Mickey Mouse has traded in his yellow buttons in favor of green, environmentally-friendly ones. With the release of the movie "Earth," Disney celebrated this year's Earth Day in true conservational style.
Promising to plant a tree for every ticket sold in the first week of release, Disney planted about 2.7 million trees. And they put out a pretty good movie as well.
"Earth" is a pretty simple concept for a documentary. Take film footage of incredibly cute and amazing animals, have James Earl Jones do some narration and put it on the big screen.
What follows is an enjoyable romp through the animal kingdom.
The film is fairly unfocused; however, three animal families are referred to throughout the film: a polar bear, her cubs and their father, a whale and her baby and a pack of elephants.
Peppered in between these three main stories are short segments involving animals from all over the world.
Starting at the North Pole, the film slowly travels south on the globe, showing animals from every part of the world and eventually ending in Antarctica.
The film is narrated by James Earl Jones, who has a distinctive deep voice. From talking about baby ducklings taking their first flight to describing a chase between a cheetah and a gazelle, Jones is the perfect man for the role.
While it is Jones' narration that ties the movie together and keeps it moving, the real stars are the animals and the cameramen.
The camera shots in the film are breathtaking. It is incredible how the filmmakers manage to film without making their presence felt.
Using camouflage and other techniques along with super high-tech camera lenses, the cinematography makes this movie worth the admission price.
Some of the standout moments in the film include a breathtaking overhead view of the elephant herd trekking through the desolate African desert searching for water.
You feel badly for the young elephants as they stumble along blinded by sand and literally dying of thirst.
The colorful birds of paradise living in the rain forests are another highlight of the film. They show off their amazing plumage and their intricate mating dances.
It is easy to recommend "Earth," from stunning pictures to cute animals; it has everything that you would expect from a nature movie, and more. t&c;
