Stars: Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett, Anjelica Huston, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Michael Gambon

Director: Wes Anderson

Summary: Wes Anderson's THE LIFE AQUATIC, a group of oceanic explorers who call themselves Team Zissou embark on a journey to hunt down the 'jaguar shark' that ate one of their crew members (Seymour Cassel). Determined to avenge the death of his dear friend, team leader Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) is melancholic about the journey he's about to make. Meanwhile, financial troubles and nostalgia for his past make Zissou behave like a reckless playboy, an ageing softy, and a past-his-prime tyrant. Surrounding Zissou are a hodgepodge of eccentrics--a pregnant journalist doing a magazine feature (Cate Blanchett), an airline pilot from Kentucky who claims he is Zissou's son (Owen Wilson), an emotionally needy European (Willem Dafoe), an acoustic guitarist who sings David Bowie songs in Brazilian Portuguese (Seu Jorge), Zissou's brilliant wife (Anjelica Houston), and her ex-husband who is Zissou's seafaring nemesis (Jeff Goldblum). Clad in baby-blue polyester uniforms, Adidas sneakers, and red stocking caps, Team Zissou is a sight to see. And as their deep-sea adventure takes them into dangerous waters where they are attacked by pirates and dazzled by CGI fish, the group finds magic both in their bonds to each other and in the colourful world around them. In keeping with Anderson's unique brand of escapist humour, these caricatured characters are nothing short of fascinating. While their lives are extraordinary, they act bored, dwelling on banalities like hurt feelings, jealousy, and loneliness. The more absurd their stories are, the more believable their quirky personalities become. With plenty of hilarious moments offsetting the film's tongue-in-cheek sentimentalism, THE LIFE AQUATIC is sure to please seasoned Anderson fans and make new ones of the uninitiated.

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It's hard to rain too many superlatives on The Blue Planet, surely one of the finest and most fascinating nature documentaries ever made. But nonetheless, we're going to try.

Long in the making, the idea behind the show was to, using some cutting-edge technology, film previously unseen areas of the ocean, and to investigate life beneath the waves. And in doing so, it pretty much encompasses the full spectrum of creature size. From the staggering, gigantic whale of the first episode, through the miniscule life that's documented as the programme progresses, it's a jaw-dropping experience.

It's also a very, very accessible one. Thanks to a diligent, warm narrative from Sir David Attenborough, there's plenty of fact married up to the sheer spectacle of The Blue Planet, although in many ways the stunning photography almost needs no accompaniment. It's timeless work, too, with immense rewatch value, uncovering both life that's never been photographed previously while charting the habits of the more familiar. Icing The Blue Planet's cake is a series of short pieces documenting just how some of the incredible pictures were captured, and these are almost as interesting as the main feature.

Enough of those superlatives, though. Because The Blue Planetsimply demands to be seen and enjoyed. Prepare, like many before you, to be mesmerised. --Simon Brew

Aspect Ratio:	2.35 Wide Screen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Directors Audio Commentary, Nine Deleted Scenes, Sea Jorge Performs David Bowie, Intern Video Journal, Stills Gallery Photos, Easter Eggs, Interview With Music Composer, Stills Gallery Designs, Monda Monda, Cast And Crew Interviews, Easter Egg Bill And Adidas, Stars
Subtitles:	Dutch, English, French
Release Date:	July 4, 2005
Runtime:	114 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	B U A 0002601
Keywords:	Comedy, Life, Two, General, Aquatic, Discs
Genre:	Comedy