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Even if you haven't seen it yet, you've all heard about March of the Penguins, the gorgeous, riveting and incredibly successful new documentary.
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It shows thousands of the penguins in their incredibly grueling, incredibly picturesque annual winter migration as they cross Antarctica to reproduce. It is an amazing film.
Well, according to the New York Times, March of the Penguins has become a huge favorite of social conservatives. They (the conservatives, not the penguins) consider the movie to be a profound parable celebrating blind human faith and monogamy and sacrifice on behalf of one's children – family values, in other words.
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As the conservative cultural critic and radio host Michael Medved says of his comrades on the Christian right: "This is the first movie they've enjoyed since 'The Passion of the Christ.' This is 'The 'Passion of the Penguins.' "
One Christian magazine is claiming that the movie makes, quote, "a strong case for intelligent design." Intelligent design, of course, is the new improved name for the biblical story of Genesis.
And a minister in Ohio has taken his congregation to the local theater to watch March of the Penguins. Here is what he said about the movie to the Times. "The circumstances they experienced seemed to parallel those of Christians. The penguin falling behind is like some Christians falling behind."
Mmmm....OK, if that's your take.
But, not only that, some conservatives say, the whole movie takes place on an entirely frozen Antarctic terrain...thereby, it kind of refutes the liberal propaganda about greenhouse gasses and endangered polar ice caps.
I'm almost surprised they haven't found an anti-tax message in there somewhere, and arguments for prayer in public schools and tort reform...
Hey come to think of it, these loyal, brave, monogamous, self-sacrificing penguins don't show any support for the United Nations.
I do wonder if all these people embracing the film as the ultimate Republican movie know where it came from. Because although Warner Brothers is distributing it, and Morgan Freeman does the voice-over, the film was created by a man named Luc Jacquet and a team of his compatriots.
The piece of cinema was originally called Marche de l'Empereur.
That's right, March of the Penguins is....French.
Freedom fries, anyone?
