Babies (2010)

"Babies" follows four babies from birth to first steps. One is in Namibia, one Mongolia, one Japan and one in San Francisco. There is no commentary or dialogue. You won't learn anything about babies unless you can pick it up from observation. The most interesting babies are those in Namibia who are free to explore their environment including the dirt and animals. Almost never does mother interfere, though she keeps a constant eye on them. The Namibians and Mongolians live with animals as part of the family, goats, dogs, roosters, cows... The sanitised life of the little SF girl seemed so sterile and uninteresting in comparison. The babies are not presented as cute, but as intelligent new little humans trying to figure out how life works. The hygiene in Namibia and Mongolia is alarming to us westerners, but the babies seem to thrive anyway.I was the eldest of five kids, so the way I remember babies is endless diapers to change and bottles to feed and crying. There was almost none of that here. The babies hardly ever cried, and never for more than a minute.They don't tell you the sexes of the babies. It is interesting the way clues get gradually revealed in the way they dress and handle the children, until gender is physically obvious as 4 year olds.

'BABIES': Two and a Half Stars (Out of Five) Veteran documentary filmmaker Thomas Balmes directs and writes (from an idea by Alain Chabat) this film following four babies from their first breath to their first step. The film focuses on Bayar, Hattie, Mari, and Ponijao for the first year of their life as cameras pretty much follow them wherever they go. Each baby is also from a different location from around the world with babies coming from Mongolia, Namibia, San Francisco and Tokyo. The Blu-ray and DVD also features a bonus feature where the director returns to each baby and their family a few years later and shows them the completed film.The movie is extremely slow paced with very little dialog and no narration. The parents are seen here and there but say very little, the video seen is almost entirely of the babies. There's no real direction or plot and the movie plays out exactly as described; just a year in the life of the four babies. It's kind of more like a nature documentary than anything based on people we've ever seen before. This has driven some viewers mad with boredom and I have to admit I was pretty bored at times and found my mind drifting. The babies are extremely cute though and there is some entertaining video.I think the point of the film is to show that we are all the same just raised differently in different cultures. This is a pretty simple and obvious message though and although the video is cute and entertaining pretty much any filmmaker with the right equipment could make a movie like this. If you film babies for long enough you're going to get some sweet and amusing video , all you have to do is edit it together nicely. While this film is put together nicely there could have been a little more to it. Like I said of course the video is sweet, uplifting and enjoyable to watch but it's also boring frequently and there was just so much more potential for a better film.Watch our review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBr4LOQxrmg

Don't let the relentless advertising for this movie persuade you to waste your time. Its a typical modern day documentary that plays into the stupidity of the viewing public. A South Park episode once made fun of this type of shallow story idea. It was called something like "Animals close-up with a Wide Angle Lens." As stupid as South Park can be, episodes such as that prove that the writers really have the pulse of contemporary storytelling and the crap that is being produced. I would recommend watching that episode of South Park before considering "Babies." At least you will only waste 1/2 an hour instead of two hours in a theater.

"Babies" looks at the first year of four babies in four locations around the world. No narration, no dialogue, this visual documentary speaks for itself. From fancy toys and gadgets to playing with a spoon or a rock, the babies do their thing. From birth to the first step the babies seem on equal footing, but you can't help think at some point varied opportunities will leave a few babies literally in the dust.Four babies was the perfect number. Well photographed, a fun score and appropriate pace. Take a break from the explosions and in your face 3D movies and let "Babies" put a smile on your face.