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Happy Feet
Warner Home Video
Review
For anyone who thought the Oscar-winning documentary March of the Penguins was the most marvelous cinematic moment for these nomads of the south, you haven't seen nothing yet. Here's 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. Unfortunatly, emperor penguins are all about finding their own heart song, and 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 has 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 may be the most joyful moment on camera in 2006. --Doug Thomas
Synopsis
Mumble, a tone-deaf Emperor Penguin, is unable to attract a mate through song, making him an outcast from the rest of his tribe. But his problems are trivial compared to the imminent food shortage they're all facing. In attempt to redeem himself and win the heart of his beloved Gloria, Mumble goes on a journey of self-discovery only to find that his special tap dancing skills are a blessing in disguise!
DVD Region 2
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March of the Penguins
Morgan Freeman
Synopsis
Coming from a French director, Luc Jacquet, the miraculous MARCH OF THE PENGUINS would have to be a love story. And it is, in that it follows the mating rituals of the emperor penguin, one of the most resilient animals on earth. Each summer, after a nourishing period of deep-sea feeding, the penguins pop up onto the ice and begin their procession across the frozen tundra of Antarctica. Walking in single file, they are a sight to behold. Hundreds converge from every direction, moving instinctively toward their mating ground. Once there, they mingle and chatter until they find the perfect mate a monogamous match that will last a year, through the brutal winter and into the spring. During that time, the mother will birth an egg and then leave for the ocean to feed again. The father will stay to protect the egg through the freezing blizzards and pure darkness of winter, which would be deadly to practically any other species. Finally, with spring, the egg hatches and the baby penguins are born. Mothers return from the sea to reunite with their families and feed the starving newborns, while the fathers are finally relieved of their protective duties after months without food. The film is remarkable in its story, which is narrated by Morgan Freeman, whose dignified voice gives the penguins the grave admiration they deserve. But even more incredible is its photography, which shows the penguins hunting underwater, sliding on the ice, and in the midst of kissing. At one point the camera even zooms inside the mouth of a penguin as it regurgitates for its young. A story of love and more strikingly, survival, MARCH OF THE PENGUINS is any eye-opening and educational experience.
DVD, Region 2
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Penguin Safari
Nigel Marven
Synopsis
Nigel Marven gets up close and personal with penguins on a sub-Antarctic island. Over the course of 40 days, Nigel gets to know the personalities of the various penguins and the political structure of the group.
DVD Region 2
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The Penguins' Story
Boulevard Entertaiment
Synopsis
A documentary that explores the wildlife of the world and how they adapt to the different ranges of temperature from Antarctica to Australia. Features the inhabitants of the Pacific region in particular.
DVD Region 2
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Penguins' Walk
Zyx Music
DVD Region 2
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Penguins Under Siege
Kieron Elliott
Synopsis
The untold story of South Africa's Blackfoot Penguins
DVD Region 1, NTSC (Must have a multiregion DVD player in Europe and UK)
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