Why Dogs Smile and Chimpanzees Cry (1999)

Documentary. This is an interesting topic and documentary that most people would be well-served to consider. It could have been more verbally and visually interesting but the production presents the subject adequately. It's not some godless PETA agenda to anthropomorphize animals (compare them and make them equal with people), it simply presents the facts of how animals devotedly care for their young (nurturing), how young animals learn from their mothers (emotional and intellectual socialization), and so on. Chimps like Washoe and gorillas like Koko have learned American Sign Language and communicated their feelings -- and Washoe has taught another chimp ASL! I think our world will be better served as we humans get off our high horse (as it were) and see animals as our companions. Let's see them not as we would prefer them to be but as they really are. For that, we can thank Diane Fossey, Steve Irwin, and all the other conservation-minded people who love and respect life -- not just human life but all life. I had to acquire this disc through interlibrary loan since Netflix has not stocked it in some time. 3.5 stars.