We watch a lot of interesting documentaries, and this falls into the fascinating, eccentric, often hauntingly beautiful and reflective category.

Werner Herzog, the director, is a master of modern German cinema who has in recent years turned to exploring the documentary format as he did in "Grizzly Man."

"Encounters at the End of the World" is Herzog's personal journey to Antarctica, from the dreary town that is the base for exploration and research to the barren, desolate landscape of our southern continent. Herzog moves from the trivial to the profound with such alacrity, it jars us into reflecting upon life, nature, and the destructive impact of human life on pristine settings.

Herzog is both mischievous and philosophical, as he reveals that most scientists working in Antarctica that he encounters believe that human life is just a passing stage in earth's evolution.

The underwater photography is breathtaking, as our his forays to isolated research outposts at the bottom of the world.

Herzog narrates the film and ties it together with his thoughtful reflection.

This is a gripping cinematic exploration of a continent that is much more than one big slab of snow and ice. It is as much an inner journey as an outer one.

And what dazzling cinematography. Don't let the initial shots of the garish McMurdo Research Station put you off. It's just a point of ironic departure for a foray into the last frontier on earth.

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