DeniDVD Vault: Babies (2010)
September 28th 2010 11:35
Category: Documentary
Award winning filmmaker Thomas Balmès takes us on an extraordinary journey to the past where life began pretty much the same for us all. We can all learn about our own humble beginnings long forgotten through the lives of four babies from around the world and their incredible adventure of self-discovery. The children are: Ponijao, who lives with her family in near Opuwo, Namibia; Bayarjargal, who resides with his family in Mongolia, near Bayanchandmani; Mari, who lives with her family in Tokyo, Japan; and Hattie, who resides with her family in the United States, in San Francisco.
Ponijao from Namibia
We see each child from the moment they are born right until they manage to take their first step and what an incredible journey that is in just a little over a year. It's fascinating that while all babies are from very different backgrounds they all start off the same and yet at some point their environment will effectively take over, shaping them into intriguing individuals as dictated by their unique culture.
Hattie from San Francisco
The movie is beautifully filmed, with incredible establishing shots that emphasize the vast differences in each environment, rich in color, all wide angles at eye level with each tot and there is no narrative or rather the narrative is determined by what ever is going through the child's mind which is anyone's guess. Sure the parents are there in the background and you get a strong sense of their presence all around but this movie is told through the eyes of the babies.
Mari from Japan
While each new bundle of joy is fun to watch, I couldn't help but be more intrigued by the lives of Ponijao and Bayar from Namibia and Mongolia respectively. It's obvious why. Both Hattie and Mari are from environments no different than my own, both are bombarded with an unending supply of plastic toys and sophisticated baby accessories and adornments and with what I can only assume is Baby Yoga classes, so watching Ponijao and Bayar grow up practically unpampered, playing with a dirty bottle and teething on dried animal bones and rocks, free to crawl and roam outside and wallow in dirt, drinking water from what looks like a muddy stream or crawling half naked on a farm almost trampled by cows and goats in mud and God knows what else was pretty eye-opening.
Bayar from Mongolia
You get a strong sense of just how resilient babies are. In the states I hear women complain about strangers touching their babies on the cheek but then you see little Bayar, quite naked sitting on a rusty tin drum surrounded by a bunch of cows and barely missed being kicked in the face and you pretty much conclude that we Westerners are just a wee bit soft. But at the end of the day none of that matters because each baby is content and happy no matter how rich or how poor.
The movie is brilliantly simple and is probably the perfect movie for those who have not had the opportunity to interact with babies and yet hold a somewhat mild curiosity for kids, especially at the early stages in their life. It's great documentary which celebrates humanity at its best.
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Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by Deni
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
This will give you a warm fuzzy feeling for sure and the best thing about watching this movie, especially since babies make you feel uneasy is that you can just "walk away"
Actually I only watched it because I found the concept interesting as well. I'm sure every 5 years or so they'll do some sort of revisit to see the progress.
This was actually quite enjoyable!
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Anyway - have you seen that video of that baby smoking on you tube??
Comment by Deni
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
I'm burned out from heavy movies for the time being although I feel my game is coming back and I've not been feeling well for the past few weeks. I've been watching so many documentaries lately.
This was a DVD rental for a lazy day.
I did see the smoking Indonesian baby, the latest update is that he's in therapy and in the final stages of kicking the habit.
Thanks for stopping by.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Deni
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
No, I'm still here. My husband and I are actually expecting a little bundle of joy of our own and I've been floored with "morning sickness"
Let me tell you that "morning sickness" is worse than the scariest horror movie you've seen. It's not fun. I feel like a cross between Linda Blair in The Exorcist or John Hurt in Alien.
Hopefully things will return t normal in a few weeks, I'm struggling to get, at least, one review up in the next few days.
Cheers and thanks for asking and more importantly, pity me!
Deni