Babel

A day late... apologies.

So what can I say? This is a phenomenal trailer for a movie that will most likely be excellent, but seems to play right into my mindset right now. Having just spent the year in Japan, a movie about people struggling to communicate hits me right where I enjoy being hit. Throw in an absolutely dynamite cast, an awesome director (Forget 21 Grams and Amorres Perros, he directed Powder Keg in The Hire!), and I think this is going to be a phenomenal movie...for me. Let's score this out.

There are a number of good points here worth mentioning. First is that Brad Pitt is acting in a serious role. This doesn't seem so amazing until you look at a list of his recent movies. Oceans 11 and 12, Troy, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Friends, The Mexican, Spy Game, Snatch, and Fight Club. Before that it was some drivel, Meet Joe Black, and Se7en. Now I'm not saying these movies are bad, there are a lot of fun movies in there, but other than Se7en and to a lesser extent Fight Club, it looks a lot like the list of someone who chooses his movies based on what silly costumes, cool cars, or big guns he gets to play with if he signs on. They are all movies that I imagine would be really fun to work on, but there isn't a lot of meat there, nothing I would call a great film. Lot's of good movies, no great films. Despite all of this I find Brad Pitt compelling in all his movies, intensely charismatic, and capable of a degree of intensity that is not often matched. For those reasons, I think he will do a phenomenal job in this movie.

1 point for Babel for taking Brad seriously.

Next up is the fact that one of the stories takes place in Japan. I am in the final days of my love affair with Japan, and when I see these beautiful shots of Tokyo and I have been to these places, I can't help but want to see the movie. The shot of the two girls in their high school uniforms parting ways is just perfect, and captures something truly Japanese. In fact, that's what I like about all the Japan shots - each one is perfect, a moment's observation by someone who knows and loves the place.

1 point for each ridiculously short skirt, so 2 points for Babel. Score: 3.

The final part of this that speaks to me directly is the last title that comes on before the credits: If you want to be understood...listen. I feel like my blogs are spilling into each other, but that is something that I wish someone would tell all people who are thrown into situations that they don't understand. In this year I have listened more carefully than I may have ever before in my life, listening that tires you out at the end of the day and makes you learn ten new things every day - listening that with patience allows you to be understood. So that last bit - I wholeheartedly agree.

2 points to Babel for saying the truest thing I can think of. Score 5

Other things that deserve scores.

1 point for each beautiful location: Morocco, Mexico/the border, Japan. 3 Points. Score 8.

1 point for excellent typography and design, especially the title card. Score 9.

That leaves us at a mind boggling nine points for the Babel trailer. That is an unprecedented score, quite possibly never to be matched again. Go watch this trailer and agree with me.

You can agree with me here.