DVD Break: The Amazing Panda Adventure

The Amazing Panda Adventure - (1995) - (DVD) - (own)

 This DVD collection features four films with the theme "boy and animal".  We have never seen this movie before.  The cinematography of China is fantastic, even the 12yo appreciated it.  I expressed my desire that I've always wanted to visit China but ds said he would not because they speak a different language there and he felt a little more interested in the idea when I told him that many people there speak English and he could always learn some Chinese too before he visited, if he ever went.  The pandas are absolutely gorgeous, especially at the beginning when they use real footage of real panda's but as the movie progresses and the children interact with the baby panda, a robot or puppet of some sort or combination is used and it is pretty fake looking.  The story itself is pretty dull.  They all have to rescue a baby panda from a bumbling duo of poachers.  Plenty of action though, the kids have a knack for surviving the rapids and going over waterfalls, even when one of them can't swim! I did appreciate that the boy/girl relationship did not degenerate into a romantic-type of deal; they did not like each other at first and by the end they appreciated each other though their friendship was still tentative.  An ok movie.  None of the actors are exactly famous.  Though the main adult lead is recognizable by face if not by name. He's the idiot Colonel in "Avatar" and I recognized him from "The Men Who Stare At Goats" In conclusion, nothing much.  Good for scenes of China and pandas.  Ds did enjoy it much more than me though.  He thought it was really cute.  Rated PG. I don't remember why, there must have been a few of the mild curse words.

DS was so happy to get back to our special movie time.  This has become an intimate mother/son time for us and after the movie this time he actually engaged me in conversation about the movie, initiating by asking me questions!  Great strides for him.