The Movie Press
  • Movie Reviews
  • Twitter News/Updates
  • News & Notes
  • DVD
  • Box Office Results
  • Contact
  • About Us

"Penguins" are cute. What more do you need to know?

4/16/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
It’s hard to believe March of the Penguins and Happy Feet – two highly rated (and high grossing) penguin-heavy films came out over a decade ago. So I suppose it was inevitable that we were due for another round of penguin rich content.

This time it is the aptly named Penguins. The new film from Disneynature follows the story of a young Adélie penguin named Steve as he endeavors to find a mate and raise a family in the harsh Antarctic environment.
Because the penguin sojourn has been captured so ubiquitously on camera -- through documentaries like the aforementioned March of the Penguins and the wildly popular Planet Earth series – there isn’t much content here that will surprise the penguin savvy viewer.  Likewise, the anthropomorphic “plot” follows your typical Cute Animal Documentary formula: cute animal appears on screen, captures hearts, confronts obstacles, emerges victorious. The film chronicles the trials and tribulations of the penguin experience without confronting too closely the dog-eat-dog (or in this case, sea lion-eat-penguin) chaos that exists in the natural world, which makes Penguins a safe and trauma-free bet for families viewing with young children.  The voice work by Ed Helms (of The Office and The Hangover fame) strikes a tender balance of kid-friendly humor (yes there are barf jokes) and rich, informative storytelling that will keep a wide range of ages engaged. The comedic relief for Penguins’ more mature viewers is primarily rooted in the documentary’s soundtrack. Ever wondered what it would be like to watch two penguins fall in love over REO Speedwagon’s “Can’t fight this feeling”?  Well, Penguins will scratch that itch for you.

The real star of Penguins (besides, well, the penguins) is the cinematography. Whether it is the dramatic, sweeping shots of the Antarctic mountain ranges, gripping underwater chase scenes, or tender moments captured between Steve and his doting companion Adeline – viewers are sure to leave the theater with a deep appreciation for the years of hard work, dedication and patience that the film’s videographers undoubtedly poured into this visually impactful film.

Despite its Earth Day release, what viewers won’t get from Penguins is any kind of reference to climate change. I’m sure it was an intentional choice by the filmmakers to honor the sacred separation of penguins and politics, but it seems like a missed opportunity to educate young viewers about the impacts of our changing environment. After all, NASA studies have estimated that climate change could cause the Adélie penguin population to drop 60% by the end of the century. Regardless, a portion of the proceeds will go toward the Wildlife Conservation Network, which will hopefully help keep the penguin content coming for the next generation of moviegoers. 


--Kelsey Robinson

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    October 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    July 2018
    June 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008

    Categories

    All
    Austin Film Festival
    Darcie Duttweiler Reviews
    Derrick Mitcham Reviews
    Eric Harrelson Reviews
    Eric Pulsifer Reviews
    Eric Pulsifer Reviews
    Fantastic Fest
    Greg Maclennan Reviews
    Greg Wilson Reviews
    Jessica Hixson Reviews
    Mark Collins Reviews
    Monte Monreal Reviews
    Reviews
    Rob Heidrick Reviews
    Rob Heidrick Reviews
    Sxsw

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.