Bears (2014)

Fantastic!

Absolutely the worst movie.

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

John C. Reilly narrates this Disney nature documentary about Sky, a female brown bear, and her two cubs, Scout and Amber, in Alaska. They climb out of their snowbound den and traverse mountains to greener pastures. It's a year in their lives. They scavenge for food and watch for predators. The big feast comes with the salmon run.This has all the great Disney nature cinematography. It looks beautiful although the slow motion can linger a little too long. I'm less convinced about the Reilly narrations. His casual speaking voice is too colloquial sometimes. It's mostly fine except for the bears' voices which comes off a little sarcastic. There are stretches missing in the journey which could have added to the drama. There isn't much film about being lost in the woods for two weeks. That could have been great darkness before the dawn. The movie isn't that long and Sky's shocking thin appearance is jarring in its disconnection. That could have added some depth to the desperation. This is fine for the G-rated nature films for the kids.

Bears (2014): Dir: Alastair Fothergill, Keith Scholey / Narrator: John C. Reilly: One of the very best of Disney Nature documentary films. Since the release of the very entertaining Earth, Disney has released such engaging films as Oceans, African Cats and Chimpanzee. These are all educational films with effective narrations to engage younger audiences on wildlife issues. Now we are given a glimpse of one of North Americas most prized species in grizzly bears. It begins in the snowy mountains where a mother bear awakens from hibernation with two cubs. They begin a long journey down the mountain to the meadows where other bears roam about. While the cubs look about with great curiosity they are unaware of the dangers around them. For one there is two massive male bears in a heated battle for food and territory. One of them even pursues the two cubs, which pits mother bear and a brutal battle to defend them. Another problem arises when a gray wolf stalks from a distance but mother bear isn't long running it off. It becomes apparent as summer stretches on that she needs salmon so to store up enough fat to feed her cubs for the next winter. John C. Reilly narrates and seems to have fun while directors Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey give viewers awesome scenery and wildlife footage. The scene at the golden pond features a bear's paradise as several bears gather for an easy fill of salmon. What viewers are left with is a vision of bears that emphases the struggles of raising cubs and preparing for another hibernation in the mountains. Score: 10 / 10

The music, John C. Reilly's narration, scenery, EVERYTHING about it was perfect. It was so cute the way the narration sort of 'anthropomorphized' the bears' behavior. I watch a lot of nature programs. This was so uplifting and enjoyable. It was realistic as far as what Skye had to do to ensure that her cubs, as well as she, would survive. Including other animals like the wolf, the raven, made it even more interesting and substantive. In addition, being able to see the actual photographers and film crew during the credits at the end makes the viewer realize how much effort went into filming this.Absolutely fantastic film!

Reviewed by: Dare Devil Kid (DDK)Rating: 4/5 starsDisneynature has brought us some amazing documentaries in the past, including "African Cats" and "Chimpanzee". If there's one thing you can count on from these films, it's that they are absolutely stunning to watch, and their latest project, "Bears", is no exception. Following a year in the life of a brown bear (Sky) and her two cubs (Scout and Amber), we watch as they emerge from their den and go on an incredible journey for food that has them facing such dangers as avalanches, wolves, and even other alpha-male bears. It all comes down to a battle for survival as Sky desperately tries to find enough food to provide for her cubs to carry them through the next hibernation.Narrated by Oscar-nominated actor John C. Reilly, "Bears" is a touching documentary that just goes to show how sometimes films with the simplest themes make for the most engaging experiences. It also manages to get quite tense in places; frequent long-shot vistas of fields and waterways harbor a succession of threats, which are freely milked for suspense.There's not a whole lot of plot to be found here aside from following these bears from spot to spot on their quest for food, and yet, the documentary provides plenty of thrills as they come up against a number of obstacles. From the very start, you can't help but root for them on their difficult journey that has them traveling from the high peaks of the Alaskan peninsula to the shallow streams where salmon mass in great numbers. All the while, we're treated to the gorgeous backdrop of the Alaskan wilderness, made all the more amazing by the dazzling cinematography. Disneynature has once again gone above and beyond to bring us this footage, spending two years and braving several precarious moments capturing over 400 hours of it. Whittling that down to just 78 minutes must have been a herculean task, but in the end, it's wonderful to see that it was worth all the hard effort that went into it. An early avalanche sequence and Myriad shots involving a salmon hunt are particularly impressive. "Bears" is a visual experience through and through, one that offers eye-popping delights at every turn.Not without a few contrivances as it caters to younger audiences, "Bears" is nonetheless an earnest, adorable real-life adventure. Despite the bracing beauty of the wilderness, and the respite provided by cubs at play, the film is primarily a sobering treatise on survival, narrated from the perspective of a family of three bears, giving their plight for survival a sense of sincere thematic heft. The only drawback of this visually brilliant, highly engrossing documentary is that it aims to be too kid-friendly at times, and downplays some of the harsher realities of bear life. But that doesn't take away much from what is undoubtedly an entertaining display for nature movie fans, animal lovers, and anybody in general who enjoys a good documentary.With its touching story, beautiful scenery, and stunning camera- work, "Bears" becomes another worthwhile documentary in the Disneynature library. Kids and adults alike will be drawn into the plight of Sky and her cubs as they trek across the Alaskan wilderness in search of nourishment while facing down whatever stands in their way.