Monkeys are cute little adorable animals. Soft and fuzzy and they act cute and cuddly and playful. That’s how my five year old thinks of them. But then again, she’s five. The reality can be far different. They can be cute and cuddly. But they can also be cruel and vicious. They can be loving. They can be indifferent. Monkey Kingdom from DisneyNature shows all these sides and then some. And just so we’re clear, if you have little ones, even though this is a Disney documentary, they don’t shy away from some of the harsher aspects of the jungle.
Monkey Kingdom follows Maya, a Macaque Monkey that lives with her troop amidst ancient ruins in the jungles of Sri Lanka. It starts off by showing the social pecking order of her troop, and her place squarely at the bottom, from what she gets to eat to where she gets to sleep. It’s a pecking order that has been in place for generations. And Maya can’t change a thing.
But being at the bottom has the advantage of forcing her to be creative. If she wants to eat, especially after her baby Kip is born, she has to go out on a limb to find enough food. And this worldliness comes in handy when a rival Macaque troop forces her family out of their home. As her family is forced to search the big city for food and shelter, Maya’s street smarts and ingenuity allow her to forge a new life. Earning her new respect and status among the elite of her troop, she gains a new life when they retake their home in the jungle.
I loved it. The hubby cried. My daughter actually sat still through the movie (a miracle in itself). Go see it. Go see it the first week. You won’t be disappointed.
For every ticket sold opening week (April 17-23, 2015), Disneynature will make a donation to Conservation International to help protect monkeys and other endangered species in their natural habitats.
Life is an adventure for Maya, the clever and resourceful blonde-bobbed monkey in “Monkey Kingdom,” Disneynature’s new feature film set among ancient ruins in the storied jungles of South Asia. Maya’s world is forever changed when she welcomes her son, Kip, into her complicated extended family. Like all families, Maya’s has more than its share of colorful personalities—and she’s determined to give her son a leg up in the world. When their longtime home at Castle Rock is taken over by powerful neighboring monkeys, Maya’s whole family retreats, and she uses her street smarts and ingenuity to uncover untapped resources amidst strange new creatures and unsettling surroundings. Ultimately, they will all have to work together to reclaim Castle Rock, where Maya can hopefully realize her dreams for her son’s future. Featuring a rich variety of characters, including a mischievous mongoose, simple-minded langur monkeys, predatory leopards and monitor lizards, “Monkey Kingdom” is narrated by Tina Fey (“30 Rock”), directed by Mark Linfield (“Chimpanzee,” “Earth”) and co-directed by Alastair Fothergill (“Chimpanzee,” “Bears”). With music from award-winning composer Harry Gregson-Williams (“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Shrek” movies), Disneynature’s eighth True Life Adventure—the follow-up to 2014’s “Bears”—swings into theaters April 17, 2015.For more information about the film and the conservation program, go to www.disney.com/monkeykingdom.
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