BABEL

[DaMovieMan]

http://www.cinemacomrapadura.com.br/filmes/poster/2058-2006-08-28-13:15:32_1.jpg
[Paramount Vintage]

Release Date: November 10th 2006 (Nov. 3rd - limited)

Tagline: Listen

Genre: Drama/Political

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Boubker Ait El Caid, Koji Yakusho, Adrianna Barraza, Gael Garcia Bernal, Rinko Kikuchi,

Running Time: 142 minutes

Rated: R; for violence, some graphic nudity, sexual content, language and some drug use.

Plot Outline: Four interconnected stories occuring within a three day span in three different parts of the world. An American couple (Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett) are vacationing in Morocco while they fall victims to a mindless tragic incident. A nanny (Adrianna Barraza) can't get a day off on the day of her son's wedding in Mexico. A deaf-mute girl, Chieko (Rinko Kikuchi) finds it difficult to adapt to the world around her in Japan. Two brothers, Yousef (Boubker Ait El Caid) and Ahmed (Said Tarchani) are put in charge of their families goat herd.

=========
Iñárritu's most grandiose & affecting film to date. It stays with you long after the credits roll and keeps getting better the more you think about it. Full review to come later.

8.5/10


DMM

[RandalGraves]

I might see this in theaters...I will def see it on dvd if I don't get to the theater though...I'm just skeptical cause I hated 21 grams...

[chinton]

I can't grade this movie.

It infuriated me and I walked out.

[Lazy Boy]

It's better than 21 Grams on the Inarritu/Arriaga scale of non-linear artifice, and it's very well acted and powerful in certain segments (the Japanese storytelling concludes with a most memorable melange of image -- the pan from the highrise -- and music). I just don't think they fully explored, or just dropped, the worldwide efforts of the U.S. embassy trying to shoehorn an event as an "act of terrorism," and I felt as if the build of each story was presented with such weight and conviction, only to end (partially) in a drab, anticlimactic manner.

[DaMovieMan]

Originally posted by chinton
I can't grade this movie.

It infuriated me and I walked out.

Can you explain what infiruriated you?

Originally posted by Lazy Boy
It's better than 21 Grams on the Inarritu/Arriaga scale of non-linear artifice, and it's very well acted and powerful in certain segments (the Japanese storytelling concludes with a most memorable melange of image -- the pan from the highrise -- and music). I just don't think they fully explored, or just dropped, the worldwide efforts of the U.S. embassy trying to shoehorn an event as an "act of terrorism," and I felt as if the build of each story was presented with such weight and conviction, only to end (partially) in a drab, anticlimactic manner.

I agree, its better than 21 grams and not so good as Amorres Perros...
The way I saw the film, just the fact that they were trying to shoehorn the events as political and an act of terrorism was enough for the message to be read loud and clear.
I can't agree with the anti-climatic thing either, as these were tragic occurances that happen on a daily basis and that's how they were portrayed, that's how they ended...

I suggest for all to go and see it, it has one of the year's most important messages and is very relevant to the world around us.

DMM

[dman476]

Originally posted by Lazy Boy
I just don't think they fully explored, or just dropped, the worldwide efforts of the U.S. embassy trying to shoehorn an event as an "act of terrorism," and I felt as if the build of each story was presented with such weight and conviction, only to end (partially) in a drab, anticlimactic manner.
Absolutely! :)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by chinton
I can't grade this movie.

It infuriated me and I walked out. [/QUOTE
That is so funny! I could totally see that happening. :)
This film was so much worse than 21 Grams.
You know, my dad went to see this a few days later and walked out after the first 30 minutes. I told him that I didn't blame his decision.
I gave this film a 6/10, but it's aggravating me the more I think about it.
I've lowered it to a 5/10.


And Randal Graves, if you didn't like 21 Grams, STAY AWAY!!! FROM THIS FILM...

[DaMovieMan]

Originally posted by dman476
Absolutely! :)



And Randal Graves, if you didn't like 21 Grams, STAY AWAY!!! FROM THIS FILM...

It's must easier to watch than 21 Grams and doesn't have nearly enough awkward silences like that movie...plus it's not so non-linear and the subject-matter is on a worldscale...

DMM

[dman476]

Originally posted by DaMovieMan
It's must easier to watch than 21 Grams and doesn't have nearly enough awkward silences like that movie...plus it's not so non-linear and the subject-matter is on a worldscale...

DMM
Yeah, but it's also a less-interesting and involving film.
That's what I had gripes with...(plus the worldscale isn't neatly used enough; rather, it seems like an isolated worldscale).

[chinton]

I should say that I would have walked out of 21 Grams had I not been with friends. To me I feel both films are annoyingly manufactured. I never once believed all the coicidences and turns of events. The whole movie felt manufactured to move from one unbelievable situation to the next. I didn't feel there was anything organic to either of the films.

On the other hand Babel looked awesome great acting, and the scene involving the Japenes girl in the club while she was on ecstacy was visually stunning.

But the film pissed me off. The minute the Gabriel ran the freakin border situation and then dumped the woman and two kids in the desert who then started to walk away for some reason I said no more and left in an angry huff.

[Monotreme]

This is my second most anticipated movie of the year, after Little Children. i thought that Amores Perros was sensational and 21 Grams is one of my top 100 or so movies of all time, and this looks absolutely spectacular and more epic and sprawling than either of them. 30th of November, people. 30th of November...

[DaMovieMan]

Originally posted by chinton
I should say that I would have walked out of 21 Grams had I not been with friends. To me I feel both films are annoyingly manufactured. I never once believed all the coicidences and turns of events. The whole movie felt manufactured to move from one unbelievable situation to the next. I didn't feel there was anything organic to either of the films.

On the other hand Babel looked awesome great acting, and the scene involving the Japenes girl in the club while she was on ecstacy was visually stunning.

But the film pissed me off. The minute the Gabriel ran the freakin border situation and then dumped the woman and two kids in the desert who then started to walk away for some reason I said no more and left in an angry huff.

That's too bad you didn't believe the film, IMO shit like that happens all the time in the world and one of the biggest messages from the movie is that the world doesn't realize or care...
But concerning the border situation:

!!!SPOILERS!!!





















Santiago was drunk which explains his mindless actions. Amilia had little to no choice in that moment but to take the crying kids from the car (she was practically pushed out) and find some shelter...
Pretty realistic to me.


















!!!!END SPOILERS!!!!!


Originally posted by dman476
Yeah, but it's also a less-interesting and involving film.
That's what I had gripes with...(plus the worldscale isn't neatly used enough; rather, it seems like an isolated worldscale).

I completely disagree about the less-interesting and involving, I found 21 Grams to suffer more from that. I felt for all of Babel's characters.
A film can only show so much in 2 and a half hours regarding worldscale.

DMM

[dman476]

Originally posted by DaMovieMan

I completely disagree about the less-interesting and involving, I found 21 Grams to suffer more from that. I felt for all of Babel's characters.
A film can only show so much in 2 and a half hours regarding worldscale.

DMM
Really? I felt it was too jumbled and distant for audiences to connect, but I guess I you proved me wrong. Mabe I'm the only one. :confused:
The film was just lacking emotional qualities I wanted...there wasn't any redemption or even connection with all the characters. They just seemed like blank-slates. Maybe I felt this alienation because of the editing (too much jumping around), or maybe the story just didn't enthrall me.
I was really disappointed where the stories went.
I'm with Chinton...for example, the story with Amelia could have been real, but it seemed ridiculous (and yes, artificial) with what happened to her in the context of the film. I was hoping for a more grandiose and spectacular method of involvement (world-wide communication examined through the scope of an act that resembles terrorism, but isn't).

[chinton]

oh please I'm not saying that bad things don't happen in the world but I'm not going to sit there and buy contrived plotting. I would had walked out of Little Children for the same reason but I stayed til the end for dman.

[DaMovieMan]

There was no main character in the film and to me they seemed one-dimensional only because we were with them within those three days of their lives, just moments in their lifetime. I felt for them (as I hope many others have and will) on a basic human level.

I find it pretty ridicoulus to read reviews that say it was way too confusing to be realistic. The connection to the stories cannot be called unrealistic so just because the camera chose to follow four stories that are connected (by a gun, or by blood) it immediately implies that it's contrived? Aren't all plots in fictional movies contrived then?

DMM

[echo_bravo]

I havent seen the film yet but I want to.

Anyone think Pitt has a Oscar nom lock for Best Actor?

[Lazy Boy]

If anything, Pitt is being pushed in the Supporting Actor category, not lead...no one performance ranks over another, although I would differ and say Rinko Kikuchi is the heart and soul of the film.

[dman476]

I totally agree about Rinko Lazy Boy.

[dman476]

Originally posted by chinton
oh please I'm not saying that bad things don't happen in the world but I'm not going to sit there and buy contrived plotting. I would had walked out of Little Children for the same reason but I stayed til the end for dman.
Thanks (and sorry) Chinton. :D

And also, forgot to mention: DaMovieMan, contrived plots are acceptable at most times. They aren't when a film pretends to be "realistic." Like, I didn't have problems with The Prestige because of that: it's fantasy. This tries to show a larger moral picture (through four, different and mostly unrelated, stories), but fails because it seems so fake. It fails because it pretends to be grounded in reality, but really isn't (not saying that things like this don't happen...though, it seems anything but common).

[DaMovieMan]

How are these people's stories fake? :confused:
The shit that happens to them is completely within the bounds of realism and just goes to show how messed up the world is. I'm not trying to pick a fight and this is just my opinion, but I'm really curious as to why you feel it's so fake? It's not common but it happens, happens too often...

I will hopefully write my review for tomorrow or Monday, so I'll spell out exactly how I felt about the film and its characters...

DMM

[TylerDurden182]

Can't wait to see it this Friday.

[dman476]

Originally posted by DaMovieMan
How are these people's stories fake? :confused:
The shit that happens to them is completely within the bounds of realism and just goes to show how messed up the world is. I'm not trying to pick a fight and this is just my opinion, but I'm really curious as to why you feel it's so fake? It's not common but it happens, happens too often...

I will hopefully write my review for tomorrow or Monday, so I'll spell out exactly how I felt about the film and its characters...

DMM
By all means, I'm not trying to be burly as well. Just expressing my dislike towards the film. I find it fake, scratch that "artificial", because the filmmakers manipulate the story. It seems so improbable (the whole connection, and the individual stories) within the realm.
That's not a good explanation, but...it's the best I can come up with.
The kids shooting and actually hitting a tourist, and then as events unfold, it gets a little more ridiculous (the gun and the Asian girl).
Just like Crash...

Bobby is not nearly as manipulated. The people are connected, but it's in a very mundane (astonishingly so) way.

[ilovemovies]

I wasn't a fan of how 21 Grams was structured but I still thought it was a very good and powerfully acted movie.

I think this movie looks fantastic and I can't wait to see it when it opens wide next week.

[Strider]

I thought 21 Grams was incredible (my second favorite film of 2003, actually), and I cannot wait to see Babel. It looks fantastic, and I will be seeing it once it opens wide.

Strider

[chinton]

I will say what I saw of Babel I liked more than 21 Grams but then again I despised 21 Grams.

[dman476]

Originally posted by chinton
I will say what I saw of Babel I liked more than 21 Grams but then again I despised 21 Grams.
Really? I need to see that film again, but I remember liking it a lot.

[DaMovieMan]

Shit, I had to give my two cents on the Joblo review for this film,
this new guy Tim Goernert, I don't know if he posts or not, but he didn't get the movie AT ALLLLLL, what a shame as I feel this is one of the most important messages/morals from a film this year....
I have so much shit to do, Tuesday night im posting my review...

Still can't get over how much he didn't understand. People don't get discouraged, the movie is amazing, there's just one thing everyone whose seen it and hated it seems to miss: there's no time to get into these people's lives, who they are and if they're good or bad people but they're human beings none-the-less.

Didn't more people see this already? I thought there would be some reviews for this...

DMM

[dman476]

Check out the "What films did you see thread" and go back a few days.
One ChemicalRomance wrote an awesome review and gave it a 9/10.
Thought you'd might be interested...

[mendez]

all i know is tim goernert’s review was awful. i was never really a big fan of joblo's reviews, but this one sounded like it was written for a highschool paper. there was absolutely nothing there to back up ther arguements against it. my favorite part:

I get it, shit happens. Couldn't they have at least put a little pep in the movie so it's not sooo depressing?

heh...don't quit your day job.

[Shockwave]

I want to see this, but i really didnt care all that much for 21 grams, so im going in kinda blind on it on purpose. It looks alot more interesting.

[JCPhoenix]

Amores Perros (10/10) is one of my favorite films ever. 21 Grams (8/10) was also quite powerful and had its moments but wasn't quite as good as Amores Perros.

Either way though, I could not be more excited for Babel. Would've seen it this weekend but stuff happened. A couple friends and I going to do a double feature tomorrow night and rewatch Amores Perros and 21 Grams leading up to Wednesday night when we're gonna see Babel.

I can't wait and I'm absolutely excited for it but I can't help but be worried when people bring up Crash (5/10) and contrivances. That said, the so-called "contrivances" in Babel (judging from what I've been reading in this thread) sound more like the (much more organic) interconnected storylines in Amores Perros than Crash's ridiculously manipulative coincidences so I don't think it'll be a problem for me. And yes, I think there's a difference - namely Crash's kind of manipulation makes you feel like the story is being rudely yanked one way and shoved into the right form to connect with another to hit you over the head with a message whereas the others are more subtle and develop naturally in the storyline. And they (the good ones) usually (as I hope the case will be in Babel) are necessary to the development of the ideas of the film.

[DaMovieMan]

Originally posted by dman476
Check out the "What films did you see thread" and go back a few days.
One ChemicalRomance wrote an awesome review and gave it a 9/10.
Thought you'd might be interested...

Yea his reviews are pretty good, wonder why he didn't post it here yet. Didn't get the chance I guess.

As for the Crash thing people like to compare it to, trust me, it's very different from it. Crash suffered from too many main characters and it all happened in one city. This is a bit more sophisticated, much less jumbled with fewer storylines and characters, and portrays three corners of the world not one single place.


DMM

[jampes]

I saw Babel yesterday, and though I didn't particularly love the film, I am surprised at some of the negative reactions to the film.

First off, I'm surprised no one has mentioned the title. I grew up ignorant of biblical stories, so I had to look up "Babel" (I encourage everyone who sees the film to do the same).

The film is about language and people understanding one another (or, more accurately, not understanding one another). So using the gun as a means of connecting geographically distant characters is not a way to emphasize those characters' role in each other's lives (THAT would be "unrealistic"), but instead as a way of thematically connecting them via the different ways in which they are having difficulty communicating and being understood. (I don't have this fully thought out yet, so I hope it makes some sense)

I couldn't agree more about Goernert's review. I think he really missed the ball. It's one thing to bag a movie because you didn't enoy it. That's everyone's right. But I think it's unfortunate that he did not do any research or attempt to dig beneath the surface at all. I think it's fair to say that it was a lazy attempt at a review.

Comparing this film to others based solely on the narrative structure does this film a disservice. I think that the overlapping narrative structure is becoming a new storytelling convention (like flashback and voice-over), and I think it's a mistake to lump films that use it into the same category. Many films use it, for different reasons, and to different effect.

[SpikeDurden]

Originally posted by mendez
all i know is tim goernert’s review was awful. i was never really a big fan of joblo's reviews, but this one sounded like it was written for a highschool paper. there was absolutely nothing there to back up ther arguements against it. my favorite part:



heh...don't quit your day job.


I'm going to have to agree with you here. I'll try to be as polite as possible, and I don't want this thread to go off on a horrible tangent, so I'll try to keep this as related to Babel as much as possible, but I've mentioned Mr. Goernert's poor reviews on multiple occaisons before, and as time goes on they simply get worse and worse. Yes, I understand that this is supposed to be a fun, frat boy-esque, nacho munching movie site, but the man who is filling in as the main critic should, at the very least, have some idea how to properly construct a paragraph, let alone a full review, a knowledge of film criticism aside. I think its fine if a critic decides to stay on the surface of things, without delving too deeply into what went down, the intellectual ramifications of it all, its technical and cinematic mertis both on a comparative basis to itself, and other films like it throughout history (not that a review should be a true comparison piece), but to simply list what one likes and doesn't like about a film with poor grammar, no narrative cohesion, and no semblance whatosever of an understanding of film is just pathetic. JoBlo's reviews were never the most cinematically minded, nor did they delve deeply into the film, but he knew exactly what he liked and why, and he was able to get that down on paper in a cohesive and well constructed manner, and I always respected him for that. When dealing with a film like Babel, to simply say that it's too similar to a recent film [Crash], and too say that whilst the acting was good your main reason for dislike is how its too depressing just doesn't cut it. Its fine with me if you missed the deeper meanings and all that, the significance of the title, the symbolic ties of communication and how it affects all of our lives, the character relationships and arcs, the shot composition, the screenplay, etc., I really don't care if you cover any of those topics, because everyone gets something totally different out of every film. But please, at the very least, be able to write something that's readable! Its a sad state of affairs when the reviews posted on the message boards by casual film buffs are better written, more thought provoking pieces than the ones the site's current main critic writes.

That's just my two cents, and again, I aplogize for the tanget.


I realize now that I've yet to post my review of the film, as I saw it nearly a month ago at an early screening followed by a Q&A with the director. Perhaps later today, or tomorrow. Needless to say, though, I loved it. Its incredible powerful and affecting, and a beautifully composed and constructed film.

[DaMovieMan]

What gets me everytime from his "review" is:

What's the moral of the story? Don't target practice on moving buses, apparently it screws up everyone’s lives around the world.

That right there just shows how little he understood.

Sorry for bringing it up again but I used to love reading JoBlo reviews :(

DMM

[ChemicalRomance]

Originally posted by dman476
Check out the "What films did you see thread" and go back a few days.
One ChemicalRomance wrote an awesome review and gave it a 9/10.
Thought you'd might be interested...

Hello, I did in fact give it a 9 but I'm shifting between that and 8.5...it's still a good film!

Babel - Rating: 8.5/10

In the mountains of Morocco two young brothers, Ahmed and Yussef (Said Tarchani and Boubker Ait El Caid) vie for supremacy in efficiency of shooting their father’s new rifle. Practicing on a bus full of tourists, an American woman (Cate Blanchett) is pierced by the bullet, to the disbelief of her husband (Brad Pitt). Across the globe in America a Mexican babysitter (Adriana Barraza) cares for two children but does not want to miss her son’s wedding across the border in Mexico. To compromise she meets with her unpredictable nephew (Gael García Bernal) who takes them all across the border. In Tokyo, a deaf-mute teen named Chieko (Rinko Kikuchi) struggles to deal with her mother’s death, a father she finds uncaring and her own odd ways of expressing her feelings. How are these events connected by that piercing bullet? How are these events connected at all? In Babel, director Alejandro González Iñárritu attempts to answer just that.

Known for disjointed chronology and attention to detail, Iñárritu works Babel like four short stories but ones that are easier to connect than the puzzling but rewarding journeys of his previous works Amores Perros and 21 Grams. Skilled at directing his actors Iñárritu is able to evoke gut wrenching performances from the tremendous ensemble, whatever continent their story is taking place on. A significant amount of the story structure relies on relationships existing between people, and thanks to subtle, gripping performances from the big roles to the small, no association feels forced. The pain, anguish, happiness and ecstasy these characters feel seems incredibly genuine. A true standout is Rinko Kikuchi as Chieko, who without even speaking is able to relay an immense amount of confusion and desperation in her growing years. In a film attempting to convey our actions on a global scale and the importance of communication, this is pivotal.

Be it the howling winds and pulsing sun of the Moroccan desert, or the vibrant city of Tokyo and its blinding neon lights that seem to glow for miles, there is a stunning beauty to the visuals in Babel. Rodrigo Prieto has an arsenal of cinematography technique to make a film emotionally devastating which is evident by his other films with Iñárritu. Babel is another example of how cinematography should be used. One scene in a Tokyo nightclub is a perfect exercise of visual delirium and the bareness of Morocco and Mexican backlands is haunting. The writing of Guillermo Arriaga, another common Iñárritu collaborator, is a carefully constructed account of harrowing stories that fortunately are almost never melodramatic or saccharine. I say almost never because when combined with the editing, certain sequences and music interludes run long, approaching music video territory and in essence lose some of their initial effect. Even in these infrequent instances I was still feeling connected to what was happening on the screen, only being helped by the striking visuals projected back at me.

I feel the best thing about Babel is that it is uncomfortably relentless. I never felt I could tell where the stories would go, or what the characters would do. I was consistently kept on the edge with anticipation, happily uncertain with the stories and their proposed ambiguities. This is one of those movies where I felt truly satisfied with such ambiguity, because in a reflection of real life it’s fitting that some things are better left unknown or never known at all. We are connected and oppressed by our words and feelings, and the effects of these exchanges can span across the globe. Some will see Babel as ostentatious, needlessly convoluted and overwrought, but they might be missing the deeper point. Babel is a powerful work about the boundaries within ourselves and the boundaries between us.

-Andrew Guarini

[ChemicalRomance]

Originally posted by Lazy Boy
If anything, Pitt is being pushed in the Supporting Actor category, not lead...no one performance ranks over another, although I would differ and say Rinko Kikuchi is the heart and soul of the film.

Agreed. I think her story was the most effective and interesting. There's that great shot of her on the swingset and it just follows her up and down, up and down. The look on her face...it's haunting. She's just so happy to be around other people that seem to like her.

[bankholdup]

edit.

[ChemicalRomance]

Great review as well bankholdup, I've really enjoyed reading your stuff lately.

I don't know why I made it 8.5, when my original rating was a 9. I think the fact that I gave The Departed a 9, and I don't see these films as equal factored in but...

Still, this is a great great film. I really did like it a lot.

[dman476]

Originally posted by ChemicalRomance
Great review as well bankholdup, I've really enjoyed reading your stuff lately.
Big ditto on that.
I like reading most of the reviews here.
You've been writing some really good ones lately (though I disagree...).

[ChemicalRomance]

Thanks Daniel, glad you like them. Did you see the BOrat one?

[dman476]

Your welcome. :)

You people who write full-length reviews deserve all the compliments headed your way ;)

And yeah, I saw the Borat one. I agree on some points, but I still don't like the film (good review, no less).

[DaMovieMan]

http://a69.g.akamai.net/n/69/10688/v1/img5.allocine.fr/acmedia/medias/nmedia/18/36/27/51/18644582.jpg

For the duration of 2 hours and a half, we become witness to the lives of four families as they struggle through various circumstances within, roughly, a three-day period. An American couple, Susan (Cate Blanchett) and Richard (Brad Pitt), have decided to take a vacation in Morocco in order to deal with problems in their marriage. Their two young children, Mike (Nathan Gamble) & Debbie (Elle Fanning), are left in the care of their loving Mexican nanny, Amelia (Adriana Barraza), who has been looking forward to her son’s wedding day with great anticipation. In the isolated and dry outskirt desert of Morocco, a father happily purchases a gun that will scare jackals away from his goats and for the day he entrusts the gun to his two young sons, Ahmed (Said Tarchani) and Yussef (Boubker Ait El Caid). In Japan, a deaf-mute girl, Chieko (Rinko Kikuchi) finds it hard to deal with her hormones and her busy father Yasujiro (Kôji Yakusho) who is a widower under mysterious circumstances.

The tragic events that unfold are presented in such a way that one cannot but feel for their victims on a basic human level. Because we are presented with four stories and 10 characters that are at the center of the tales, there is no time for going into depths about the lives of these people, whether they are good or bad at heart; we have a husband and wife, their two young children, a mother that loves her son, her rightly cautious nephew, two competitive young brothers, a confused teenage girl with a disability that marks her in society and her father who seems torn without his wife. For some, the events are tragically coincidental, for others they are an inevitable part of growth but what really connects the stories together is the common struggle they have to communicate their truth & feelings to one another and the world around them. Communication and understanding your fellow man is the core of the message from the film, and Iñárritu’s timing can’t be more perfect considering what is happening in the world today: both in public and private domains.

As far as execution is concerned, the film really delivers on all aspects. The camera is with the people at their most pivotal moments, intimate with its close-ups and captivating with its wide shots of the space around them. The cinematography of all three locations is stunning and breathless. The editing to me seemed to come at the most perfect times between the different stories, always leaving you in anticipation to what will happen with the story you leave and delivering on your expectation for the story you re-enter. The music is spectacular and very fitting to its corresponding scene, two stand-out pieces for me are the Spanish song that plays as Amelia, Santiago (Gael García Bernal) and the two children enter Mexico and the final musical number that glosses over all of the lives we were privy to (it reminded me of the genial Motorcycle Diaries score). The acting, as has been mentioned, is near perfect from the whole cast, and if there was an Academy Award for Ensemble Acting I can’t see how Babel wouldn’t win. Stand out performances come from the unknown younglings: Rinko Kikuchi, Boubker Ait El Caid and Nathan Gamble. They all have the power of giving you goose bumps without batting an eyelash. Pitt delivers one of the most emotional scenes I’ve seen in years without dialogue, Blanchett speaks volumes with her eyes, Barraza’s scene with a border patrol officer is poignantly harrowing and Bernal seems to get better with every movie he stars in. The dialogue is realistic and simple and is nicely balanced with the realness of the locations: nothing is exaggerated or overdone while everything is painfully real.

With everything that happens in this movie seeming like an earthquake for the worlds of the characters, what moved me the most were the ripple-effects of the details that occur within seconds; examples include, Mike’s reaction to the chicken-game, the tourist’s reaction to the village they enter that wasn’t on their itinerary, Yasujiro’s response upon hearing some troubling news about his friend, an exchange of money that doesn’t happen, the look on Chieko’s face in the club as the strobe light flashes and something unexpected happens in front of her eyes and Yussef’s way of putting a stop to the madness his family finds themselves in.

As the maestro of this cinematic collage, Alejandro González Iñárritu is the true star of the film. He takes the style that worked so well with Amores Perros and the emotional weight of 21 Grams and translates it onto a world scale with brilliant results. Babel is a movie that stays with you long after the credits roll, making you think about all the Richard’s, Amelia’s, Chieko’s and Yussef’s of the world that exist all around us, across the ocean and beyond. Understanding one another is seemingly such a trivial act but its failure is at the core of the reason why the world is what it is today. Whether you can apply it to yourself and the world around you is that weighty question Iñárritu dares to ask using the medium of cinema to its full effects.

N.Grozdanovic

FINAL RATING: 9/10

How it stands with the rest::
---------------------------------
Amores Perros (9.5/10)
Babel (9/10)
21 Grams (7.5/10)
---------------------------------

DMM

[JCPhoenix]

Great review DaMovieMan...

Need some time to think on this one before I write any detailed review up. I think it's an 8/10 right now but that could change.

For now here is where it stands with Inarritu's other films for me:

01. Amores Perros 10/10
02. Babel 8/10
03. 21 Grams 8/10

I was also surprised to see Bernal fourth-billed considering he's not actually the main character really of his storyline. But I guess his name gets a few more people in their seats and he's definitely building up an amazing filmography in a few short years.

And DaMovieMan - that part with the helicopter coming down and the montage set to the score - definitely reminded me of Motorcycle Diaries (10/10), more specifically I think t reminded me almost exactly of the part where they leave the colony and everyone's waving...that may not be the right spot but I definitely feel like I've heard that piece almost exactly in one of Santaolalla's scores before. But no matter, it works quite well in this context as well and Santaolalla is one of my favorite newer generation of film score composers (alongside Jon Brion).


Anyway, back to Babel - like I said, need to think on it a while but one thing I just had to point out - I love, and I mean LOVE the final shot of the film. So beautiful. And Rinko Kikuchi deserves to be nominated for an Oscar. Oh and one other thing - the American tourist storyline (with Pitt and Blanchett) was the weakest imo.

ETA: And nevermind, that piece I was thinking of wasn't from Motorcycle Diaries but from the score for 21 Grams (I have all of his scores on my computer heh), and listening to it again it definitely sounds very very VERY similar - the track is "When Our Wings are Cut, Can We Still Fly?" performed by the Kronos Quartet and written by Santaolalla. It's not quite the same but it's very very close.

ETA2: I guess the poster we saw at the cinema was different from the ones online and the earlier ones; the one we saw had Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Rinko Kikuchi, and Gael Garcia Bernal billed (in that order) but looking online, it looks like the earlier posters were billed Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael Garcia Bernal, and then Koji Yakusho which is even worse as Koji Yakusho is again not the main character of his storyline either. Oh well.

[DaMovieMan]

Thank you JCPhoenix. :)

That last piece of music was amazing, just like the whole score of Motorcycle Diaries. I really can't wait to get the name of some of the songs in Babel.

It's funny, the two friends I saw it with had different opinions: one thought the Mexican story was the weakest and the other thought the Japanese story the weakest. I honestly found all three to be equally engaging.

DMM

[JCPhoenix]

Originally posted by DaMovieMan
Thank you JCPhoenix. :)

That last piece of music was amazing, just like the whole score of Motorcycle Diaries. I really can't wait to get the name of some of the songs in Babel.

It's funny, the two friends I saw it with had different opinions: one thought the Mexican story was the weakest and the other thought the Japanese story the weakest. I honestly found all three to be equally engaging.

DMM

For me, the order was:

01. Japanese storyline
02. Morrocan storyline (with Yussef and Ahmed)
03. Mexican storyline
04. Morrocan storyline 2 (with Pitt/Blanchett)

They were all strong but I still found Pitt and Blanchett's stuff to be a little less interesting because plot-wise, there's not that much progress in that storyline compared to the others since it focuses on Pitt trying to save Blanchett.

I think, was it, ChemicalRomance who said something like Rinko Kikuchi is the heart of the film? I totally agree with that statement in any case. There's a reason why the final shot is from her storyline in the film.

And yeah, I'm excited for the soundtrack to come out. And also to see this film again - not gonna see it in theatres again (don't have enough money for that :p) but as soon as it comes out on DVD, I'll probably buy it. Like Amores Perros, I think there's a lot of thematic links etc under the surface that will only become apparent on repeat viewings.

loved the subtlety of the film as well and to be honest, I was glad they didn't try to connect Chieko's storyline in a sensationalistic/manipulative way to the other storylines. It was just a small organic link plotwise - for me, the thematic connections between the four segments are more than enough to justify them all being part of the same film.

But yeah, still an 8/10 but potentially a 9. Really been making me think since I saw it last night.

[silentasylum]

I just saw this yesterday...movies like this are what I go to the movies for...I haven't had a movie do this to me in a while...the way they blended all the different cultures to make one story was really amazing to me...the acting in this is really good especially Adriana Barraza who had a small role as the mother in the dog story in Amores Perros...she gets to show her stuff here and does a great job...Gael Garcia Bernal does a good too but then that pretty much a given as is the performances that Cate Blanchett gives...I was surprised by Brad Pitt's acting in this movie as well as the two kids in both the morrocan and the wedding stories.

overall this is a great movie that is very entertaining and therefore very deserving of a 10/10 in my scorecard...I dont think I could ask more of a movie.

[tlc3377]

I saw this film because i'm a Blanchett fan. Though I feel they seriouly underused her, but yet her character was the central piece to the overall story.
The film however was jumbled in parts, and I had picked up on what the link was about halfway through.
I also felt there was way too much nudity. The girl is practically spreading her legs every 30 seconds. It almost made me sick.
And I wont even go into the young boy flogging himself thinking about the girl. That was unneccessary to the film.

[TylerDurden182]

Babel- 9/10

Great film. Rinko Kikuchi was amazing.

[DaMovieMan]

Originally posted by tlc3377

I also felt there was way too much nudity. The girl is practically spreading her legs every 30 seconds. It almost made me sick.


How can nudity make you sick? It's the natural human body. And the 30 second thing is a huge exaggeration.

Originally posted by tlc3377

And I wont even go into the young boy flogging himself thinking about the girl. That was unneccessary to the film.

That just part of growing up, and although not being central to that particular story, it was necessary to emphasize the isolation of the desert. + Added more complexity to the character.

DMM

[MadsenOMC]

SPOILERS!


I think my expectations were too high. I expected to be blown away, but it wasn't as powerful as I thought it would be. I do think it is a good film though, and I have been thinking about it a lot since I saw it yesterday. I like the central idea behind it, how the world is getting smaller and how important communication is, and how our actions matter. The editing and directing are excellent, and all of the performances are great. I especially liked the actor who played the guy helping Pitt's character. A good film, but for me not more than that. I like 21 Grams and Amores Perros more.

7/10

[AwesomeJ33]

9/10

Haunting.
Beautiful.

Why I go to the Movies.

The Japanese chick stole the movie:

1. Japanese Section
2. Mexico Section
3. Brad Pitt Section
4. Morrocan Goat Farmer Section.

The Music was memsmerizing.

Can't wait to see what wrestles this years best picture awau from my main man Alejandro González Iñárritu made a more easliy accessible 21 Grams, less jumping around in the past and present.

[KiKrusher99]

Spoilers Below!


Very dissapointing. When I heard about this movie I couldn't help but feel excited: a movie that could honestly and realistically portray the human condition and the difficulties of communication from different corners of the globe! However I felt there was a shallowness that wasn't completely masked by Iñárritu's excellent directing.

I felt this the most when the movie attempted to connect it's characters with something... a little more tangible. Why not just link them all thematically? Why did the gun have to be linked to Chieko's storyline, it didn't feel real to me, it felt tacked on. Even the theme of connection started to fall apart for me. How did the law enforcement get a hold of Brad Pitt's character so easily after the kids were found? Especially given the complexity of both the childrens and parent's situations. I'm normally not that picky but when the movie feels "real" and gritty these things become more distracting.

None the less there were a lot of things I did like about the movie (music, visuals, performances) and a lot of it did work. But I guess it just wasn't as honest or thought provoking as I thought it would be.

As of now 6/10

[JCPhoenix]

Originally posted by KiKrusher99
Spoilers Below!

How did the law enforcement get a hold of Brad Pitt's character so easily after the kids were found? Especially given the complexity of both the childrens and parent's situations. I'm normally not that picky but when the movie feels "real" and gritty these things become more distracting.


I didn't really have a problem with this. At the point when the law enforcement contacted Pitt's character, they were already in the hospital in Morroco for at least a day and he was able to call the nanny (so she would've had the number and the children very possibly might have as well)...either way, it seems perfectly plausible the law enforecment officers would've been able to get into contact with them.

[silentasylum]

made PERFECT sense to me...

[chinton]

I can see poeple who didn't like it are in the small minority.

Although I think I'm going to be the only who walked out in an angry huff. Lol.

[Bourne101]

I am siked for this movie. I absolutely loved Crash and 21 Grams (which are movies being compared to this), and this looks better than both of those did when their trailers were first released.

[KiKrusher99]

Originally posted by JCPhoenix
I didn't really have a problem with this. At the point when the law enforcement contacted Pitt's character, they were already in the hospital in Morroco for at least a day and he was able to call the nanny (so she would've had the number and the children very possibly might have as well)...either way, it seems perfectly plausible the law enforecment officers would've been able to get into contact with them.

Oh yea, definetly plausible, just seemed... inconsistent.

[veddhead83]

Review *May Contain Spoilers*

I have only seen "21 Grams" and enjoyed it very much. So I knew what I was getting myself into when I watched "Babel."

You can consider this a lock for a Best Picture nominee. Brad Pitt and Rinko Kikuchi should see nods for supporting roles. And the screenplay/directing is some of the best this year.

I enjoyed the mix of different languages, hence the title. My favorite part was the use of a deaf/mute character. It isn't too often I see roles like this; and when I do, they usually don't captivate me the way this did. Kudos to Alejandro González Iñárritu - you have made one of the Best Films of 2006!!!

On a side note: To say a plot is contrived, DUH!!!!! If it wasn't contrived, it would be Reality TV!!!!!! If you think this was forced with coincidence, what do you think of "Pulp Fiction", "Reservoir Dogs", "Kill Bill", "Sin City", "Eternal Sunshine...", "The Constant Gardener", "Crash" or any other movie whose narrative was non-sequential???
Plots are meant to be contrived, that is why they are called PLOTS.

[Strider]

Babel - 7/10 or ***1/2/***** stars

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu transports the viewer to Japan, Mexico, and Morocco to tell a dramatic story of choices and mistakes, and how communication failure can affect us all no matter where we live in Babel, the third and final installment of his unofficial "trilogy," which began with Amores Perros and continued with 21 Grams. As the films before it, Babel focuses on several interconnecting stories, including a truly heartbreaking story involving Chieko (Rinko Kikuchi), an isolated, tormented deaf-mute Japanese teenager who is trying to cope with her mother's suicide and distant father. No one actor, not even Brad Pitt, has a lead role or more screen time than the rest of the ensemble cast. All actors - Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael Garcia Bernal, Koji Yakusho, and Adriana Barraza - deliver solid work, but it is Kikuchi, whose haunting performance overshadows everyone else. Babel is a fitting conclusion to Innarritu's "trilogy," but unlike the superior 21 Grams, it lacks the intricate non-chronological, puzzle-like structure (the film is constructed like a puzzle, and everything transpires, more or less, in non-chronological order, but piecing it together is not a challenge), resonance, and its sorrow is nowhere near as overwhelming. Still, this is a strong, thought-provoking piece of filmmaking.

Strider

[chinton]

When I and I think other people say the story is contrived I think non-organic may be a better word. The reason why I walked out in anger is because I never for once believed one second of the film. Every plot developement seemed less like what the characters might do but rather yet another forced plot machination by the writer to get the character's in an even worse and illogical bad situation. Simply it being contrived isn't what made me angry.

[Moveindyfan7]

I loved "21 Grams" I thought the performances in that film were breathtaking and I think Alejandro Gonzales took his actors to new heights. I can't wait to see what he will do with the already amazing Cate Blanchette, Gael Garcia Bernal, and the Hollywood Heavy Weight Brad Pitt. From what i hear this movie is already getting Oscar buzz, guest we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

[veddhead83]

Originally posted by chinton
Every plot developement seemed less like what the characters might do but rather yet another forced plot machination by the writer to get the character's in an even worse and illogical bad situation. Well they actually did it and that is what people in reality might do as well. However, I would love to hear examples of this during the movie.....I can't think of any......

[JCPhoenix]

Originally posted by chinton
When I and I think other people say the story is contrived I think non-organic may be a better word. The reason why I walked out in anger is because I never for once believed one second of the film. Every plot developement seemed less like what the characters might do but rather yet another forced plot machination by the writer to get the character's in an even worse and illogical bad situation. Simply it being contrived isn't what made me angry.

That was the exact problem I had with Crash but I think it's valid here. I see your point but personally, I feel that because the film is about miscommunication etc that it works better in this case, especially because most of those contrivances are usually to do with miscommunication in this film.

[DaMovieMan]

Everything that happened at the beginnings of each story continued and were concluded in realistic ways...


!!!SPOILERS!!!!



















1. Yussef shot at the bus and he injured someone. The police are going to investigate it and given the isolation of the place it wasn't hard for them to realize who did it and go after them. The way they did was tragic but realistic.
2. Susan got shot by accident while on the bus in the desert, in between destinations and in the middle of nowhere. The fact that she couldn't get to the hospital but eventually did marks hers as a "happy" ending.
3. Taking the kids over the border was immediately a doomed act. Santiago warned her, and she knew she was taking the risk. The fact that she was deported back to her country where her son lives and where she has a potential relationship to build on with another man, doesn't sound too tragic to me for the longrun. Not seeing the kids again is only a present loss that time will heal.
4. Chieko's story to me looked like any girl in that vital stage of her life with such a disability.







!!!END SPOILERS!!!!




This is all my opinion, but I think people are putting way too much emphasis on how this film is nothing but tragedy upon tragedy when there are silver linings in almost every story (except Yussef's). Another thing: just because we saw the link between Japan and Morocco at the end, when we felt we knew the whole story, doesn't make it unrealistic.

[veddhead83]

Originally posted by DaMovieMan

This is all my opinion, but I think people are putting way too much emphasis on how this film is nothing but tragedy upon tragedy when there are silver linings in almost every story (except Yussef's). Another thing: just because we saw the link between Japan and Morocco at the end, when we felt we knew the whole story, doesn't make it unrealistic.

Agreed 100%

[Jerk Shapiro]

Another knockout for Alejandro Gonzales... Not quite the fucking gem 21 Grams was (10/10), but still a truly beautiful and amazing story told in a beautiful and amazing way.

All of the stories are expertly crafted, and all have a huge amount of emotional weight behind them. I found myself on edge in each and every cut back and forth.

All in all Babel is probably the best movie I've seen so far this year...

9/10

[Max Cady]

Just got back from watching it.
I found Rinko Kikuchi's segments the best, she stole the show.
8.5/10

[max]

Spoiler alert!

As Oscar-baity films go, this has it all. Romance - Cate Blanchett pees in a pan while making out with Brad Pitt. Comedy - Gael Garcia Bernal entertains a bunch of little kids by ripping off a chicken's head. Family adventure - an illegal Mexican nanny takes the kids in her charge on a field trip to Mexico. International intrigue - a Moroccan goatherder shoots at tourist busses for fun. Subtitles - a Japanese deaf-mute flashes her privates to anyone who's willing to read her lips. It's a feel-good movie for those who like to feel bad. Enjoy!

Rating: 5/10

[chinton]

Originally posted by veddhead83
Well they actually did it and that is what people in reality might do as well. However, I would love to hear examples of this during the movie.....I can't think of any......


Charaters always actually do something that has nothing to do with wether its contrived and silly or not.

The point where Bernard or whatever his name is broke across the border, stopped in the desert, dumped the lady and kids who then decided to start wandering around in the desert in the middle of the night is where I angrily walked out. It was the stra that broke the camels back. It was one of the stupidest things I've ever seen.

[veddhead83]

Originally posted by chinton
Charaters always actually do something that has nothing to do with wether its contrived and silly or not.

The point where Bernard or whatever his name is broke across the border, stopped in the desert, dumped the lady and kids who then decided to start wandering around in the desert in the middle of the night is where I angrily walked out. It was the stra that broke the camels back. It was one of the stupidest things I've ever seen. Some people do some really desperate and idiotic things my friend.....

[norenfroch]

I haven't seen the movie yet--- I need to soon!

I was wondering how you guys thought Gael Garcia Bernal's performance compared to his other ones-- in Y Tu Mama Tambien and The Science of Sleep.

He does goofy and immature superbly. How is he with drama? Is he even serious in this one? ... I'm a bit confused with the mention of chickens.

[DaMovieMan]

Originally posted by veddhead83
Some people do some really desperate and idiotic things my friend.....

Yes and especially when they're a) pissed off and b) drunk :rolleyes:

Spoiler alert!

As Oscar-baity films go, this has it all. Romance - Cate Blanchett pees in a pan while making out with Brad Pitt. Comedy - Gael Garcia Bernal entertains a bunch of little kids by ripping off a chicken's head. Family adventure - an illegal Mexican nanny takes the kids in her charge on a field trip to Mexico. International intrigue - a Moroccan goatherder shoots at tourist busses for fun. Subtitles - a Japanese deaf-mute flashes her privates to anyone who's willing to read her lips. It's a feel-good movie for those who like to feel bad. Enjoy!

Rating: 5/10

Wow. Tim Goernet's(sp?) review has competition..
good jokes tho :p

Originally posted by norenfroch
I haven't seen the movie yet--- I need to soon!

I was wondering how you guys thought Gael Garcia Bernal's performance compared to his other ones-- in Y Tu Mama Tambien and The Science of Sleep.

He does goofy and immature superbly. How is he with drama? Is he even serious in this one? ... I'm a bit confused with the mention of chickens.

Contrary to what you might think from seeing his name and picture on the posters and all, he's not in the movie very much. He's not the main character of his story but an important and pivotal chink to the wheel, so comparing this preformance to a starring one won't do any justice.
I haven't seen The Science of Sleep but I imagine that role is more like Santiago from Babel, funny and charismatic guy who loves a good fiesta and is getting tired of discrimination. For what he had, he was very good I would say.
He gets serious toward the end, but for the most part he's his usual goofy and immature self.
Once you see the film you'll see that chicken moment, funny and effective :D

DMM

[Fisting Ackbar]

SPOILERS!


















Originally posted by max
As Oscar-baity films go, this has it all. Romance - Cate Blanchett pees in a pan while making out with Brad Pitt. Comedy - Gael Garcia Bernal entertains a bunch of little kids by ripping off a chicken's head. Family adventure - an illegal Mexican nanny takes the kids in her charge on a field trip to Mexico. International intrigue - a Moroccan goatherder shoots at tourist busses for fun. Subtitles - a Japanese deaf-mute flashes her privates to anyone who's willing to read her lips.

:D

You forgot:

Weepy family issues - not one, but two families having to deal with the loss of a child.


On-topic, I thought this was one of the powerful and haunting films in recent years to portray the severe consequences of bad judgment. Iñárritu has only gotten better with each subsequent film. Second favorite of the year.

9/10

[chinton]

Originally posted by veddhead83
Some people do some really desperate and idiotic things my friend.....


Doesn't make it any less silly for me. It wasn't any less silly in Crash and you could use that same excuse. But to each his own.

[max]

Wow. Tim Goernet's(sp?) review has competition..
good jokes tho

Thanks! Who's Tim Goernet?

[Scorpio24]

Originally posted by max
Thanks! Who's Tim Goernet?


I think he's trying not to subtly to say, that you don't get it it. At least that was his response to the new joblo reviewer's(Tim Goernet) review who gave it a similar mark.

[max]

I think he's trying not to subtly to say, that you don't get it it.

Ahh...what's not to get? It's a movie about people with bad communication skills by a director with poor storytelling skills. It's about disconnectedness told in a disconnected way. It's not that I don't get it, it's just that I don't like what I'm getting. It's the most excruciatingly pretentious crap I've seen since...21 Grams?

[ilovemovies]

I thought Babel was great. One of the few movies of the fall that did not disappoint.

8/10

[veddhead83]

The main beef people are having with this film is that they think it is too forced or manipulative. I guess I just don't nnderstand why you all think that?!?!?!? It was a beautiful, yet sad, film about the differences in the way we all communicate - sorta like this blog.

[DaMovieMan]

Originally posted by Scorpio24
I think he's trying not to subtly to say, that you don't get it it. At least that was his response to the new joblo reviewer's(Tim Goernet) review who gave it a similar mark.

Heyyy Scorpio!! How's it going buddy? :D The Departed thread got lost after you ignored me hehe and I haven't see you post much since. Did you see Babel?

Actually that's not what I meant exactly, I was saying that his mock-review for the film was very close to Joblo's Tim Goernet's review on the front page. Difference being his was clearly for laughs while the others is meant to be (to some degree anyways) professional and serious. Wether he got it or not really doesn't concern me too much :)
Now I see he's not a fan of Inarritu's 21 Grams either so it doesn't surprise me that he didn't like Babel...not a fan of Inarritu at all perhaps? Did you like Amores Perros max?


DMM

[max]

Did you like Amores Perros max?

Yes, I liked it a lot.

[Scorpio24]

Originally posted by DaMovieMan
Heyyy Scorpio!! How's it going buddy? :D The Departed thread got lost after you ignored me hehe and I haven't see you post much since. Did you see Babel?

Yup along with others. I post often at least everyday. It's such a pity not in the threds you are. No it has not come out over here yet.

[DaMovieMan]

Originally posted by Scorpio24
Yup along with others. I post often at least everyday. It's such a pity not in the threds you are. No it has not come out over here yet.

Hehe, the others...nice. I was reffering to our plot-hole discussion which you stopped responding to, no-one else was really involved lol. Anyways, whatever, maybe ill post something on the Celeb Gossip thread so we can discuss something but in the meantime let us know what you think about Babel when you see it S24.

Originally posted by max
Yes, I liked it a lot.

That is good news. It's a sick movie.
Too bad you didn't like Babel.


DMM

[Scorpio24]

I'll be sure to do that DMM.

[TheMazVolta]

Babel - 9/10

Rinko made the movie for me. The three other stories were good, but she just took hers to another plateau. Well done Rinko, and I hope they remember you at Oscar time.

[daddiefatsacks]

fuck jennifer hudson

give it to rinko

Babel was really good, and i want a japanese woman.

8/10

[fabxxx]

Originally posted by max
Ahh...what's not to get? It's a movie about people with bad communication skills by a director with poor storytelling skills. It's about disconnectedness told in a disconnected way. It's not that I don't get it, it's just that I don't like what I'm getting. It's the most excruciatingly pretentious crap I've seen since...21 Grams?

I'm with Max all the way!!... Great jokes btw...LOL

I went to see with a group of friends and they all loved it and I hated it... What a load of crap!!

I think the problem for me was that I could not feel connected with the absurd decisions made in the film from most of the characters:

- You loose a kid from SID and you go to Morrocos leaving your two other kids with an illegal nanny and absolutely no plan B for someone else to take care of the kids!?! What kind of family has NO friends, NO relatives, ANYONE in town??
- You wanna make your wife feel better, or forget a tragic event like the death of your son and you take her to the end of poor Morrocos!?!?
- How on earth the nanny left the USA with two american kids without parents consent???
- How stupid you have to be, knowing you're illegal in USA, to cross the border with someone else's kids and expect to come back with no problems??? Where does that nanny has been on the past 10 years!?!?
- I'm not a lawyer, but I really don't think deportation happens that fast...

All these irritated the hell out of me and made me feel disconnected from the movie... I understand characters making wrong choices or even stupid choices, but even the most stupid one should have some kind of explanation... some kind of logical (even if stupid) mental process... But instead of discussing those (stupid) decisions we have loooong shots without dialogue and music... That's just LAZY!!

Oh... and to top it off, the writer ends the movie with a "Lost in Translation" gimmick...
"Let's make the japanese girl write a note to the cop but let's not reveal what it says"... Genious!!

Eck!

2/10

[DaMovieMan]

Originally posted by fabxxx
I'm with Max all the way!!... Great jokes btw...LOL

I went to see with a group of friends and they all loved it and I hated it... What a load of crap!!

I think the problem for me was that I could not feel connected with the absurd decisions made in the film from most of the characters:

- You loose a kid from SID and you go to Morrocos leaving your two other kids with an illegal nanny and absolutely no plan B for someone else to take care of the kids!?! What kind of family has NO friends, NO relatives, ANYONE in town??
- You wanna make your wife feel better, or forget a tragic event like the death of your son and you take her to the end of poor Morrocos!?!?
- How on earth the nanny left the USA with two american kids without parents consent???
- How stupid you have to be, knowing you're illegal in USA, to cross the border with someone else's kids and expect to come back with no problems??? Where does that nanny has been on the past 10 years!?!?
- I'm not a lawyer, but I really don't think deportation happens that fast...

All these irritated the hell out of me and made me feel disconnected from the movie... I understand characters making wrong choices or even stupid choices, but even the most stupid one should have some kind of explanation... some kind of logical (even if stupid) mental process... But instead of discussing those (stupid) decisions we have loooong shots without dialogue and music... That's just LAZY!!

Oh... and to top it off, the writer ends the movie with a "Lost in Translation" gimmick...
"Let's make the japanese girl write a note to the cop but let's not reveal what it says"... Genious!!

Eck!

2/10

Too bad you didn't like the film.. the only genuine plothole from all those is how did the nanny manage to cross from the us to mexico without the letter from the parents. It's not impossible but it would of been better if they showed how it happened.
Everything else is decisions from characters that are plausible and not unrealistic.

DMM

[Monotreme]

My impressions:

http://medias.lemonde.fr/mmpub/edt/ill/2006/05/24/h_3_ill_775219_babel.jpg

Movie Review - Babel

Out of the three masterful Mexican directors – Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, Innaritu is that whose body of work is, as of now, the most impressive. Cuaron’s other films are good and Children of Men blew me away, and I’m not the biggest fan of del Toro’s English-language work although his Spanish stuff is great; but Innaritu’s three films are masterpieces, each one on its own and as a body of work. And with Babel, Innaritu truly reaches a creative peak totally unlike his previous two films – they just get better and better, and Babel is the magnum opus, a total masterpiece.

There are so many points to address in this film; I really don’t know where to begin. I’ll start with the first and foremost element: its lasting impression. The film is more emotional than anything I’ve seen all year. It’s truly gut wrenching and extremely depressing. At many times the film is hard to watch not because of shocking imagery, but simply because the emotions portrayed on the screen are so incredibly powerful and bleak, one’s stomach just can’t take them. At the end of it all, the film is not a depressing one; while the stories contain deep and terrible tragedies, each one ends in what can be interpreted as somewhat of a redeeming note, although everything leading up to the very end is so incredibly bleak and hopeless, it’s hard to accept the film as an uplifting one. But the incredibly raw, vicious and pure emotions the film portrays wouldn’t be half as worth it if Innaritu hadn’t known just how to portray them.

Innaritu spends a lot of time with his characters. For such a broad, sprawling, worldwide film, it spends a lot of time in intimate moments with its characters in which their emotions at their most extreme are portrayed in full glory. At each of the characters’ breaking points, Innaritu lingers with his camera for a long while, so that we can stomach the full caliber of their feelings. In all, the film is absolutely a directorial wonder – it’s difficult enough when you have a film in no less than five languages, one of them being sign language; but all of the stories in the film feature child actors who do an absolutely stunning job, and I can’t imagine how difficult it must be directing children in a foreign language.

All the acting is absolutely stunning, throughout the entire film. After its emotional punch and the amazing directorial work, I’d rate the acting as the third most amazing asset of the film. And amazing it is. The known stars of the film; Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Gael Garcia Bernal do absolutely amazing jobs, although Gael’s part is a little more limited than that of the other two. Cate Blanchett, one of my personal favourite actresses, is one you can always count on to deliver a solid, interesting performance, and she does an amazing job in this film, particularly in this one amazing scene between her and Pitt involving a pan. The real shocker is Pitt, who is really quite a hit-and-miss actor: On the one hand he has rich, juicy performances like in Twelve Monkeys and Fight Club; on the other hand he has dry, boring performances such as in The Mexican or Troy. But in this film he delivers what is easily one of the finest performances of his career: the raw emotions, the anger, the despair, the ferocity; Pitt does an incredible job at portraying these. His finest moment in the film: The phone conversation with home. But the real stunners are two of the co-stars; Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi, who deliver absolutely amazing performances; especially Kikuchi, whom I would rate as the breakthrough actress of the year along with Shareeka Epps of Half Nelson.

The film of course displays much technical prowess, although in a very minimal way. This isn’t exactly the visual masterwork that is Children of Men or Pan’s Labyrinth, but the film does carry a unique cinematic style Innaritu utilized in his previous two films as well: Gritty, handheld filmmaking that is never showy and never comes before the story and the acting, but that adds to the mood incredibly. The real stunning technical aspect of the film, though, is its editing. In what may be my favourite scene in the film – the nightclub scene in the Tokyo story – the editing is the best I’ve seen in any film this year.

Thematically, the film is just as amazing as its amazing emotional scale and its acting and directing. I admit I was kind of worried this film would try to force a moral message; look at the poor people subject to prejudice who are really nice people that just want to help. But I never once got messages like this from the film, which was extremely impressive, in my opinion – that the director avoided treading such simple ground. The film’s real message lies in its title. We are all familiar with the story of the Tower of Babel, where God created the different languages so that the people would fail to construct their tower up to the heavens. So first and foremost, the film portrays human beings’ lack of communication, both obviously and not so obviously. Obviously, the different languages of the film are the first barrier between the characters’ communications – specifically in the American couple story, we have a full-fledged language barrier in which the characters simply don’t understand one another. But there is another form of miscommunication in this segment, and that is the emotional language barrier between the Pitt and Blanchett characters. In the Mexico story we have a form of racial prejudice as another example of lack of communication, as well as a language barrier – although it is interesting to note that the children seem to understand Barraza’s character when she speaks to them in Spanish, which makes sense as it is mentioned that she raised them since they were born. In the Morrocan locals’ story we have the childrens’ lying as the more obvious form of miscommunication; but more discreetly, we have a father who trusts his children with a big responsibility without properly explaining the weight and importance of the burden. In the Tokyo story we have a deaf and mute girl. But her disconnection from her surroundings isn’t only physical; she is also emotionally disconnected, which drives her to desperate acts of anguish and frustration. The “butterfly effect” aspect of the film, that is that all four stories are connected, is far from being the center of the film, but it plays an important part. Ultimately, when you connect the two elements together – the connection of all the stories from the other side of the World on the one hand and the failure of communication on the other hand, we reach the following bottom line: While we are all one world – all connected, all the same – we still haven’t learned to communicate with one another, and that leads to tragedies. There are two things in common with all the characters, though, that is the center of the film’s statement on the human soul. The first is emotions; all of the characters feel strong, sharp emotions, and through these emotions alone can the characters transcend the language barrier; see for example the old woman in the Morrocan village that tends to Cate Blanchett’s character. Or how Brad Pitt’s character picks up on his guide’s intentional mistranslation of the doctor’s assessment. The other thing in common with all the characters is applying bad judgment. The statement “we’re only human” is relevant in full force in the decisions the various characters in the film make.

It is interesting to note that Innaritu insists that his film is mainly about children, and not necessarily about the human psyche and about communication. It is definitely no coincidence that the first credit to appear is a dedication to his three children, or that each of the stories involve children in one way or another. Indeed, in this sense the film can be seen as the second in a trilogy of films from our three Mexican filmmakers this year – Pan’s Labyrinth about children in the past; Babel about children in the present; and Children of Men about children in the future. Loose, but the connection is there.

Ultimately, Babel is an unbelievable experience. Emotionally gut wrenching, I actually found it slightly more accessible than Innaritu’s previous three films, although it is much longer. This film is seriously engaging. It is also a directorial achievement of epic proportions: aside from the epic scale of a global film, the language barrier is also an extremely difficult obstacle to overcome. The acting is nothing short of spectacular from everyone involved: the stars, the unknowns, and the children together. The story is real, honest and engaging, although the film’s real core is its characters, its emotions and its ultimate thematic relevance. And all of this is accompanied by a haunting but absolutely beautiful score by Gustavo Santaolalla. It is Innaritu’s best work, and one of the best films of the year, right behind Children of Men. A masterpiece if I’ve ever seen one.

RATING: 10/10.

[ilovemovies]

It's a great movie but I could have done without the scene where the kid masterbates and the whole thing involving him trying to see his sister naked or whatever. ;)

Seriously, that was SICK!

[cletus66]

Babel is without a dobut one of the best movies of 2006. The direction and performances are wonderful. The movie keeps you enthralled form begining to end and the movement from story to story was done flawlessly. Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu and Rinko Kikuchi are definitely worthy of acadamey award nominations for best director and best supporting actress. I could also see Brad Pitt getting a best actor nom as well.

9.5/10

[silentasylum]

I enjoyed Adriana Barraza's performance as well..a unique movie experience for sure...

[crodger]

Finally saw this last night with a couple of mates. My eyes were rivedted to the screen from beginning to end. There were a few moments where the movie lapsed a little and it could have been trimmed to tighten the story but other than that, it was fantastic. That last shot is still with me. 4/5

[Kucha]

This is re-opening at my theater on Friday, I am so excited! I sadly missed the small run of it back in November, so I am pumped that I can still view it in the theater.

[silentasylum]

In saw this again over the weekend and it only helped reinforce my rating...


10/10

[silentasylum]

some guy did walk out while I was watching this movie the last time but my guess is that while sitting there he figured out how to finally complete his mission on Halo...

[ViviPR]

I'm very happy for the nomination for best picture.

[jaw2929]

I had to see this movie, upon getting the nod for a nominee for Best Picture award. And it DEFINITELY deserves it's nomination and SHOULD win Best Picture without a doubt!

This movie was fucking FANTASTIC! I like movies like this, where you've got 3 or 4 storylines all tying into each other, and having a few big/important themes running throughout... The themes in this movie were communication, abandonment, and I thought despair as well.

But all of these elements tie into one great story! I thought the acting was spot on for ALL actors in the movie! Rinko Kikuchi probably put on the best performance overall, I could definitely feel her pain at the loss of her mother and that wanting to be loved aspect to her character, just a great job by her!

Blanchett and Pitt do very well in their roles, especially Blanchett... I loved how everything tied together in the end...

If you're a fan of such movies like Magnolia, Crash and 21 Grams then do NOT hesitate to check this one out, it's simpy phenomenal!

*SPOILER QUESTION*

I went to the bathroom with 5 minutes left in the movie or so... I left right after the mexican babysitter was told she should accept voluntary deportation... And then when I came back, it shows Pitt's character in the hospital on the phone, calling his house and the babysitter picks right up, as if she were never deported! Did I miss something here? Did she decide to fight it with an attorney or did they give her a coupla days to round up her stuff from the US or what? I may've missed what happened there! :p

[Lazy Boy]

Trail_Blazer, here's what you missed:

*SPOILERS*






The maid did get deported, as it shows her son waiting for her on the sidewalk back in Mexico. She comes up to him, he gets up and they hug. That's it.

[max]

If you're a fan of such movies like Magnolia, Crash and 21 Grams then do NOT hesitate to check this one out, it's simpy phenomenal!

Can't decide which of those movies I hate the most. I would have to say CRASH simply because it won Best Picture. I should say that BABEL is not as hateful as those three, thanks largely to Barazza and Kikuchi, who manage to make their stupid characters more sympathetic than they have any right to be.

[chinton]

I wouldn't really say that.

Magnolia is one of my favorite films. Yet I despise 21 Grams and Babel

[jaw2929]

Originally posted by Lazy Boy
Trail_Blazer, here's what you missed:

*SPOILERS*






The maid did get deported, as it shows her son waiting for her on the sidewalk back in Mexico. She comes up to him, he gets up and they hug. That's it.

Aye, I saw that part as well... I rushed to the bathroom, so I wasn't really gone long... But if she was deported, then how the hell could she have been there to answer the phone when Pitt's character called his house to speak with the children?

[Lazy Boy]

*SPOILERS*


It's the narrative time loop structure -- the incident on the bus with Pitt and Blanchett happens before the maid is deported. She's still employed at that point in the story. I assume that the surgery on the Blanchett character successfully happens, and THEN that's around the same time the border-crossing fiasco happens, leading to his being mentioned as angry but not willing to press charges.

[echo_bravo]

Outstanding film. Loved every minute of it. I actually didnt like 21 Grams but I loved Babel.

Babel 9/10

Spoillers



What was said in the Japanese girl's letter to the cop? I went to imdb message boards but there are is not a definite answer.

[max]

I wouldn't really say that.

Which part? The "stupid" part or the "sympathetic" part?

[jaw2929]

Originally posted by Lazy Boy
*SPOILERS*


It's the narrative time loop structure -- the incident on the bus with Pitt and Blanchett happens before the maid is deported. She's still employed at that point in the story. I assume that the surgery on the Blanchett character successfully happens, and THEN that's around the same time the border-crossing fiasco happens, leading to his being mentioned as angry but not willing to press charges.

I see, I must've been under the impression that everything was happening at the same time, just in different places..... But of course the time zones in Morocco and San Diego, Morocco is going to be "in the future" of sorts, which would explain why the events in San Diego/Mexican border hadn't happened at that point when he called back home. Gotcha :p

[therealjohng]

Originally posted by echo_bravo
What was said in the Japanese girl's letter to the cop? I went to imdb message boards but there are is not a definite answer.



It said.......




SPOILERS*****







I know what Bill Murray said to ScarJo at the end of Lost in Translation. Call me l8ter. ;)

[CyclicNightmare]

I thought this movie was 3/4 good.

I did not care one bit about the Asian 1/4. It really did not have a strong enough connection to what was happening in the other 3/4. I couldn't care less.

[therealjohng]

Originally posted by CyclicNightmare
I thought this movie was 3/4 good.

I did not care one bit about the Asian 1/4. It really did not have a strong enough connection to what was happening in the other 3/4. I couldn't care less.


See, I'm the exact opposite. I felt that the Asian storyline was the best out of all. For me, the entire mexican border crossing scene pretty much ruined my love for this movie. I like it, but that ruined me from loving it.

[Bourne101]

2006 was one of the best years for films in a long time. I mean The Departed, Apocalypto, Children of Men, Blood Diamond, Pan's Labyrinth etc. I still have yet to see Letters from Iwo Jima, Little Children or The Fountain, but I will be seeing those as soon as possible. Babel, is in the top 5 of all of these great films released this year and if it had been released in one of the past few years, it would be my #1.

Everything about this movie is just amazing. The directing, acting, cinematography, writing etc. And it's suspensful, depressing, exhilarating, emotional, action packed, violent, brutal and just about anything else you could think of. It is such a great story that involves different lives, entangled in the strangest, most exciting and depressing ways.

This is a must see.

10/10

[silentasylum]

WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS





when I saw this movie a second time I got a different impression during the border crossing scene...when they ask the little girl if it was her aunt she says no because the kids saw her more like a mother figure than an aunt.



great movie...

[Mad Maggot]

There’s been a lot of talk on whether this movie is anti-American or pro-American. In my eyes, it’s clearly anti-American… no wait, let me paraphrase that, it’s against governments that hide behind the agenda of fighting terrorism while this world if suffering from far worse problems like poverty, starvation, illiteracy and a whole load of misunderstanding.

I also have to admit I wanted to slap Brad Pitt across the face throughout the entire movie. Let me try to explain why. I think the movie would’ve been better without him, I’m not saying he’s a bad actor, but I think Brad Pitt’s place is in big budget Hollywood movies. He practically ruined this one for me, every time I saw him on screen all I could think was, “Go away”. An actor of Brad Pitt’s caliber, a “celeb”, prevented me from enjoying this movie to the fullest – because I didn’t view him as Richard, but as Brad fucking Pitt. Similarly to that, I could say the same about Cate Blanchett, but, fortunately, she (as well as the brilliant Gael Garcia Bernal) has been on my eyes less than Mr. Pitt, so she was tolerable.

I don’t know if I made myself clear. I loved Brad Pitt in Fight Club, Twelve Monkeys, etc., but this role was not his thing, in my eyes. I’d much rather prefer an unknown actor in this role. I don’t know if all other parts (except Chieko’s dad) were played by professional actors, but they sure as hell did not in any way do worse than the star whose name is Brad Pitt.

I understand he saw this as an interesting part to play and maybe also a way to “raise awareness” and I can only applaud to that, but for me he didn’t manage too well.

Sure, Cate and Brad are the ones who actually attracted audiences to this film and it’ll do better at the box-office than without them (here where I live, anyway), but still… it wasn’t worth it.

Alright, I’m done with the negativism. I can’t really rate it just yet, I’m most definitely seeing it again one of these days, but it’s definitely above 8/10.

[Monotreme]

Well, here's a good case of to each his own, Mad Maggot. I happent to think that Pitt's work in this film is the best of his career, and was very much impressed at his ability to cross over to the "everyman" role, something that others such as Tom Cruise have failed to do.

[SuperRO]

A big disappointment…

When you don’t except much from a movie that you know it will not surprise you at all, and then after watching it, you feel even more disappointed… we’ll that’s bad!

I know we are all humans, I know how f**ck-up the world can be and all that… but you can still find more interesting stories to tell.. this movies left you with nothing but to say.. “it’s f**ck-up world!” What’s up with that??!

All the stories could have been told in less than an hour… NOTHING HAPPENED!!! A long movie does not mean it is a good movie!

Brad Pitt was a big waste! I admire that dude (long live Tyler Durden!) but instead of using his craziness.. you just pay him to sit there and wait! What a waste! Ok… it’s a drama… it’s supposed to be “real” and all that… but.. if I was in the guy’s place… I would have taken my wife and drove to a hospital with anything that had a set of wheels! That would have been worth to watch…

Also, Gael Garcia could have had a more significant role… he could have been the lady’s son or something… he is a great actor… so why waste him?

The worse part is that at the end, I felt like it was a mere intent to get nominated for the Oscars (let’s face it… the academy loves this sort of things). Movies with interconnected stories are getting a little bit old for my taste…. If you really want to tell stories and interlink them somehow… go ask Tarantino (long live Pulp Fiction!), cut off on some of the blood, and add some drama to it… then you might end up with something worth to watch… (Although I would always prefer Tarantino’s fun characters, violence and blood!)

[Badbird]

Badbird gives Babel a big fat "Meh."

I didn't find any real emotion or connection at all in this moviel. I won't say contrived or forced, but the story lines really didn't do anything for me. I was bored to tears with the horny Japanise girl (who had NOTHING to do with the story, it was her Dad that connected them). All the stuff in Mexico bored me, but maybe that's because I hate weddings and would rather kill myself than spend an entire day at one.

And then all the Morocco stuff was just... bleh. I was expecting a lot more tension out of Blanchet's situation, but she just layed around the rest of the movie once they stitched her up. And the two little boys just annoyed me because they did stupid things.

Come on. A couple with as much money as Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchet would clearly have more connections and be able to afford a real live legal babysitter and have a few emergency contacts.

[bigred760]

I don't know why it took so long for me to see this movie; I was looking forward to it when I first heard about it, but I just never got around to it. Until now - I rented it and I connected with it. Maybe it's the fact that I've visited or lived in many different countries; or maybe because I work in a communications based field and the subject of a lack of communication in this world is a topic I take an interest in, or maybe because it's just an overall really good movie with an interesting premise, excellent performances, and underlying symbolism.

The movie's different storylines are all triggered by a single event, for the most part anyway: two Moroccan kids test their new rifle on a bus; after that all hell breaks loose. The bullet hits an American tourist and her husband looks for help in an environment he doesn't understand; their kids are back in the States under the supervision of a hispanic nanny who wants to go to her son's wedding in Mexico but can't because of the parents' problems; we also follow the kids and what they go through as the shooting incident becomes international.

There's a fourth storyline that follows a deaf-mute Japanase teenager who's a bit sexually frustrated. Her storyline is more for symbolic purposes than anything else, though her plotline does connect to everything else that goes on. The symoblism, the frustration that follows with the inability to communicate. Each storyline and the difficulty that the characters in each go through are heightened because of a lack of communication, whether it's language barriers, politics, racial bias, or the like. And of all this can be symbolized through the deaf-mute and her difficulties and frustrations.

The performances also help drive the story and the message. Everybody from Brad Pitt, Rinko Kikuchi, and Adriana Barraza showed excellent range with the difficult premise and storylines. Obvious credit has to go to director Alejandro González Iñárritu for creating a provocative drama that brings to light an interesting subject in today's different societies.

8/10

[silentasylum]

I just bought this on DVD and cant wait to watch it again...I'm going to have a lot of other people watch it, too...this was by far the best movie I saw last year..


I agree I also liked the use of all the different societies to tell one story.

no need to find excuses on why you like this film...its a fucking great movie...I mean to anyone who knows anything about great dramatic films.

10/10

[Scorpio24]

I can't believe it's taken this long to get to see this film but I finaly did last night.

It wasn't perfect for me but I did find it haunting. At the moment i'm struggiling to put a score on it.

SPOILERS!!!!

I thought all the acting in the film was brilliant. It all seemed spot on. Rinko Kikuchi gave one of the most awe inspiring performances I have seen from an actress. Without saying a word she was able to share her dread, desperation, helplessness, joy and sorrow. I will remember that final shot for as long i'm alive. It was purely stunning. Pitt for me also gave a better performance than from what i've seen of him. this story felt quite personal to me. My GF had an accident when we was away in Greece last year and feel very ill at the airport just s we was about to board. Even though it was only Greece and English was widely spoken there the dread and heklplessness you can feel in these situations is unbearable. Somehow you find something in you and figure out everything. Watching the helpessness that Pitt felt in his scenes was very raw and real to me. I'm trying to think of a performance in the flm I didn't like and I can't.

There was always a feeling of impending dread in every scene for me and it was at times very uncomfortable veiwing. But it was balanced with some heartbrakingly beautifull scenes. The final scenes when Pitt is trying to give money to the man for helping were beautifull. You could see the gratefullness ethced on his face. But the clincher for me was the entire segment when The Japanese girl called the cop over to speak to him. From the first minute he stepped into the apartment I was in awe of how the scene played out and then onto that stunning ending.

I could see how some people would hate it and I could see how some people will adore it. I lean more towards the latter but not quite there. I need a re-watch.

Can anybody tell me the peice of music used in the final scene?

[Powerslave]

Originally posted by Scorpio24

Can anybody tell me the peice of music used in the final scene?
*Does some research*

"Bibo No Aozora/Endless Flight/Babel". It's on the soundtrack. It seems the specific part used during the final scene is Bibo No Aozora, by Ryuichi Sakamoto.

[Scorpio24]

Originally posted by Powerslave
*Does some research*

"Bibo No Aozora/Endless Flight/Babel". It's on the soundtrack. It seems the specific part used during the final scene is Bibo No Aozora, by Ryuichi Sakamoto.

Yeah as soon as I posted I thought why don't I just look for it and found it pretty easy. Should have edited to say never mind.

Thanks though bro. Appreciate the effort. ;)

[Powerslave]

Originally posted by Scorpio24
Yeah as soon as I posted I thought why don't I just look for it and found it pretty easy. Should have edited to say never mind.

Thanks though bro. Appreciate the effort. ;)
No Problem. :)