The Cinema of the Intent
Peque Gallaga coined the phrase “Cinema of the Intent” to describe movies that are judged for the filmmakers’ intentions (taking on the important issues of the day blah blah blah) rather than what they’ve actually achieved. Babel is a prime example of the Cinema of the Intent. It’s supposed to be about how we are all connected, but all it says to me is, “Don’t go to Morocco, don’t go to Mexico, and watch out for them nasty Japanese schoolgirls!” I wanted to hurl my cellphone at the screen, then I remembered that I have a newspaper column. Life is good.
Children of Men, now there’s a movie.
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
January 29th, 2007 at 09:23
Wow. Cinema of the Intent. That’s something. I was excited to see Babel so I watched it on pirated-DVD last December, but when the movie was finished I actually felt numb. Interconnectedness of human lives on a global scale should be something, I thought. I think it didn’t radiate the same intensity and tragedy as Iñarritu’s previous films. The intertwining lives seem to impact little with each other, in fact if there was, it was sort of negligible. But the unknown actors were good especially Barraza and Kikuchi.
January 29th, 2007 at 12:26
In my own point of view, i think the purpose of the director in creating such movie is to inform his audiences that there are other possibilities/reasons why there are lots of killings in some countries aside from usual suspect–terrorists attack. That investigating units of different countries should look at all the possible angles why bombings happen or gun shootings occur.
On the other parts of the movie though, i thinks its so hollywoodish (if theres such word)–Like when Bradd and Cate kissed each other (intensely) while cate hardly tries to pee with her shoulder severely wounded with a gun shot…COMMON!!!!!
January 29th, 2007 at 13:55
If only for making you feel like hurling your cellphone at the screen, I think the movie has succeeded in getting its “message” across. (Whatever that may be.)