Lucybespro
It is a performances centric movie
Salubfoto
It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.
Frances Chung
Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
Stephen Alfieri
"The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill" is wonderful documentary that tells the story of Mark Bittner, who essentially protected, and helped maintain a flock of wild parrots that live in the heart of San Francisco.It is a truly inspiring story of a man with a huge heart, and great capacity to see that there is more to the existence of life than just being a friend to animals. He feels that we are all one with each other in this universe. One source of energy and life.Mr. Bittner took care of these wild birds for over three years while living (God knows how, since it's never really explained what he does to make money)in a small, modest apartment. What he lacks in worldly possessions, he makes up for in the love and devotion of these birds.It is wonderful to see someone take a pragmatic view of the plight of the birds. When it becomes clear that he cannot take care of them anymore, he does not want them herded up and placed in a zoo or aviary. He just wants them to be left alone, able to survive on what nature provides them with.And he's right. On the DVD, one of the extras is an update on the birds one year after he's left them on their own. It's amazing to see that not only has the flock survived, it has flourished.A truly, magical, inspiring story.8 out of 10
michaelingp
I'm not one to rain on anyone's parade, but this feels more like an homage to the film maker's boyfriend than a compelling movie. If all you are interested in is a modest nature film with a few spectacular shots of bird behavior mixed in with a lot of pedestrian shots of the bird flock mixed in with some documentary-style talking-head scenes, mixed in with endless shots of Mark feeding birds out of his hand, well, OK.But IMDb members rate this film 8.0! Didn't any of you get tired of seeing Mark feed the birds? Haven't any of you fed birds yourself? Did any of you feel that if Mark's philosophy was so deep he might have made something more of his life than feeding birds? As a nature documentary, I'd rate it a 5 (compare the photography to March of the Penguins, for example), but as a feature-length film, it lacked a story, it lacked drama, it was repetitive, it didn't take me anywhere I haven't been, and, ultimately, it just didn't persuade me into believing its "animals are just as feeling as people" philosophy.
Simba4
It's nice to find a film the whole family can enjoy (G-rated)! It's hard to say what this movie is more about - the wild parrot flock or the gentle man who loves them. Yet, it's easy to see, without Mark, the movie would be nothing. He is the window into their world, showing us their unique personalities, and their value to the world. After the movie ends, be sure to watch the flock update and extras on the DVD. My 9-year old daughter emailed Mark that night...we hope to hear from him sometime. I hope the film does not turn him into a celebrity...we have enough of those already! And many kudos to Judy Irving for creating such a sensitive film and the way she handled the ending. Just perfect!
ejavignon
I just finished watching the DVD. We have flocks of the same birds down here in Southern California that are always fun to watch in the palm trees (I think that Mark Bittner was right in saying that these are monkeys more than they are birds). I never knew much about them; I just assumed they were migratory flocks from Mexico. The way this film took a simple story--an eccentric with a thing for wild parrots--and wove it into a larger lesson about existing in a universe that is bigger than any of us as individuals, was masterful. This is not a documentary about wildlife as much as it is a parable about our connection with everything that surrounds us. I am normally a cynic, but I found this film to be very moving. If only more people were able to slow down and feed the birds.
