Earth (2009)

aka Disney’s Earth

I’d never seen a nature film on the big screen before, and felt this would give me a new kind of cinematic experience, and it did. From the same production effort that produced the Discovery Channels Planet Earth series, the visuals here are fantastic, to see them on a big screen is at times breathtaking, and the seemingly simple animal drama can be often quite engrossing (I’m thinking particularly of one slow motion chase between a cheetah and a young gazelle). Also I learned neat facts, like how there are more trees in the northern boreal region then in all the worlds rain forests combined! James Earl Jones's narration is sometimes a little schticky for the kiddies, and some conservatives might resent the global warming theme, but I don’t see how anybody could not enjoy this film at least a little bit. Be sure to stay through the credits for clips showing how the films camera men got such incredible footage. 4 out of 5. I think this is the first non animated G rated film I’ve seen in a theater since The Rookie (2002).