#361 (no ads): A New Hope, Pt. 1 — Children of Men (Patreon)

HBO’s new dystopian TV series The Last of Us is an adaptation of a dystopian video game that was inspired in part by Alfonso Cuarón’s dystopian film Children of Men, a strikingly timely 2006 thriller whose consideration of cynicism and hope at the world’s end has only grown more timely in the intervening years. So we’re returning to the source of this cross-medium journey through apocalyptic hellscapes, in a conversation about how and why Cuarón’s film continues to resonate, from its efficient worldbuilding and nuanced politics to its well-wrought humor and visceral filmmaking style. Plus, an alternate pairing suggestion in Feedback inspires some live brainstorming of a hypothetical Cocaine Bear episode.

Please share your comments, thoughts, and questions about Children of Men, The Last of Us, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730.

Outro music: “Bless the Beasts and Children” by the Carpenters

Works Cited

• “Alfonso Cuarón's Children of Men Is a Dystopian Masterpiece,” by Abraham Josephine Riesman (vulture.com)

• “Scenic Routes: Children of Men,” by Mike D’Angelo (avclub.com)