by Phillip Ellis

Created on: February 15, 2008

So, Babel, the big "Oscar film" of 2007, directed by the brilliant Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, a follow up to Amores Perez and 21 Grams, on similar themes of love, loss and tragedy, completing his celebrated trilogy, the movie another lattice of intertwining narratives. But beware, its 70% subtitles, and should have won best International film over best picture.

Even though the cast is headed by the huge names of Brad Pitt and Kate Blachett, they soon dissolve into the background of this melodramatic tale, the baron panoramas of Morocco and Mexico and a more watcahble foreign cast showing them up. In a film about how the barriers that separate nations and nationalities come crashing down in times of personal need it's not the big shot American actors that boss the screen, the peripheral cast stealing the show, perhaps a metaphor of Americas standing and respect in the world today.

============
The Tower of Babel (Hebrew:) was a tower built to reach the heavens by a united humanity. God, observing the arrogance of humanity, resolves to confuse the previously uniform language of humanity, thereby preventing any such future efforts.
============

Clearly Inarritu cast Pitt and Blanchet to sell his work to mainstream America and beyond, the decision to do that pretty shrewd, garnering many awards and those Oscar nominations-but is it the best film of 2007? The answer, of course, is no. It's too hard to judge that and I have seen better in the last year, as is the case every other year with me when they announce best film, the winner usually the most hyped and promoted at the right time, rather than the must see movie. Saying that it is a well made piece and brilliant directed and will appeal to some, but Pitt and Blanchett are only her to get it noticed and recognized for what it is. With resonations on the War on Terror and the vulnerability of the child in the fast moving modern world there's no doubt the themes will have universal appeal and sympathy.

-The Plot-

On a small isolated village in the Moroccan wilderness two peasant boys are messing around with their father's new rifle, with his permission. They will soon be Shepard's and responsible for their goats, vulnerable to jackals. At the same time struggling married couple Richard (Bradd Pitt) and Susan (Blanchett) are rolling across the same desert lands on a reconciliation break away from the kids. The said children live in Loss Angeles under the watchful eye of house made Amelia (Adrianna Barraza).

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>