Just got back from seeing this. As per normal, I had read several reviews before seeing it, so I know that there has been a very wide verity of reactions to this movie.
My impression of it was fairly good. I enjoyed it more than One Night with the King (which I need to write a review for--STAR OF DAVID DISCO BALL!). There were very few British-tilted accents, and a good variety of Hebrew and other which fit the times. And the soundtrack was absolutely amazing--a few choral and string notes that would bring to mind a Christmas carol, but with a twist that did not make you think you were listening to a Christmas CD the whole time. They played Carol of the Bells when Mary is going into labor, and it was just beautiful. They have a CD out now which is supposedly the soundtrack, but don't be fooled: It's just Christian artists doing their best to be cliche. (ouch, that was harsh) The real soundtrack will be released December 5th, and I'd recommend it to anyone, even if you haven't seen the movie.
Erm. Back to the actual movie. It was good. The characters were fairly well-developed, especially Joseph. His actor was very good--you didn't even notice the development until suddenly you're going, "Aw! He's so sweet!" It's easy to see when he falls in love with Mary, and his side of the relationship is very relatable and well presented. Mary wasn't quite as open. Her actress is a great actress for her closed off, silent sort of emotion, but at times it seemed like she was too withdrawn. When Gabriel visits her she does not seem very afraid or emotional. On one side this is good, because to over do it would be a death sentence, but at the same time the audience wants a bit more expression. Also she has a sorrowful expression very often which makes Mary seem just a tad bit on the sorrowful side, when I imagine the joy of having the Messiah in you.
There was some awkwardness (at least for me) where Herod and the wise men were concerned. It felt a bit like the writers said, "Okay, two scenes with Mary/Joseph, then one for Herod, then two more, then one for wise men, &tc." I guess it felt like it interrupted the flow of the story for me.
I did not like the representation of Gabriel much. This is likely due to Mary's reaction to his appearance, which was lacking. But I understand angels to be frightening and powerful, while Gabriel just looked like a man with the sun shining in his hair and his robes slightly faded. In the book of Daniel, Gabriel does appear as a man. Yet there is a presence about him that is amazing and awing. My dad suggested that a sword might have inproved his image, and I think he's right. That, and a bit more expression from Mary.
The movie was rather slow moving. It wasn't exceptional, like The Passion of the Christ, but it wasn't really dull either. I think that it leaves most of the emotion up to the audience to feel, giving them free rein to make the best of whatever they see. So as far as just entertainment goes, it isn't very fulfilling; if you want to improvise your own emotion and thoughts, mull over some lines and expression, and hear a beautiful soundtrack it is satisfying.
I give it a B for Basically Good.
The movie begins with a good panning of space and focuses on Antarctica as it zooms in. The music of many penguins singing comes on. We meet Mumble's mother, a strutting girl singing a song which repeats, "You don't have to be beautiful to turn me on, I just need your body from dusk to dawn." Several other would-be wooers are singing back to her, but none of them catch her attention. Then Mumble's father comes in, singing an Elvish version of Make Love. They're singing together. They're little heads make a heart.
Mumble's birth is very cute, as he tap dances all around. As a little chick he's very sweet and you have to love him, because he's so fluffy and cute. In one scene he is scared by some sea gulls, and he huddles in a little cave of ice whimpering. This is probably his most relatable point, because all you want to do is scoop him up and comfort him.
As a little one, Mumble can't sing for anything, so likes to dance by himself. Watching the older penguins trying to teach him to sing is funny and amusing. His mother doesn't really care that he likes dancing more than singing, while his father turns away in shame.
We then skip forward to when Mumble and his class graduate. Mumble has been left out since he cannot sing, but his family preforms their own little graduation. All the young adult penguins go to catch fish. Mumble bumps into Gloria, his childhood sweetheart and the best singer in their class. This bump requires much of them falling over on top of each other several times, and sort of rubbing together. A little scene of him getting a fish for her is pretty sweet. That night all the penguins have a concert, where Mumble is told to get lost because he can't sing.
The next morning Mumble ends up with his Spanish little penguin buddies. They are pretty funny, but some of their humor is body (i.e. refering to sex) or just plain rude. They take Mumble to their mating groups and instruct him a bit on their mating ways. Mumble eventually seeks out Lovelace, their spiritual leader, to ask him about humans (who are called aliens). Lovelace has about ten girls with him on his elite nest. As he sends Mumble away, he declares it's mating season time and goes behind his nest, inviting all the girls to his couch of "perpectual indulgence". He resurfaces briefly to say something and then goes back, asking the girls who wants to be first and telling them not all at once.
Mumble is reminded of his love for Gloria which he can never expect her to return because he is an outcast and cannot sing. One of the Mexican penguins decides to sing for him and have Mumble limp sinc. They go back, and the singing has started. Gloria has many admirers and is singing her heart song. She turns them all away. Mumble appears and amuses and impresses her slightly. However, she discovers he's faking and is mad. He tap dances and she's won over. But the elder catches him and casts him out of the community again because of his disruptive ways. He sets out to find the aliens and figure out why all the fish is gone.
Eventually he gets to the human camp. No one is there, so he chases one of the fishing boats. A current catches him and he is washed onto a Florida beach, where someone picks him up and takes him to the zoo. He goes through a period of insanity after trying to communicate to the humans that they're eating all the fish. After a while he starts dancing again, which catches the people's interest. They research the penguins and find out about the huge amount of fishing and decide that's what he's trying to tell them.
He goes back home with a tracker on him and confronts everyone. Gloria has waited for him and his father accepts him finally. He gets everyone to dance so when the humans catch up they're all surprised and excited. The End.
If the movie had a bit more plot consistancy and erased all the sexual references, it would probably be pretty good. As it was, the point seemed to be Humans Are Wrecking The World, more than someone different can save a lot of people, or someone different shouldn't be judged, or whatever the real point was supposed to be. Throughout the movie there are random pannings out to space and then back in, which is never explained, a bit of mountains crashing due to Mumble and his friends/slipping down mountains at fast speeds (which mostly have nothing to do with anything except adding excitement, I suppose), and attacks on him and his penguins by sea gulls, seals and killer whales that mostly involve a swim chase, and then getting onto the ice and mocking their preditors. The animation is good, especially for the people, and there are some nice camera angles.
However, I must give this one an E for Exactly What Is This Teaching Kids?. I do not recommend it, especially for children.
Because I copy all the stuff I don't think about fast enough, I have started this site as a review place for movies, music, and other things. Mostly to amuse myself, because I doubt anyone will really seek out my opinion. Anyhow, that's what it's for and I'll put it to use soon.
I found your blog through the "search" feature. So glad I did. read more
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