Born in China (2017)

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

It was a beautifully filmed documentary with awe inspiring scenery!! I thoroughly enjoyed it except......... for Dawa and her two beautiful kittens.........Why wasn't she helped after she was injured? Disney could have afforded a veterinarian to help her and her kittens. Snow leopard's are an endangered species so why would the film crew, Disney corporate, and China not help this poor family out???? She and her kittens could have recuperated in an enclosure that could have been flown in and set up right there in the valley and released back into the wild afterwards. Does anyone know what happened to her kittens. I can't find anything, anywhere about them after Dawa, their mother died of her injuries, starvation, and exposure! What a horrifying and cruel (with no humans intervening that filmed all this and watched her and her kittens suffer) way to die!! Yes the movie was beautiful but if humans refuse to intervene especially with helping an endangered species survive then we are the plague that will murder our planet unless we start intervening!!

Born in ChinaGirls born in China know that they will grow up in a safe, white American suburb.Unfortunately, as this documentary verifies, the same doesn't apply to every female species in China.A single-mother snow leopard struggles to find nourishment for her young in China's merciless mountain region. Meanwhile in the jungle, the birth of a female golden snub-nosed monkey forces a neglected male to venture out on his own. Also leaving the nest is a giant panda whose mother is having a hard time letting her go.Narrated by John Krasinski, Disney's latest nature documentary once again does an excellent job of capturing rare fauna in their native environments. Unfortunately, like the others in the eco-series, this maternal endeavour is also heavily edited to fit a desired narrative while the animals are given human characteristics.By making the pandas human, however, just makes eating ginger beef that much more difficult. Yellow Lightvidiotreviews.blogspot.ca

The real shame with Disney's nature documentary "Born in China" is that the potential was there for a remarkable film. The imagery captured of both the landscapes and of the beautiful and elusive animals on which it is centered is completely awe-inspiring and never less than completely engrossing and compelling. And it tells the oft-poignant story of what it is like for families and packs of animals in the vast reaches of China, including adorable pandas and stunning snow leopards. Unfortunately, the film's failing is a complete and utter lack of any real substance or information regarding these subjects, which is instead traded for often contrived schmaltz and "jokey" narration. For all it does right with the stunning visuals... all else seems forced and a tad bit trite.The footage itself is incredible. Especially when viewed on the big screen. Director Lu Chuan and his team of cinematographers and cameramen truly do capture some compelling and beautiful looks into the lives of these animals, and it's a pleasure seeing what it's like for them as they struggle to thrive and survive over the course of just over a year. The most outstanding of course being the snow leopard referred to as "Dawa" and her cups, simply because they are such stunning creatures and they face the most adversity and tragedy throughout the film. Chuan and the rest of the crew feverishly document these wonderful creatures to the greatest of extents.The problem is that through editing and over-written narration delivered by comedic actor John Krasinski, the entire message seems a bit undermined. I know that it wouldn't work for some, but in my mind, simply showing the footage over music or with only minimal information carefully doled out through brief bits of narration would have worked best. But you get the feeling that Disney's nature department felt they needed to add more of a "message" to the film, and it feels tacky and silly. The film starts out promising with some actual key information about China and a pleasant explanation of the symbology involving cranes taking flight... but it quickly becomes an "Ohh, so cutesy!" affair with Krasinski "speaking" for the animals and inserting odd random jokes while never doling out more than the most basic and bland of facts. This was an opportunity for education, but instead it places too much focus on talking about how much animal-mommies love their animal-babies, and throwing in some really odd references to appease the young children in the audience. (The film likes to constantly remind us that it refers to a clan of Snub-Nose monkeys as the "Lost Boys" about once every 30 seconds in certain scenes.) It's borderline condescending. I remember when I was a child watching nature documentaries in school or on television... I wanted to learn. This film instead feels the need to talk down.Still, I can't say that this fact ruined the film as a whole. Because it didn't. There's still so much to take in through the 76- minute run-time that I'd definitely give it a mild recommendation, especially to families with young children or general nature enthusiasts. While critical facts are few and far in-between and the over-done narration does drag it down a bit, the footage enclosed is constantly and consistently enthralling and exquisitely captured. And it did save the film for me, and make it an enjoyable watch as an entire cumulative experience. Seeing pandas, snub-nosed monkeys and of course the snow leopards in their natural habitats, living and breathing is just too magical to dismiss over my squabbles with the production.I give it a slightly above average 6 out of 10. It could have been better, but there's still just enough to make it worth a watch at least once.

Grade: A-Rating: G, 79 minutes In a Nutshell: Disney Nature presents a beautiful look at some fascinating creatures born in China. Narrated by John Krasinski (The Office: The Complete Series) , this eco- documentary illustrates the circle of life and introduces the world to some stunning locations and animals that most people will never get a chance to see in real life.I've been to China twice this past year and have fallen in love with its culture, topography, people, art, language, and food. It is an amazing country and this film offers a deserving spotlight. The film is full of "Awwww" moments.Timed perfectly for Earth Day 2017, a portion of ticket sales will be donated to the World Wildlife Fund.Uplifting theme: Family The circle of life and death The beauty and duality of nature: freedom vs. security Each of us is a part of a much larger story.Things I liked: John Krasinski offers a familiar, comfortable voice to walk us through the lives of the featured animals. He does a great job, although the script could have been even better. The golden snub-nosed monkeys steal the show. They're gorgeous and hilarious, providing delightful monkey mischief. One thing Disney Nature does very well is introduce children to things they could never see in a zoo. The Tibetan antelope, called chiru, provides the film with some epic moments and cinematography. My question: why don't the males accompany the females on their birthing journey to protect them? A crane in China is a symbol of longevity and fortune. It is believed that when a crane takes flight, it is carrying an animal's soul to another world. That theme and sentiment and used at the beginning and end of the movie. I love it when a film ties ends together. How do the photographers get those shots????? It's pretty incredible. You get to see gorgeous red pandas, black and white pandas, snow leopards, antelope, and monkeys. All adorable.Things I didn't like: This version of Disney Nature doesn't offer anything particular new to the nature story narrative. I wish we could have learned more about the animals, more facts and information. Humans project their feelings and descriptions on what's going on with the animals. Who knows if any of that is true. It's very predictable.Interesting lines: "China is a land of myth and mystery." – John Krasinski "Each life is just one beat in the beautiful cyclical rhythm." – John KrasinskiTips for parents: There are several scenes when animals and birds prey on other animals. Some animals die. Children need to learn about life and death, and this movie does not shy away from the brutal realities. Some fighting and bullying. No profanity. Thank goodness, animals don't swear. It's not all happy and beautiful. There are some sad moments. You see a mother give birth and later nurse babies. Your kids may have questions