Movie Review- Disneynature's Bears

In their 2014 installment of their documentary series, Disneynature take us into the world of bears living in the wilds of Alaska. Bears is narrated by John C. Rielly and it follows a mama bear named Sky and her cubs, Scout and Amber, as they attempt to survive the cub's first year of life.

The primary reason to see this film is the amazing nature footage. It becomes even more incredible during the clips that run alongside the end credits, showing just how close the crew got to the bears and how they captured the amazing shots. I wish the film had more behind-the-scenes footage, as it was fascinating.

The bear cubs are adorable. Really adorable. I could watch them for hours. The film shows the real harrowing issues that the mama bear faces while she is trying to raise her cubs which include predators and starvation. There are plenty of really intense moments and lots of aggressive bear fights. When starved, adult bears will attack bear cubs. As with the other Disneynature films, there are plenty of light moments to off-set the harsh ones. We see the cubs at play and some comedic moments as adult bears attempt to catch fish. 

A problem that I've had with the Disneynature films is the blatant anthropomorphizing in the narration. In parts it made me cringe, especially how every animal, beyond the main bears, was given a human name. The narrator was constantly speaking as to what the animals were feeling. I understand the role of the narration is to create a story out of the bear footage, but in most cases less would have been more. I would have liked the animals to speak for themselves as most of the action was self-explanatory. The narrator could have stuck to interesting facts about the bears and their environment. This isn't a slight against John C. Reilly, he was fine, it has more to do with the actually script and the need for even having one.

Alaska looks breathtaking in this film. It will make you want to book a trip. 

We were in a theatre with several young children, all of whom seemed to find the Bears compelling and were eagerly discussing it with their parents as we were exiting. This movie isn't squarely aimed at children, it's definitely something that adults will enjoy, but it's extra nice that it seems to be a film equally enjoyable for the entire family. A rarity. The beautiful cinematography makes this a must-see on the big screen.

******Spoiler Alert****

I'm really happy that this is one Disney film where the bear cubs are not left as orphans! There are some close calls, but the entire family remains intact. No tears shed in this film!

Book Review- Mitch Moxley's Apologies to my Censor

Mitch Moxley's autobiography about his time spent as a journalist in Beijing during the years surrounding the 2008 Summer Olympics is engaging and quirky. Clearly, Moxley enjoys living life to the fullest and he does not limit himself to reporting stories, he gets out there and becomes the story. His love for China, warts and all, makes Apologies to My Censor a thrilling read. I'm a lover of traveling and travel writing and this made me want to experience China.

It's Moxley's willingness to "say yes" to new experiences and his willingness to go outside of his comfort zone that makes you root for him. He poses in an ill-fitting suit for an the China version of Cosmopolitan Magazine's 100 Most Eligible Bachelor spread. He attempts to act the part of a   suitor in a music video, much of his efforts so bad that the end up edited out. He goes on a dating show and wows the girls with some Elvis swagger.

The best chapter was one where he details working as a pretend business man for a company that needed western men to give them face. The concept of face and saving face pops up frequently. In this situation it's nearly unbelievable and fascinating to read. The men were hired to attend meetings and basically sit around an office and pretend to work for the company. In addition to detail the events in this book, Moxley sold an article about his experience to the Atlantic. The chapter is hilariously and aptly titled, Rent a White Guy.

Moxley also speaks candidly about this struggles as a journalist and to form a life abroad. He makes many friends from various parts of the world, all chasing their own dreams in China. A reoccurring theme is one of permanence and the inability to settle down when you don't know how long you plan on staying. Moxley has difficulties forming lasting relationships and often speaks with envy of his friends back home in Canada, friends who are married with kids, stable jobs and mortgages. Moxley feels the pull of both worlds and it makes his story even more compelling.

This is a great book for anyone who has ever dreamed of packing up and moving to another country. 

Movie Review- Transcendence

In Transcendence, Johnny Depp plays Dr. Will Caster, a scientist who runs a cutting edge Artificial Intelligence lab in Berkeley, California. Will's devoted wife, Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) is devastated when Will has been infected with a deadly virus from an anti-A.I. terrorist organization. Evelyn, also a scientist, makes the decision to keep Will's mind alive via an experimental procedure to merge Will's soul with a computer.

Transcendence is a muddled mess of a movie. It suffers from an identity crisis, not knowing which genre it wants to be...Drama? Science Fiction? Action? Art House? It's got all of the above, but doesn't succeed in melding them together to create a compelling film. Unfortunately, though it tries desperately to be taken seriously, the bad dialogue and ridiculous plot often make the movie lean towards being a comedy. This is a high budget, quality actor filled "B movie". 

The pacing is incredibly sluggish. It feels like it's as long as Titanic, although it clocks in at less than two hours. There are plenty of artsy shots of nature, alongside plenty of action sequences that are straight out of the Expendables. 

The acting is fine. I was happy to see Johnny Depp in a role that doesn't rely on him being quirky. Johnny, Thank You for taking a role with a director who isn't Tim Burton. His part is actually fairly small. The big star of the film is Rebecca Hall, playing Depps wife. She is the heart of the movie and does a great job portraying grief and obsession. Morgan Freeman, Paul Bettany and Kate Mara are all good in their smaller roles. The acting isn't the problem with this film.

At one point, I thought the film was directed by Steven Soderbergh. It has a lot of the hallmarks of his films, with a hot topic social issue and different factions of characters representing the various sides of the issues. It's not a Soderbergh film, but it had his vibe.

The problem is really with the writing. The dialogue is laughable and the story takes a turn from mildly interesting to completely ridiculous within the first thirty- minutes. The story had a lot of similarities to the television show Revolution, so they didn't feel fresh or inventive. 

Even if you're a hard-core Depp fan, there is zero reason to endure this film.