Disneynature: Wings of Life

I saw this film earlier today when I could find nothing else worthy to watch. It was on NETFLIX of all places. I thought it may be educational, so I turned it on.

The camera-work was amazing as were the sights and sounds. Beautiful colors and landscapes backdrop the world of flowers and how they are pollinated across the world, from deserts to lush grassy areas. One of the best documentary films I have ever had the chance to see, and I have seen all of the Disney True-Life Adventure films of the 1950s and 60s.

The directing was wonderful, however, the narration could have used some work. Rated 10/10 because it is a beautiful film.

I have heard of Disneynature before but, it was a trailer for "Chimpanzee", but back then I thought it was going to be just another documentary about creature's lives, formed into a story.

At first when I looked at this documentary, "wings of life" my first impression was it was going to be about butterflies, and birds and bees and all those flying pollinators. but I was in for a surprise. That surprise was what got me hooked up, the documentary was literally turned into a story, like a nature ballet and the "star actors" are the flowers, inanimate and slightly motionless yet "given souls" as though the flowers were talking themselves, whereas the pollinators are more like supporters in the play. Disney has earned credit for that many times (if you still remember "Flowers and Trees"), turning objects into actors with souls.

Even though Disneynature is just a division of the major company, its documentary still carries that surreal magic, its a great movie, I would recommend it to anyone.

Strictly from a visual perspective - I was quite impressed with this nature documentary (concerning butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, bats, and flowers) from Disney Productions.

Yes. "Wings of Life's" frequent use of awe-inspiring high-speed filming techniques certainly succeeded in holding my rapt attention throughout this colorful and educational 80-minute presentation.

But, on the down side - Unfortunately, "Wings of Life" was seriously marred by its dreary and downright demented "I-Am-A-Flower" narration that was lifelessly recited by veteran Hollywood actress, Meryl Streep........ Like - "WTF!!??"

There is an interesting core to this film about the role and evolution of flowers and some of their various pollinators, and it probably could have been edited into a better, shorter movie.

Where the movie falls short is, firstly, on the narration. Wishy-washy dialogue drags on and on, trying to sound magical or something. I'd prefer straightforward, factual narration that would be simpler for kids to understand.

The second problem is that the ending gets into environmentalist propaganda. I'd prefer if the movie was just an innocent nature documentary and not pushing an agenda to turn our kids into activists.

The documentary shows the importance of pollination for human survival. There is more than beauty to "Pollen", the documentary serves as a wake-up call as the romance between flowers and pollinators is threatened by pesticides, habitat loss, mites and environmental stress imposed by humans.

The result is a visually stunning film!

"The important food for the community would not be produced or distributed worldwide if it weren't for the millenary collaboration between a bee and a flower" beautiful comment on the importance of pollinators for biodiversity and human existence, beautiful images, super zoom and slow motion, we are graced with this beautiful documentary, beautiful, beautiful... "Plant us in the backyard or on a roof garden."