“Lionel and Cookie” is filmmaker Greg Wall’s intimate portrait of two elderly but beautiful Lions as they round out their days at the Los Angeles Zoo. Though cats at this age may sleep up to 18 hours a day (and mostly move about at night), Wall manages to capture these great beasts doing most of what they do; grooming, mating, taking shelter in the rain and eking out the very occasional roar. An interesting counterpoint to this years high profile “Cats” documentaries, Wall’s film illustrates the life of a Lion when the captive life takes them far beyond their natural life expectancy, and a special bond seems to ensue as they suffer their human visitors with great dignity.
