As you might expect, To The Arctic IMAX® 3D has cute baby animals, jaw-dropping expansive scenery and a hint of drama all wrapped up into a slick documentary about global warming.
Just in time for spring thaw and Mother’s Day in May, To The Arctic IMAX® 3D capitalizes on the plight of mother Arctic animals—primarily polar bears, but also caribou and walrus—and how their vanishing icy habitat is impacting their ability to care for their babies.
I was invited to an early screening of the film, which opens exclusively in Denver at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (www.dmns.org) this Friday, April 20. I took my six-year old daughter along for a kid perspective. This was her first documentary, first IMAX, and first 3D movie. The movie is rated G and while suitable for young audiences, its target audience seems to be the parents.
With Oscar winner Meryl Streep narrating, legendary Paul McCartney on the soundtrack and the strong environmental message, the movie seemed to not only want to inspire people/parents to do something about global warming, but to start a discussion with their own offspring about it.
The footage in the film—from the air, under the semi-frozen sea, on ice floes—is absolutely stunning and provides more than a glimpse into this remote part of the planet. I wish I could say that my daughter loved it, but she seemed more overwhelmed by the subject matter than the cinematography. Nonetheless, I know she learned something new and it will resonant with her for some time to come.
–Mindy Sink is a freelance writer based in Denver. She is the author of Walking Denver, Moon Handbooks Guide to Denver, and co-author of Colorado Organic. Learn more about her work at www.mindysink.com.
