Winnie the Pooh (C+ or 2.5/4 stars)
I grew up watching 'Winnie the Pooh' cartoons as a child. I loved the characters. The animation was cute & iconic. The songs. The honey. Christopher Robin. I could go on & on. NOW, decades later, a feature length film (directed by Stephen J. Anderson & Don Hall) has been made about Winnie & I was so anticipating this film. The story couldn't be simpler: we return to an ordinary day in the Hundred Acre Wood. We're re-introduced to our favorite oldies: Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Kanga, Roo ... and last but not least, Eeyore - who has lost his tail; and is as depressed as ever {poor fellow}.
Owl sends the gang on an adventure to save Christopher Robin from an imaginary villain, the Backson. Of course, all Pooh really wants is to find some more honey. But he'll help his pals when he can. Will Eeyore get his tail back? Will the Backson get Christopher Robin? Can Pooh find some honey?
That's it folks. Inspired by 5 stories from A. A. Milne's books, 'Winnie the Pooh' feels nothing more than a 53 minute (you heard that right, 53 minutes) cartoon episode that you'd watch on TV on a Saturday morning. In other words, the movie is nostalgic, cute, but hardly a stellar feature film. Now, I don't want to knock the movie too hard. I admire how simple, straightforward, charming, old-fashioned, & sweet the film is. Fans of WTP (such as myself) will like being transported back to a time when we were, oh, maybe 6 or 7 yrs. old; watching Pooh & friends on TV.
I also like that nothing about the film/story comes across at a breakneck pace (like most animated films today). There are no bells & whistles - just succinct storytelling. John Cleese offers some pleasant narration. Zooey Deschanel sings a few original songs quite well. So you see, I have an affection for this; but it's more because I've always been enchanted by the source material. 'Winnie the Pooh' is a bit too monotonous; even at 53 minutes. 'Pooh' has its beguiling moments, as usual. It's painless. I smiled. Yet I'm still disappointed by the slightness of the production.
Owl sends the gang on an adventure to save Christopher Robin from an imaginary villain, the Backson. Of course, all Pooh really wants is to find some more honey. But he'll help his pals when he can. Will Eeyore get his tail back? Will the Backson get Christopher Robin? Can Pooh find some honey?
That's it folks. Inspired by 5 stories from A. A. Milne's books, 'Winnie the Pooh' feels nothing more than a 53 minute (you heard that right, 53 minutes) cartoon episode that you'd watch on TV on a Saturday morning. In other words, the movie is nostalgic, cute, but hardly a stellar feature film. Now, I don't want to knock the movie too hard. I admire how simple, straightforward, charming, old-fashioned, & sweet the film is. Fans of WTP (such as myself) will like being transported back to a time when we were, oh, maybe 6 or 7 yrs. old; watching Pooh & friends on TV.
I also like that nothing about the film/story comes across at a breakneck pace (like most animated films today). There are no bells & whistles - just succinct storytelling. John Cleese offers some pleasant narration. Zooey Deschanel sings a few original songs quite well. So you see, I have an affection for this; but it's more because I've always been enchanted by the source material. 'Winnie the Pooh' is a bit too monotonous; even at 53 minutes. 'Pooh' has its beguiling moments, as usual. It's painless. I smiled. Yet I'm still disappointed by the slightness of the production.