alfonso cuaron's CHILDREN OF MEN (2006)

there were lots of movies i enjoyed in 2006, and even a few i loved, but i hadn't seen anything that really energized me from a fimmaking point of view (with the possible exception of United 93) until Children Of Men, a bold, important film that has been, like so many others, summarily doomed by lazy marketing and distribution. Cuaron's past few films have been deservedly high-profile (Y Tu Mama Tambien is as rich a male friendship as the screen has lately seen, and his Prisoner Of Azkaban is easily the best of the Harry Potter films to this point, unfettered by the leaden adaptations of the others) but it's this one that will hopefully cement his prominence among A-list directors. The film is at once breathlessly technical and grittily naturalistic, and moves with the confidence of a story well-told. The real star, of course, is shooter Emmanuel Lubezki, who proves himself once again (and for all) a terrific asset to Cuaron's sensibilities; much has rightly been said of the film's two virtuosic long-take centerpieces, but they shouldn't be allowed to overshadow the across-the-board phenomenal work he does here.