Disneynature's Born in China

Narrated by John Krasinski, this Disneynature documentary focusing on animals unique to China—pandas, golden snub-nosed monkeys, snow leopards, chiru antelope, and red-crowned cranes—boasts spectacular landscapes and extraordinary close-ups of animal activity, centering on three specific animal families over the span of a year. In Sichuan Province's Wolong National Nature Reserve, attentive panda Ya Ya is a first-time mother, raising curious Mei Mei in a forest habitat, where solitary adults consume 40 pounds of bamboo each day. Until Mei Mei can quickly climb a tree, making her safe from predators, Ya Ya must watch over her. In a nearby troop of golden snub-nosed monkeys, Tao Tao is an adolescent male who is being forced out of his family to fend for himself. Rebellious, he joins an all-male sub-group, dubbed the “Lost Boys.” Thousands of miles away on the craggy highlands of Qinghai Province's Tibetan Plateau, majestic Dawa—an elusive snow leopard—is raising two little cubs while facing ever-present danger from other ferocious leopards. Directed by Lu Chuan, Born in China—like most Disney films—anthropomorphizes adorable animals to teach life lessons. Recommended. [Note: Blu-ray extras include the behind-the-scenes featurettes “Walking with Monkeys” (8 min.), “Panda Suits & Bamboo Shoots” (7 min.), “Wading Through Wetlands” (6 min.), and “Masters of Camouflage” (5 min.), the “Everything, Everything” music video by American Authors (4 min.), a brief PSA, and bonus DVD and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a winning Disney documentary.] (S. Granger)