Happy Feet

What’s the Story?

George Miller's ultra-cute animated comedy features the voice of Elijah Wood as Mumble, an Antarctic penguin who can't find his "heart song," a tune unique to each penguin that's supposed to attract a mate. Instead of the soulful melodies all the other penguins sing, Mumble croaks out horrible sounds. But he can tap dance up a storm, which is exactly what he does, even though the other penguins -- including his dad, Memphis (Hugh Jackman) -- think it's just plain weird. Eventually, penguin tribe leader Noah (Hugo Weaving) ousts Mumble from the community, claiming that his oddities are responsible for the recent fish shortage. Exiled, Mumble embarks on a journey to discover the true cause of the waning food supply. Along the way, he stumbles upon a gang of penguins known as the Adelie Amigos, and their guru, Lovelace (Robin Williams). They convince Mumble that his dancing is actually cool, and together, they search for the "alien annihilators," who gave Lovelace a "talisman" (a plastic six-pack container ring).

Is It Any Good?

Lest you think it's a rip-off of the 2005 documentary March of the Penguins, let's set the record straight. Although it still manages to sneak in some real-life penguin oddities to fascinate viewers, this CGI movie is all about charm and happiness, not struggles to survive in a harsh environment.

Mumble's dancing is awfully cute -- but also true-to-life, thanks to the motion-capture techniques used to graft acclaimed hoofer Savion Glover's moves onto the penguin's body. The characters are fun, the Antarctic landscapes mesmerizing, and the storyline sweet. And the music is dazzling -- everything from funk to rock to disco (Prince wrote an original song for the movie, "The Song of the Heart"). Don't miss this one.