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BEARS

I thought this documentary would be like a usual educational lecture-like film about bears and the life of a Mama-bear. Boy, was I completely wrong. Bears is a fantastic and inspirational wild life adventure that many people will adore and watch again and again.

The movie has a mix of action, thrills, adventure, education, comedy and, of course, adorable human-like cubs. They make you fall in love the second you see them on the screen.

The story begins when a brown bear who lives in Alaska's national park has just gave birth. She is planning to leaves her winter nest soon with new born cubs (Amber and Scout). Then she begins her big and hard journey trying to store enough food through the season. Her name is Sky. She meets a couple of friends and protects her little ones from predators.

This film has crazy close-ups on the bears. At one point I swore the bear was less than an inch from the camera. Unlike other documentaries, this one has a storyline. Honestly, I thought that this fit better as a movie. The narrator makes us believe that the bears have feelings. I would love to know how the cameramen got so close to the bears and watched bear when she was in her winter den. That was perfect and nearly impossible. Kudos to Disney Nature for bringing us this unforgettable experience.

My favorite scene is when they search for salmon. Scout and Amber go to the beach for the first time. While Amber keeps close to mommy, Scout is in the water getting clams stuck to his claws. The scene shows that there is some family fun time anywhere in the world. Even with bears.

This movie has some thrills and some violence, remarkable since it is unscripted. I recommend this for ages 9 to 18 and give it 5 out of 5 stars. Reviewed by Gerry O., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12.

Disney Nature's Bears is a heartwarming documentary that shows being a parent is definitely not an easy job.

Filmed in Alaska, directors Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey's cinematography captures the breathtaking beauty of the bears' in their natural habitat. The cameras are so close to the animals, it makes you want to reach out and touch them.

The movie follows Sky, an Alaskan Brown Bear and her cubs Amber and Scout through their first year together. Sky must teach her cubs how to survive in the harsh world outside their den. She must also find food so she can prepare for the long winter ahead of them. We learn that life for a bear cub is not easy and they must stay close to mom if they want to make it to adulthood. Sky must protect her cubs from the countless dangers the Alaskan wilderness has to offer and get them to their destination before it's too late.

My favorite part of this film is when the bears try catching their first salmon of the season. This scene is hilarious because the fish seem to land everywhere but in the bears' mouths. Although I'm more of a city girl, nature lovers will enjoy the many shots of Sky and her cubs roaming across the wilderness.

John C. Reilly's talent for story telling shines through in this movie. He does such an amazing job voicing what Scout and Amber would say if they could talk that I sometimes forgot it was just a narration. George Fenton's music is a perfect fit with the emotion and tone of the film. I could feel the suspense whenever the bears found themselves in a scary situation.

The message of this film is that nothing is stronger than family. The message is easy to recognize because it is obvious throughout the entire movie that Sky would do anything to keep her cubs out of harm's way, including not backing down from a bear three times her size. Also, no matter how bad things get Sky and her cubs are always there for each other.

Disney Nature's Bears is a great movie for all audiences; especially for boys and girls ages 7 to 13. I give this movie 4 out of 5 dazzling stars.

Celebrate Earth Day with this inspiring film when it hits theaters on Friday, April 18. Reviewed by Simone Sharrieff, age 13, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

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In an epic story of breathtaking scale, Disneynature's new True Life Adventure "Bears" showcases a year in the life of a bear family as two impressionable young cubs are taught life's most important lessons. Set against a majestic Alaskan backdrop teeming with life, their journey begins as winter comes to an end and the bears emerge from hibernation to face the bitter cold. The world outside is exciting-but risky-as the cubs' playful descent down the mountain carries with it a looming threat of avalanches. As the season changes from spring to summer, the brown bears must work hard to find food-ultimately feasting at a plentiful salmon run-while staying safe from rival male bears and predators, including an ever-present wolf. "Bears" captures the fast-moving action and suspense of life in one of the planet's last great wildernesses-Alaska! Directed by Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey.