My Penguin Friend

If this movie had a bigger marketing push, I don't doubt that it would be a hit as big as Life of Pi or We Bought a Zoo.

The cinematography was beautiful, every scene full of life and detail. There's a lot of heart and pain on the screen, but it's very much a story of love and acceptance. Often, accepting the hard parts of life, like grief.

The movie spans many years, so there's a depth to the feelings of each of the characters that develops beautifully on screen, and even though there is plenty unsaid, the movie clearly trusts the audience to gather the details for themselves.

All said, I would love a penguin friend myself.

I cried in this movie as it's so moving especially seeing what the Penguin had to go through to go to his beloved master who saved him.

The movie is very similar to Hachi: A Dog's Tale with Richard Gere based on a true story.

It's a moving movie and training a Penguin to do and play the best parts is not so easy. I can imagine the trainer how many hours they repeated the shots to get what was required to progress the movie.

The movie lacked a strong direction and one time makes one feel angry when the penguinologist/ornithology sends a tv camera crew to interview João and then kidnap DinDim the beloved Penguin who was crossing doing the 5000 miles journey from Argentina to Brazil for 8 continuous years.

Our local theater does "Mystery Movies" on Monday where all the tell you is the run time and rating before the movies starts, so we had no expectations. When it started, I saw that this was going to be a PG animal flick, so I started out bummed. I was pleasantly surprised. Based on the true story of a man who befriends a penguin, but the real story is more about how a man overcomes grief and re-engages with his life and community. How a village can actively support one another. There are quite a few laughs and silly moments as you would expect from a movie with a penguin as a main character, but pull that back, and it really is a redemption and growth story about a simple couple in a fishing village. There are a few darker themes, especially around human hubris and callousness, this will go over younger viewers' heads, all in all, a really heartwarming film that I recommend to take the whole family to see. My biggest criticism is that the dialog was a bit weak and they tried a bit too hard with some of the underwater shots. They tried something they hoped would look cool, but it was more disorienting than anything else.

My Penguin Friend was truly a fantastic film. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it really touched my heart. I loved this story of friendship and how you can grow from tragedy. The fact that it was based on a true story made it that much more inspiring. The penguin, Dindim is so precious and made this film so special. Something about the bond between a man and a wild animal really captivates you as well as an entire community coming together to support their friendship. There is so much kindness in this film which is so refreshing. Beware this film will pull at your heartstrings but My Penguin Friend is truly a must see film!!

My Penguin Friend is an extraordinary film that beautifully portrays the heartwarming relationship between a man and a penguin. The movie excels with its breathtaking visuals and a deeply moving narrative that explores themes of love, kindness, and the profound connections we share with animals. The storytelling is engaging and heartfelt, making it a visual treat and an emotional journey. This film stands out as one of the most memorable and impactful movies I've ever seen, blending uniqueness with emotional depth into an unforgettable cinematic experience that resonates deeply with viewers. Truly beautiful.