America has a treasure trove of National Parks. If you'd love to see them, but aren't too excited about packing up the kids in the station wagon and driving days across the States, then this film offers an excellent alternative. Mind you, you'll miss a lot of challenge and personal growth and communing with nature … but you'll save a great deal of time, gas, money and headache. Let's just call this film a good start. Perhaps it will inspire you to draw up a doable plan to see them one by one across a reasonable span of summers.

Being there is always better, but what this documentary does that you probably won't or can't afford to do, is fly gently over the glorious landmarks of Yellowstone, Arches, etc. It's a sweet gentle point of view that is simply out of reach for most folks. Speaking of gentle, the film's pace is a sweet stroll in the park which helps create and cajole that relaxing feeling nature offers (on sunny days).

As a vehicle to guide us through this tour of wide wonderful views of America's parks, we follow three likeable nature-nuts who love to climb rocks and ice. We share in their adventure from the comfort of the theatre stadium seating.

From icy beauty to desert magnificence, to the cutest shots of prairie dogs ever captured, and a super slow mo of salmon jumping into a young bear's open jowls -- this is a sweet trip to the parks. You'll even learn a thing or two about their origins.

That said, the sponsor's booming commercial at the end of the piece is contrastingly tacky. We understand and appreciate that these films cost money to make … but, bam, that sky high feeling the film so deservedly created climaxes with a wet fish to the face reminder of consumer minutia.

-- Books by Ross Anthony, Author/Illustrator --