Babe

Rating:
Summary: Christmas dinner will never be the same
Review: So there I was, checking out the new releases at the video store and I couldn't find a thing. This particular video store has this deal where older films are only 99 cents, so I started thinking about what I've missed over the past few years and I decided to rent the "family" film, "Babe" from 1995. "The 'Citizen Kane' of talking pig pictures," the cover promised.

"Babe" is the name of a pig, a "worthless little runt" who, unlike his mother early on, is not destined to become bacon, but instead lands on a farm. The farm is run by Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell in a quiet, understated performance). He takes a liking to the little pig and so does his wife, albeit for different reasons. The farm has many animals, all of whom it seems Babe gets to know (all the animals talk). There's lots of sheep because it's a sheep farm and there are a couple of dogs, the authoritarian Rex and a female collie Fly (who becomes a sort of surrogate mother to Babe). There are horses and a cat with a nasty disposition. And then there's my favorite - an anorexic duck named Ferdinand. Even though Fly claims the bosses eat only stupid animals, Ferdinand is no dummy; he's figured out what "Christmas dinner" means.

The plot has Babe working to become a sheep dog (or "sheep pig") and what with the National Sheep Dog trials approaching, it doesn't take a genius to figure out where the movie's headed. But it's the small details, not the overall story that I appreciated. Take, for instance, the chapter titles, which are punctuated by these tiny little musical mice. One title features an excerpt from "Carmen", another a high-pitched rendition of "Blue Moon". And I swear they can be heard giggling at the title, "Pork is a nice sweet meat."

Rating:
Summary: An Enchanting Movie for People of All Ages!
Review: When a little orphaned pig named Babe is taken in by Arthur Hoggett, the magic begins. He befriends all of the animals on the farm and becomes a "sheep pig," doing the Border Collies Fly and Rex's work just as well as the dogs themselves. Babe later wins a sheep-dog contest, proving that even the seemingly impossible is possible.

This brilliantly made film is an endearing family movie without being too sweet or sugar-coated. Adults and children alike will be delighted by the pleasant, and often funny, storylthe ine, as well as the talking animals like Fly, who takes care of Babe like she does her own puppies, and the trio of mice who sing songs like "Blue Moon." Underneath its surface, the movie holds an important moral: anything is possible.

"Babe" deserved its six Academy Award nominations hands-down. It is a must-see for anyone and everyone, young or old.

Rating:
Summary: No Widescreen? -- Universal Video Blows it Again!
Review: This film, which was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar in 1995, is fabulous, on both the DVD and DVD-DTS versions now available.

But why in the world would Universal Home Video take one of its golden movies from its great library and slap it onto a DVD in a full aspect ratio (TV Land) format? The video and audio quality are terrific. Otherwise, the "no-widescreen" decision doesn't make sense at all.

Is this a "trend" adopted by some home video divisions at the studios in California to accommodate the still larger group of non-purists who prefer seeing movies in the dumb pan and scan or what I laughably call the "HBO format?"

Go over to AMC and Turner Classic Movies on cable and the trend over there, for people who are movie purists, is in a completely opposite direction. More of their films are being shown on cable in the widescreen format.

"Babe" is the second major crtically acclaimed Universal studio release on DVD that is being offered without the widescreen format. The other, and you'll choke on this when you hear this, is "The Sting," the intricate "con" film that WON the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1973.

Even more puzzling is Universal Studio's decision to release the sequel, "Babe: A Pig in the City," which was little seen in theaters, in full widescreen format on DVD.

Why widescreen on one and not the other? I could understand it if the studio released information indicating to consumers that the awful 1:33:1 aspect ratio (the 35mm norm for nearly all films released in the United States before 1953) was the original theatrical issue, but I don't believe this was the case for 1995's masterful "Babe."

Another atrocious miscue by another company, is being commited by Fox Video for its DVD version of Alan Parker's gloriously intoxicating film, "The Commitments," another film that deserves the widescreen treatment and not crummy pan and scan.

Please, fellow Amazonians out there, get on the bandwagon and clamor for the studios, at the very least, to offer both formats on DVD, and not one at the exclusion of the other! This is the way most of the major DVD releases are done right now anyway (widescreen on side A and pan and scan on side B).

Perhaps Universal's handling of "Babe" was to cater to the "kiddie crowd." But that's insulting if the film's popularity hadn't crossed over to adults, it wouldn't have made as much money as it did and just as important, it would not have been nominated for Best Picture in 1995.

But the lack of a widescreen DVD for "Babe" is truly, truly a puzzle, a riddle, a baffling decision by Universal. I can think of no acceptable explanation other than they didn't want to spend the money to treat one of its gems on DVD the way it treated it for the currently available widescreen version of "The Sting" on VHS. Does anyone at Universal/MCA at Universal City, California have an answer that makes sense?

This is truly a travesty for DVD fans!

Rating:
Summary: A Sweet Movie...
Review: Even thought i'm not five years old, I have to admit I really liked this movie, because it was veyr much so sweet. Babe was the cutest pig with such a sweet heart! lol And I loved those singing mice... The movie was well directed.. and the story was well written. My friends and I do watch this film, I admit lol. And we love when the little Babe sings "LAA LAA LAA LAA LAAA" It's really a sweet family movie, and even if you think your too old for it, you'll end up liking it.

Rating:
Summary: A perfect film
Review: "Babe" comes the closest to being a perfect film out of anything I've seen. Everything in the film should be there, and nothing seems to be missing -- the funny touches with the mice, the love between Babe and Farmer Hogget, the themes on family and self-identity -- any adult or child can watch this movie and love it.

Rating:
Summary: A film for everyon
Review: This movie is a very tricky movie, because he has the look of be a film for Kids, but a kids never will see what an adult can see, the kids will enjoy the ride, the animals, but an adult will enjoy the message the powefull message hidden behind that funny look, of animal, I recommend this movie, and have to say that is one of the best movies of all time. really. See this movie you dont will be disappointed. I recommend see the Babe Pig in the city too, is more dark is true, but has another good message, and really amazing special effects, you never will discover when a animal is amde for cimputer, really good.

Rating:
Summary: Simply the best movie in the 20th century
Review: I seldom wrote any comments. But, this time I just felt that I had to say something about this movie--to me, it's simply the best movie ever made in the 20th century. What really is amazing may not only reside in the fantastic acting of those animals, but in the fact that it's got some deep phylosophical meaning (or "nothingness", in Satre's word!)with the story per se-- it reminds us that sometimes (or, in better terms, all times) we human beings may just have taken things too seriously... And in this sense, the champion sheep-pig is more human than us... Should you want to share some wiews with me, just write to [e-mail] ---P.S.: As long as you still enjoy this movie, you know you are mentally health and, should you be religious, being blessed by the God!

Rating:
Summary: If I had words (to make a day for you)...
Review: What can I say about the movie that hasn't been said already? It is wonderful! And this DTS-DVD adds near-perfect picture quality, fine surround sound with more directional effects than "Apollo 13" and an outstanding orchestral score. Family entertainment at its best. // I've returned today, over one and a half years after I initially wrote the review above, to add some information because in the meantime I have purchased the German DVD release of the movie, which comes with an anamorphic widescreen transfer and DD 5.1 sound. While the Dolby Digital soundtrack (in English language) is clearly inferior to the DTS sound of this DVD here (the only time so far I've actually been able to determine an audible difference between DTS and DD 5.1), it needs to be said that the picture composition of this release does suffer from the pan&scan 4:3 transfer. While the image quality of this transfer can still be rated as excellent, is has become apparent to me that the sweeping landscapes look much better in widescreen. After all, it is what the filmmakers had intended. So if you own a 16x9 TV, you have to make up your mind between a great widescreen image of some other release of this movie and the outstanding DTS soundtrack of this one. If your TV is in 4:3, the choice may be a little easier.

Rating:
Summary: Cross "Animal Farm" and "Charlotte's Web"
Review: I usually don't see animal or kiddie movies. This one wasdifferent. When I first saw it I loved Cromwell character of a simplecountry farmer and I also liked his dumpling of a wife. I also loved the landscape and the tale of a creature who is taken in by surrogate parents (like in "Tarzan" and "The Jungle Book"). If you want to see one of the funniest sequences in recent films, look at the scene with the duck trying to literally save its own neck. The film delves into the world of animals, if they could talk, think and feel. It didn't quite make me a vegetarian but it did make me think twice about how the Thanksgiving turkey felt before he ended up on my plate. I also love that song Cromwell sings "If I could make a new day for you...".

Rating:
Summary: So-So Kid's Fodder....
Review: I was disappointed with this show, especially the ending. There didn't seem to be a point to the story. Sure, Babe was cute, and it is kind of sweet to see the animals talk, but I don't think this movie would hold much interest to those over 10. If you want a really fantastic pig movie, watch Charlotte's Web.