Bébé(s)

An enjoyable, charming, heartwarming documentary about babies around the globe and the difference, similarity on their life as a baby. This was a nicely photographed film and a pretty memorable one at that but it kind of bothered me that there wasn't much dialogue or narration and when there was in different countries there wasn't any subtitles which was a bummer because I was really interested on what other cultures talk about on an normal everyday basis and their input on parenting and because of that it made the pacing sometimes sluggish with a series of clips that you could probably find on youtube or home videos but that still doesn't make it lose its charm. Overall there isn't much else I can say about Babies, it wasn't a brilliant documentary but a very adorable one that will lift your spirits high and I recommend it for mothers or parents to be but that's pretty much it. Worthy of a rental. More of a 2.5 out of 5 stars.

This movie shows the development of four babies from birth to about one year old. They are from extreme different cultures - Namibia, Mongolia, Japan and the United States. the movie is well-crafted - the photography and musical score is very good. There is no narrative. The movie shows babies as they explore, wonder and learn and I found it easy to create my own narrative as I did the same while watching them.

The diversity among them was part of the narrative. Namibia appeared barely touched by technology; Tokyo utterly transformed its landscape. It was interesting that the Japanese parents sang the birthday song in English and that the simple yurt the Mongolians lived in had an accompanying satellite dish. It is also amazing that each baby's unique personality emerges so early in their lives.

The universality of man was the other part of the narrative. Put a loincloth or a business suit on a man and a man is still a man. I wondered why are all babies so cute, be they humans, puppies or goats? Why does the first word in any language appear to be "mama"? Why were the animals so ambivalent and nonthreatening to the babies? Moms seem to naturally be tender with their little ones. Each baby experienced the struggle and triumph of learning to crawl, stand, walk and run just like the other billions of us.

This world has horrific evil, violence and darkness. But it also has beauty that about takes my breath away. People say "stop and smell the roses". Sometimes I find it good to look at a tree, or the clouds or stars, or people at the mall, just walking by. In the same way, I enjoyed watching the babies. It was a thoroughly entertaining and enriching way to spend 79 minutes.

When "Babies" comes out on DVD, it will be the perfect baby shower present for any parents-to-be. From the opening sequence with its variety of birth preparations, delivery environments, and the way that different cultures welcome new life, the viewer is given rare glimpses of a beginning. From there the filmmaker features the developing personalities of the respective babies.

The Mongolian baby is swaddled and often left alone with the occasional rooster and later toddles along alone among the cattle. His big brother is a bully, but he learns to stand on his own.

In Namibia, the baby is immediately socialized with other babies and children. The community of mothers share nipples, grooming, and other responsibilities, but mostly seem willing to let the babies learn their own lessons in their own ways. Not only do we see babies eating just about anything discovered on the ground, or crawling through the dusty plains, but we also enjoy their wild joy during play or dance.

The temper-tantrum of the Japanese toddler was one of the most delightful segments of "Babies". The little girl's world, carefully observed from her first moments, is nurtured by devoted urban parents whose world view is from a tall apartment building.

Born to earthy San Franciscan parents, the American baby is the center of her parent's universe. Her world is full of books, pets and parks. Some might consider her over-indulged, but her parents seem mellow and mature as they prepare their daughter for a future that she'll share with children from Namimbia, Mongolia, Tokyo, and every other global neighborhood.

I appreciated many moments during the many vignettes that linked developmental milestones of the four babies. The film demonstrated how much more alike we all once were before we learned to abide by this ideology, or that cultural construct. Whether our nourishment comes from a disemboweled goat, a cardboard box, or a farmer's market, we all require a connection with something grander and greater than ourselves.

Having recently celebrated the birth of Liliana, our first grandchild, I admit I am a little biased toward babies in general and the documentary Babies by Thomas Balmes in particular. The film, however, stands on its own as a joyous celebration of the first year of life for four youngsters in different parts of the world. Filmed without narration, subtitles, or any comprehensible dialogue, Babies is a direct encounter with four babies who stumble their predictable ways to participating in the awesome beauty of life.

Enhanced by the inspiring music by Bruno Coulais, we follow Mari, a little girl in Tokyo Japan; Ponijao, another girl living in Namibia in Africa with their mother and eight brothers and sisters; Bayer (Bayarjargal) a boy who lives in Mongolia; and Hattie, definitely the most privileged of the four who lives with her apparently super aware parents in San Francisco. Watching their development over the first twelve months of life is a direct experience of the enchantment that life has to offer. The babies laugh, they cry, they play, they get frustrated, they poop, and they bask in the loving tenderness of those around them.

Needless to say, their experience of the first year of life is vastly different, yet what stands out is not how much is different but how much is universal as each in their own way attempts to conquer their physical environment. Mari becomes frustrated as she sets about getting the hang of teaching toys by attempting to place a spindle into the hole of a disc. Bayer unravels a role of toilet paper and then takes bites out of it when it is all undone. Hattie crawls towards the door during a parental ecology meeting in San Francisco as if to say, "Get me out of here, I've had enough of this".

Though the language is different as well as the environment, the babies cry the same, laugh the same, and try to learn the frustrating, yet satisfying art of crawling, then walking in the same way. Of course, those in Tokyo and San Francisco have definite physical advantages over their young counterparts in Mongolia and Namibia. Hattie has the advantage of cultured and literate parents who read to her and show her books with the title "No Hitting." Bayer and Ponijao live close to earth, naturally sitting with goats or playing among cows, having their tongue licked by a dog, and even drinking water out of a dirty stream, yet we are confident that life for Bayer and Ponijao, though culturally different than for Hattie and Mari, will survive and prosper by the loving ways of their own parents and the environment in which they live. You will either find Babies entrancing or slow moving depending on your attitude towards babies because frankly that's all there is, yet for all it will be an immediate experience far removed from the world of cell phones and texting, exploring up close and personal the mystery of life as the individual personality of each child begins to emerge. For me, it was difficult to resist.

Greetings again from the darkness. About 4 months ago I saw this trailer and knew immediately I wanted to see it. The word "documentary" is usually box office death, with only a few exceptions. Those exceptions usually involve penguins and Morgan Freeman. Sorry, no penguins here. Only babies. And goats. And cats.

Director Thomas Balmes from France had a pretty good idea - show the first year of life for four babies from different parts of the world. The babies are from Namibia, Mongolia, Tokyo and San Francisco. It seems his ideas pretty much stopped there. What we see are interlocking scenes of each of the babies at similar stages of developments. The stark contrast in environment seems to be the driving force of photography.

Developed countries vs. un-developed countries. Is it best to raise your child in the wilderness or in the big city? Does it even matter? We see babies rolling on dirt hut floors and poking at goat's ears. We see other babies going through baby yoga and group therapy sessions. Apparently the big surprise is that all four babies learn to crawl, walk and talk no matter the level of luxury or amount of parental attention.

Roger Ebert says all babies are cute. Any fan of "Seinfeld" will tell you that's just not true. What is true is that babies are curious and observant and creative. No one knows if the over-indulgent and over-protectiveness of high society actually helps or stifles the development of babies. What we do know is that life finds a way and babies keep growing and learning, whether in a hot tub with mom or in a bowl that a wild goat uses as drinking water.

I just wish the director had put more substance into the delivery. We are simply observers in quick snapshots of each baby. We get very little from the parents or other kids. The obvious points are made, but in the end, this feels a bit empty and probably better served on the National Geographic channel than the local cinema.