EARTH: THE BIOGRAPHY

EARTH: THE BIOGRAPHY - 2008

RATED - NR but probably G. Very family friendly.

RATINGS - 25 Amazon (4/5), 14,022 Netflix (4.1/5), 295 IMDB (8.9/10).

STORY - Subtitled 'The Story of Our World', this is the BBC documentary on the make up of our planet; how it works, what sustains it and why our planet is unique in our solar system and probably in the universe (at least so far). There are five episodes: VOLCANOES, ICE, ATMOSPHERE, OCEANS & THE UNIQUENESS OF PLANET EARTH THAT ALLOWS FOR LIFE. If you're really into science there may not be any revelations here but at the very least this is a reminder of the incredible planet that we inhabit and the amazing way that it sustains itself and how unique and precise everything has to be to sustain life. Being a typical non-scientist, I can say there were things that I learned, especially about how important volcanoes are to sustaining life and how the atmosphere works. It also reinforces the mysteries that surround the origins of and life on planet earth. The BBC, in my opinion, has no peers in producing documentaries about nature. They are education and entertainment of the highest level. The host is Iain Stewart, an entertaining and energetic daredevil. The five episodes were seen on the National Geographic Channel in one hour shows. Planet Earth is truly amazing. Enjoy! Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 11/07/2009.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB

NATURE'S MOST AMAZING EVENTS

NATURE'S MOST AMAZING EVENTS - 2009

RATED - NR but probably PG. This is a very family friendly series but there are some scenes of animals attacking and killing other animals. Not overly graphic but perhaps a caution for younger children.

RATINGS - 17 Amazon (4.5/5), 12,558 Netflix (4/5), 69 IMDB (9.1/10).

STARRING - David Attenborough as narrator and some awesome camera and production crews.

STORY - This outstanding series from the BBC covers six of the most amazing events in nature that take place on a regular basis. You will travel from the Arctic to British Columbia and to the Serengeti on the first disc and then back to South Africa, on to Botswana and back to the Pacific Ocean and Alaska on the second disc. Not only are the events themselves amazing but the camera work is spectacular. It would be hard to overstate the work of the BBC in producing documentaries about our planet and nature. They are the best. Just as interesting as the episode itself is the 10 minute 'diary' at the end of each episode showing clips of the camera crew filming various scenes and the challenges they encountered in producing that particular show. These men and women are true adventurers in every sense of the word to get these films produced. I don't think anyone will regret the time spent watching these amazing films and learning more about this incredible planet we inhabit. Five stars all the way. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 09/27/2009.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB

PLANET EARTH

PLANET EARTH - 2007

RATED - NR. Very family friendly. Occasional animals attacking each other.

RATINGS - 403 Amazon (4.5/5), 235,168 Netflix (4.6/5), 6,787 IMDB (9.8/10)

STARRING - David Attenborough narrating, an incredible film crew and our planet earth.

STORY - This is the BBC series consisting of five discs that had a budget of $25 million, was five years in the making using 40 cameramen spending over 2000 days in the field. There is absolutely nothing else like this. It is some of the most amazing film you will ever watch. I don't think there is any way to overstate the magnificence of this production. A lot of the areas covered have never been filmed before or certainly not in the way filmed in this series. One of the best parts is the filmed diary at the end of each segment that shows the behind the scenes work that went into filming that particular show. Watching the incredible episodes along with the outstanding music score, you don't think about what it took to get that footage. Seeing them getting their camera gear into the deepest caves on earth, sitting in a claustrophobic shelter for weeks to get a few minutes footage of the snow leopard or loading up two months supplies of food, water, gas and supplies to film camels in the Gobi Desert make you appreciate the unbelievable effort that went into producing this series. You will not be disappointed. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 07/11/2008.

PERSONAL - Watching this amazing film of our planet brings up a couple fundamental questions. How did this incredible planet and the diversity of life all come about? Seeing how everything is so interdependent and complex and with so little room for error in keeping it all going, is it possible that this is all a matter of chance and came from nothing or is there a master creator behind this planet called Earth and all the living things that inhabit it? While there is no absolute proof for either position, I believe I would have to put my belief in a creator. And if there is a creator who has created the phenomenal variety of life I would like to know and understand this creator because we live on a planet that is beyond description. The second question is what is our responsibility as humans for the stewardship of our planet. If all this is chance, then we are only the result of random selection and, stewardship, while certainly good, doesn't seem to have much purpose in a random world. If, however, we are part of a master plan of creation with a beginning and a future ending, then the stewardship of this planet takes on added meaning and responsibility for each of us. Something to think about.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, TRAILER