Bears - B

Rated G, 77 minutes 

Disney's thrilling, lovely "Bears" good for the whole family

In honor of Earth Day the last few years, Disney has brought to us documentaries about nature or animals such as "Earth," "African Cats" and "Chimpanzee" and now they deliver another lovely, heartwarming documentary "Bears" as it follows a real bear family in the majestic Alaskan wild for a year. Single mother Sky delivers two cute cubs, Amber and Scout, and the film follows their travails across the Alaskan wild as they search for food and battle predators, including a wolf pack and rival bears who threaten their existence. Directed by Alastair Fothergill, who helmed those other Disney efforts and narrated by Oscar-nominee John C. Reilly, it's suitable, predictable fun about animals for the whole family, and lovingly filmed. A few brief sections are a tad intense, particularly as they deal with rival bears, but the bear family, especially those cute, playful cubs, will draw you in quickly and hold your interest throughout. Reilly's narration seems too scripted and is occasionally a distraction, but keep in mind "Bears," like the other efforts delivered by Disneynature for Earth Day, aren't necessarily straight informative docs and focus on the adventure (and nearly everyone has names to keep it lighter) to keep the interest of the young ones. But like those other docs, the captivating "Bears" is a worthy entry and a must-see particularly for animal lovers.

Wes's Grade: B