The so-called cultural wars really came to the fore in last year’s Presidential race in the United States. The enormous controversy caused by two movies demonstrated just how polarised the nation had become. Conservatives embraced Mel Gibson’s epic ‘The Passion of the Christ’ whilst liberals championed Michael Moore’s devastating Bush-basher ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’.
This summer, the Conservative side claimed a new cinematic ally in their fight against the pinko enemy. ‘March of the Penguins’ provided a sufficiently blank canvas for people to project whatever qualities onto it that they wished. To fundamentalist Christians, such as the “Concerned Women for America”, this movie argued against evolution, abortion and homosexuality and strongly endorsed monogamy, child-rearing and ‘intelligent design’.
'March of the Penguins', which is released here on December 9th, should not be hijacked by politics because it is a beautiful, funny, fascinating and moving film. If I give you a plot summary, you'll just look at me funny: it's about the mating rituals of Emperor penguins in the South Pole. See? I knew you'd raise your eyebrows! But please take my word for it. These penguins will have to compete for cinematic space with Narnia and King Kong but please don't miss this movie that will instil the kind of wonder in all hearts and minds that no CGI-laden special effects extravaganza can match.
3 comments:
So it's better than 'The Producers' then?!
Can't wait to see the Johnny Cash biopic in the new year too.
Sean, don't awaken the beast: you know not to mention The Producers round me! Yeah, Walk the Line is supposed to be really good, they do their own singing in it too.
Really? I thought it was mimed to a Cash soundtrack... that's pretty impressive, assuming they've pulled it off, which by all accounts they have, which is a lot of commas to have in one sentence... Looking forward to the Penguin movie too. A film without actor or ego - bliss...
Post a Comment