Disneynature's EARTH

Specialty Other Disney
#21

550×815 62.8 KB

Admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of documentaries in general, so I was personally a bit unsure about Earth. Having been thoroughly impressed by the trailers, though, I decided to give the film a chance. And while not terribly informative or thought-provoking, Earth proves to be a visually breathtaking film, and a solid initial effort from Disneynature.

725×493 57.2 KB

Let me say again that - at the risk of sounding cliché - the cinematography in Earth is absolutely breathtaking. Honestly, this is the most beautiful-looking film I’ve seen in some time. From the lush forests of South America, to the tranquil, snow-covered Boreal Forest, the vistas showcased are nothing short of incredible. This is a film that has to be seen on the big screen (though it’s a shame that the film wasn’t displayed in IMAX), and if nothing else, you’ll at least appreciate the film for its visuals.

The problem with Earth, though, is its lack of focus. While it was apparently intended by the filmmakers that the film be about the journey of these three animal families, it never really feels like it. I felt that, especially in the case of the two whales, more time should’ve been spent focusing on them, as their few scenes are easily the most intriguing parts of the film. In fact, while the Superb Bird of Paradise’s mating ritual scene is simply hilarious, seeing a family of baby chicks fail first flight as they jump from a tree and plummet to the mound of leaves is adorable (which actually includes a pretty clever reference to a certain Pixar film), and the entire film just looks astonishing, the majority of the middle portion of the film just feels hollow to me. Ontop of that, Earth seems somewhat unbalanced in its desire to teach, as well as entertain.

Despite these flaws, though, Earth is worth seeing. The story of these three families, while a bit too short, is both heartwarming and borderline tear-jerking. James Earl Jones does a fantastic job as the film’s narrator, and the action sequences, though few and far between, literally had me on the edge of my seat. Check it out, folks.

7.5/10

#22

Thanks for sharing your reviews guys!! I saw it last night and I have to agree with you two, visually it was absolutely amazing!

Seeing all those images on the big screen is reason enough to go. What I liked about the storyline was that it took us to all different parts of the Earth and showed what went on throughout the course of the year and the seasons - the time lapse images were one of the best imagery, I think. The way it was edited and narrated reaches a wider audience than most nature/environmental films too, I think…definitely more kid-friendly than the Planet Earth series. And yes, James Earl Jones narrating added to the epic-ness of the movie too!

#23

Thanks for the reviews, One Movie… , Rare Addict and CoCoMeister! Well, seeing that it’s from Planet Earth (I’ve watched the first three episodes so far), I’m not surprised it was spectacularly breathtaking.

Hope y’all had a great Earth Day! :smiley:

#24

I saw this the other day. :open_mouth: :open_mouth: :open_mouth: GREAT MOVIE!!! 9/10! I can’t wait for the sequel oceans! :stuck_out_tongue:

#25

I saw this yesterday. Personally, I enjoyed it. Unlike many documentaries it could keep my attention for a while. The visuals were amazing, particularly the time lapses. However, in my theater the quality was really grainy and often cut to black for seconds at a time (not part of the movie), but that likely won’t be a problem for you. Overall, I’d recommend it if you haven’t seen most of the source material.

By the way, did anyone laugh at the Toy Story reference? :stuck_out_tongue:

#26

Nice review, Bryko. There’s a TS reference? :open_mouth:

#27

I did! :smiley: James Earl says

#28

I geeked out at that reference! :smiley:
Anyway, it was a splendid movie, nothing short of amazing, although I agree with Rare Addict that it didn’t really focus on the three main familes as it was supposed it. On the bright side, though, its lack of focus gave an oppurtunity to see a wider range of animals and nature. :smiley:

#29

I’m glad everyone likes it so much…generally, overall anyway :slight_smile:

And I heard that Disney is planting 2.7 million trees from the tickets sold opening weekend. Good movie AND good cause :slight_smile:

#30

I thought Earth was a really good movie, expect I just bought the complete series of Planet earth… THEY’RE THE SAME THING! :open_mouth: Well really the movie Earth is just made up of a bunch a clips from the TV show. Or the first episode rushed through. And Disney claims it as it’s own :angry: :smiling_imp: