Goo Goo Ga Ga

It's like a wildlife documentary – with people. It begins with the first moments of life and takes viewers through the first year in the lives of four babies from around the world. The new movie "Babies" plays like a nature special, but with many more moments of drool, giggles, and of course, diapers (or lack thereof).

The movie trails four babies as they begin to discover the world around them. Ponijao, Bayarjargal, Hattie, and Mari aren't movie stars, though they're just normal infants from Namibia, Mongolia, San Francisco, and Japan, respectively. "Babies" takes viewers on a trip around the world, wordlessly allowing them to peek into the lives of new parents and their children in four different cultures.

"Babies" does an excellent job highlighting different child-rearing techniques among cultures. It's obvious that each country has its own particular way of changing, feeding, and bathing a baby, but it doesn't become clear how unique each culture is until the movie portrays these moments.

The first scene of "Babies" chronicles the birth of each baby. Three are born in hospitals, while one is born minutes from her hut. From there, we see each baby's first bath, first meal, and first toys. In San Francisco and Tokyo, Hattie and Mari play with plastic rattles and board books. In Mongolia, Bayarjargal plays with the cats, cows and goats roaming around the family tent.

The scenery shown in the movie is spectacular. Watching Bayarjargal stand up for the first time (set against a perfect blue sky and rolling Mongolian fields) is a magical experience. Namibian browns and tans clash with the grays and blacks of San Francisco and Tokyo. The movie's surroundings point out what a diverse world we live in; in one corner, babies play with rocks and clay, while thousands of miles away, babies are taken to playdates in upscale apartments, with nannies and designer clothes.

Viewers get to watch each child grow and develop a personality over the first year of their lives – Hattie's the hippie, Ponijao's the tomboy, Bayarjargal's the comedian, and Mari's the princess. Regardless of the cultural differences, each child is loved and cared for, allowing the audience to fall in love with them.

"Babies" teaches viewers that despite different circumstances, babies can thrive just about anywhere as long as they're loved. That seems to be the message of the movie. The movie's director, Thomas Balmés, sums it up: "These babies were all loved by their families, loved in different ways. A loved baby has all the advantages, no matter where it grows up."