Movie Review: Happy Feet

Imagine a 51 year old woman and her 8 year old grandson at the 10 a.m. December 23rd showing of Happy Feet on the Southside of Chicago. The theatre asks that you not make noise while watching the movie. Fortunately for us, the other 4 people in the theatre were just as noisy as we were! The story is great, the music is 'get up and dance you fool' and the animation is stunning.

The Story:
Those born to the Emperor Penguins in Antarctica are born with a song in the soul. You find your soul mate by the song you sing. Unfortunately for Mumble (played by Elijah Wood) he was born to dance. Tap dance. He is also the worst singer ever.

Mumble's Mom, Norma Jean (Nicole Kidman) sang her Heart song to Memphis (Hugh Jackman) and they had Mumble. Memphis puts you in the mind of Elvis and he says of Mumble's dancing "it just ain't penguin."
Mumble's one friend, Gloria (Brittany Murphy) is the best singer around. She's a little freaked out by his tap dancing though. And Noah the Elder (Hugo Weaving) is the leader of Emperor Land and he's really freaked out by Mumble! He casts Mumble out of Emperor Land.

On the road Mumble runs into the Adelie Amigos. Ramon (Robin Williams) is their leader and they LOVE his cool dance moves. In Adelie land, Lovelace the Guru (Robin again) is a rockhopper penguin who answers the burning questions of life. He's got a plastic six pack holder stuck on his neck.

Mumble, Lovelace and the Amigos go in search of the answer to where all the food is going. The trip takes Mumble around the world and teaches us, the audience, to always be yourself.

The Music:
Soundtrack
The Song of the Heart ... Prince
"Everybody get up clap your hands, show them what you got!"
Hit Me Up... Gia Farrell
Tell Me Something Good... Pink
Somebody to Love... Brittany Murphy
I Wish... Patti Labelle/Fantasia/Yolanda Adams
Jump and Move... Brand New Heavies
Do It Again... The Beach Boys
The Joker Mash-Up With Everything I Own... Jason Mraz
My Way... Robin Williams
Kiss Mash-up With Heartbreak Hotel... Nicole Kidman/Hugh Jackman
Boogie Wonderland... Brittany Murphy
Golden Slumbers/The End... k.d. lang
The Story of Mumble Happy Feet ...John Powell

Songs not on soundtracks:
If You Leave Me Now
I'll Make Love To You
I Wish (by Stevie Wonder)
Shake Your Bon Bon
The Message (Grandmaster Flash)
Hello (Lionel Richie)
Never Can Say Goodbye
Let's Talk About Sex (Salt-n-Pepa)

I went out and bought the cd! Music to dance to -- for kids and adults!

The Dancing:
Savion Glover provides the tap dancing scenes by Mumble. The crew used motion capture technology, a recording process that required him to tap dance on a small stage under 60 lights in a black bodysuit that had 40 reflective sensors near his joints. As Glover performed, the light from his reflectors was recorded by an array of 60 cameras and turned into data.

Animation:
3d animation

This movie was thoroughly enjoyable and I plan to see it again. My grandson and I tap danced out of the theatre, to the car and all afternoon at home! I went to see Happy Feet because Robin Williams is in it. I fell in love with Mumble.