Monday, August 29, 2005

March of the Penguins

Narrated by: Morgan Freeman
A Film by: Luc Jacquet

This is a documentary not only filled with intelligence and uncommon knowledge, but a simple story about love and determination. March of the Penguins is simply a true and cinematic delight to all its viewers. It is simply fascinating.

Set in the coldest place on earth, so cold in fact that the only place safe to care for the penguin's newborns is 70 miles away. Each year penguins will travel together to find a mate. Their paths will differ each year. They don't seem to know what they want in a mate. Basically it's just find one and mate with it. So in a way, the penguins are not so different from humans.

Once they find their mate, the long and agonizing torture of waiting for the egg to hatch begins. Mother's and fathers stand together for 8 months in the blistering cold waiting for the egg to hatch. Once it does hatch the wait isn't over. Literally starving to death, the mothers travel another 70 miles to the sea to catch food for themselves and for their child. The fathers however must stay and hold the child warm until the mother returns. It is a true test to their patience and to their newborn. No Penguin here is an enemy. The weather is the true fear. Working together to keep themselves and their newborns alive is the most important factor.

Just like Million Dollar Baby, Morgan Freeman narrates with his soft and gentle voice. His voice is warm and affecting throughout the film. March of the Penguins takes us away from the world we know and brings us to a place beyond our understanding.

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