Tag: walt disney

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS – ‘The Signature Collection’ Blu Review

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SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS is a true Hollywood classic. Released for the first time in December 1937. the first full-length Disney feature is a brilliant portrayal of the brothers Grimm’s chilling tale of an evil queen and the beautiful Snow White. The film reflects many of the social conditions of the time; the depression had just passed and songs such as “whistle while you work” were intended to promote a strong work ethic to the young children of America. The budget of the film was a staggering $500,000, around double the cost of an average film, yet the payoff was huge as this was the film that launched Disney’s decades-long domination of the animated features market.

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SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS arrives on Blu-ray February 2nd in a new two disc set packaged in a slipcover that replicates the artwork beneath. This is not the first release of the film. This is the ‘Signature’ release of SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS and it features the same audio and video presentations found on the film’s previous ‘Diamond Edition’ release from 2009. I’m not sure why they didn’t wait until next year for an 80th Anniversary bid but regardless, they have added a treasure trove of new extras worthy of this animation standard-bearer.

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The image is magnificent. Backgrounds remain magnificent, sporting the clearest definition and distinct drawing/coloring, while character animation itself remains more generic, due to the techniques of the time. Color boasts tremendous vibrancy. Cleanliness is not an issue, as this film looks borderline pristine, with only a few little remnants of debris sometimes visible to the keenest of eyes in quick flashes inside a character near a shift in color .There’s no aliasing or shimmer, and blacks remain powerful and deep, particularly when the queen turns into a witch and the subsequent thunderstorm, scenes that have fueled many a nightmare.

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SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS Signature Collection also delivers a remarkable audio presentation in the form of an impressive 24-bit DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track.  Voices are clean, intelligible and carefully prioritized, with subtle directional effects.

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The extras for this new ‘Signature Release’ are amazing:

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Here are the extras that are new to the ‘Signature Release’:

  • In Walt’s Words: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – Runs four minutes and is vintage audio footage from an interview with Walt Disney conducted  in 1956. Disney talks at length while pictures from the production are shown, about the process of making the film.
  • Iconography runs 7 minutes and has people involved with the film discussing the iconic moments and images in the film; the picture’s legacy; and people’s work that has been inspired from Snow White.
  • @DisneyAnimation: Designing Disney’s First Princess runs 5 minutes and features animator Mark Henn, Art Director Michael Giaimo, Art Director Bill Schwab, and Art Director Lorelay Bové are interviewed and discuss the film’s main character’s design history and the artists who created her
  • The Fairest Facts of Them All: 7 Things You May Not Know About Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs runs 4 minutes and stars   Sofia Carson, star of the upcoming Disney  Channel movie ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING who shares some trivia about conspiracy theories surrounding the film’s release, voice acting, Dwarf names, Snow White’s original hair color, the princess’ rosy cheeks, animator bonuses, and Dopey’s unique history in the movie.
  • Snow White In Seventy Seconds  – runs, well, 70 seconds and is a quick hip-hop version of the story. An extra I could have lived without.
  • Alternate Sequence: The Prince Meets Snow White runs 3 minutes and is an eye-opening,  never-before-seen scene  featuring Snow White meeting the Prince for the first time. It features voice recreation inspired by early story discussion transcripts and story sketches from the Walt Disney Animation Research Library.
  • Disney’s First Feature: The Making of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1080p, 33:15): A lengthier version of the supplement entitled The One that Started It All that was found on the Diamond Edition of the film

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And here are the extras that are carried over from the Diamond Edition of SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS:

  • Bringing Snow White to Life – 30 minutes
  • Hyperion Studios Tour – 30 minutes
  • Decoding the Exposure Sheet – 7 minutes
  • Snow White Returns 9 minutes
  • Story Meetings: The Dwarfs 6 minutes
  • Story Meetings: The Huntsman 4 minutes
  • Deleted Scene: Soup Eating Sequence 4 minutes
  • Deleted Scene: Bed Building Sequence 7 minutes
  • Animation Voice Talent 6 minutes
  • Audio Commentary: Commentary by Roy E. Disney and Historian John Canemaker, and Recordings by Walt Disney.

There is also a standard DVD disc and Digital HD copy

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The SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS ‘Signature Collection’ is a must-own for fans of Disney and great animation!

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New TOMORROWLAND Featurette Stars George Clooney, Damon Lindelof And Director Brad Bird

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George Clooney, writer Damon Lindelof and director Brad Bird discuss Walt Disney’s vision for the future in this new TOMORROWLAND featurette.

Check out the original video of Disney introducing the world to Epcot.

From Disney comes two-time Oscar winner Brad Bird’s TOMORROWLAND, a riveting mystery adventure starring Academy Award winner George Clooney. Bound by a shared destiny, former boy-genius Frank (Clooney), jaded by disillusionment, and Casey (Britt Robertson), a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity, embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as “Tomorrowland.” What they must do there changes the world—and them—forever.

Featuring a screenplay by “Lost” writer and co-creator Damon Lindelof and Brad Bird, from a story by Lindelof & Bird & Jeff Jensen, TOMORROWLAND promises to take audiences on a thrill ride of nonstop adventures through new dimensions that have only been dreamed of.

The film also stars Hugh Laurie as brilliant scientist David Nix, Raffey Cassidy, Tim McGraw, Judy Greer, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key and Thomas Robinson.

Disney's TOMORROWLAND David Nix (Hugh Laurie) Ph: Film Frame ©Disney 2015

Disney's TOMORROWLAND Casey (Britt Robertson) Ph: Film Frame ©Disney 2015

TOMORROWLAND is produced by Damon Lindelof, Brad Bird and Jeffrey Chernov and directed by Brad Bird, with John Walker, Brigham Taylor, Jeff Jensen and Bernard Bellew serving as executive producers.

TOMORROWLAND opens in U.S. theaters on May 22, 2015.

Website and Mobile site: www.Disney.com/Tomorrowland
Like on Facebook: facebook.com/DisneyTomorrowland
Follow on Twitter: twitter.com/DisneyPictures

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WAMG At The 101 DALMATIANS : Diamond Edition Press Day

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Are you ready for some puppy love? 101 DALMATIANS is now available for the first time on Digital HD and Blu-ray, and in celebration, WAMG was invited to a press day for the film at the Ink & Paint building on the Walt Disney Studios Lot. While there, we got the chance to chat with Lisa Davis (English voice of “Anita”), Mimi Gibson (English voice of ‘Lucky’), and Floyd Norman (Animator). We also took a class on painting our own animation cels, which we got to keep. Check out the fun filled day below!

First, we entered a small theater where we were introduced to some of the bonus features on the blu-ray, such as the short film THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF THUNDERBOLT. THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF THUNDERBOLT was inspired by the television show that the puppies watch on the tv in the film about a crime fighting dog named Thunderbolt. We also got to watch “Dalmatian 101” which is a feature hosted by Cameron Boyce, who plays Cruella de Vil’s son on the all new Disney show ‘Descendants.’ In this relatively short clip, they count down 5 reasons why 101 DALMATIANS is such a great film. The final clip we saw was called “Lucky Dogs,” which includes interviews of people who worked at Disney during the time 101 DALMATIANS was made.

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Next, we were introduced to Lisa Davis (English voice of “Anita”), Mimi Gibson (English voice of ‘Lucky’), and Floyd Norman (Animator), who talked to the  small room of press about their experiences during the production of the film. Lisa Davis told us about her audition experience with Walt Disney…

“So, when Mr. Disney first conceived of doing Cruella, he thought that maybe it would be funny if she had an accent. So they called me into the studio to audition for the part of Cruella De Vil, which I was terribly, terribly wrong for. Betty Lou Gerson, who played Cruella, was fantastic but I was definitely not right at all. But I was actually reading the script with Walt Disney, and he was reading the part of Anita and I was struggling to read the part of Cruella. And I thought to myself, “Oh my, dear me, this is so wrong. But how do I tell Walt Disney he’s wrong?”  Not an easy task.

But I got brave enough and I said, “Excuse me, sir. As we are reading this, I realize that I am much more Anita than Cruella.” And he said, “Well, would you like to read Anita?” And I said I’d love to. So we switched. He played Cruella and I read Anita, and that’s how I became Anita. And that’s really why I’m here today so many years later, ’cause I was brave enough to tell Mr. Disney that he was wrong.”

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Mimi recalled children from school recognizing her voice at Disneyland…

“I would go to Disneyland and they used to have a storefront that was called The Art of Animation. It was right off Main Street on the way to Tomorrowland.”

“Yes. So it was sort of like a store but it was off Main Street and you could buy cels and flipbooks. When you walked up the stairs there was a clip of “101 Dalmatians,” and the first puppy’s voice you heard was mine. [Laugh] And kids at school would come back from Disneyland and they’d say, “We heard you at Disneyland.” And then they’d say, “And you were a dog.” [laugh] and then they’d laugh. Well, I loved it. It was great. So that’s my story.”

And Floyd talked to us about the use of color in the film…

“The use of color was bold and different from things we had done before. Walt Peregoy brought a new design sensibility to this film. So we were all very excited about it. I can’t think of an artist here at Disney who wasn’t excited about what we were doing on “Dalmatians,” because it was such a break from the past, such a change from the European fairy tales we had been doing.. Now all of a sudden, we have this new, bold, contemporary look. And it was like a breath of fresh air here the Disney Studios.”

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Next, we were brought into a classroom where we were taught how to paint animation cels. This was a bit of a challenge because you need to work fast and keep a steady hand. We were given acrylic paint that had been watered down a bit so that it would be a little more fluid. The key is to work fast, and wait until the area is completely dry before touching it up.

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Here is my completed cel. I think I did quite well… Dalmations_Print_58

What a fun day! Be sure to pick up your very own copy of 101 DALMATIANS Diamond Edition on Blu-Ray or DVD, in stores now.

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SAVING MR. BANKS – The Review

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Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks shine in Disney’s new feature film SAVING MR. BANKS, a heartwarming tale about the making of the Mary Poppins film.

When Walt Disney and his daughters discovered the book “Mary Poppins” by P. L. Travers, they fell in love. Disney then made a promise to them, that took him 20 years to keep. He would bring Mary Poppins to life. What he didn’t expect was a stubborn writer with no intention of handing over her beloved nanny. When finally convinced to discuss the film, Disney and his team pull out all the stops to impress Travers enough to sign off on the film. What they didn’t bargain for was uncovering some of her ghosts from the past, or where the story of Mary Poppins actually came from.

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SAVING MR. BANKS is a magical tale filled with heart. Thompson and Hanks are simply delightful as P.L. Travers and Walt Disney, and they play off of each other incredibly well. Thompson is marvelous as a cold, stern Travers. She does a great job of adding a softer side to her character, which is best displayed in the scenes with her driver Ralph, played by Paul Giamatti. The addition of Ralph to the story (which is admitted to be the only fictitious character in the film) allows the audience a glimpse of an adult Travers as she interacts with someone outside of the Disney madness. It gives her a sense of humanity, and gives the audience a reason to feel a bit more compassion for her, rather than only showing her as an uptight stick in the mud.

As for Hanks, he had the cheerful, wide-eyed characteristics of Disney down pat. His character is not the main focus of this film, so they didn’t dig deep into who Disney really was. Instead, they kept his character development rather shallow, allowing more time for the character of Travers to unfold.

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Rounding out the film as Disney’s creative team were animator and co-screenwriter (Bradley Whitford), and songwriters Richard and Robert Sherman (Jason Schwartzman, and B.J. Novak), who aided in the agitation of Travers throughout their brainstorming sessions. These sessions added plenty of comedic relief to the film, and showcased a few unforgettable songs from the Poppins film.

The film looks absolutely stunning, and showcases some of the more beautiful parts of LA, including the palm trees, breathtaking views, and the Beverly Hills Hotel, which oozes old school elegance and class. We also get a glimpse of the Disney Studio grounds, which still look very similar to what they did back then. What really impressed me were the flashback scenes, showing a young Travers and the relationship with her father (played by Colin Farrell). These scenes were beautifully shot, and added a much-needed explanation to the behaviors of P.L. Travers in her adult life.

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Overall, the film is heartwarming and enjoyable. Its  mission is to entertain audiences with an interesting tale about the making of a Disney classic. That is exactly what they do. This is a fun story about one of the most beloved movies (and books) in history. Having said all of that, director John Lee Hancock, and writers Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith certainly added a “spoonful of sugar” to make the tale more enjoyable, and a little less truthful. Everything that I have read about the real life Travers has blatantly stated that she was not happy with the film version of her beloved nanny. She felt that they ignored the hard sides of Poppins, she despised the animation in the film, and was not too fond of the music. Overall, she was not pleased.

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While I enjoyed the film of SAVING MR. BANKS as a whole, audiences should know that it’s only loosely based on actual events. Go into this film looking for a good time at the movies. If you pick it apart based on the factual way the making of this film really went down, you won’t enjoy it.

OVERALL RATING: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Like SAVING MR. BANKS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SavingMrBanks

Follow us on Twitter: @disneypictures

SAVING MR. BANKS opens in theaters limited on December 13th and opens wide on December 20th

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Newly Released Cels From Disney Animation’s Bever-Before-Seen Short, “Get a Horse!”

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Catch a glimpse at Mickey, Minnie, and Peg-Leg Pete in these two cels from the never-before-seen Mickey Mouse short “Get A Horse!” from Walt Disney Animation Studios. Featuring Walt Disney himself as the voice of Mickey, “Get A Horse!” is a black-and-white, hand-drawn theatrical short.

The animation cel above, MUSIC IS IN THE AIR, showcases Mickey Mouse as he invites his favorite gal pal Minnie to join him on a musical haywagon ride

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The story follows Mickey, his favorite gal pal, Minnie, and their friends Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow. The gang is enjoying a musical haywagon ride (as seen above) until Peg-Leg Pete shows up and tries to run them off the road.

The short will be making its United States debut during the Walt Disney Animation Studios Panel at the Disney D23 Expo.

Walt Disney Animation Studios Presents GET A HORSE! At Annecy Animation Film Festival

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On Tuesday, June 11, Walt Disney Animation Studios filmmakers Lauren MacMullan, Dorothy McKim, Adam Green and Disney legendary animator Eric Goldberg presented the world debut of Mickey Mouse in “Get A Horse!” at the Annecy Animation Festival in France.

Walt Disney Animation Studios presented a never-before-seen short starring the one and only Mickey Mouse in “Get A Horse!”

Featuring Walt Disney himself as the voice of Mickey Mouse, this black-and-white, hand-drawn short follows Mickey, his favorite gal pal Minnie Mouse and their friends Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow as they delight in a musical wagon ride – until Peg-Leg Pete shows up and tries to run them off the road.

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WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS INTRODUCES WILDLY FUNNY NEW CG COMEDY ADVENTURE “WRECK-IT RALPH”

Directed by Emmy® Winner Rich Moore, Hilarious and Wildly Imaginative Animated Movie to Feature the Voices of John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch

Some of us are born to be bad, but that doesn’t mean we have to like it. Walt Disney Animation Studios and Emmy®-winning director Rich Moore (TV’s “The Simpsons,” “Futurama”) take moviegoers on a hilarious, video-game-hopping journey in “Wreck-It Ralph,” the story of an arcade game Bad Guy determined to prove he can be a Good Guy. Produced by Clark Spencer (“Lilo & Stitch,” “Bolt”) and featuring the voices of John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch, the CG comedy adventure will hit theaters on Nov. 2, 2012, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.

Says Moore, “I love the idea of a very simple 8-bit video game character struggling with the complex question: ‘isn’t there more to life than the role I’ve been assigned?’ In his quest for the answer, we journey with our hero through three visually distinct video game worlds. It’s unlike anything anyone’s seen before, and I’m thrilled to be to creating it here at Walt Disney Animation Studios.”

Wreck-It Ralph (voice of Reilly) longs to be as beloved as his game’s perfect Good Guy, Fix-It Felix (voice of McBrayer). Problem is, nobody loves a Bad Guy. But they do love heroes… so when a modern, first-person shooter game arrives featuring tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Lynch), Ralph sees it as his ticket to heroism and happiness. He sneaks into the game with a simple plan—win a medal—but soon wrecks everything, and accidently unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens every game in the arcade. Ralph’s only hope? Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Silverman), a young troublemaking “glitch” from a candy-coated cart racing game who might just be the one to teach Ralph what it means to be a Good Guy. But will he realize he is good enough to become a hero before it’s “Game Over” for the entire arcade?

 

Hear 90 Seconds Of The DaftPunk Track “The Game Has Changed” From The TRON: LEGACY Soundtrack!

The official kickoff of “TRON Tuesdays”, the 10-week global countdown to the release of TRON: LEGACY has begun!

We are pleased to release the official first look image of Daft Punk against the visually stunning backdrop of the TRON: LEGACY digital grid. 

Additionally, fans can listen to 90 seconds of the track “The Game Has Changed” from the original motion picture soundtrack on the official TRON Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/TRON  or http://www.facebook.com/Tron?v=app_154470761259443&ref=ts

Additionally, don’t forget that tickets will be available beginning 10am/PT for “TRON Night: An IMAX 3D Experience” giving audiences worldwide the first opportunity to see a 20-plus-minute sneak peek of TRON: Legacy for free on October 28th.  For free tickets and more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/TRON.

INFORMATION ON DAFT PUNK:

The highly anticipated original motion picture score for TRON: Legacy, composed and produced by the iconic and critically acclaimed Grammy® Award-winning French duo Daft Punk, will be released by Walt Disney Records on Tuesday, December 7 2010. Presented in Disney Digital 3D™, Walt Disney Pictures’ “TRON: Legacy” hits U.S. theaters on December 17, 2010, in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D.

Having grown up with admiration of Disney’s groundbreaking original 1982 film “TRON,” Daft Punk took on the scoring of the next chapter of the story with extraordinary thought and precision. The duo assembled a symphony of one hundred world class musicians in London and recorded the orchestra at AIR Lyndhurst Studios, Britain ’s premier scoring facility. From Daft Punk’s first single release in 1993, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter were hailed as a new breed of electronic music innovators.  Following their seminal debut in 1997 (Homework), the band went on to release two more studio albums (Discovery-2001, Human After All-2005) and two live albums (Alive 1997, Alive 2007), winning them both critical and popular acclaim throughout the world.  Daft Punk are known as much for their music and technical innovation as their groundbreaking and elaborate visual universe, which centers around their irrepressible and mysterious Robot personas.   In 2006, their directorial art house film debut, “Daft Punk’s Electroma,” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and in 2007 they toured internationally with a jaw-dropping live show that was an awe-inspiring combination of their musical and visual prowess.  

Their collaboration with Kanye West on his #1 hit single “Stronger” was hailed as “The Song of the Year” by SPIN Magazine (January 2008 issue), which also saw Daft sharing the cover with Kanye, having been awarded “Tour of the Year” by the magazine. Daft Punk performed with West on the Grammy Awards in 2008, marking the mercurial duo’s first and only television appearance anywhere in the world.  “TRON: Legacy” will mark Daft Punk’s first film score.

  • Disney Parks is celebrating “TRON: Legacy” with ElecTRONica, a nighttime street event at Disney California Adventure™ Park, featuring a dynamic visual- and  music-based experience, a re-creation of Flynn’s Arcade and an opportunity to see a special 3D preview of “TRON: Legacy.” ElecTRONica runs from now until April 2011 every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night and nightly through the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday periods.

Information on all TRON activities can be found at Disney.com/TRON.

ABOUT THE MOVIE

“TRON: Legacy” is a 3D action-packed adventure set in a digital world unlike anything captured on the big screen. Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), a rebellious 27-year-old, is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his father Kevin Flynn (Oscar® and Golden Globe® winner Jeff Bridges), a man once known as the world’s leading video-game developer. When Sam investigates a strange signal sent from the abandoned Flynn’s Arcade—that could have only come from his father—he finds himself pulled into a world where Kevin has been trapped for 20 years. With the help of the fearless warrior Quorra (Olivia Wilde), father and son embark on a life-or-death journey across a visually stunning universe—created by Kevin Himself—which has become far more advanced with never-before-imagined vehicles, weapons and landscapes, and a ruthless villain who will stop at nothing to prevent their escape. 

Visit the official website at: http://Disney.com/TRON.  Like TRON: Legacy on Facebook at: www.Facebook.com/TRON or on Twitter here.

TRON: Legacy hits theaters everywhere in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX 3D on December 17th, 2010.

MONSTERS, INC. Coming Back in 2012

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That was the last word of PIXAR’s first MONSTERS, INC. as Sully (voiced by John Goodman) peaked back into Boo’s room to see if she remembered him.  She did, and so do we, and, now, nine years after the film’s release, PIXAR is remembering them, as well.  As reported on The Hollywood Reporter, PIXAR and Disney announced MONSTERS, INC. 2 (tentative title) will be released to theaters on November 16th, 2012.  Both Goodman and Billy Crystal are expected to return.

This will make MONSTERS, INC. the third film from PIXAR to be sequelized with TOY STORY 3 hitting theaters this coming Summer and CARS 2 coming Summer, 2011.  PIXAR is building their release schedules up, as well, getting away from the one-film-a -year structure they’ve been on for some time.  Also set to be released in 2012 is BRAVE.

While the idea of pumping out sequels to past treasures from PIXAR seems like a quick way to make some easy cash, I have learned my lesson never to count the animated studio out.  I remember not being particularly excited for UP, and that ended up being one of the best films PIXAR had to date.  TOY STORY 2 is also a fair indicator they know exactly what they’re doing when it comes to revisiting already established characters.

What do you think?  Is MONSTERS, INC. a good idea?  What other, PIXAR films would you like to see be turned into a franchise?  Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Review: OCEANS

The immersion into beauty on display in Disneynature’s second release, OCEANS, is staggering and absolutely undeniable.  Directors Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud stunned audience with equal amounts of ingenuity in 2001 with WINGED MIGRATION in which they took that audience and transported them into the skies above.  The oceans below are filled with similar wonderments, and the film, though maybe not as groundbreaking as their first collaboration nor as structured as EARTH, Disneynature’s first film, is a masterpiece of visual imagery.  It is a film that shows you things you never thought you would see right alongside things you never even knew existed.

Narrated by Pierce Brosnan, OCEANS takes us to the five oceans that make up 71% of the planet’s surface.  Each of these are home to lifeforms both strange and familiar.  Whether we are witnessing creatures that we’ve seen a dozen times like the great blue whale or the penguins of the Arctic or those we never even knew roamed the oceans like the silky and colorful blanket octopus, we know Perrin and Cluzaud are going to show us something breathtaking.  This they do, time and time again.

But what makes OCEANS more than your standard, television program about life in the deep blue sea, beautiful photography aside, is the abundance with which the directors present their subjects.  The film becomes an onslaught of life, lush with the animals and plant life that make up the ecosystems just under the surface of the water.  However, Perrin and Cluzaud never lose us with nonstop movement between different places in the world, and we begin to see the connections that run from scene to scene.  And they do this all in under 90 minutes, a grand achievement in its own right.  Piling this number of varying scenes together in under an hour and a half must have taken an extraordinary amount of care in the editing room, never mind allowing each scene to breath and live on its own.

One scene in particular showing life along a coral reef at night is ten minutes of sheer brilliance.  It brings on some genuine laughs, as well, as the creatures we watch (some of the stranger ones, at that) seem to go about their daily routine, one crab even taking some time out to clean a bit of house.  Another scene featuring baby green turtles and their trek to the sea is motivating and almost sad to watch, as well, as we watch as dozens of them race towards the water, hungry gulls circling overhead.

The narration by Brosnan doesn’t offer much other than giving us the names of some of the more unfamiliar fish and crustaceans we might not know about.  Brosnan’s narration really comes home, though, late in the film when the subject of pollution and the veins they create into the oceans is broached.  Perrin and Cluzaud, not shying away nor interfering with the way of the world, illicit a sense of disgust and heartbreak as we watch a seal nudging at and puzzling over a rusty shopping cart.  It’s a moment that makes you frown at your fellow man, and more of it may have helped the case OCEANS makes against such pollution.

From there, we move to the arctic where we watch as glaciers and icebergs are breaking apart, the polar bears who use them as home falling into the ocean.  The pains of pollution and global warming are made all the more apparent by the images the directors give us, but it seems to come at an odd time in the film, almost like trying to learn a lesson just after a particularly fun recess.

Nonetheless, the beauty and magnificence of our world is captured from beginning to end with OCEANS.  The technical achievement here is unquestionable.  Whether it is a man swimming right alongside a great white shark, massive whale resting in the water completely upside down, or two converging armies of crabs that turn into a moving floor of shells and legs, OCEANS is a film that takes your breath away with its own beauty and magnificence.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars