"If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." - Ronald Reagan

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

So-So Feet

Have you seen the movie "Happy Feet?" We borrowed it from the local library. Given all the hype and toy merchandising, I thought this film had been a huge blockbuster with streams of loyal fans around the globe. Apparently not.

Here's the guts of the story: Mumble is born to Elvis and Marilyn Monroe impersonators, who also happen to be Emperor penguins. These penguins find their true love by singing, so imagine their shock when their son cannot sing, but he can make his feet spasm in such a way that it kinda looks like tap dancing. He is ostracized, not just because he still has his baby feathers and twitches like a freak, with the Elders implying that his strangeness is the reason the fish are disappearing. Determined to find the cause of the fish depletion (believed to be aliens, conveniently explained by some fishing birds who are trying to eat him). Instead he meets a group of illegal immigrants who look like Adelie penguins. Together, they try to find the aliens. Surprise, surprise: humans are the aliens. We are taking all their fish. Mumble ends up in a zoo exhibit, where his tap dancing catches the humans' attention and he is released...after being strapped to a GPS locator. Of course, he hurries back home and tries to explain that the aliens will give them back their food if they all learn to dance. Sure enough, the helicopter lands, the "aliens" emerge and the penguins start dancing, causing a worldwide sensation and ending the over-harvesting of fish from the local oceans.

Moral of the story: You're only worth feeding if you can dance.

I watched it with my kids. Kinda dumb, I thought, but then again it was a kids' movie and those are directed to entertain kids who can't quite tie their shoelaces. So thinking that they would be swooning over the adorable penguins, I asked the kids what they thought. The Boy hadn't watched a good portion of the movie, opting instead to rotate among watching, playing with his train set, and throwing fits. He didn't have much to say. Da Boo was quite vocal.

Boo: It was kinda boring.
Me: Boring? Really?
Boo: Yeah, not very fun.
Me: Didn't you like the penguins?
Boo: I liked the funny little ones.
Me: What about the dancing?
Boo: I can dance better than that. (said with big rolling of eyes)

Wow. I guess Hollywood's thinly disguised environmental message wasn't the bombshell they planned. Usually, when we get a movie from the library, it's all they want to watch for the next three days. Not this time, not even when I offered.

Boo wants to know if the next time we go to the library, if we can get "High School Musical" instead.

12 comments:

Stephanie said...

Yah, I kind of didn't dig it either... I don't think we finished it. Hollywood is a little dim sometimes.

Popcorn House said...

High school musical is ALL the rage at our house. My girls sing the songs. That and Hannah Montana. But I did like Happy Feet too. That is too funny that she said it was boring! Ms. Tween!!!

Kristie said...

I don't think that we ever finished that movie either. My kids just kind of lost interest about half way through. Have your kids seen High School Musical before? I tried to culturize mine the week before last when Barth was gone by showing them the Sound of Music. They really liked it and kept asking to watch it for days. :)

Melanie Jacobson said...

Yeah....I thought it was boring too. And I like penguins. And the environment. And saving both or whatever.

But not so much the Happy Feet.

Zzzzzz.

Kristina P. said...

My husband was super irritated with the tree hugging message, as he called it.

Tipi said...

My kids thought it was okay, but they came up with many other more entertaining ways the problems could have been solved and harmony achieved.
They like to do that though, think of different ways a movie could have ended "if they did this..."

and you know us, we love to hug our trees :)

Jo said...

Yeah, we do not own that movie. I do love Robin Williams in it though!

Amanda said...

HA! we never saw this one:)

Jan said...

Yes the save the world Penquin style was so obvious. But I loved the music still. Really cute. Sort of out of the Musical stage with my 10 year old, but I am sure we will see it.

Jessica G. said...

And the best part was a scene they cut! It was a cameo of Steve Irwin as an albatross. Very good! Instead, they turned him into one of those weird elephant/walrus things, giving him only a few lines and a serious sinus condition.

Kenney Crew said...

Don't hate me but, Happy Feet was a hit at our house. A few months ago, it was the only thing Ryan would watch. Now, my kids love penguins and they love dancing, so...of course they're going to like it. I see what you mean with the whole tree hugger message, but we thought that it showed that it's ok to be different and not to hide our talents. To each their own! :)

Unknown said...

This show was so weird- it was like MArch of the Penguings meets Moulin Rouge, and not in a good way!

Plus I thought they way they waddled when they walked was so creepy

*shudder*

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