Last week I was extremely lucky to be invited to the premiere of Disneynature’s new movie Chimpanzee. Being my first premiere, I was extremely excited!
Arriving on the red carpet and seeing familiar faces of Disney stars that are on my TV pretty much daily was such a hoot! I took a few photos and text them to my 11 year old daughter. I didn’t however text her the photos of Jane Goodall that I was busy uploading to my Instagramwhich really gave me the coolest mom status! She asked why I didn’t tell her that Jane Goodall was also at the premiere for she is “so amazing”! Funny that my girl was more impressed with her than the faces she sees daily. And quite honestly that made me proud!
So after the fun of the red carpet, grabbing some popcorn and something to drink, myself and a group of 20 bloggers found our way to our seats. We watched as Jane Goodall, along with the directors Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield came in to take their seats.
The movie begins with amazing cinematography of the African forest where the introduction of the pack of chimpanzees is narrated by Tim Allen. The story begins with Freddy the alpha male and Isha the mother of little Oscar, the “star” of the movie, sharing with the audience the ever entertaining, everyday life of chimpanzees. Watching Oscar learn how to climb, eat, and play with other young chimps guarantees a smile and truly makes you want to take him home. It’s uncanny how much he reminds me of a human toddler in the awkwardness of learning to use his motor skills. As the story unfolds, things happen that would make for a quick and sad ending. Somehow, the film crew managed to capture a story that is unheard of in the chimpanzee world, and one that guarantees to warm your heart.
This is without a doubt a family film. There are scenes that as they were happening I was worried I would have to turn away, however that never happened. It’s no secret that things can get pretty violent in the wild, but the directors wanted to make sure to keep it family friendly. They did a wonderful job, for as things are implied, they aren’t shown and that made me not have to close my eyes or worry if it would be too much for a younger child.
This movie is a wonderful story of unexplainable love and survival. I laughed and cried, and left having an understanding and appreciation for chimpanzees beyond a trip to the zoo. Disneynature shared the story perfectly, taking advantage of the cuteness of Oscar, and I have to say, made me fall in love with a Chimp!
In theaters now! Purchase tickets for opening week, April 20-26, 2012, and Disneynature will make a donation to the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) to protect wild chimpanzees.
Disclosure: I was invited to attend the premiere of Disneynature’s Chimpanzee, in which all expenses were paid, however, all my opinions are my own.
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