacTruck]

+valinor100 Oh please. You own't live to see anything. *Every* young person ever has said the exact same thing: utopia or extinction? Every young person ever has thought their generation was on the precipice. You know how you're an adult? You realize you're not that special.

[@squamish4244]

@109392910764338590141 I'm not young anymore, just not middle-aged yet...hence the term "relatively youthful." XD It is true, many generations have thought they were on the precipice before, mostly for theological reasons. But the last few generations kind of have been. My parents' generation lived with the spectre of global nuclear annihilation for 45 years. They remember doing 'duck and cover' routines in class. Nukes are capable of ending it all...a situation unique in history. No one, not Hitler, not the Mongols, not the Black Death posed a threat like that. And nukes have not gone away. We've actually been very lucky that we haven't blown ourselves up yet. Now, we are facing another unique situation. Scientists agree (there is no debate) that rapid manmade climate change is taking place. We know weather patterns are changing. We know the ice caps are melting. Species are migrating - or going extinct. Etc. The prospect of climate change that is too fast for our civilization to handle is very real. We don't know yet, but it could be on the scale of the change that occurred at the end of the last ice age - by 2100. Young children today will definitely live to see that. This truly is unprecedented in history, it is not me feeling special. Unless you are one of those manmade climate change deniers, in which case, I can't continue this discussion.

[@ElMeanYo22]

+valinor100 You are naive in thinking that is is whether climate change will be what determines the fate of humanity. It is not. It is whether radical Islam (in particular Sharia law) takes over modern democracy and erodes basic human rights.

[@squamish4244]

@100331529826707484515 No. Radical Islam is nothing compared to the threat posed by climate change. Radical Islam can't dramatically affect food production or global economic growth. It is dwarfed by such things as the rise in living standards in China or India and the march of technology. The only threats comparable to climate change are all-out nuclear war or a pandemic. The very worst radical Islam could possibly do is make some states more paranoid or more authoritarian, which is not a civilization-ending scenario. Its effects are vastly overblown by the pervasive impact of social media on our lives. Before social media, all sorts of atrocities occurred in many parts of the world that we never even heard of. Even now, unrelated gun violence for in the United States kills vastly more people every year than radical Islam does. But we are just used to it. But even taking radical Islam, which is a small minority of actual Muslims, into account, we still live in the least violent period in history. (Prof. Stephen Pinker, The Better Angels of our Nature)

[@emmaswenson6011]

Thanks! I'm writing a paper on the movie for a film class, this brings up some great points, so you'll be cited as a source. I'm subscribing as well. I'll for sure have fun going through your videos when finals are over.

[@BarelySentientBraincell]

I've just seen this movie last week and man, is this one super underrated. It's so good, it should get more recognition.

[@barrage1308]

I've just watched the movie the movie is so good so many things happened that I didn't expect 10/10

[@Zombiesnyder13]

This is the movie that Alfonso Cuaron should've won his Oscar

[@SundayPancakeBreakfast]

25% beautiful analysis of a work of art, 75% narrators politics. Very sad!

[@dominiclee677]

It's getting real