Animal magnetism
French nature documentarians Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud don't work fast. "Winged Migration" was released in 2001, and "Oceans" didn't come along until 2009. Their newest is "Seasons" (⋆⋆⋆, rated PG, playing at the Lagoon) and — once again — it's worth the wait. Shot in the forests of France, Norway, the Netherlands, Romania and Scotland, it tracks the history of wild animals from the Ice Age to the present. Because of their infinite patience, the filmmakers often are able to document animal behaviors that humans rarely witness. Plus, they're famous for their ultra-close-up photography that creates an unequaled intimacy between the subject and the viewer. You can almost feel the wolves breathing on you — which is really neat and a tad unnerving.
Jeff Strickler
