Kids Los Angeles - April 12, 2010

Global Adorable

Must-See for Moms: "Babies" Documentary

Warning: Babies is intended for mature audiences only. If you can’t handle an excess of chubby cheeks and naked tushies, this film is not for you.

Opening Mother’s Day weekend, the much-lauded documentary tracks the lives of four infants around the globe from birth to first steps: Ponijao from Namibia, Mari from Tokyo, Hattie from San Francisco, and Bayar from Mongolia. A kind of wildlife film on human babies, the film’s National Geographic approach to its subject matter reveals the contrasts and universalities of each child’s experience with a sense of awe and wonder.

What will likely strike you, though, is the stark difference between your baby-proofed life and images like Bayar going home from the hospital without a car seat — on the back of a motorcycle — or the odd juxtaposition of a San Francisco mom’s group’s chanting about loving the earth and Ponijao’s saliva bath from mom.

Stunning wide-angle shots and an infectious soundtrack turn the small adventure into an epic labor of love — and that’s something every mom can relate to.

Can’t wait to see it? Focus Features is giving away ten pairs of tickets to a screening on Thursday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m., at the Landmark Theater in West Los Angeles. The first ten DailyCandy Kids subscribers to e-mail kirstin.carag@focusfeatures.com will win. For more information about Babies, go to focusfeatures.com.

SAVE
Blik Overstock Sale
What: Score discontinued and surplus wall stickers for the nursery or kid’s room at 50-75 percent off.
Why: This is a trend that’s sticking around.
When: Fri. & Sat., 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Where: 1733 Abbot Kinney Blvd., b/t Venice Blvd. & Victoria Ave., ste. b, Venice (866-262-2545).

SEE
Mixed: Portraits of Multiracial Kids, by Kip Fulbeck
What: The playful photo exhibit showcases the complexity of the new American identity.
Why: Tykes can relate to pint-size subjects being themselves.
When: Thru Sept. 26.
Where: Japanese American National Museum, 369 E. First St., Little Tokyo (213-625-0414).

GO
Fly a Kite
What: Take advantage of the gusty weather and head south for a great selection of easy flyers. Ask the store owner to point you in the direction of the water.
Why: The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.
When: Your plans are up in the air.
Where: Up Up & Away Kites, 139½ Main St., at Central Ave., Seal Beach (562-596-7661).

Photo: Courtesy of Focus Features

  Entertainment, Mom's Treat