What a day.

Occasionally a film comes along that is so good and so well done that one scarcely appreciates it. All aspects are virtually flawless, to the point that the lack of negatives almost detracts from the positives because of the abscence of contrast. Last year, Capote and Downfall fit that bill as good movies that got even better the more you thought about them. 2006's winner in that category is Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men. (Go ahead; someone mention The Prestige.)

Though it has a old-fashioned, almost primal feel, Children of Men occurs in a not unfamiliar future. The year is 2027, almost two decades after two things have swept the planet: infertility and violence. Because of the latter, Britain is now isolating itself to the extreme, forcing all immigrants out of the country or into refugee camps. Amidst this chaos resides Clive Owen in his mundane existence as a typical office worker at the Ministry of Energy. Of course his life soon takes a drastic turn, which leads to the intriguing main thrust of the film.

Cuaron's future is not awash in technology like Minority Report. Nor is it as desolate as Mad Max. The best comparison is probably something in between such as Blade Runner, which portrays a world as more advanced in a technical manner, but one that has harshly regressed emotionally, socially, and politically. Cuaron's work is much more plausible though; one intentionally unexplained leap aside, the movie is much more grounded and less farfetched. As he did with Prisoner of Azkaban, Cuaron establishes the mentality of the film with remarkable efficiency. Scant seconds into the film, one has a solid grasp of his future's funereal nature, due to key opening shots, glances, and words. This deft ability to create mood is part of what makes Children is the most impressively crafted picture of last year.

While the bleak art design contributes heavily to the film's success, the lengthy single-take shots are what make Children unique. M. Night Shyamalan uses one-take scenes better and more consistently than any other director I know, but at least for this movie, Cuaron usurps his throne. The difference is that the camera in most of Night's shots is largely static during quieter, simple scenes; Cuaron does the same, but also moves his lens over miles of turf during complex action sequences, creating relatively eternal shots that literally caused my head to shake and jaw to drop in stunned disbelief. In a lesser movie, the extreme continuity might be a stunt, but the timing and pace of the (apparently) unbroken shots are executed so immaculately that any other possible way of making the movie seems amateurishly subpar.

As the plot veers through its series of chaotic events, Clive Owen's grim determination holds the film together with help of a strong supporting cast. He is the everyman the viewer latches onto as both proceed through parts unknown. Appreciably understated as he often is, Owen allows the intensity of rest of the cast, including Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, and Chiwetel Ejiofore, to shine while he and his character subtly ease through the movie. Owen's steady drive is what propels the film even though his Theo doesn't always possess the necessary motivation. Political overtones aside, if Children has a weakness, that is where it lies: a few points of plot and character are underdeveloped or ignored. Most are MacGuffin-esque enough that they don't truly matter, but the handful of unexplored plot devices do distract a wee bit from an otherwise fantastic film.

Children of Men is the polar opposite of so much depressing, minimalist art house fare. Instead the end result is a superb and brilliantly executed blend of drama and action, with plenty of emotional moral issues mixed in to attract the mind and heart as well. Recommended to anyone who appreciates quality cinema, even if you're not one who often sees independent films of this ilk.

Bottom Line: One of the best movies of 2006. 9 of 10. I'm going there, hesitantly.

(Side note: if you're planning to see the film, but haven't viewed the trailer, then don't watch the trailer.)