The Babies

By Barrie Bastianelli Daniels

Directed by filmmaker Thomas Balmès, from an idea by producer Alain Chabat, Babies follows four babies around the world, from birth to first steps. There is one baby from Namibia, another from Mongolia, one from Japan, and the last from San Francisco, CA. The Babies, contrasts how babies are raised in other countries … rural vs. city. It will be a tossup as to whether you will enjoy the film or not, as it is really subjective. There is minimal talking… but it is really easy to contrast the environments – why it is amazing children in rural areas make it at all or is it that we, in a more city areas, just make it harder than it needs to be. It is also amazing, at the same time, how much they are alike. Now if you really enjoy babies, find them cute – adorable or think you might enjoy comparing outcomes of varied environments (and it is interesting to see Africa and Mongolia), then you might like it or shall I say love it. But you may hate it at the same time – it’s a quiet documentary, not a lot of action (or none), it is after all, just babies… you may feel as though you have seen enough 20 minutes into the film. I liked it, would never need to see it twice but liked it. Those with me thought it was cute also but I could also see how others might find the film insufferable. It is totally clean, any age can see it but there is a lot of breastfeeding – full breast, so it is up to you as to how much you will want to discuss with little ones later, as to whether you want them to see it or not. I think it is only at art house theaters.

DVD Pairing Suggestion: Planet Earth (2007)

Letters to Juliet

By Barrie Bastianelli Daniels



Watching Letters to Juliet, the new romantic comedy from director Gary Winick (Bride Wars), is at times romantic and somewhat poignant, at others painful, very painful, the movie is lacking any new take on the classic Hollywood formula of boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back. I am beginning to think that Amanda Seyfried can’t carry a film as a leading role; the only redeeming role was played by Vanessa Redgrave, she was the actor that brought the romance into the film. The boy in the film was played by Christopher Egan but not played well. This film was long and slow with no surprises… the only redeeming factor was the beautiful scenery, Italy – otherwise, the same ol thing – absolutely nothing new. Clean, it is, so anyone from 6 to 101 can see it but it’s so slow that even I got antsy - so kids will too. Pass on this one and see the Backup Plan instead (if you are over 16). 2010 has brought a lot of so-so films; let’s hope the summer brings some better films. Cross your fingers, please.

DVD Pairing Suggestion: Evening (2007)