Movie Review: Dung Dynasty (2018)

Synopsis: This nature documentary talks about the African dung beetle, its role in nature and the hazards it faces while collecting animal feces both for food and procreation.

Who's in it? The movie is narrated by Joe Szymanski.


Review: Since it was once again my wife's MMA night last night, I used my alone time to find another movie to watch in her absence. This one caught my attention on Paramount Plus solely because of the title and I have to say I enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting.

I knew the basic concept of a dung beetle but honestly didn't know a whole lot of details about the insect until watching this documentary. For one, I didn't even know there was more than one type of dung beetle and thought it was interesting how the different types play different roles even as they are essentially accomplishing the same mission.

Overall, I ended up gaining a whole new appreciation for the insect species and just how complex nature is. I thought it was fascinating that the beetles navigate using the sun and stars, use their dung balls to avoid baking in the hot African sun and work efficiently even when injured.

The way the movie is narrated, making the dung "families" seem a bit like mafia families, helped keep me interested, as did the numerous perils the insects faced, whether it was hungry predators, being crushed by the animals that were providing them the dung or from rival dung beetles looking to steal food or mates. Even the type of dung can make a difference in their lives. It's such a complex world, it's amazing the insects didn't die out a long time ago.

The one thing I will say about this movie is it may not be something you will want to watch while eating. Let's just say there's a lot of poop and some of it isn't that pleasant looking up close. In other words, it's probably not for someone with a weak stomach.

Final Opinion: It was a surprisingly educational and entertaining documentary that I had fun watching. Again, you may not want to be eating when watching it, but it's still worth taking the time to do so if you get a chance.

My Grade: A

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kwik Trip Kitchen Cravings Tailgater Pizza

Image
  When my wife and I decided on pizza for dinner last night, I stopped at Kwik Trip with the intention of just buying a cheap, frozen, cheese pizza for our daughters since we already had another pizza in our freezer. However, as I was walking up to the checkout counter, this particular pizza caught my eye and, even though I wasn't crazy about spending $8.99 when I already had another option at home, I was intrigued enough to make the purchase anyway. We ended up making the pizza in the oven when I got home. After trying it, I have to say it is one of my favorites. One of the things, in particular, that really stood out for me when it came to this pizza was the toppings. The combination of sausage and cheese curds was both unique and delicious, especially since the curds were fresh enough to still squeak when we were eating them. The pizza also proved to be surprisingly filling, both because of the thicker crust and the generous amounts of toppings and cheese.  Normally, when my wi
Read more

Movie Review: Damsel (2024)

Image
Synopsis: Elodie, the oldest daughter of Lord Bayford, reluctantly agrees to an arranged marriage with Prince Henry in the far-off land of Aurea because her bride price will provide much-needed relief to the starving residents of her homeland. When they arrive for her wedding, Elodie quickly warms up to the idea after seeing Aurea's beauty and even falling in love with Henry. However, soon after the wedding, she discovers it has all been a farce and she instead is thrown into a cave as a peace offering for the dragon living inside. Who's in it? The movie stars  Millie Bobby Brown ,  Ray Winstone ,  Angela Bassett ,  Robin Wright  and  Nick Robinson Review: My wife and I decided to watch a movie late yesterday evening and after striking out on horror films lately, ended up changing things up a bit with the fantasy adventure, Damsel . My wife thought it looked good from the trailer and I enjoyed Millie Bobby Brown in the Enola Holmes movies, so we had cautiously optimistic ex
Read more

Movie Review: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Image
Synopsis: Three years after saving the world in Summerville, Oklahoma, Callie Spengler, her two children, Trevor and Phoebe, and her boyfriend, Gary, have relocated to New York City resurrected the Ghostbusting business her father helped found in the 1980s, much to the chagrin of NYC mayor and long-time Ghostbuster antagonist Walter Peck. They soon find themselves once again needing to save the world when an ancient artifact containing an ancient god looking to wipe out the human race by freezing them to death is accidentally opened. Who's in it? The movie stars Paul Rudd , McKenna Grace , Carrie Coon , Finn Wolfhard , Dan Aykroyd , Annie Potts , Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson . Review: I had some serious doubts when Hollywood decided to reboot the Ghostbuster franchise in 2021 but I enjoyed Ghostbusters: Afterlife more than expected and was excited to see this movie as a result. I didn't get an opportunity to see it at the theater as I had hoped but did watch it last night
Read more