Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill is an outstanding documentary. Anyone who has experienced man's true connection with nature will find this movie a life affirming joy. It's the story of a guy in San Francisco who has formed a bond with a flock of wild parrots who inhabit his neighborhood. If you can believe it, you actually get to know and care about several parrots as individual characters by the end of this 83 minute marvel. I don't want to say more for fear of detracting from your wonder when you see it...

Highly recommended.

5 out of 5.

Maybe I've just been paying more attention to them or something, but this year seems to be the year of the low-profile but highly lauded documentary.

I think this film looks great. (It's been playing for a few months now, no?) Definite rental.

It's at 96% at Rotten Tomatoes, by the way.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/wild_pa ... raph_hill/

It's playing at the local arthouse, I may see it this weekend. Any idea when it's coming out on DVD?

Not for awhile I should assume. Its got quite a leggy run. I've been wanting to see it since Febuary and somehow haven't gotten around to it. I've seen the trailer at several other movies I've gone to, along with Travelers & Magicians (which I want to see too).

I may try to sneak this one in Thursday night, unfortunately I'm pretty busy this week, and keep thinking it'll leave the theatres here before I get to it because its been playing here for so long already.

Looks very endearing.

"Endearing" isn't the word I would choose...

(Can't wait to hear what word you do choose, if/when you get a chance to see it!)

Quirky? What would you describe it as?

I only saw the trailer, and it reminded me of these random parrots that live in the center of this one shopping street in Miami. They were soooooo cuuuuute!

The trailer has the caretaker looking a bit, well, 60's ish. But I think it was misleading. chances are he's either a vet or an ecologist. I do know he names them, because he was showing one or two's pecularities off for a few seconds. There was something in there about him researching where he thinks they might have come from as well, if I remember correctly.

Bradley, did you ever see Cane Toads? Another great doc about this introduced species in Australia that has exploded in population due to not having natural predators. I think you'll like it just because everyone who speaks is so involved with them (in one aspect or another) and so animated. Everything form scientists to politicians to bitter guys who try up their road-kill numbers. Its about an hour long and really, I almost know it word for word I've seen it so often. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Now that's quirky!

Strangely enough I own Cane Toads on VHS - that and Gates of Heaven are about the only two films that I actually own(I fall asleep watching movies on the small screen). Both very good examples of the strange way that people relate to animals. Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill on the other hand, is more about how animals relate to us...[/url]

You have seen it!

Quirky doesn't even cut it.

But I like the angle you just presented. That it has more to do with parrots assimilating into San Francisco than San Franciscans assimilating to them. I will really try to get this one in. Rogue asked a long time back what my most anticipated movies of the upcoming year were, and Telegraph Hills was one of them. Now I'm really kicking myself for somehow missing this.

I finally decided to Netflix it this past week.

It really was quite moving. Even more moving than Penguins, I'd say.

And I think the fact that this guy, surprisingly, isn't a complete nut really helps us understand his connection with these little guys. And the fact that the film itself actually brings up the issue of anthropomorphism works to its advantage even more. I don't necessarily think that what this guy's doing isn't anthropomorphism, but at least the film acknowldges it.

I gave it a B+

Hooray - somebody saw it!

Your comments about anthropomorphism are spot on - that's what drove me crazy about March of the Penguins - the sappy anthropomorphic narration ruined the spectacular cinematography. This movie far transcended it as an observation of nature, and even trumped Grizzly Man in observing man's relationship with nature.

If there really was a god, this would have been the #1 bird documentary of 2005!