Movie Review: March of the Penguins

 

As I mentioned in my previous entry, I wanted to go see the March of Penguins. Well, last week my little niece & I went. I loved it! She did too pretty much...a few slow parts for her but for the most part she liked it.

I learned so much! It sure made you feel a bit cooler on a hot day to see the penguins in Anartica and hear it is -58 degrees in the summer with the sun out! WOW! There are no penguins with arthritis??? And then the winters...OMG! When my niece & I got home we were finding Anartica on her globe ball. She thought is was by Africa...sounds close!

If you still plan on seeing the movie & don't want me to ruin it for you...stop here! :-)

First let me say, National Geographic should have Morgan Freeman narrate everything!  Wow! He has one of "the" best voices! So comforting, so assuring. So WARM...burrr! Ha!

The footage of the penguins was just breathtaking! I really hope they do these for more animals. I am old enough to remember National Geographic/Wild Kingdom on TV on Sundays, I think with Disney. Anyone else remember? I love learning about animals....my vote is for Zebra's next for my niece! :-)

I definitely have a VERY different appreciation for penguins after seeing this! Man! The harsh weather they have to go through. Interesting thing is they survive it "together", much like what humans really need also! I loved the fact that the parents share the responsibility of raising the egg & young penguin. After mom lays the egg she has lost if I'm not mistaken, 1/3 her body weight & has to go back to the sea to eat for the young penguin. 20 days & nights of walking or sliding! I loved that! I think because of my foot problem I thought...wow when their feet get tired they just slide on their bellies...what a cool idea! Ha! (sorry about the pun!) Because the winter has frozen more of the lake they have to go a bit further than where they came from. Unfortunately, Sea Lions are also happy to see them come back!

Now dad has the job of keeping the egg safe & warm. So comforting! I think similarto us! :-) After the egg has hatched, dad learns the young penguins call so he can find it later. Dad will have lost 1/2 his body weight (I think!) by the time the young penguin can be left alone. Mom comes back to feed the baby penguin at about 2 days, max, after it has been born. Dad has to go to find food for himself or he will not survive either. Amazing, how parents (well good ones!) are no different no matter what species...they will risk their own lives to save that of their young baby. Some don't make it but it was incredible to see the anguish in the penguins when they did not. I know people say not to anthropomorphize, but you listen to their cries & see if you can not! Sea Lions also "cry" when a killer whale has eaten their pup! It was heart-breaking! As spring comes mom & dad head back to the sea, which is a shorter distance now that the ice is melting.

I purposely left the best for last...the courtship & love that the movie is plugging so much! They are VERY right! It was just amazing to me to see such tenderness between the mating penguins. When they both have their heads down, they create the image of a heart & that is a perfect description! Yep, I had tears! :-) Now what is interesting is they are monogamous....oh but only for 1 year! Ha! I thought about that and from the reactions in the audience, so did many others! Ha! There were quite a few guys arms going over their dates/wives shoulders as the penguins were so affectionate! :-) I think some lessons could be learned about tenderness from the Penguins!!

If you have not seen it, it is very much worth it & definitely when it comes out on video! Stay for the credits, they show some of the scenes from taping the movie that is kinda interesting! I wonder if they volunteered or if their boss told them.."Hey, I got an awesome project for you!" Ha!

Love to hear what you think!