Family entertainment doesn’t some much better than a double-bill of loveable penguin action, with these two cinematic celebrations of the nomads of the south — one an animation and the other a documentary.
Award-winning March of the Penguins instantly qualifies as a wildlife classic, deservedly scooping an Oscar. French filmmaker Luc Jacquet and his devoted crew endured a full year of extreme conditions in Antarctica to capture the life cycle of Emperor penguins on film, and their diligence is evident in every striking frame of this 80-minute documentary. Narrated in soothing tones by Morgan Freeman, the film focuses on a colony of hundreds of Emperors as they return, in a single-file march of 70 miles or more, to their frozen breeding ground, far inland from the oceans where they thrive. At times dramatic, suspenseful, mischievous and just plain funny, the film conveys the intensity of the penguins’ breeding cycle, and their treacherous task of protecting eggs and hatchlings in temperatures as low as 128 degrees below zero. There is some brief mating-ritual violence and sad moments of loss, but March of the Penguins remains family-friendly throughout, and kids especially will enjoy the Antarctic blue-ice vistas and the playful, waddling appeal of the penguins, who can be slapstick clumsy or magnificently graceful, depending on the circumstances. A marvel of wildlife cinematography, this unique film offers a front-row seat to these amazing creatures, balancing just enough scientific information with the entertaining visuals. –Jeff Shannon
Happy Feet is an animated wonder about a penguin named Mumble who can’t sing, but can dance up a storm. George Miller, the driving force behind the Babe (and Mad Max) movies, takes another creative step in family entertainment with this big, beautiful, music-fueled film that will have kids and their parents dancing in the streets. From his first moment alive, Mumble (voiced by Elijah Woods) feels the beat and can’t stop dancing. Unfortunately, emperor penguins are all about finding their own heart song, and the dancing youngster–as cute as he is–is a misfit. Luckily, he bumps into little blue penguins, a Spanish-infused group (led by Robin Williams) and begins a series of adventures. Miller brings forth an exceptional variety of entertainment, Busby Berkley musical numbers, amusement park thrills, exciting chase sequences (seals and orca lovers might like think otherwise), and even an environmental message that doesn’t weigh you down. Best of all, you don’t know where the movie is going in the last act, a rare occurrence these days in family entertainment. A fusion of rock songs, mashed up and otherwise are featured; this movie is as much a musical as a comedy. Mumble’s solo dance to a new version of Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish” by Fantasia, Patti and Yolanda was one of the most joyful moments on camera in 2006. –Doug Thomas
DVD
Happy Feet/March Of The Penguins 2007 DVD Top-quality Free UK shipping
£3.58
Availability: In stock
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