Happy Feet

Rating: 7/10 (23 December 2009)

I had seen plenty of clips for this computer animated film, and it did look pretty good viewing, so I leaped at the chance to try it, from director George Miller (Mad Max, The Witches of Eastwick). Basically in Antarctica live the Emperor Penguins who express themselves in song, and Memphis (Hugh Jackman) and Norma Jean (Nicole Kidman) are looking forward to their baby being the same. Unfortunately, Memphis dropped Baby Mumble (Rugrats' Elizabeth Daily) as an egg, and this ruins his singing voice, but he does develop a talent for fast dancing. Grown up, Mumble (Elijah Wood) feels very different because of his lack of singing talent, but has a connection with the best singer around, Gloria (Brittany Murphy). He is cast out of the community however by Noah the Elder (Hugo Weaving), and Mumble manages to meet a posse of fellow penguins considered different, led by Ramon (Robin Williams). After trying to get an answer to the lack of food or whatever from Lovelace (also Williams) in Adelie Land, Mumble and the gang set out to find a new source of food, and "alien" (humans) that could provide it. They travel all across the icy lands, until Mumble goes alone, managing to wash up on a shore, go into an aquarium, and his dancing skills win the hearts of humans around the world, and the rest of the penguins get their food joining in. Also starring Anthony LaPaglia as Boss Skua, Miriam Margolyes as Mrs. Astrakhan, Carlos Alazraqui as Nestor and Steve Irwin as Kev. The voice casting is very well done, the animation (including a little motion capture) is most impressive, the music and dance sequences are likable, and the story does have its moments, so some good family adventure fun to be had. It won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film of the Year, it won the BAFTA for Best Animated Feature Film, and it was nominated for the Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music for John Powell, and it won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song for "The Song of the Heart", and it was nominated for Best Animated Film. Very good!