This is a movie that was incredibly popular when it came out. Everyone seemed to be talking about how great this was and that it seemed to effect so many in varying ways. I just never jumped on the hype of it, and may have avoided it because it was so hyped. But, with Earth Day this week, it seemed a fitting film to watch. And then there's Morgan Freeman narrating it. Who doesn't feel all warm and fuzzy when hearing that man's voice? I know it's a story about the life of the penguins in the Antarctic and how hard living there is. My whole life I've been amazed at what the Emperor Penguins go through to survive and keep their population going. I didn't feel a need to see this movie when it came out because I have a tendency to avoid some things that get super hyped up because I am not a person that just follows popular opinion. Then, so much time had passed, I didn't feel the need to watch it at all. But this was always a movie I remember people talking about and saying how it was amazing and some even cried. So here I go, to see another movie that I've never seen before.
So, it was about what I expected. A well made documentary, wonderfully narrated by the amazing Morgan Freeman and a score that was perfectly set to the film. They really made it feel more like a story than just a simple documentary, but I think they might have pushed the "romance" side of it a little too much. There were a few scenes where the penguins looked like they were sleeping with their heads together, but the music made it seem like they were falling in love. Not quite sure I bought that angle, but it didn't detract too much from the rest of the film. The filmmakers did a great job to capture the intensity of the storms that the penguins have to endure and the struggle they face just trying to keep one egg/chick alive through the harsh winter. When they showed how intensely cold it is by using a very up-close shot of the egg freezing and cracking, that was very intense. I knew it couldn't survive in that weather, but to have that actual visual was a real eye opener to just how cold it really is in that weather. 80 degrees below freezing is ridiculously cold. I wouldn't last five minutes, even with the best gear. Seeing the poor chicks that don't make it through the storms and the general cold is also heartbreaking. I don't know how the filmmakers were able to just watch through some of that. I know the penguins wouldn't have appreciated any help, but it would be difficult to see and not be able to do anything about it. One of my favorite parts was actually during the credits when the filmmakers showed footage of their journey to the penguins and their time spent with them. Every time I've seen an Emperor Penguin, they look extremely tall, so I figured they stood about four feet high. Once you see the people standing around them, I realized they're closer to three feet tall, making their intense journey seem even more daunting and the dangers with sea lions even greater. They truly are resilient animals. I can say that I appreciated this movie and would recommend it to people looking for a movie about enduring will and focus. Also, how you can get through even the toughest of times a little easier with a support group. Kind of makes you think of the isolation we all endured last year. The movie has a little bit of a different impact on a person with that experience under your belt. Definitely a good pick for representing Earth Day, too. We all need to be mindful of our impact on this earth and especially it's oceans. Those penguins spend most of their lives in the water and we don't want to add more difficulty to their already difficult lives. Of course, I've always been an eco-conscious person ever since I was a kid watching Captain Planet and doing activities at school for Earth Day every year. I still remember a shirt we made in third grade. Mine had a cheetah on it with a drawing of the planet that said, "Tread Lightly on Me." Yeah... That's never going away. Lol.
Earth Day is tomorrow, so do something to honor it. Take a walk to enjoy nature around you. Pick up some random trash you find that someone else was too inconsiderate to dispose of properly. Plant some flowers or a tree. Take a moment to just look at this beautiful world we live on and remember, it's the only one we have.
Next week's movie is 2001: A Space Odyssey! Truly, I've never actually seen it. It's available to stream on HBO: Max, if you want to watch it with me. Until next week!
For more movie love, check out my other blog, "You're Watching That Again?!"
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