"Happy Feet"

AB and I went to see "Happy Feet" at the Empire in Leicester Square last night. And it may be silly and it may feature the voice of Robin "Detestable" Williams, but it wasn't half lovely - just the kind of thing you need for a chilly, January Wednesday in London. Every so often, I believe it's good for the soul to see a "Finding Nemo" or "Toy Story", to punctuate all the horror and grim reality that makes up much of my viewing 'pleasure'.

Breathy penguin Norma Jean (Nicole Kidman) and Memphis (Hugh Jackman) fall in love as Emperor Penguins do: by finding their heart songs, and the result is little baby Mumble (Elijah Wood). But Mumble's not quite right - he's a penguin who can't sing and, what's worse, he's a penguin who tap dances. Not liking anyone to stand out from their crowd, the fusty elder penguins in the state treat poor Mumble as the tone-deaf, dizzy footed runt of the litter, and he lives the life of an outcast. Until he stumbles across a pack of hip Puerto Rican penguins on another island, who think his tap dancing ways are cool (arf)... which all leads him on a quest to win the heart of Gloria (Brittany Murphy) and stop humans from plundering the ocean for fish.

The bluntness of the moral (ie, humans: stop plundering the ocean for fish) and the decision to allow Robin Williams to voice two characters is the only downfall. And as with all films of this ilk, they may claim to be suitable for ages four and upwards, but they still tug at the heartstrings with the morals, and terrify you with the razor-toothed seals and wicked killer whales. But it's all good fun for a January mid week night, and even deceased crocodile bothered Steve Irwin gets a role from beyond the grave.