This special documentary traces the remarkable ritual by which penguins survive and breed in the most inclement land-mass in the world: Antartica. You don't need to be a naturalist to be amazed by what these intrepid, ingenious creatures undergo in order to procreate. French director Luc Jacquet (who conceived the idea) romances the stark, isolated beauty of Antartica , while showing us what we have to learn from the humble penguin.

Not only is "Penguins" visually arresting (as you'd expect from a National Geographic production), it is emotionally involving, transcending its genre to become a family-friendly crowd-pleaser with nary an explosion or special effect in sight. Ubiquitous as his strong, comforting voice is, Morgan Freeman still makes the ideal narrator to convey this unexpectedly moving tale. Recommended as superb family viewing.