Babe (DVD)

I was around 14 when this film came out, and I still watched it! I'm not too sure why if I'm honest. It's a children's film about a pig that learns to become a sheepdog, oh and all the animals can talk! This film made waves when it came out because of the use of real animals that acted as prompted, and seemed to be really speaking. Indeed, for 1995, it was top of the range special effects (how far we have come). Well, there's nothing wrong with that other than in today's market it fails to impress on that level, with SFX having moved on significantly. What is good about it is the way it's a positive film with a feel good vibe to it. It's all about ...  Read the complete review

Babe, the adaptation of Dick King Smith's beloved children's book, was an incredibly revolutionary film when it came out, and is acclaimed as the first "talking animals" film. It utilised pioneering animatronics and visual effects, for which it earned an Academy Award in the 1996 Oscars. It's a sweet film that holds up pretty well, although some of its glory has definitely faded, not helped by a rather perfunctory sequel in 1998 - Pig in the City - which comparatively didn't perform too well at all critically. Anyway, the original's premise is about an unbelievably cute pig called Babe who is going through a sort of identity crisis, and wishes to ...  Read the complete review

Babe was a film which succeeded on many levels. At first just an enjoyable childrens film it is also one of the best baseball analogy films ever created. It tells the story of Babe Ruth's fight against oppressive franchise owners to become one of the greatest baseball players of all time. The use of animals as an analogy of the plight of baseball stars controlled and herded with few freedoms possible within their contracts at first sight seems crass and overworked. Even the use of a pig to portray the overweight Ruth appears clumsy but such is the strength of the writing that these minor criticisms are soon forgotten. Babe Ruth is portrayed as using ...  Read the complete review

~ ~ On the summer holidays a couple of years back, and caught in a torrential downpour in Ennis, Co. Clare, the “mad cabbie” and family decide to hotfoot it along to the local fleapit (cinema) in order to kill a couple of hours. Ennis, and Clare in general, are a lovely and very beautiful part of Ireland (op to follow) but unless you’re a drinker (I’m not) and can repair to one of the many local hostelries when the heavens decide to open, then it quickly looses its appeal. Then it’s a case of take cover wherever you can. A quick glance at the advertising hoardings reveal the choice of cinematic delectation is somewhat limited, but ...  Read the complete review

Even now I can remember the first time I saw this film. The year was 1997 and I was at a friends birthday, waiting for my Dad to come and pick me up. Hoping that he would be late so I could see the last 10 minutes. It also happened to be the day when her older brother was having a blazing row with somebody and her younger sister told him to shut the ...... before getting a slap and running out of the room screaming her heart out. Such fond times. Despite the situation it didn't turn me away from the film and it still earns itself a top ten position in my favourite childhood DVDs. A talking pig and farmyard animals. What more could you want. Every now and ...  Read the complete review