You spend nine months worrying about everything that can happen inside the womb, and if all goes well, you get to spend the rest of your life worrying about what comes next. So it is no wonder that, historically, movies about pregnancy and parenting embrace that anxiety, breaking the tension with laughter or screams.
Movies like “Rosemary’s Baby” and “The Babadook” lean into the screams, mining the overwhelming helplessness that can engulf parents and parents-to-be. These movies personify those fears in Satanic cults and boogeymen, but the sense of dread that pulses through them is powered by the anxious refrain that is familiar to every parent: “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
Even comedies about pregnancy are fueled by that anxiety, which is thankfully dissipated with laughter. Movies like “Baby Boom” and “Knocked Up” tell stories about massive change and upheaval in the protagonist’s life, reveling in the comedic moments that arise from the total obliteration of their non-parent personas.
“Babes,” which opens at The Triplex this weekend, might be the most honest (and funniest) pregnancy comedy to date. Co-written and starring Ilana Glazer (“Broad City”) and the feature directing debut of Pamela Adlon (“Better Things”), “Babes” brings a woman-centered view to all parts of pregnancy.
The fact that the nitty, gritty details of pregnancy are fodder for a major summer comedy may not seem like a big deal, but it is a significant step forward for a medium that, in the beginning, couldn’t even depict pregnancies without violating the Hays code. When movies did start talking about pregnancy, it would often be through the lens of melodrama or the male character’s insecurities.
So it is still quietly revolutionary to have a broad comedy that demystifies pregnancy. And at a time when a lack of understanding of the intricacies and difficulties women face during pregnancy has dire, real-world consequences, movies like “Babes” are no laughing matter.
Now Playing
“Limbo”
A striking noir set in the heart of the Australian outback.
A hard-boiled noir that dives deep into the lingering injustices faced by Australia’s Aboriginal people, “Limbo” is one of the most striking movies you will see this year. Shot in breathtaking black and white by writer-director Ivan Sen, “Limbo” follows detective Travis Hurley (Simon Baker, “The Mentalist”) as he works to reopen a 20-year-old cold case in the heart of the Australian outback.
“Limbo” plays as part of The Triplex’s Limited Engagement Series from May 24 through 30.
“Le Samouraï”
Jean-Pierre Melville’s classic returns in a new restoration.
The epitome of new-wave neo-noir comes to The Triplex in a brand new restoration: Jean-Pierre Melville’s “Le Samouraï” is the story of Jef (Alain Delon), a methodical hitman pursued by crime bosses and police when there is a witness to his latest job. A stylish classic that directly influenced movies like “Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai,” “Drive,” and “The Killer,” don’t miss your chance to see “Le Samouraï” in this brand new digital remastering.
“Le Samouraï” plays as part of The Triplex’s Limited Engagement Series from May 24 through 30.
“Back to Black”
An intimate look at the life of legendary musician Amy Winehouse.
Witness the remarkable life and tumultuous relationship that inspired one of the greatest albums ever. “Back to Black” takes you inside the meteoric rise and tragic end of Amy Winehouse, centered around a star-making turn from Marisa Abela (“Industry”).
Coming Soon
“Furiosa”
We ride to Valhalla on June 7. The prequel to George Miller’s 2015 masterpiece “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Furiosa” tells the story of Furiosa (Ana Taylor Joy) as she is kidnapped by the warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) and works her way up in the ranks of Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme) and the Citadel.
“Run Lola Run”
The techno-thumping indie classic returns to the big screen in a brand new restoration on June 7. As influential today as it was 25 years ago, Tom Tykwer’s “Run Lola Run” is a time-bending take on a robbery gone wrong, starring Franke Potente as a woman who has 20 minutes to get 100,000 Deutschmarks if she wants to save her boyfriend’s life.
“Rub Lola run” plays as part of The Triplex’s Limited Engagement Series from June 7 through 13.
