When life kicks you in the teeth, DON'T watch "Babel"

[crim son]

Jesus H. Christ. That's all I can say about that.

[darkstar]

1. Well...just a tad more mebee?

I've got that and "Children of Men" right here and am trying to choose....

[crim son]

3. I haven't seen Children of Men

but Babel will make you angry and it will make you sad. If you're in the mood, it's absolutely wonderful.

[bigwillq]

2. Babel was amazing.

The best film I saw all year.

It was beautifully made.

[crim son]

6. I agree. As I watched the final scene I became livid at the

notion that our culture is devaluing the Arts in favor of the pursuit of wealth & prestige. It scares me to think that one day human beings might have to endure the misery & confusion that is life, without the storyteller to comfort us and share our visions. Naked humanity vs. the plastic and metal world we have created. Ugh. A terrible movie & and great one.

[GalleryGod]

38. I've got it setting on the coffee table...went with Will Smith instead.

Maybe tomorrow...who knows.

What do I wear on our "date" ??:evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin:

[crim son]

39. Something which says to the world, "GalleryGod".

A suit of armor complete w/javelin & shield? I can see it... I think so.... :evilgrin:

on edit: something "that" says to the world... I will acknowledge the error but not fix it.

[SPKrazy]

4. I Haven't Seen It...

So it is pretty intense eh? I'll maybe wait until I'm in a better frame of mind to see it then.

[crim son]

7. Yeah, wait.

It'll give you perspective and make you wish you were somebody/something/somewhere else.

[SPKrazy]

9. *gulp*

well, I can do that already... so I better wait if it will make me do it more!

[Shine]

5. yeah, that movie was fuckin' intense

not exactly "light and fluffy"... Powerful stuff, though. Well done, but heavy.

[crim son]

8. Art imitates life, eh?

Light and fluffy it ain't.

[Shine]

12. I had to wait til I was in the right head space to see it

sometimes all I'm up for is light and fluffy

and sometimes I go in, ready for drama and packing my extra kleenex

LOL...sounds like another day at DU! :rofl:

[crim son]

15. I'm in complete agreement.

This wasn't the best night for it which is why I'm here posting and not in bed! :)

[amitten]

10. I'm just tired of feeling sorry for people...for hoooouurs on end.

And yet this is the most recent and popular movie technique of late...I guess it's supposed to make a movie more dramatic.

Basically, it's just one crappy (and highly unlikely) incident after the next after the next after the next. And not just one character, but every single character must withstand the trials of Job for hours on end. Like just endless, horrible suffering from every angle.

This is what now constitutes a "good" and "serious" movie...instead of something that actually has an intelligent and original and plausible script.

(Did I mention I hated "Babel"...?)

[crim son]

13. I didn't see "feeling sorry for people."

I saw modern life, our sense of justice and "order", our technology and the entire shitty world we've built to protect ourselves, killing us.

It's not just about the characters in the movie, IMHO. It's about my kids and your kids. As for its plausibility, how plausible was "Hamlet"? Some stories are parables and "Babel" is one of them.

Did I mention I thought Babel was a multi-layered feast for both the mind and the eyes?

[bigwillq]

17. I agree with you.

It's a tough movie for sure. You either love it or hate it.

Obviously the poster above hated it and that's their right but even though it's unfair for me to say this but I think they missed the whole point of the movie.

[crim son]

20. I think so.

But maybe it's us? :shrug: hehe.

[amitten]

49. No, I got all the points of the movie. I just thought it was pity

overload. Not a single bright spot...and in real life, bright spots do happen to exist.

Never have I seen a movie so loaded with misfortune as Babel. It was just overkill, IMHO. (And I usually like long drawn-out dramas).

[amitten]

21. Hey, to each her own. But me and my friend almost left early.

Pity overload.

[wildhorses]

50. yes, i can see where you get this

this has been done before and better...imho

[amitten]

51. No kidding. This movie should have been titled:

"Two, No Three, No, Let's Say Fourteen Horrible Horrible Tragedies Befall Brad Pitt".

Oh, and when the nanny loses his children for hours in the DESERT, he tells the authorities not to press charges...no biggie! :rofl:

[wildhorses]

52. the way he handled kate's shooting was just beyond belief

i just could not get with it....

you would stay on the bus and get her to the quickest resemblance of a hospital, right?

not get off the bus...that was just stoopid and it went downhill from there.

i know people make mistakes and bad decisions in real life but, c'mon

it was as contrived as crash, even more so.

sryriana did this about the best

[amitten]

54. Crash was much better, though they were both contrived and

preachy. I don't need a movie to tell me that life isn't fair.

At least Crash combined the story lines somewhat. Babel never did. That whole thing with the deaf girl was a completely pointless subplot, and had almost nothing to do with the rest of the story.

Just another ploy to jerk another tear (oh, boo hoo for the poor deaf girl who just wants love...).

Gimme a break.

[wildhorses]

55. yes, crash was preachy and contrived but, it was first and

somehow slicker...not sure of the word i want but, just a better look over all. myabe cos it was first though...trying to be fair

i have even consdidered watching babel again just to make sure ...but, i tend to agree with you.


perhaps, i watch too many movies:P

[amitten]

56. I was surprised how bad my movie date wanted to leave. He

loves a good drama and usually goes for the really deep serious artsy movies.

Babel just bored him to tears...he said he thought it was ridiculous. (Then I didn't feel so bad, because I was secretly feeling the same way.)

[wildhorses]

57. i thought it was just me and having a medical background--i tend

to have a low tolerance for how things are handled from that angle...i thought to myself 'mothafucka i have been SHOT!!! get me to the hospital NOW...and hell no i ain't getting off this bus...YOU-- mr driver are taking me to the closet hospital that you know of...and step on it!!'

so, i was pissed at kate and brad from that point on

and then it just went down hill from there

had i been the mexican housekeeper i would NOT have waited to the last minute to make arrangements to attend my SON'S wedding (her SON for gawd's sake)

it just seemed like so much bullshit to me

[amitten]

58. It was bullshit. Bullshit pushed to the nth degree to elicit the most

pity/tears/angst as humanly possible.

I was tired after the first half-hour!

[wildhorses]

59. ---

you were tired and i was bored:rofl:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

11. Haven't seen it.

[crim son]

16. Do.

When you're feeling cheerfully philosophical.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

19. I do have Children of Men in my Netflix queue, though.

[crim son]

22. That's one I haven't seen and don't know what it's about.

I've heard it praised hereabouts and will see it eventually.

BTW, I seem to have misplaced a PM. What is the t.v. series on disk you recommended a while back? I'm ready to start a new one.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

23. Future dystopia where nobody has children.

Until a certain woman becomes pregnant, of course. I heard it was good.

Oh, and the TV show is The Wire. I don't know if it's the type of show you'd go for, but I think it's one of the best TV shows ever -- no joke.

[crim son]

26. Bookmarked.

I think it will be hard to find around here but I'll look. Sometimes it sucks (sometimes?) living in a small town.

Thanks.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

28. Don't you have Netflix?

:P

[crim son]

31. Good heavens no.

I'd have to fight to get it & it ain't worth it. Nor do we have call waiting, or a stereo younger than a decade, or cable. Or a Blackberry, or Wii, or stainless steel appliances... I could go on. I have the laptop because I put in on a credit card & am grateful. We have internet access through the STBE's university.

I think I've mentioned on this board that my situation is not ideal. :rofl:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

33. Then get thee to a Blockbuster!

:rofl:

[crim son]

34. I shall.

Thank you for the rec. :hi:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

40. The first three seasons are on DVD so far.

Here are the best characters (out of many), IMO.

Drug addict/informant Bubbles:


Drug dealer/businessman Stringer Bell:


Stick-up man Omar Little:

[crim son]

42. I can see already three reasons to watch.

Bubbles? Is this the kind of screenplay you would like to write?

[Starbucks Anarchist]

44. I wish I could write that well.

Though my TV pilot has some similarities with The Wire, but I can tell you it can't possibly be as good.

Yep, "Bubbles." That's what they call him. :D

[crim son]

47. When I see you on television accepting your award then we can

talk about your talent & until then I have confidence in your ability.

And now, goodnight. Thanks for talking. I can do this!

[Starbucks Anarchist]

48. Good night!

:hi:

[wildhorses]

14. don't go over to the half nelson thread

:hi:

[crim son]

18. Excuse me?

The half nelson thread? I feel like that has something to do with sports - maybe wrestling? Maybe basketball, I don't know. I'm gonna look. :hi:

[wildhorses]

24. just that babel is not getting that great of a review over there

no biggie

[crim son]

25. I visited it.

Some people really enjoyed "Zoolander" too. :rofl:

KIDDING! I haven't seen it. :)

[wildhorses]

27. and

borat...

i think it is supposed to be pc to approve of that one but:wtf:

not my sense of humor at all


oh and btw totally agree w/ you about lady jane

one of my all time faves too:pals:

[crim son]

30. See, I was appalled by Borat too, yet fascinated.

Not by the tale itself but by what Cohen went through to make the film. It's also a nasty bit of anti-"istan"-ism which makes watching it a dirty thrill. You already know I'm sick in the head though. :pals:

[wildhorses]

36. well, i am slightly twisted my own self

but, it was boring to me

very juvenile, sophomoric

:hide:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

29. Zoolander's hilarious.

"How can the children learn to read if they can't even fit inside the building?" :rofl:

[crim son]

32. "It needs to be at least... three times bigger!"

Henry, my son, knows every single line. :rofl:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

35. Smart kid.

:rofl:

[crim son]

37. Actually, he's the idiot of the family.

:rofl: I laugh, but I'm serious! Poor wee fella. :rofl:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

41. BWAHAHAA!

Scary how our senses of humor match up. :rofl:

[crim son]

43. Yep.

Maybe it's an age thing. :P

[Starbucks Anarchist]

45. I have an old soul.

;)

[crim son]

46. I'm kidding!

I think you might.

[begin_within]

53. I thought Babel was very good, except way too much time spent on the Japanese girl.

Her story wasn't all that interesting. And it was only tied to the rest of the film by one flimsy fact. Otherwise, I thought it was a well-done picture with excellent acting.

[Evoman]

60. If it doesn't have some sort of kung fu or a guy who shoots with two guns John-Woo style,

I probably won't watch it. I hate watching stuff that makes me feel bad....especially movies where ONLY bad stuff happens. Most of those movies you can see the ending coming from a mile away.

But you know what you can't see coming from a mile away? Jet Li's fist. BAM!

You should watch Fearless...that movie ROCKED liked no ones business. The next movie I want to watch is the Protector. And the other one about the 'hood that is sealed off and taken over by criminals and that one cop has to go in and kick ass...I forget what its called though.

On edit: Does Babel have kung fu in it? Or at least one jumping spin kick? Oh well..I'll probably end up watching it anyways after my gf rents it.

[BarenakedLady]

61. I watched that a couple of weeks ago

I don't think I was in the mood for such an intense movie at the time. :shrug: