Ezmae Chang
This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
Nicole
I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.
Staci Frederick
Blistering performances.
Scott LeBrun
"Bears" is one of a series of documentaries produced by Disney's "Disney Nature" division, and this one focuses on a mother bear and her two cubs, following them over the course of a few seasons. It begins as they awaken from winter hibernation, and watches as the mother tries to protect her offspring and show them how to obtain food, which sometimes looks to be in short supply. There are also dangers to overcome, such as the threats posed by bigger and meaner bears, a rogue wolf, and nature itself.Overall, a good if not great film. It's marked by exemplary filmmaking, with top notch photography of many beautiful Alaska locations. It benefits from an engaging cast of animal characters. Although, like so many things aiming for a family audience, it does tend to get awfully precious. This viewer thought that giving the animals character names like "Sky", "Scout", and "Amber" was overly cute, and the film IS manipulative, to be sure, with some overstated music. Actor John C. Reilly recites the narration, and while his recitation is amiable enough, the stuff he has to utter can be incredibly goofy. "Hey, Mom! Wait up!"This viewer would imagine the other Disney Nature documentaries pretty much follow the same formula, although the intentions are certainly admirable. Any film that aims at young viewers and attempts to teach them respect for Mother Nature and the animal kingdom is alright in his book.Seven out of 10.
romanorum1
This Disney nature film, narrated by John C. Reilly, is the story of the first year of life in a family of three brown bears. Sky the mother bear previously dug her winter den high in a nearly inaccessible mountain in Alaska (Katmai National Park) and gave birth to her two cubs. Now it is time for her to leave her den and move her offspring down the snow-capped mountains. It is a rather arduous trek for cubs Scout (the adventurous one) and Amber (the more practical one). The trip is exciting but lurks with danger. Snow that sheltered the small family in the winter now becomes a deadly enemy in early spring, especially because of avalanches. And mother soon has to begin feeding to make milk for her young ones. Down at the Alaskan coast the snow has melted and the land is green. At a meadow there are other bears; they eat grass, their salad until they can get their real food: tasty salmon. There is an occasional fish. The dominant bear in the area is the behemoth Magnus, who at one thousand pounds is three times larger than Sky. Then there is the outcast bear Chinook, who was banished from the meadow by Magnus. Sky has to remain alert for these rival bears and even for predators. In the mudflats near the water are some clams. There is peril for the cubs when the tides return, as they can be separated from land. Then there is the clash with Chinook, but the cubs escape. At another spot up the coast there are some salmon. It is now midsummer. The three bears leave the meadow and head for shore. Magnus steals a fish from Chinook. A new danger is the wolf, Tikani, who eyes the cubs but Sky drives him away. Sky still needs to eat large quantities of salmon before summer's end, or else she will not have enough milk stored for the cubs during winter hibernation. When salmon seem to appear in larger numbers, Tinaki tries to grab a cub while Sky gathers fish, but is again repelled. After two weeks the main school of salmon, finally used to fresh water, swim upstream in order to spawn (sometimes a 30-mile trip against current!). In calm, shallow streams the salmon lay their eggs, but Sky still has difficulty in finding enough fish. When the rains come the water rises and the fish can really move. At the Great Falls the salmon finally gather in huge numbers. Then a raven caws, seeming to signal to Sky the whereabouts of the Golden Pond, her destination. At last the bears can finally eat their fill. Even Tinaki the wolf awkwardly learns how to fish and keeps away from the cubs.In the late summer Scout and Amber have new winter coats. With the seasonal changes it is time for the bear family to return to the high country and prepare their dens for the long cold season and hibernation. The closing credits highlight the film crew and the animal stars. This is a Disney nature film, so you know it is a good one for the entire family. And the cinematography is of Disney's distinctive high quality. Enjoy this one!
Alex Landry
Great little story that shows the hardships of motherhood in nature. The animals have names and there is a slight narrative thread with some of the recurring bears and other predators.The movie features plenty of beautiful shots of nature be it the breathtaking Alaskan Alps or the beauty and colours of a meadow. You will also see breathtaking sights like the best avalanche ever filmed and some intense bear fights and close calls. There's also an amazing scene with an eagle being a dick to a falcon. The movie also features a slew of different animals like Wolves, Foxes, Ravens, Eagles, Falcons, Rock Eels, etc. The movie does have 2 major flaws. First is John C. Reilly. He never really seems all that into it and almost every attempt at humor falls flat. Also his monotone voice when explaining things gets pretty dull and boring. Secondly a lot of the film seems to be at 0.5 speed. Not slo-mo but very close and most times it's just unneeded and it detract from what's happening.This has been a green review.
Quietb-1
Here's a family friendly movie that will be enjoyed by all ages. Outstanding cinematography takes you very up close and personal with a mother bear and her two cubs in their first year.John C. Reilly narrates, sometimes as if for the blind. He is saying what is on the screen. The narration is a little too much when he speaks for the male cub. An excellent music track adds to the enjoyment.You can't help but wonder how did they capture that action? Over the end credits there are behind the camera shots that show how some of the movie was made.It is short, and there is nothing too scary for smaller children. The Bears make it through their first year, the salmon well that's a different story.
