Penguins

Front Row at the Movies by Shirrel Rhoades

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Don’t you just love those Disneynature documentaries – films about African cats and chimpanzees and flamingoes and orangutans? This independent film unit was founded by Walt Disney Studios in 2008.

After a long absence from nature documentaries, Disney decided to get back into the market after the French release of “March of the Penguins,” a documentary that won a 2006 Oscar.

Now, keeping up with the Jones (or Pierres), Disneynature has just released “Penguins,” a documentary about (you guessed it) penguins.

This is a coming-of-age story about Steve, a young Adélie penguin, a type of flightless bird native to the coast of the Antarctica. The film follows lovably awkward Steve and thousands of other male penguins as they set out on an annual 100-mile spring trek – a quest to build a suitable nest, find a life partner, and start a family. Along the way, Steve is threatened by everything from killer whales to leopard seals to blizzards with hurricane-force winds.

Directed by Alastair Fothergill, Jeff Wilson, and Mark Linfield, this is the fifteenth nature documentary released under the Disneynature label. It’s narrated by the “everyman voice” of Ed Helms (the “Hangover” trilogy).

“Penguins” is currently waddling across the screens at Tropic Cinema.

British filmmaker Alastair Fothergill is best known for his BBC-TV series “The Blue Planet” and “Planet Earth,” as well as such feature films as “Deep Blue” and “Earth.”

In 2008, he signed a multi-picture deal with newly formed Disneynature, an agreement which allows him to spend six months each year on sabbatical from the BBC developing feature documentaries as an independent producer.

Admittedly, “Penguins” takes an anthropomorphic view of its subject matter, imbuing penguins with human-like qualities, but nonetheless you will enjoy the simple storyline (“a hugely entertaining underdog hero’s journey”) and the outstanding cinematography.

The action takes place to old ‘80s tunes like Patti LaBelle’s “Stir It Up.” You will want to rock – uh, waddle – along with these birds who look like they’re dressed in formal attire for a party.

Email Shirrel: srhoades@aol.com