Bears

This Disneynature theatrical documentary follows a grizzly bear family—protective mother Sky and her two newborn cubs: curious Scout and obedient Amber. Set in Alaska's rugged Katmai National Park, the odyssey begins when the bears emerge from their snowy den following winter hibernation and make their way down the mountain trail, barely avoiding an avalanche. Danger lurks as the family proceeds toward the grassy meadows and streams where they can feed on spawning salmon. Statistically, only half of all bear cubs survive their first year of life, succumbing either to starvation or predators—who here include Magnus, the area's dominant alpha male; the outcast Chinook; and the prowling wolf Tikaani. British co-directors Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey anthropomorphize the animals, giving them human names, characteristics, and imagined dialogue, in order to create an educational, emotionally appealing story, amiably narrated by John C. Reilly. Bears boasts vibrant, spectacular cinematography (both aerial and ground shots), and youngsters will be amused by the vivid footage of the bears' clumsy but efficient fishing as the salmon jump out of the water in a valiant attempt to make it upstream. An engrossing and engaging nature documentary, this is highly recommended. [Note: Blu-ray/DVD combo extras include the behind-the-scenes featurettes “How Did They Film That?” (8 min.), “A Guide to Living with Bears” (7 min.), “Welcome to Alaska” (6 min.), and “The Future for Bears” (6 min.), as well as the “Carry On” music video by Olivia Holt, trailers, and a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a decent extras package for an engaging documentary.] (S. Granger)