Hugely successful 'talking animals' pic, in which a loveable pig is saved from the butcher's knife when Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell) wins him in a raffle. Adopted by the farm's sheepdog fraternity, Babe begins to display mutton herding skills of his ow ...

Deservedly acclaimed as one of 1998's best films, this sequel to the beloved 1995 live-action fantasy proved a commercial catastrophe & a source of dismay to parents expecting another bucolic, sweet-natured fable. Every bit as sly & visually stunning as its predecessor, Babe: Pig in the City is otherwise a jolting ride beyond the Hoggetts' farm into a no less vivid but far darker world the allegorical city of the title, which for the diminutive "sheep pig" proves truly nightmarish. Australian filmmaker George Miller (Mad Max, The Road Warrior), who produced & co wrote the first film, this time takes the director's reins, & he ratchets up the pace & the peril as effectively as he did on his influential trilogy of apocalyptic, outback sci-fi thrillers. From the opening scene, Babe: Pig in the City means to disrupt the reassuring calm achieved by the conclusion of the previous film. Babe's prior triumph proves short-lived, & within moments Miller has us literally peering into the depths as he sets up a horrific well accident that nearly kills the taciturn but good-hearted Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell), Babe's beloved " Boss." Journeying with the equally pink, even plumper Mrs. Hoggett (Magda Szubanski), the young pig finds himself in a city where animals are outcasts, staying in the lone hotel that allows pets. When Mrs. Hoggett is detained, Babe must contend with the suspicions & rivalries of the hotel's other four-legged guests. The film's G status doesn't fully telegraph the shock Miller induces: bad things happen to good animals, & Babe's new acquaintances are a far cry from his colleagues on the farm. In particular, he must contend with a cynical family of chimps given wonderful, dead-pan voice characterisations by Steven Wright & Glenne Headly. Miller's use of effects to transform his animals into "actors" is even more seamlessly integrated than in Babe. The sequel's production design is crucial to the creation of a complete, absorbing world, & purely visual ideas such as a deluge of blue balloons during the climactic ballroom battle--achieve a splendour & originality that a room full of computer-graphics desktops couldn't muster. Ultimately, though, the film does more than amaze: as Babe's compassion & courage transform those around him, we're moved in ways that purveyors of by-the-numbers family fare can only dream of. ...

Double bill of the hugely successful 'talking animals' movies. In ' Babe' (1995) a loveable pig is saved from the butcher's knife when Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell) wins him in a raffle. Adopted by the farm's sheepdog fraternity, Babe begins to display m ...

Trio of children's films. ' Babe' (1995) is the hugely successful 'talking animals' pic, in which a loveable pig is saved from the butcher's knife when Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell) wins him in a raffle. Adopted by the farm's sheepdog fraternity, Babe be ...

The sequel to the hugely successful talking animals pic. When Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell) has an accident, he is unable to run his business & faces bankruptcy. The only solution is to cash in on the fame of his shepherding pig Babe, & the animal i ...

A sequel to Virgin in the Garden & Still Life. A cast of characters play out their personal dramas amid the clashing politics, passionate ideals & stirring languages of the early-1960s. Their crises mirror some of the major world events of the age in which they live. ...

Communications begin to arrive in an apparently alien language, after human civilisation has spread through the galaxy.



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The nineteenth book to feature the classic crime-solving detective, Chief Inspector Wexford. 'A woman phoned to say she & her husband went to Paris for the weekend, leaving their children with a
- well, teen-sitter, I suppose, got back last night to find the lot gone & naturally she assumes they've all drowned.' There hadn't been anything like this kind of rain in living memory. The River Brede had burst its banks, & not a single house in the valley had escaped flooding. Even where Wexford lives, higher up in Kingsmarkham, the waters had nearly reached the mulberry tree in his once immaculate garden. The Subaqua Task Force could find no trace of Giles & Sophie Dade, let alone the woman who was keeping them company, Joanna Troy. But Mrs Dade is convinced her children are dead. As he embarks upon this mysterious investigation, Wexford is forced to question many of his core assumptions about society, even about his own family.
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Louise, 38, Toni, 26, & Gemma, 18 are all expecting babies in September. & they are all discovering that impending motherhood is more than a little overwhelming. After meeting in an online forum, they discover friendship, fellowship, way too much information
- & ultimately one another. Meeting in real life, they set out to face the highs, lows, secrets & revelations of pregnancy & the first months of motherhood together.
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A br&-new edition of this best-selling guide to over 1, 500 first names. Gem Babies' Names gives the origins of each name, & also lists the most popular girls' & boys' names in Britain today. The ideal pocket guide to choosing a name for your baby. Have you recently named your child Emily or Jack? If you have, you have chosen the most popular name in England & Wales in 2003. Emily replaced Chloe after five years in the top spot, whilst Jack has been the top name for nine years. Ellie & Chloe came next for girls & Joshua & Thomas for boys. In Scotland the top names for girls were Emma, Ellie & Amy & for boys Lewis, Jack & Cameron. This updated edition lists all names alphabetically, giving a pronunciation guide, background to the origins of the name & any pet names or related names. Sikh, Hindu, Muslim, Afro-Caribbean & European names, as well as Christian names, are all included. A guide to registering your baby's birth & points to consider when naming your child, plus lists of the most popular girls' & boys' names, complete this comprehensive guide to first names. This edition has been redesigned in the new Gem style both internally & with a new cover design. ...