Babel

I finally managed to watch this movie after countless trips to the local video store. Having said that, my first impression of the movie without even watching it was that it must be a great film. Not only has this movie been given a Golden Globe for best picture, but different video rental stores from across the area were rented out. Even one of the rental stores had its display case ransacked for any signs of this mythical movie among the display boxes. Asking the video clerk and being very polite ended up paying dividends as I scored after he checked the "steel box" return.

Since the Oscars will air tomorrow...errr later tonight, I gathered my family to watch this potential winner. I really liked the flow of the movie (Similar to Crash) but didn't anticipate the adult scenes it was going to show. I have no problems with the adult scenes but since I had "youngins" watching the movie, I was hoping that there were not going to be any signs of nudity and sex. As my mom always pointed out to me, I was wrong. As I digress a little, this same exact situation happened when I rented Sideways for the same reasons I went out to rent Babel. It got raved reviews and I wanted the whole family to watch what the hype was about. The description on the back of the DVD only stated that it was a comedy about friends exploring themselves while going through Nappa valley. It was rated R, but I mean, it was a comedy. I thought it would be some vulgar language thrown out a little here and there and nothing more. After the first 15 minutes, I found out this movie was about trying to get laid in wine country. Moments later, I just said out loud "Ehh.. this movie seems like it will be boring.. I don't see any comedy going..lets watch something else" I ended up watching the movie later without the pre-teen family members and found that the movie showed full frontal male nudity. Though hilarious, I was relieved that I avoided watching this movie with my whole family. I'm not old fashioned, but seeing a hairy, one eyed jack, and I'm not talking about the Pirates of the Carribean with my family especially the young kids doesn't classify in my book as "quality family time". Anyways, going back to Babel, I knew this movie was rated R, but thought it was due to the violence. I didn't really get to check the back of the DVD case, because again, I got it at the last moment. Well, as I was watching the story unfold with my family, we were all stunned when Chieko decided to pull a Sharron Stone and let her eager beaver out. Not once, not twice, but three times. Yeah, I counted because I'm a horn ball myself, but that is beside the fact. As cliche as it sounds, I was "thinking about the kids". Besides for the unexpected cameo of the wood-chewing rodent, the movie was pretty good, but I liked Crash better. For me, the premise and the connections in Crash were more logical and intriguing than in Babel. I also liked how Crash depicted racism in America.

I want to try to watch the rest of the "Best film" nominations before the Oscars. Hopefully, I will be able to. I'm far from a movie connoisseur but its kind of fun to have watched all the best film nominated pictures before finding out what the "Academy" thinks.