Disclosure: Other than the below mentioned products, which I received directly from this sponsor for review purposes, I was not compensated for facilitating this review. All opinions expressed are my own. Your experience may differ.

DISNEYNATURE’S BREATHTAKING FEATURE

“WINGS OF LIFE” LANDS ON BLU-RAY® COMBO PACK,

DIGITAL AND ON DEMAND APRIL 16, 2013,

IN TIME FOR EARTH DAY

 Disneynature “Wings of Life” available April 16, 2013 on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Digital and On Demand. © 2013 Disney

BURBANK, Calif. (March 8, 2013) — Spring is in the air—literally—as Disneynature prepares to unveil “Wings of Life,” a spectacular, closer-than-close, high-definition look at the intricate world of butterflies, hummingbirds, bees and bats, and their life-sustaining collaboration with flowers. Directed by Louie Schwartzberg (“America’s Heart & Soul”) and narrated by Academy Award® winner Meryl Streep, “Wings of Life” will be available on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, Digital and On Demand on April 16, 2013—just in time for Earth Day.

The “Wings of Life” Blu-ray Combo Pack includes a sneak peek at Disneynature’s 2014 big-screen adventure “Bears.” In an epic story of breathtaking scale set against a majestic Alaskan backdrop teeming with life, the film, which is currently in production, follows two mother grizzly bears as they impart life lessons to their impressionable young cubs.

ABOUT THE MOVIE:

From Disneynature, the studio that brought you Earth, Oceans, African Cats and Chimpanzee, comes Wings of Life — a stunning adventure full of intrigue, drama and mesmerizing beauty. Narrated by Meryl Streep, this intimate and unprecedented look at butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, bats and flowers is a celebration of life, as a third of the world’s food supply depends on these incredible — and increasingly threatened — creatures.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg, Wings of Life utilizes riveting high-speed, time lapse and macro filmmaking to showcase in spectacular detail these unsung heroes of our planet.

Our Thoughts:

We received an advanced copy of the Disney Nature Wings of Life Blu-Ray Combo Pack, and we couldn't wait to watch it! Balian kept asking if he could see his 'butterfly movie.' I popped the disc in one sunny afternoon, after coming inside from playing and watching the birds and the bees buzzing about our yard.

Balian and I were captivated from the very beginning of the film, by its breathtaking scenes of wildlife. We were drawn right into the film, first in the rainforest, exploring gorgeous orchids, and their strategy to attach their pollen sacks to particular bees for pollination. We journied to the desert, where we caught up with some bats, enjoying a single flower blossom, open for only one night for pollination by those very same bats. We followed bumble bees, and learned they are among the hardest working bees in nature, as they sought the flower blossoms of tomato plants. Their vibration pollination technique is incredible!

Perhaps the most beautiful part of the film, is the story of the majestic monarch butterfly. I learned all sorts of new things about these gorgeous creatures, like that they fly from Canada to high elevations during the autumn months, taking refuge in clusters on fir trees. Each day, they cascade downward and search for water, which helps turn their stored fat into energy for survival. They make a long journey to the deep south, in search of something I often pull out of my garden- milkweed. Monarch butterflies lay their eggs only on milkweed leaves! We watched the beautiful trasformation from a monarch caterpillar to a monarch butterfly, too!

The film tranquilized us with its gentle music (lulled Balian right to sleep!), and the film is narrated by Meryl Streep, one of my favorite actresses, whom I could listen to all day! The film is in absolutely stunning High-Def, which allows us to see these plants and creature up close, like we've never seen them before. The colors are just incredible!

This is our very first DisneyNature film, and we are so happy to have it in our Disney movie collection. Balian has already noticed a lot of different things, and has asked a lot of questions. This would be a wonderful tool for teachers, and is a wonderful film to sit down and watch as a family.

Specifications:

Street Date: April 16, 2013

Distributor Prebook: March 5, 2013

Suggested Retail Prices: Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD) = $39.99 U.S. And $46.99 Canada

                                         Digital and On-Demand = Consumers should check with their television provider and/or favorite digital retailer for pricing information

Feature Run Time: Approx. 80 Minutes

Rating: G (U.S. and Canada)

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Audio: Blu-ray = English: 5.1 DTS-HDMA, French and Spanish 5.1: Dolby Digital

           DVD = English, French and Spanish: 5.1 Dolby Digital

Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish

Be sure to pick up your copy of Wings of Life on April 16th!