A Beautiful Planet (2016) Poster

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7/10
OK, but nothing that special
Laakbaar29 July 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This movie does three things.

First, it has some footage of Russian and American astronauts on the ISS. We see them doing astronaut things.

As interesting as this is to those of us who are into space development and exploration, it is essentially the same old depiction of astronaut activity that you've seen in every other documentary about astronauts for the past six decades. I suppose it was interesting to see astronauts are doing nowadays. Answer: not much more than they were doing in the 1960s.

Second, this film includes some footage of the earth as seen from the ISS (400 km over the planet).

Of course, this is spectacular. It's hard to decide what was the most impressive. It could have been the thunderstorm seen from above. Or perhaps just the nighttime images of cities artificially lit up. This is a good usage of Imax technology and something worth paying to see. However, I would have appreciated more insights. Or at least something to make it more worth watching.

I felt the footage would have been improved with longer looks at specific things or with map overlays to help the viewers understand what they were looking at. To be fair, they did use a highlighting system to identify cities at times. I have a good understanding of geography so I figured most of it out, but my friend said he couldn't tell what it all was. To him, they were just depictions of land masses and water, sometimes a little hazy.

During the film, I actively wondered if I had become too spoiled and jaded by CGI depictions of space. This is the real thing though, and it is thrilling...

The third thing is that at times the movie gets philosophical. We are told that these images show how we are destroying the planet (yes, Madagascar and Brazil). We are also shown CGI images of another possible earth-like planet. And we are shown how a few borders look from space. So yes there is some philosophizing and politicking about saving the planet, supporting space exploration and, yes, having borders. This movie is pro-borders and not a fan of the North Korean government.

I don't mind this once in a while, but it really was the same old sh8t. It was nothing new. And nothing you wouldn't see on TV. I paid money to watch this documentary.

It was an OK Imax movie, but I'm not sure I would necessarily recommend it to anyone. It didn't impress me all that much. I think Imax movies need to be more than this.
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8/10
Great pictures, and great Information
jeffersoncollins5 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The documentary is narrated by Jennifer Lawrence and directed by Toni Myers. IMAX Entertainment teamed up with NASA to produce this extraordinary film. It begins with a long introduction with a slow zoom in of a galaxy with the voice of Ms. Lawrence. The film begins with a vast number of videos and pictures of space, planets, and the one we live on, Earth. The film then begins to show who is taking those photos, the astronauts. The astronauts staring in the film were living in the ISS. The astronauts from around the world are Virts, Cristoforetti and Anton Shkaplerov. The astronauts are NASA are Kjell Lindgren, Butch Wilmore, and Scott Kelly. It was interesting when the movie began to zoom around the globe and show what different parts of earth look like from space. Sometimes when I watch movies of circling around earth, I am unsure of where it is, so it does not seem as captivating. This film does a good job of describing exactly what you are looking at as they are showing it. There are a few times it feels they want to fill screen time with random photos, but every photo is a masterpiece within itself. I enjoyed listening to the astronauts, and cosmonauts talk about their daily lives, and what they go through. The entire film flashes between inside the ISS, and outside the ISS. I believe they should have shown some of the more exciting stuff that goes on around the ISS, like genuine interactions and more dialogue. Every picture of the film has the name "Jennifer Lawrence" all over which is a great branding technique for those people who watch films for the actor not the plot. I am sometimes ones of those people as well, and I fell for it too. I felt that if this company can hire such a famous actor into voicing the film, then this film must have money into it as well. I don't believe you need money to film something great, but for a documentary it allows for more ability to get better shots. In this case the photographers were NASA, and the team on the ISS. At the end Jennifer gave the audience a guidance into keeping the beautiful planet clean, and safe. Overall, the documentary was great I was just surprised it was only 40 minutes. This was a well-kept film that I enjoyed watching.
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7/10
Jennifer Lawrence?
vs2104 May 2021
I don't think Jennifer Lawrence was the best choice for a narrator.
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Absolutely Magical!
Manveer_Mathur30 January 2019
A delight to the senses, A Beautiful Planet pleasingly captures the essence of what it means to be alone in the universe and why we should do our part to save it. With stunning visuals of the earth as seen from the ISS and a soundtrack so perfect, it has all the elements : the mysteriousness,the vastness and the loneliness.

Also showing the daily life of astronauts inhibiting the ISS, the documentary also reminds us of the grave danger looming over the planet, Global Warming. Jennifer Lawrence did a fantastic job,her voice ever so mystifying and calming.

With breathtaking scenes ,praiseworthy narration, thrilling soundtracks and noteworthy direction, this short documentary tries to depict all things that make our planet truly special, in limited time and nearly succeeds.
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7/10
A Beautiful Planet (2016): A Visually Stunning Documentary, Highly Recommended
Zooha-472074 March 2024
A Beautiful Planet (2016) is a breathtaking documentary that earns high praise for its extraordinary visuals and insightful perspective on our planet. The film's stunning cinematography and the unique vantage point it provides are truly captivating, making it a must-watch for anyone interested in the beauty and complexity of Earth.

The documentary's strength lies in its ability to showcase the planet from a perspective not often seen. The visuals are not just beautiful; they are awe-inspiring, offering a rare glimpse into the vastness and diversity of the Earth. The shots captured from space provide a unique and profound understanding of our planet's place in the universe.

What makes A Beautiful Planet particularly impactful is its ability to educate while enchanting. The film not only presents mesmerizing views of Earth but also conveys important messages about environmental conservation and our role in preserving this incredible planet. It's both an eye-opener and a visual feast.

In summary, A Beautiful Planet is a remarkable documentary that combines stunning imagery with educational content. Its exceptional cinematography and the insights it offers into our planet and its environment make it a truly fascinating and enlightening experience.
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10/10
Stunningly Beautiful
rannynm16 May 2016
A Beautiful Planet is a phenomenal documentary narrated by award winning actress, Jennifer Lawrence. The cinematography is spot-on. Every think looks so realistic. It feels like you are in space with the astronauts. All the pictures are stunning. Plus, all the angles and shots taken are perfect.

This film explores the Earth, as seen from the International Space Station (ISS) by three astronauts apart of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) who spent six months there. They are able to see the effects we humans have made on the planet and explore the galaxy in an attempt to understand the Earth a bit more. At night you can actually see major cities around the world. You also see the different storms taking place on earth. Even though it is not so pleasant when you're on earth experiencing a storm, from space it looks pretty cool! Surprisingly, there are many places that have storms occurring at the exact same time. It is very interesting to watch. Not only do you get to see the beauty of our planet, you also see the wear and tear we have contributed to it. Who would have thought humans would have such an effect!

The astronauts show us what it is like for them to live in space for an extended period of time as they venture out into space and go about their daily activities.

The part I enjoyed the most is seeing the Earth at night. It is so beautiful. You can really see where everything is, from the oceans to the continents. The whole planet is dark but then you see a many lights and even cities. It is breathtaking!

I recommend this move for ages 5 5o 18 and I give it 4 out of 5 golden stars. A Beautiful Planet will be in theaters near you, be sure to check it out.

Reviewed by Kayla P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14
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6/10
Visually Nice, Content Basic To Insulting
movement-6918224 February 2021
So I really enjoy these types of productions and I would say I have perhaps above the general understanding of space as it's a hobby of mine but I do not think I'm being to judgmental when I say this film is basic to the point I felt like reviewing it. Jenifer Lawrence the narrator says things like "do you wonder if there's other planets out there"...the current generation can be dubbed literally generation exoplanet.. There is a piece on humans being hard on the environment told in the most trite way as "the world was once green then.." No the world has been through tons of disasters on it's own. Yes humans are contributing heavily but being so unspecific is like the people that say eating meat is evil or other ridiculous sayings that help nothing. The film throws mars in to the mix as a half baked lesson on climate changes but doesn't delve into the real reasons for its state. Yes climate change is real and an issue but correct information is necessary. All in all the writing felt like it was made by someone who doesn't have much of a background in the subject matter or chose to be basic in approach.
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9/10
Just awe inspiringly beautiful
AbrahamX1130 November 2019
This is a very amazing view of earth. Like I have been waiting ages to see this
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10/10
stunning
nipunapamuditha17 July 2021
I'm going to play this on a nonstop loop on my tv. It's that good.
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4/10
Beautiful to see but lacking depth and seems to push little agenda's
john-monne3 January 2019
I love documentaries and i love that the last decade the quality of the images and animations have progressed so much. It makes this documentary beautiful. Having that said, the informatoin shared lacked depth and sophistication while the images flashed by way too quick.

Flying over our beautiful earth it would have been nice to just hover over an area for a while so the scenery could be taken in. It felt rushed and made for an audience that the creators judged to be in a hurry and not capable of more then a 3 second attention span. This was a real shame.

What was a shame as well is that little "agenda's" had to be pushed.. border agenda's, ideology agenda's, climate agenda's. Dont get me wrong, each and every subject of those agenda's are worthy of public awareness and debate, but not in this shallow, narrow and single sided way. Do it propper and fully or do not do it at all.

Which brings me to my closing of my review.. I really like Jennifer Lawrence, love most of her movies and can really enjoy and laugh at her interviews. Though she really lacks the voice tone and capability to do an interesting narration and for me it brought a disruptive element that lessened the experience. Money wise she doesnt need to do these kind of things and results wise she shouldnt so I hope her support team will protect her from these things in the future.
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The IMAX experience
ForTheMostPart19998 November 2022
We do indeed need Earth. If anything, I'd rather fight for humanity than for other society causes. At any case, if we all really tried to do our part, the Earth can at least tend to last longer. According to this film, if causes like global warming continue to spread, the surface of the Earth could look like Mars if we literally did nothing. This was a nice 45 minute Imax 3D experience visualizing the best way possible of the Earth as seen from space. The storms at night was one of the best moments. With some included space station shots and the astronauts that work there, a good majority of the film is a breathtaking experience with much of it coming from the Imax screening and audio technology. The Earth is Beautiful and it needs to be saved.
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