'A Beautiful Planet' on IMAX

Category: Movies


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Jennifer Lawrence narrates this amazing look at Earth from space. This isn’t an ordinary look at our planet. A Beautiful Planet focuses on the impact man and nature have on the earth.

The ISS (International Space Station) is orbiting 249 miles above the planet. From that vantage point there are some amazing views of earth in the day and night, and they are beautifully captured in 3D, giving audiences a vantage point that they will not soon forget.

Besides looking at the planet, life aboard the ISS is shown and discussed with several astronauts who have called it their temporary home. The camera takes audiences right inside the station in a way no one has before. It’s not only fun to see how these people live and work, it’s also eye opening.

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From the vantage point of the ISS, the beauty of lightning storms shows the intensity of nature. While the lightning is stunning to see from above, those watching know full well the harshness and destruction it can be causing below. That is also the same when viewing the eye of a hurricane. It is an amazing sight to see from high above the earth, but those on the ground know that devastation is coming their way.

What are perhaps the most phenomenal sights were taken at night. It is then when those flying high above the planet actually see the impact humanity has had on the earth. Lights are visible at this altitude, and as the ISS flies over the continents, the filmmakers spotlight various cities, giving audiences specific frames of reference. Of course, it is easy to recognize Italy, with its boot shape. The rest of the world often blurs to the uneducated mind. Pointing out these specific regions and cities adds a lot of interest to those watching the film. Actually, we know how far apart cities are from each other, but when you see them from above they look like they are right next door. The planet is indeed quite small, and that fact is brought home by much of this film.

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What is also astonishing is seeing the Korean peninsula from above at night. It’s only then when the real impact of politics becomes clear. South Korea is brightly lit while North Korea is almost completely in the dark. That will definitely make viewers think about what life is like there.

And another man-made aspect that is brought to light, literally, is the fence between India and Pakistan. This is one of the only borders that is visible from space.

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Besides looking at the earth at night, daytime also provides eye-opening scenes with the emphasis of the narration focusing on conservation and keeping the planet from further harm. It’s evident that California is in a drought. The focus on water and rising temperatures is impactful and the scenes are educational for all of us here on earth. While there are many amazing and beautiful scenes, the fact that we have this one planet that has been impacted by the growing population is something the filmmakers want to impress on viewers.

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Toward the end of the film there is a look at “The Goldilocks Zone” which is a far away system that might be similar to ours. The Kepler-186 system is somewhat similar to our Milky Way and Kepler-186f is the planet most like Earth, situated the right distance from its star (or sun). This might spur some future scientists to explore it further. Yes, we are planning on going to Mars, but what about further away? What information might the Kepler-186 system provide about our own planet, its past, and possibly our future?

A Beautiful Planet is 46 minutes of amazing scenes of Earth and beyond. It also provides a glimpse into life on the ISS, how they exercise, eat, work, and even grow vegetables. Grow vegetables? Yes. We have come far from the first days of space travel.

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A Beautiful Planet opens in select IMAX theaters April 29, 2016. It’s rated G for everyone and is a nice way to spend a family afternoon or evening together.

To find an IMAX theater near you showing A Beautiful Planet, go to this website.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for 20 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

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