Reviews

This wasn't Sherlock Holmes - it was Jackie Chan meets Sherlock Holmes meets Pinky and the Brain.

The acting was adequate, though often stilted. The plot was adequate, though far-fetched and unrealistic. The suspense was entirely lacking, and the "action" was almost comical. The coup de grace was the end, where Holmes pulled details out of thin air to prove what a genius he was. Nothing in this movie was convincing to me ... there is only so far I can suspend disbelief, suspend intelligence, or fake interest.

All told, I want my time and money back - this movie was not worth it in the least. Wait for the DVD ... if you watch it at all.

The title, "Babel" is taken from Genesis 11 - read it before watching the film.

After the single incident setting the film in motion, Babel revolves around the inability to communicate and understand, both on a personal and on a national/international level. If you are expecting a "Brad Pitt Action Movie," you will be disappointed - Babel is deep and rich in meaning for those willing to take the time to read a little and think a lot, but is not for the mindlessly entertained.

While I'm happily surprised at Brad Pitt's ability in drama rather than action, the directing makes the film. Iñárritu followed "21 Grams" with an even better film in "Babel," and I hope to see more from him in the future.

The Wall was a decent film for its kind, but was definitely biased against the wall itself and the Israeli government that's erecting it. It appears as though the film went out of its way to find both Jews and Arabs that would go on film saying the wall was pointless, while portraying the Israeli government as being paranoid and unconcerned with the negative effect the wall will have on the population. They did not show average people who support the wall, nor did they show the attacks that justify having the wall.

Basically, though there are two sides to every story, this film only shows one.