"Messages about appreciating the world around you and a reworking of The Lion King circle-of-life riff are likely to be warmly accepted." Jeff Strickler MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE "... an old-fashioned animated adventure with all the time-honored Disney story elements ..." Richard Roeper EBERT & ROEPER "A generally upbeat and engaging tale of friendship and understanding." Steven Rea PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER "A sweet celebration of brotherhood in its many forms." Claudia Puig USA TODAY "A playful movie that celebrates nature and the spirit world with striking imagery and a smooth blend of drama and comedy." Kirk Honeycutt HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

"Brother Bear is safe family fare." Bruce Kirkland JAM! MOVIES "While not a masterpiece along the lines of The Lion King, and not a super-smart witticism-fest like Lilo & Stitch, Brother Bear is deeply heartfelt, touching, and beautiful." Susannah Gora PREMIERE MAGAZINE "Wonderful artwork with a story steeped in mysticism and animal spiritualism." Michael Elliott MOVIE PARABLES "A pleasant experience that is more appropriate for families than for adults unaccompanied by young offspring." James Berardinelli REELVIEWS

At A Glance

"Disney has come up with a mythical tale, strong on both sentiment and humor and, of course, stuffed with suitable family values messages about being kind to animals and loving your brother as you would be loved." Bridget Byrne BOXOFFICE MAGAZINE

For the sake of the kids whether they be the grandkids, nephews, nieces, fostered or whatever, don't be put of by a whole bunch of whinging critics who lament the fact that "Brother Bear" is too old fashioned in it's format for the little ones of today. Bullshit. Kids are kids. Wide-eyed and generally appreciative of productions like this latest one from Walt Disney films. I know from talking to other parents and feedback I get that many are looking to escape the frenetically paced society of today with all its pressures and "Brother Bear" certainly provides a window of opportunity to achieve that if only for 81 minutes in a fleeting day. Heck, even this grandfather of six had tear in his eye and a lump in his throat at the end of "Brother Bear'. But I guess I'm just an old softy, eh? Hell, I'm still in the same house that my two daughters grew up in. Now with both of them interstate and not having endless opportunities to see my six little darlings I really appreciate the house. Some nights I stand on the porch, shut out the world and I can still hear them squeeling as they played under the sprinkler or ran around the yard with their dog 'Butch'. You know what, I heard a lot of those same squeels of delight when I sat in on "Brother Bear", so I figure it can't be too bad, even for the litle kids of the hi-tech 21st century. Maybe I've managed to retain a little of the magic from my growing years and that wide-eyed wonderment is still there for this oldie who's never quite grown up. But there must be more like me out there for in the USA "Brother Bear" took a cool $US81 million, so there must have been a lot who enjoyed the experience.
So what are the big ticks of approval for "Brother Bear"? Well it's colorful, very colorful. There are vibrant scenes of huge panorama's, glaciers, lava fields, raging rivers and spirits from the netherworld. Then there's the cute little baby bear Koda; those two loopy, looney Mooses; a couple of silly mountain goats; squirells; and a bevy of bears salmon fishing. The story-line is one full of surprises and one that evokes many feelings ranging from delight, to surprise, empithy and joy. And as with all Disney Films the soundtrack is a real winner. Phil Collins contributes with six wicked songs including "Look Through My Eyes" and "No Way Out". This original soundtrack also features Tina Turner, The Blind Boys Of Alabama, Oren Waters and The Bulgarian Womens Chior. And finally there's an added bonus with the lead credits at films end with some mini-takes to keep the kids entertained. Yes, "Brother Bear" is good old fashioned Disney fare and it works well. It's not meant to be the same as your "Shrek", "Ice Age" or "Monsters Inc" productions. This is just your ideal family fare that has been a successful part of the Disney line-up which has entertained generations of kids. It may just be the last time we see this format in production so grab the opportunity while it's there folks. It's a rapidly changing, technology driven world spinning at a crazy rate of knots and old standards like these are slowly being discarded.
Some of the voice stars in "Brother Bear" are, Joaquin Phoenix ["Parenthood", "Gladiator", "Bufallo Soldiers" and "Signs"], D B Sweeney ["Gardens of Stone", "Memphis Belle", "After Sex" and "Hard Ball"], Dave Thomas ["Stripes", "My Man Adam", "Coneheads" and "Rat Race"], Michael Clarke Duncan ["Bulworth", "Armageddon", "The Green Mile", "The Whole Nine Yards", "Planet of the Apes" and "Daredevil" ], Rick Moranis ["Ghost Busters", "Brewsters Millions", "Spaceballs" and "Parenthood"], Joan Copeland ["The Goddess", "It's My Turn", "Jungle 2 Jungle" and "The Peacemaker"], Estelle Harris ["Once Upon a Time in America", "Perfect Alibi", "Lost & Found" and "What's Cooking?"], Harold Gould ["The Yellow Canary", 'The Satin Bug", "The Big Bus", "Stuart Little" and "The Master of Disguise"] and Jeremy Suarez ["Jerry Maguire", "Susan's Plan" and "Treasure Planet"] as Koda.
Brother Bear was directed by Aaron Blaise ["Mulan", "Pocahontas", "The Lion King", "Aladdin" and "Beauty and the Beast"] and Robert Walker [Mulan", "Trail Mix-Up" and "Roller Coaster Rabbit"]. The Story

"Good story, solid animation, catchy songs, a beautiful score by Mark Mancina and big laughs to not bore the adults. Sounds like the perfect definition of a family film to me." Erik Childress EFILMCRITIC

Kenai is a carefree, mischievous young boy without a care in the world. He is about to receive his totem at a special ceremony in front of all the tribe. His older brothers Sitka and Denahi have already received theirs. When Kenai is given a totem of a Bear he is very disappointed. Little does he realize how significant it will be. When a Bear steals their catch of salmon Denahi blames his young brother for not being careful. Kenai responds by chasing the Bear with a spear. But Kenai soon becomes the hunted and when his brothers rush to his rescue Stika is killed. The spirits of the dead decide to teach Kenai a lesson and transform him into a Bear. Kenai must now undertake a perilous journey of understanding in which he will discover the truth about the dead Bear and himself. Along the way he meets a cub named Koda, two looney Mooses and a pair of Mountain Goats. His journey to the mountain of lights, his only hope for regaining his human body, is made all the more difficult when he finds himself being hunted by his brother Denahi, who is seeking to avenge the loss of his brothers. The Verdict "Sure it ain't hi-tech but that don't mean it ain't enjoyable. "Brother Bear" is a bear-licous treat for the little ones and those parents who have a hanking for the 'old days' will love the presentation too. The colors are vibrant, the animals are cute and the songs are delighfully matched to the 'feel' of the story. It's not the biggest Disney production but it will leave you feeling that what was good for us as little ones still has a place in this frenetically paced society of today. A 'G' rated treat for all the family. Very Recommended." The Voice Cast

Joaquin Phoenix Jeremy Suarez Jason Raize Rick Moranis Dave Thomas D B Sweeney Joan Copeland Michael Clarke Duncan Harold Gould Paul Christie Daniel Mastrogiorgio Estelle Harris Greg Proops Pauley Perrette Darko Cesar Bumper Robinson Angayuqaq Oscar Kawagley

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Kenai Koda Denahi Rutt Tuke Sitka Tanana Tug Old Denahi Ram #1 Ram #2 Old Lady Bear Male Lover Bear Female Lover Bear Foreign Croatian Bear Chipmunks Inuit Narrator

The Crew Directed by Aaron Blaise & Bob Walker Screenplay by Steve Bencich Story written by Lorne Cameron Produced by Chuck Williams Associate Producer Igor Khait Executive Producer Chuck Williams Original Music by Phil Collins & Mark Mancina Casting by Matthew Jon Beck Artistic Supervisor Stephen J Anderson Artistic Coordinator Kirk Bodyfelt Run Time 81 minutes Rated G [AUST] Copyright © 2003 - Buena Vista Pictures Distribution - All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2003 - Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved