The Sheep Detectives is about as short on pigs as Babe: Pig In the City is short on sheep, but Kyle Balda’s new family film still reminded us of the 1998 box-office-bomb-turned-cult-classic in its tale of talking animals venturing beyond their idyllic pastures and into a dangerous corner of the human world. George Miller’s  poorly received sequel to Babe may technically have a lower body count than the murder mystery of Sheep Detectives — not for Miller’s lack of trying — but its combination of fable-like whimsy with tragedy and trauma strikes a deeply odd and at times unsettling chord that turned off audiences charmed by its predecessor. It also gives us much to discuss in this week’s revisitation of Pig in the City, as we attempt to locate the emotional core lurking beneath the slapstick antics and kinetic chase scenes, and consider what Miller was trying to say about humanity via a bunch of down-on-their-luck animals. Then in Feedback we return to a point of contention from our recent Fargo episode, and port over a question from the Patreon regarding the critical response to the new biopic Michael. 


Please share your thoughts about Babe: Pig in the City, The Sheep Detectives, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730.




This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off.



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Sheep Detectives is about as short on pigs as Babe: Pig In the City is short on sheep, but Kyle Balda’s new family film still reminded us of the 1998 box-office-bomb-turned-cult-classic in its tale of talking animals venturing beyond their idyllic pastures and into a dangerous corner of the human world. George Miller’s  poorly received sequel to Babe may technically have a lower body count than the murder mystery of Sheep Detectives — not for Miller’s lack of trying — but its combination of fable-like whimsy with tragedy and trauma strikes a deeply odd and at times unsettling chord that turned off audiences charmed by its predecessor. It also gives us much to discuss in this week’s revisitation of Pig in the City, as we attempt to locate the emotional core lurking beneath the slapstick antics and kinetic chase scenes, and consider what Miller was trying to say about humanity via a bunch of down-on-their-luck animals. Then in Feedback we return to a point of contention from our recent Fargo episode, and port over a question from the Patreon regarding the critical response to the new biopic Michael. 
 Please share your thoughts about Babe: Pig in the City, The Sheep Detectives, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730.
 
This episode is presented by⁠ <a href="https://www.regmovies.com/join-unlimited">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Looking at cinema's present via its past. From the former editorial team of The Dissolve, The Next Picture Show examines how classic films inspire and inform modern movies. Episodes take a deep dive into a classic film and its legacy, then compare and contrast that film with a modern successor. Hosted and produced by Genevieve Koski, Keith Phipps, Tasha Robinson, and Scott Tobias.

Looking at cinema's present via its past.

The Next Picture Show

George Miller's deeply odd sequel is the opposite of a crowd-pleaser.

Burden of Hoof, Pt. 1 — Babe: Pig in the City

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/5ecb5d2a-ce4c-494b-967c-b448006be1f1/transcript