Paris, I Love You

I've never been a big fan of portmanteau films, possibly because I haven't yet found one that could be considered a masterpiece. Paris, I Love You (2006) certainly doesn't change my opinion on them. Even when you have big names like the Coen brothers, Alfonso Cuaron and Christopher Doyle collaborating for one, it still doesn't work well.

Most of the short films are either bad (Oliver Assayas' Quartier des Enfants Rouges), forgettable (Bruno Podalydès' Montmartre) or decent (Wes Craven's Père-Lachaise) at best. There are a few great shorts, such as Alfonso Cuaron's Parc Monceau and Vincenzo Natali's Quartier de la Madeleine, but they are easily forgotten in the mix of the other films. Portmanteau films often rely on their holistic value, but Paris, I Love You does never quite come together because most of its segments are not worthwhile.

The film's mood goes all over the place (in both a good and a bad way) and the cinematography is stunning in each segment, but it lacks coherency and interest for the most part. I would certainly not recommend it even though it is just barely enjoyable.

Score: 5 out of 10

Children of Men

Alfonso Cuarón's Children of Men (2006) is a grim take on the future of humanity. Babies havent been born in 18 years and the world is almost completely in chaos. Only the United Kingdom is a safe country, and millions of refugees try to get there all the time. The story focuses on a man (Clive Owen) who by chance meets and then decides to protect a miraculously pregnant woman (Clare-Hope Ashitey) in this cruel world.

Children of Men gives us an uncompromising and unflinching vision of the future. The humans have gone mad and the youngest living person is a celebrity. The story actually begins with the death of the youngest living person, which causes a lot of sorrow all over the country. The mourning is abruptly interrupted when a bomb explodes in a cafe killing a lot of people - and almost the main character too. After that the film rushes towards the ending, and even the short periods of rest are intensive.

Death is always present in the film. Life is very fragile, and that is part of the reason why Children of Men is truly exhilarating - unlike many other films. The film offers such a detailed and deep vision of a possible future that I would claim it is hard to NOT get into this film. It catches you off-guard and doesnt let you exhale before the ending.

The film is mostly built of long takes - some of them are digitally altered to seem like ones, though. In any case, these long takes are a perfect way to tell this story and reflect the mood for the viewer. The narrative is very, very tight and some of these long takes are necessary for the film to develop so fast. It also makes it easier for the viewer to watch this film because everything happens so fast, and the calm camerawork gives us a clearer sense of what is going on.

The use of sound is extremely important in Children of Men. Sometimes there is a huge background noise, but sometimes you can barely hear anything: this is used for the best effect possible. The soundtrack is something you wouldnt at first come up with for an apocalyptic film, but it is used very well. My only problem is the superficial choice for the ending credits that feels a little forced and silly.

The acting in Children of Men is extremely fascinating. The whole cast gives pitch-perfect performances. Clive Owen is surprisingly good, but the most honorable mention goes for Michael Caine. To cast him in an eccentric role like is a ballsy idea, but his performance is unforgettable.

Children of Men is a genuinely admirable film that deserves all the praise it has received - and even more.

Score: 9 out of 10