OINK!
If I had words to make a day for you
I'd sing you a morning golden and new
I would make this day last for all time
Give you a night deep in moonshine
--The singing mice...who also sound like chipmunks...interesting...
Five-Second Opinion: That'll do, film. That'll DEFINITELY do.
In-Depth Insights: Unlike the singing mice, I do have words for Babe, directed by Chris Noonan: amazing, clever, exciting, humble, kind, and above all, WONDERFUL. Babe is a wonderful pig, and an entirely different one, too. Underneath that 'family-friendly' surface lies one of the most astonishing, in-depth, G-rated animal pictures that you will possibly EVER see.
It's an accomplished piece of quiet, subtle film-making. The special effects team at Rhythm & Hues were wise to work their magic on the animals, while allowing cinematographer Andrew Lesnie to work a bit of his own magic as well. The score by Nigel Westlake is wonderful, along with the end credit tune "If I Had Words," which will respectively become ingrained inside your noggin for the next couple of days. The charm of the film-making wouldn't come through, however, without the beautifully written script by George Miller + Chris Noonan, adapted from Dick King-Smith's novel "The Sheep Pig," and it is filled with thematic elements that are explored with unusual intelligence.
Such thematic elements include giving into the new (Babe (E.G. Daily--a.k.a--Tommy Pickles) yearning to become a sheep-pig; Rex the Dog (Hugo Weaving) hesitant on Babe wanting to become a sheep-pig; Miss Hoggett (Magda Szubanski) hesitant on using a fax machine; you name it), a human's fascination for duck and pork as Christmas dinners ("CHRISTMAS MEANS CARNAGE!," says an anxious Ferdinand the Duck (Danny Mann)), and understanding the eternally timeless concepts of compassion, integrity, kindness, and maturity. All four of those thematic concepts are viewed through Babe's enormous, selfless beating heart. Whatever words that are spoken from him range from genuine and kind, to heartbreaking and meaningful ("I want my mom." Goodbye, precious cat-hood). He--yes, he--is one of the most sympathetic protagonists I've come across while watching a film in quite some time.
And I won't give away even one aspect about the epilogue of this film, except that it's a rare slice of pure, cinematic perfection. Thank You, Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell).
That's another adjective that should be emphasized regarding Babe: rare. A film like Babe is hard to come by these days, one that is intelligent, insightful, kind, mature, optimistic, you name it. The fact that it's also intended for the whole family is a miracle in of itself. If you haven't found out why this film was nominated for Best Picture in 1996, do yourself a favor: find it immediately and prepare to be amazed, moved and wowed. This is a magical picture.
Out of five Aflac Ducks, I give Babe...
Until next time,
It's a double-header: BROTHER BEAR + BROTHER BEAR 2!
and OINK, of course!
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