My Favorite Movies

It's dark, grim, intense and haunting; very depressing yet a film to be watched more than once.

This apocalyptic film is set in near future Britain, the only somewhat functioning country in a world wrecked by civil war, diseases and the biggest problem ever face life - infertility. After two decades of worldwide female infertility, with the youngest people living are 18 year olds, the world is in chaos and in the brink of collapsing.

Clive Owen plays Theo the hero reluctantly involved by ex-wife Julian, an activist, in protecting Kee a pregnant young woman and bringing her safely to the mythical Human Project ship Tomorrow, belonging to some mysterious scientific research group presumably trying to safe the human race. The journey is full of serious danger, with Britain facing rebellion from immigrants now considered illegal in the country and the merciless militant Fish group trying to use her to further their cause.

The film is adapted loosely from P.D. James? book with the same title. Alfonso Cuaron (Y Tu Mama Tambien) uses grey, almost colourless and documentary-like style scenes, making them look dark, bleak and foreboding. The cinematography is brilliant, including little details like a few drops of blood in the camera lens in a city war scene.

The casting is brilliant, with Clive Owen giving one of the best performances he?s ever done, and Michael Caine portraying Theo?s eccentric friend Jasper wonderfully.

Contrary to the violence and gloom and doom atmosphere, the film actually brings messages of hope and redemption. The last scene actually lifts us out of the depression with a glimpse of hope.

This is what you get when you mix the Phantom of the Opera, Schindler's List and Zorro - V for Vendetta. A strange mix but strangely enough it is quite interesting. In a (hopefully) imaginary near future world of chaos and a Britain that sounds like North Korea, a Hitler-like Chanchelor led the country as a dictator. Then one day a masked man with Zorro-like martial art capability called V appeared and started to urge people to revolt. Beautiful Natalie Portman plays Evey - V's ally, Hugo Weaving plays V and Stephen Rea plays the policeman who chases them. The dark surreal atmosphere, quirky story, intense plot and perfect cast make this film memorable. I fell in love with V just like I fell in love with the Phantom in the Phantom of the Opera :)