Babies- ( the film )

CarFar

Am I the only one who was a bit bored by this ? I mean, yeah it was cute, and made me smile a couple times, but the most interesting part was the differences in the birth experience IMO. After that it blurred together and dragged a bit for me. Others seemed to have enjoyed it though? ...shrug

Mrs_Shmoopie

I saw it w/my mom when they had that sneak preview showing in SF and loved it.  I thought it was so funny and cute and didn't mind the slow pacing at all.  I watched it again on Netflix streaming w/the hubs and I definitely felt a little more impatient.  I still liked it a lot and really appreciated the cultural differences between the families (the most fascinating part for me was watching the Namibian woman breast-feed so easily and casually) but I could see how it might be too slow for some people. 

StefandTodd

I saw it with T in the theatre (I begged him to go with me, he took a Friday afternoon off and we went to a matinee).  I was apologizing to him within the first 5 minutes.  We were both bored to tears.

We do still talk about the few funny parts that we did enjoy/found particularly interesting - like the baby they tied to the bed, and his relationship with his brother.  And how they brought him home from the hospital wrapped in a blanket on the back of a motorcycle!  lol.  I also thought their US/SF couple was pretty far from an example of mainstream US baby-raising though, which disappointed me a bit also.

MeggyO

I liked it, but I watched it during my big "baby" phase when I was watching and reading everything I could about babies and birth. I thought there were some cute parts (and i love documentaries like this. Mostly I add my own narration for what the babies were thinking!) but I can see how someone who wasn't gung-ho babies would find it slow...

StefandTodd

MeggyO:

I liked it, but I watched it during my big "baby" phase when I was watching and reading everything I could about babies and birth. I thought there were some cute parts (and i love documentaries like this. Mostly I add my own narration for what the babies were thinking!) but I can see how someone who wasn't gung-ho babies would find it slow...

Just wanted to note that I (and I believe Cara, and probably most people who seek out to watch this movie at all) am very gung ho about babies.  They tried to sell it as similar to March of Penguins though...and um, no.  IMO, it needed narration.  I really wanted to love it.  I just couldn't.

CarFar

Def. Pro baby. If I Could I would've had a baby last year. I just thought it was, as a movie too slow moving for my taste I agree that is not mainstream baby rearing that the SF couple did, and found it hilarious when they were singing what seemed to be African inspired little song at their mommy and me class while the African woman was actually living the ideals they were only singing about it. Stef I'm surprised... I thought your birthplan would totally include taking LO home on the motircycle with T in his Harley jacket and the whole thing

StefandTodd

CarFar:

Def. Pro baby. If I Could I would've had a baby last year. I just thought it was, as a movie too slow moving for my taste I agree that is not mainstream baby rearing that the SF couple did, and found it hilarious when they were singing what seemed to be African inspired little song at their mommy and me class while the African woman was actually living the ideals they were only singing about it. Stef I'm surprised... I thought your birthplan would totally include taking LO home on the motircycle with T in his Harley jacket and the whole thing

Yeah, we tried to appeal to our hospital that that's how they do it in Mongolia.  But apparently while in the US, you must follow US safety laws, blah blah blah ...same goes for when I tried to make the case that my pets would be perfectly fine babysitters and baby would be safe and sound if I could simply tie him/her to the bed while I work all day.  No bueno, apparently.  Can you believe how overprotective we are in this Country??   <--- TIC!!

pkw

EmmieB and I saw it on a diaper days when out LO's were tiny.  EJ slept in the Ergo through 90% of it, but the theatre was PACKED so while if I watched it now I would want narration, then I was OK with it because the theatre was so loud there is no way I would have been able to follow the words.  So it worked for me.

I thought it was cute, but a little "eh" because of lack of extra information. 

EmmieB

PKW:

EmmieB and I saw it on a diaper days when out LO's were tiny.  EJ slept in the Ergo through 90% of it, but the theatre was PACKED so while if I watched it now I would want narration, then I was OK with it because the theatre was so loud there is no way I would have been able to follow the words.  So it worked for me.

I thought it was cute, but a little "eh" because of lack of extra information. 

ditto.

CarFar

Exactly ! I wanted more info about howThese cultural differences I was seeinghow they came to exist and the beliefs behind them.

ZoeMay06

CarFar:

Exactly ! I wanted more info about howThese cultural differences I was seeinghow they came to exist and the beliefs behind them.

I totally agree with this, and also think that it definitely needed narration.

...and as an aside, that song the SF parents were singing is from Music Together classes, which I took with Kyva. I cringed every time we sang that song (even before I saw Babies) because it's like a faux-Native American song where you sing "hey ya na, ho ya na, hey ya na, ho" over and over again. As far as I know the sounds don't actually mean anything, so it seemed really culturally degrading to me. But I'm probably overthinking something that's supposed to be entertaining to babies! But yeah, the contrast between US parents singing a song like that to their babies while those in other parts of the world have such authentic (for lack of a better word) experiences was kind of funny.

MadameD517

I really liked it but can see how it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. I went with winterorchids though so maybe it was the company that was likeable?

MadameD517

ZoeMay06:

...and as an aside, that song the SF parents were singing is from Music Together classes, which I took with Kyva. I cringed every time we sang that song (even before I saw Babies) because it's like a faux-Native American song where you sing "hey ya na, ho ya na, hey ya na, ho" over and over again. As far as I know the sounds don't actually mean anything, so it seemed really culturally degrading to me. But I'm probably overthinking something that's supposed to be entertaining to babies! But yeah, the contrast between US parents singing a song like that to their babies while those in other parts of the world have such authentic (for lack of a better word) experiences was kind of funny.

It felt that way to me also. There's plenty of real songs that can be used as entertainment and a teaching moment.

MadameD517

Was anyone else sort of terrified that one of those chickens was going to hurt the Monggolian baby?

CarFar

I did watch by myself, it may have been more entertaining with someone to chat with

Passanie

It must say something about it that I can't remember if I've seen all of it or not. I'm fairly sure I watched part of it on Netflix, because I certainly remember a fair amount about it, but not some of the things you guys are mentioning. Or maybe my memory just sucks. Weird.

WineCountryWife

I agree - if I had been watching it for myself only as entertainment, I would have been bored to tears. However,  my girls LOVE this movie, and E asks to watch it all the time. It leads to great discussions too, and I'm always cracking up at the comments she makes on it. Plus, its something I don't feel as guilty having her watch (compared to the Tom and Jerry my dh likes to watch with them . . . ) I give it half my attention and there are still scenes that I don't remember (like tying the baby to the bed?? Really? No memory o that. I can't believe I've missed so much with how much this plays at our house! lol)