Skip to content
MovieViral.com
MovieViral.com

The Latest Viral News for Films and Beyond!

  • Home
  • Archives
  • Movie & Viral News
    • Cloverfield Sequel
    • Reviews
    • Trailers Weekly
    • Past Viral Campaigns
  • About
    • About MovieViral
    • Meet the Team
    • Contact
  • ARG & Unfiction Forum
MovieViral.com
MovieViral.com

The Latest Viral News for Films and Beyond!

Movie Review: “Winnie The Pooh” Is Sweet as Honey

Dan Koelsch, July 11, 2011July 11, 2011

This Friday, The Walt Disney Company releases Winnie the Pooh in theaters. It will be the first Pooh movie in theaters since 2005. The classic children’s series debuted in 1926 as a novel by A. A. Milne, then grew into a franchise that included television shows, movies, and of course merchandising. How does this classic world hold up in modern cinema? Find out after the jump.

For the few who do not know the story of Pooh Bear, young Christopher Robin (named after the author’s son) has an active imagination. He creates the world of Hundred Acre Wood and populates it with his stuffed animals, led by honey-loving Winnie the Pooh, a “bear of very little brain”. Joining Pooh are Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga and son Roo, and of course the depressed donkey Eeyore. The film weaves three storylines together comprising of Pooh’s search for Honey, the gang trying to find a replacement for Eeyore’s lost Tale, and Christopher Robin being kidnapped by the evil “Backson”.

These are characters that many of us have grown up with, so it’s hard to be too critical of a film that brings up so much nostalgia. Fortunately, there is not much to criticize here. Everyone is just as you remembered, especially lovable Pooh, voiced as usual by Jim Cummings (he’s been voicing the character, along with Tigger, since the late 80s). While the average film goer may be put off by the randomness of three separate storylines, they tie together pretty well at the end. In fact, I think it’s a great idea to throw in a few different stories to keep the attention of the younger crowd who can often get bored with regular movies that have a single story. It’s great to see that Disney decided not to change what we love so much about this franchise, like Pooh breaking the fourth wall with the narrator (John Cleese) and interacting with the storybook that frames the tale. These aren’t computer animated versions of the characters, they are classically drawn and mostly voiced by actors who have been with these characters for decades. Even the new voices shine, including comedian Craig Ferguson as Owl.

So, there has to be something wrong with this movie, right? Well, yes. First of all, the running time is just over an hour, and that includes a mediocre short at the beginning revolving around the Loch Ness Monster. I would love to see more of the Hundred Acre Wood, but maybe it’s for the best that Disney keeps you wanting more. Again, I think the kid-factor is important here. Most under 4 have trouble sitting through an entire 90 minute film, no matter how good it is, so this again this might be a smart choice by the studio (not to mention more showtimes for more money at the box office). However, the pace is very leisurely, so boredom could set in for parents and kids alike if they don’t connect to the world. Also, the few songs we get are sadly not very memorable, and Tigger feels a bit pushed to the background for some reason.

Personally, I see this all as just nitpicking. If you are looking to see a Winnie the Pooh movie that sticks with the basics, then this film will charm your pants off. It’s hard to not walk away feeling nostalgic, since the film brings you back to your childhood, especially with the ending live action shots of how Christopher Robin orchestrated the story in his bedroom. 4 STARS.

Reviews DisneyWinnie the Pooh

Post navigation

Previous post
Next post

Related Posts

“Moonrise Kingdom” Review

May 25, 2012May 25, 2012

From the moment the needle hits the record, an unmitigated wave of nostalgia crashes onto the audience, and to those who are unfamiliar with Wes Anderson’s waters, they will drown in what is perhaps the most genuine romantic comedies that everyone has ever seen. That’s right for those who cannot…

Read More

Top 10 Best Movies Of 2014 (So Far) – Mike’s List

July 9, 2014July 14, 2014

It’s already July, which means half of the year is already behind us. You’ve already seen what I was disappointed with this year, so let’s finish off our top ten of the year so far on a positive note. Unfortunately there were no real stand outs this year, and half…

Pages: 1 2 3
Read More

Movie Review: Tucker & Dale vs. Evil

November 13, 2011

Currently in limited theatrical release, and VOD, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil packs a lot of substance into its 90-minute runtime.  Tucker & Dale is a buddy comedy, a deconstruction of the redneck horror subgenre, a bloody gore fest and reverent homage to horror classics like The Evil Dead and…

Read More

Comments (6)

  1. Pingback: ‘Pooh’ Craves Sweet Spot Between Old and New – ABC News | Mickey News
  2. Pingback: ‘Pooh’ craves sweet spot between old and new – Boston Globe | Mickey News
  3. Pingback: Movie Review: ‘Winnie the Pooh’ – The Republic
  4. Anonymous says:
    July 18, 2011 at 7:16 pm

    Pooh fans check this exclusive behind the scenes look at the re’pooh’t of the movie! http://bit.ly/rmn1pT

  5. Talktokelly_2000 says:
    July 25, 2011 at 4:56 pm

    I grew up with the Winnie the pooh movies, I hope this movie was made for young children because there was nothing memorable for me in it, I expected more.

  6. Courtneyhoward says:
    July 26, 2011 at 1:25 am

    I was so mad when I had to go see winnie the pooh.I thought is would be such a baby movie.When I left i couldnt belive what i said before because i was 100% wrong. MY FAV MOVIE. THIS IS A MUST SEE. I usually rate movies an 8 or 9. BUT NEVER IN MY LIFE HAVE A RATED A MOVIE A 10.But changed my mind.
                                               THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST SEE 

Comments are closed.

Coming Soon...

Join the MovieViral.com
ARG & Unfiction Forums



©2009-2025 MovieViral.com. The Sometimes Weekly Publishing Company.