AmP Movie Review: Babies

AmP Movie Review: Babies

Looking for a movie to take your mom to this weekend? Babies might be it. Here’s the trailer which gives a very good feel for the pacing and texture of the film:

I blogged about this movie when I heard about it last year and tonight I attended a screening of it. 

Babies defies description in that there really is no film I can think of to compare it to. It really is entirely a “movie” (or rather, a series of scenes) about four babies (one each in mongolia, africa, japan and san francisco). I can’t remember any movie I was so emotionally invested in throughout – there’s no way to avoid reacting as babies smile, coo, cry and tip over. 

Some folks I know were concerned this movie might have a political agenda, or some sort of “reproductive health” message. Babies transcends those debates. It’s just about them. And yes, their “stories” begin before birth. 

One word of caution – the film is very, ahem, natural, so there are ample visuals of just about every human body part, including the mothers’ bodies. This is probably enough for me to recommend that parents see this film first before they decide if it’s appropriate for their children. For all the moms breast-feeding and isolated peeing scenes, however, the film is healthy and non-sexual: indeed, the movie presents a good message about the proper role and purpose of human sexual complementarity. 

There have been sociological studies about how images of babies provoke feelings of altruism. I could sense how much more “human” my screening audience was feeling than say, summer blockbuster film showings I have attended. A world that has to sit and for a couple hours, marvel at the silliness and beauty of a child’s development would be a better world indeed.

Babies may save the world yet, if only we work to save them.

So yes, I’d bring mom (and dad) to see this film, but maybe leave your own kids home.

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Tags: Africa Japan, Altruism, blockbuster film, Breast Feeding, CAUTION, Complementarity, Couple Hours, Debates, Film Showings, Human Body, Images Of Babies, mom and dad, Movie Review, Peeing Scenes, Political Agenda, Reproductive Health, Silliness, Sociological Studies, Summer Blockbuster, Visuals

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