Babel and The Prestige ***SPOILERS***

[Dominic]

okay, there are other threads in OOT about these films but i wanted Lounger opinions and takes on them.

The Prestige

I like it a lot but after rewatching it this week, I really don't get something:

If Borden and his twin brother spent their whole lives pretending to be "Borden"and "Fallon," and they each fell in love with different women...why couldn't the brother who loves Sarah be the one who gets to live with her, love her, etc.? Why did they have to switch roles often enough to where the brother who doesnt love Sarah has to spend any time with her at all? Why not just have that brother be Fallon at home? They could still switch off and on as the magician on stage. It doesn't make any sense to me.

Also, what the hell is with all the water tanks with the dead Angiers?? You telling me that EVERY night they took a perfectly good water tank, killed off an Angier double and hid it away? You think it'd be more cost effective just to use ONE goddamned tank, kill the double and carry him off, right?

Babel

Just got around to seeing this. I like the director's previous two films, Amores perros and 21 Grams, but please someone tell me what the hell was the point of Babel? It bored me to tears. I get the whole "humanity's miscommunication with the rest of the world" thing, but jesus...this film was pretty lame. Not interesting in the least. I have no idea why it got such critical acclaim. And in order to be nominated for an Oscar I think you should have to do more than take off your clothes and look sad. Plus there was no point whatsoever to have the disjointed time line. Really, really disappointed in this one.

Anyway, I'd love to hear from someone who actually liked this movie.

[fyodor]

I would like to chime in with a brilliant defense of one or the other, unfortunately I was bored to tears by both.

[Marwan]

ya Babel sucked.. Boring as mentioned.. Some of the behavior and situations seemed absurd, and I didn't feel any compassion for any of the characters really.. Was really disappointed because I really like Amores Perros and though 21 grams had some really strong performances. I had to pause Babel and come back to it, it took me like 6 hours to finish it because I was so bored with it, but felt compelled to finish it.

Not sure about The Prestige question.. in regards to the tank, maybe he cloned the tanks as well and that was an easy way not to get his hands dirty/risk getting caught lugging around his body every night.

[Dominic]

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Not sure about The Prestige question.. in regards to the tank, maybe he cloned the tanks as well and that was an easy way not to get his hands dirty/risk getting caught lugging around his body every night.

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Okay, that makes sense. I shoulda thought of that!

[Sessna]

Because the Bordens didnt want anyone to know they were the same person even thier wives.

one thing that didnt make sense is that when Borden tied the knot that killed angiers wife he said he didnt know. Why didnt Angier just look at the knot he tied after the cutter guy axed her out of the tank [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[Dominic]

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Because the Bordens didnt want anyone to know they were the same person even thier wives.

one thing that didnt make sense is that when Borden tied the knot that killed angiers wife he said he didnt know. Why didnt Angier just look at the knot he tied after the cutter guy axed her out of the tank [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

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No no no....I know they didn't want Sarah to know, you're not getting my question - why not just have the Borden brother who does love Sarah spend all the time with her? That way she will feel loved all the time and the Borden who does not love her will not have to pretend he does.

As to your question, I'm not sure Angier was all that interested in looking at the knot right after his wife died - he was distraught with grief. And the reason Bordon never answerd the question was because he was the Borden NOT on stage and so did not know what knot was tied. Although, why he didn't bother asking his brother after all those years I have no idea.

[Sessna]

oh ok, I get ur question now. And your right, it doesnt make sense that both of them spent time with sarah.

About the knot. Eventually they were gonna have to un-tie the knot for her funeral, so he should have been able to figure that out then.

[Fishwhenican]

Haven't seen "The Prestige" so I can defend that one and I certanly can't defend Babel.

I was also bored to the point of giving up and going to bed in the middle of it. I kept hoping it would pick up but it just didn't. I asked my wife if it got any better the next morning and she said it just didn't!

[Big Poppa Smurf]

I just assumed for the prestige that they alternated days so it would stay fair, or something like that.

As for the knot, assume the coroner came and took the body away and then cut off the knot before anyone thought to check it? Who cares it's not a big deal, nitpicking is for doofuses. Also Angier sucks at doing knots which is why he does the legs, so maybe he couldn't tell?

[Sessna]

The knot was a big deal. If he knew which knot he tied there may not have the big ass rivarly.