Winnie the Pooh

He’s back! The classic style of Winnie the Pooh is back in the new film to be released July 15th!

♫ Winnie the Pooh
Winnie the Pooh
Tubby little buddy all stuffed with fluff
He’s Winnie the Pooh
Winnie the Pooh
Willy nilly silly ol’ bear ♫

There is one word that perfectly sums up this movie – sweet. Yes, this is a pure dose of innocent and silly fun that will leave you with a grin and a bounce in your step.

While I did watch the television series when I was young, I’ve never been much of a Winnie the Pooh fan. The recent movies featuring Tigger, Piglet, etc. really turned me off to the series though. The Tigger movie was just plain sarcastic and depressing with all his close friends lying to him. Sad. Still, in hopes that the original charm would be revived, I brought my daughter and husband with me to an advance screening of the film.

Pooh sets out of to find honey one morning but ends up on a case to save Christopher Robin, along with all his friends from the hundred-acre woods. We are taken through Christopher Robin’s room and told a bit about him. Zooming into an aged version of Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne, the cover opens.

I love the detailed expressions that each character shows, especially Eeyore. Things just never go right for him and it make me want to run up and hug him. Poor Eeyore. Rabbit actually shows some real personality while Owl is a bit nutty. Kanga is witty and Roo takes after her quite well. Tigger is still overpowering but is brought to his knees with a little static electricity. Piglet is so innocently clueless and Pooh is, well, Pooh.

There are a couple bits that will make your jaw drop from surprise so the adults can get a giggle too. For example, at one point Pooh is immersed in a honey-themed dream and finds himself dancing with honey shaped liked him. He sings about how it’s made of honey so he should eat it to – then he bites of the head. The many terms used to refer to one’s back-side are used when trying to find Eeyore a new tail as well. Don’t worry, it was cleverly woven into the script and never came off as ‘bathroom’ humor.

The film runs at a nice, steady pace with subtle humor and the little nuances of the main characters that many have grown to love. There are no explosions, fights, or innuendo and this movie proves that it is not needed for a nice family film. The storyline is solid and will keep the casual movie goer entertained.

The one key point to keep in mind while watching this is that it all occurs in the imagination of a little boy. Such a viewpoint was what enabled my husband to really enjoy the film. My daughter, as the tweener she is, said it was ‘okay’. I knew better. That little girl was laughing and smiling through the whole film with bright eyes and rapt attention on the screen.

If you want to enjoy a nice, mellow outing with the family you’ll want to check this one out.