Penguins

Steve is a young Adélie penguin in Antarctica. He is joining the breeding season for the first time and gets nothing right: he is late to learn how to collect stones for his nest, chooses a bad spot, and struggles to find a mate. Eventually he pairs with Adeline and they have two chicks. With winter come the tasks of finding food, protecting the chicks, and escaping leopard seals. The film by Alastair Fothergill and Jeff Wilson sits between nature documentary and narrative film. The footage is real and shot through long observation; the narrative names a single penguin and turns him into a character. Ed Helms's narration and the choice of music push that structure well into comedy. The cinematography and the underwater sequences are the film's strongest side. Who it's for: Viewers who like nature documentary, family films, and footage of Antarctica. Who it's not for: Giving animals human personalities will bother some viewers. The scenes of death and predation may also be harsh for small children.