MikePadgett.com

• Director: Alfonso Cuarón
• UK/US, 2006
• 

Cuarón is a rising star on the directorial scene and he delivers a remarkable work in Children of Men, one of the most technically accomplished films I have ever seen. Shot in long takes, featuring totally novel camera setups, the film’s vision of Britain in the future is realised with an unswerving, visceral quality that never approaches fantasy.

It’s 2027 and the world’s populations can no longer produce offspring. One man becomes involved in a struggle for the continuation of the human race. Sure, it might sound sci-fi, but the cast of characters manage to keep it firmly grounded and believable.

Children of Men is impressive. Since I gave Cuarón’s Harry Potter effort a miss, I had to look back to 2001’s Y Tu Mamá También for precedents and whilst the latter was a solid film, there were few in evidence there that could suggest this tour de force.

• Director: Spike Lee
• United States, 2006
• 

Spike Lee’s bank heist movie feels like it’s been buffed to a high shine. There’s absolutely no dirt on Inside Man: the characters are impeccably attired and sharp as glass, whilst the cool marble halls of the bank - in which most of the action takes place - are a far cry from the grimy heat of Dog Day Afternoon (which actually gets a mention in the script).

Inside Man is intelligent, stylish, literate, even occasionally witty. But it’s disappointing to find that your engagement with the movie is limited to the appreciation of its cleverness.

Ultimately then, this movie is a limo kitted out with one-way glass. You’ll admire it from a distance as it passes by, but there’s no way you’ll be invited to take a ride in it.