I haven't seen Bubble yet, but I'd like to.
I saw Children of Men today. It was very good - I'd give it a solid three stars. But as you've said about Volver, as much as this one tried, it somehow lacked that emotional punch I was hoping for. I do quite like Clive Owen, though. There is something so multi-layered even about his physical appearance. How he looks so craggly and lined and hard (albeit handsome) in the face, but how when he smiles, it's a little boy's bashful smile with perfect white teeth. Amazing. Changes his whole face so much that it's almost like it's someone else's for a time. I really enjoyed Michael Caine, which I don't always do, too. When he doesn't take himself too seriously, he's still quite a gifted comic actor.
Meanwhile, I can't stop thinking about two scenes in Sweet Land when it's subtlely but profoundly shown how the protagonists are falling in love with each other. One is when their eyes meet - I won't say when or why because it's so beautiful I don't want to spoil the impact for someone later - and hold on each other's for several seconds. The other is when one takes the other's hand for the first time. The filmmakers leave a lot to the imagination, not unlike certain other filmmakers I could mention, so I find myself finishing a couple of the scenes in my mind, if'n ya know what I mean. Good, GOOD stuff. Can't recommend it enough. (But God knows I'll try.)