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Algren
now we know
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 9:31 pm
Posts: 68338
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 Babel  Quote: Babel is a 2006 international drama film directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu and written by Guillermo Arriaga, starring an ensemble cast. The multi-narrative drama completes Iñárritu's Death Trilogy, following Amores perros and 21 Grams.
The film portrays multiple stories taking place in Morocco, Japan, Mexico, and the United States. It was an international co-production among companies based in France, Mexico and the US. The film was first screened at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, and was later shown at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Zagreb Film Festival. It opened in selected cities in the United States on October 27, 2006, and went into wide release on November 10, 2006. On January 15, 2007, it won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture — Drama. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and two nominations for Best Supporting Actress and won for Best Original Score. _________________STOP UIGHUR GENOCIDE IN XINJIANG
FIGHT FOR TAIWAN INDEPENDENCE
FREE TIBET
LIBERATE HONG KONG
BOYCOTT MADE IN CHINA
Last edited by Anonymous on Tue Nov 21, 2006 8:17 am, edited 2 times in total.
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| Sun Nov 05, 2006 8:16 am |
 
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Neostorm
All Star Poster
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 2:48 pm
Posts: 4684
Location: Toronto
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So I went to see Babel at the same place where I saw cache, and similar to cache this movie had....
Spoiler
No ending. Seriously, it was so stupid (the ending). So many plotlines are left unfinished. You don't know what happenes to the nanny afterwards or what was in that final note of Mamiko (i think that was her name) or how her mother died or anything... No ending at all..
Things that I liked:
Rinko Kikuchi: She was amazing and I wished that the story revolved only around her character.
Things that i did not like.
They had Cate Blanchet, who is like amazing (2nd fave actress) and they don't use her at all. She's dying and crying.. that's all she does.
The weaving of the storyline is not that complex at all and seems stupid. They try to be overtly political with its insulting of American reactions to terrorism and yet nothing else is done about it.
Also if the big "ohh" moment is that the storylines are a couple of days not in sync, then that's not that ohh-worthy.
And the non reading of the note at the end is so not innovative anymore and it angered me..
I give it a D. This grade is influenced by high expectations though.
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| Sun Nov 05, 2006 6:11 pm |
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jd.grill
Speed Racer
Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:32 pm
Posts: 168
Location: at the movies
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Not sure how to review this yet but to neostorm above they did show what happened to the nanny, she was picked up at the border by her son in a non-speaking hugging moment. and on the note, I was guessing that she was going to kill herself on the balcony but couldn't go through it and then she finally connected with the father through the hand-holding and the hug.
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| Mon Nov 06, 2006 11:53 pm |
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Neostorm
All Star Poster
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 2:48 pm
Posts: 4684
Location: Toronto
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jd.grill wrote: Not sure how to review this yet but to neostorm above they did show what happened to the nanny, she was picked up at the border by her son in a non-speaking hugging moment. and on the note, I was guessing that she was going to kill herself on the balcony but couldn't go through it and then she finally connected with the father through the hand-holding and the hug. Yeah she went back beyond the border.. but what happened after? Would they just have left her there? What happened to the kids?
I guess yeah that may explain the ending of her being naked, but I wanted to know what the note said and how did her mother die or why did her mother die? So many unanswered questions. Either that or i'm too stupid to get them lol..
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| Tue Nov 07, 2006 12:04 am |
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jd.grill
Speed Racer
Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:32 pm
Posts: 168
Location: at the movies
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Having just seen this it is fresh in my mind. The mothers death was explained by the father to the detective in the ending lobby scene. The father explained that what the daughter said wasn't true, the mother died by shooting herself and not by jumping. and on the kids, the nanny was told that they were found and she didn't have any right to more information so I just assumed that they were safe and in protective custody.
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| Tue Nov 07, 2006 12:11 am |
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Neostorm
All Star Poster
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 2:48 pm
Posts: 4684
Location: Toronto
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jd.grill wrote: Having just seen this it is fresh in my mind. The mothers death was explained by the father to the detective in the ending lobby scene. The father explained that what the daughter said wasn't true, the mother died by shooting herself and not by jumping. and on the kids, the nanny was told that they were found and she didn't have any right to more information so I just assumed that they were safe and in protective custody. But why would you believe the father over the daughter? That's what I don't get. Why have the mother come into the picture in the first place? Besides her inability to "hear" (which i guess relates to the communication theme of Babel), I found as if their storyline was not that connected to the rest of the plot, just a nice aside.
And with the children, I wanted to know like how did Brad Pitt's character react to the chidren/nanny.. What happened after they found out that there was no terrorist connections? Why were the 2 kids and their father's picture on the news if they explained their side of the story after? Was this just to show that media is biased adn that's all? I swear, I want to sit down with the writer of this script.. I want closure! LOL
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| Tue Nov 07, 2006 12:38 am |
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jd.grill
Speed Racer
Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:32 pm
Posts: 168
Location: at the movies
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Neostorm wrote: jd.grill wrote: Having just seen this it is fresh in my mind. The mothers death was explained by the father to the detective in the ending lobby scene. The father explained that what the daughter said wasn't true, the mother died by shooting herself and not by jumping. and on the kids, the nanny was told that they were found and she didn't have any right to more information so I just assumed that they were safe and in protective custody. But why would you believe the father over the daughter? I just assumed the father's was correct especially wigth the daughter being alittle crazy and out there. Also, the true method of death would be known to the cops so I would go wi6th the father. That's what I don't get. Why have the mother come into the picture in the first place? Besides her inability to "hear" (which i guess relates to the communication theme of Babel), I found as if their storyline was not that connected to the rest of the plot, just a nice aside. And with the children, I wanted to know like how did Brad Pitt's character react to the chidren/nanny. The agent said he was very mad but wasn't going to press charges. What happened after they found out that there was no terrorist connections? Are you talking about Brad Pitt? I don't think he cared too much about terroists, he just wanted to get help for his injured wife Why were the 2 kids and their father's picture on the news if they explained their side of the story after? Not sure as I don't remember this Was this just to show that media is biased adn that's all? I swear, I want to sit down with the writer of this script.. I want closure! LOL some answers up above. In general, I am guessing as I didn't get as too involved in these stories. and, I was confused by the connections but in the end I think the Japanese story was the most interesting.
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| Tue Nov 07, 2006 1:45 am |
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Anonymous
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I'm watching this tomorrow and the comparisons to Crash are freakin' me out man.
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| Thu Nov 09, 2006 8:38 am |
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jd.grill
Speed Racer
Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:32 pm
Posts: 168
Location: at the movies
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didn't feel this had the close crash ties and crash also had the "black" ties which made it alot stronger.
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| Thu Nov 09, 2006 12:32 pm |
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Anonymous
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jd.grill wrote: didn't feel this had the close crash ties and crash also had the "black" ties which made it alot stronger. 
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| Thu Nov 09, 2006 7:59 pm |
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jd.grill
Speed Racer
Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:32 pm
Posts: 168
Location: at the movies
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loyalfromlondon wrote: jd.grill wrote: didn't feel this had the close crash ties and crash also had the "black" ties which made it alot stronger. what is the matter, are you still dazed and smarting from getting taken by the hooker? and again on the statement, I don't feel that this movie reached anything close to what crash did.
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| Thu Nov 09, 2006 8:49 pm |
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Anonymous
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jd.grill wrote: loyalfromlondon wrote: jd.grill wrote: didn't feel this had the close crash ties and crash also had the "black" ties which made it alot stronger. what is the matter, are you still dazed and smarting from getting taken by the hooker? and again on the statement, I don't feel that this movie reached anything close to what crash did. you have it all figured out goldie.
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| Thu Nov 09, 2006 8:52 pm |
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Maverikk
Award Winning Bastard
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:03 am
Posts: 15310
Location: Slumming at KJ
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Babel= 
I understand the Crash comparisons, but only from the perspective that it's a group of characters who's stories interconnect. That's where the comparisons end. It's far too long, and besides Brad Pitt, who gave a career best performance that would totally deserve an Oscar, and Cate Blanchett, who sounded as American as I do, the rest of it was not the least bit interesting. The slutty Japaneze deaf/mute girl had her moments, but I found myself just wanting to get back to Brad and Cate, and it's a shame they weren't the entire story, because their story was in the A-/B+ range. The rest was yawn inducing, and all subtitled on top of that. (well 90% was subtitled)
C-
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| Fri Nov 10, 2006 7:57 pm |
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zennier
htm
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 2:38 pm
Posts: 10316
Location: berkeley
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Sounds great. 
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| Fri Nov 10, 2006 8:12 pm |
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Anonymous
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I'm beginning to think I'm just not a fan of fractured narratives. Sure I loved Go and Magnolia and Traffic and Love, Actually. But that's about it.
I think a major problem with this sub-genre is that inevitably there's a weak link in the chain. In Babel, there just so happens to be TWO weak links. 2/3's of the film simply don't work. Is it a coincidence that the 1/3 of the film that works is also the segment tied most loosely to the rest?
Babel is overflowing with foolish motivations and happenstance. It's a dramatic version of Three's Company. These characters behave and act outside of anything that even remotely resembles reality. The Japan segment crackles and pops with heart and energy, pathos and humour, while the Morocco and Mexico segments plod along. I'd take a feature film about a deaf mute schoolgirl in Japan over Brad Pitt crying and Mexico/US border high jinks anyday.
Japan A-
Morocco C-
Mexico F
Overall D
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| Fri Nov 10, 2006 8:47 pm |
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jd.grill
Speed Racer
Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:32 pm
Posts: 168
Location: at the movies
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it probably would have been alot better if they dropped the whole Mexican part and only kept the other two, if they would have tied it better with lack of communication.
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| Fri Nov 10, 2006 8:57 pm |
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zennier
htm
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 2:38 pm
Posts: 10316
Location: berkeley
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But Gael is in the Mexican part, so....
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| Fri Nov 10, 2006 11:55 pm |
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Anonymous
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zennier wrote: But Gael is in the Mexican part, so.... his work in the film almost completely destroyed my crush.
almost
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| Sat Nov 11, 2006 12:07 am |
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zennier
htm
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 2:38 pm
Posts: 10316
Location: berkeley
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loyalfromlondon wrote: zennier wrote: But Gael is in the Mexican part, so.... his work in the film almost completely destroyed my crush. almostI met someone that looks like Gael. I am flipping out. Really.
I refuse to believe my crush will be diminished. I'll be too busy spazzing out at the sight of him on a giant screen.
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| Sat Nov 11, 2006 12:17 am |
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Anonymous
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the film crossed over into surreal when Pitt started to make out with a near death Blanchett who'd just pissed her pants.
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| Sat Nov 11, 2006 8:24 am |
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android
Cream of the Crop
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2005 7:44 am
Posts: 2913
Location: Portugal
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Well, I rewatched 21 Grams 2 times recently, and I love it even more...
... so I can't wait to see this...? 
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| Sat Nov 11, 2006 8:46 am |
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kypade
Kypade
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 10:53 pm
Posts: 7908
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there's nothing really wrong with it, but there int much right with it either. never woulda expected the weakest part to be the acting by pitt and blanchett. the club scene in japan is probably the best scene of the year, and i agree that was the strongest story, followed by the brothers/gun, pitt's and the the mexico one, which just had too little there for it to really amount to anything. gael's on screen for about 10 scattered minutes and then just kinda disappears (pretty literally), so i wouldnt worry too much about any crushes dying.
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| Sat Nov 11, 2006 11:58 pm |
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zennier
htm
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 2:38 pm
Posts: 10316
Location: berkeley
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Only ten minutes?
*livid*
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| Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:01 am |
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zennier
htm
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 2:38 pm
Posts: 10316
Location: berkeley
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loyalfromlondon wrote: jd.grill wrote: loyalfromlondon wrote: jd.grill wrote: didn't feel this had the close crash ties and crash also had the "black" ties which made it alot stronger. what is the matter, are you still dazed and smarting from getting taken by the hooker? and again on the statement, I don't feel that this movie reached anything close to what crash did. you have it all figured out goldie. Seriously, why can't you guys nail him? He is like an infection. At least he left the **** at home.
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| Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:02 am |
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Anonymous
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zennier wrote: loyalfromlondon wrote: jd.grill wrote: loyalfromlondon wrote: jd.grill wrote: didn't feel this had the close crash ties and crash also had the "black" ties which made it alot stronger. what is the matter, are you still dazed and smarting from getting taken by the hooker? and again on the statement, I don't feel that this movie reached anything close to what crash did. you have it all figured out goldie. Seriously, why can't you guys nail him? He is like an infection. At least he left the **** at home. I always thought a permanent ban meant you would be permanently banned from visiting.
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| Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:06 am |
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