If you liked the feature film Earth, or the television series Planet Earth it was built from, you're going to love the BBC follow-up to that series, Nature's Most Amazing Events. Narrated by David Attenborough, these six, hour-long presentations focus on wonders of the natural world, and their effects on the natural world.
The gorgeous cinematography returns and is coupled with a more focused (and more interesting to me) approach to storytelling.
The Great Melt will feel familiar to those who have seen either version Planet Earth, as we revisit the arctic and polar bears. We get a broader view here, exploring a greater variety of animal life (the narwhals are brilliant), but it may suffer slightly by being a trip we've been on.
The Great Salmon Run follows the course of the salmon to their spawning ground and the Grizzlies who are fans of the event. The breadth of information, and far-reaching effects may surprise.
The Great Migration may again feel familiar as the Serengeti rains bring together unbelievable numbers of large animals, but there is amazing new footage, and again, a broader scope.
The Great Tide follows the yearly feeding frenzy along South Africa's east coast as billions of sardines flood the waters. One of the most interesting parts of the series, the chain of events is staggering.
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The Great Flood is a somewhat similar theory to The Great Migration, as thousands of animals journey to the flood of Botswana's Okavango Delta which is their only chance of survival.
The Great Feast delivers some of the most breathtaking footage in the set, as we see the annual plankton surge near Alaska draw in humpback whales, sea lions, and secondary effect killer whales.
Even knowing the level of product to expect based on the previous series, these are simply amazing television productions. From birds diving several feet into the water for fish, to humpbacks "jumping", it's impossible to describe the visual displays. Filmed with absolutely state-of-the-art cameras, the experience is hard to believe.
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As wonderful as the first series is, this sequel seems to have learned from that first effort, and turned toward a more interesting and serious educational approach.
Nature documentaries may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I can't imagine anyone not having fun, and being thoroughly impressed with this set. The whole concept of something on film making you feel like you're right there is taken to a new level.
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- Television Review | 'Nature's Most Amazing Events': Pretty Clouds, Vistas and Sardines, Too (nytimes.com)
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About Marc Eastman
Marc Eastman is the owner and operator of Are You Screening? and has been writing film reviews for over a decade, and several branches of the internet's film review world have seen his name. His reviews have brought him personal praise from the director of a major motion picture, and have been used as required reading in a course at a major University. These priceless rewards, along with just bags of cash, keep him from straying from freelance writing. He is also a member of The Broadcast Film Critics Association and The Broadcast Television Journalists Association.
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