The BEST team I could ever ask for to help me with all this coverage! Thank them, not me!

Synopsis -

Walt Disney Animation Studios returns to the Hundred Acre Wood with “Winnie the Pooh.” Featuring the timeless charm, wit and whimsy of the original short films, this all-new movie reunites audiences with the philosophical “bear of very little brain” and friends Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo—and last, but certainly not least, Eeyore, who has lost his tail. “Ever have one of those days where you just can’t win, Eeyore?” asks Pooh. Owl sends the whole gang on a wild quest to save Christopher Robin from an imaginary culprit. It turns out to be a very busy day for a bear who simply set out to find some honey. Inspired by three stories from A.A. Milne’s books in Disney’s classic, hand-drawn art style, “Winnie the Pooh” hits theaters in the U.S. on July 15, 2011.

* * *

I'm not sure that after watching this film, I would write a biased review. Why you may ask?

Just to clarify, I LOVED Winnie the Pooh when I was a kid! I watched it on Saturday mornings on ABC and even had huge stuffed Pooh bears on my bed when I lay asleep. There was just something in me that attracted me to watching over and over again. I don't think it was the story, but the charcters. I really fell in love with the characters.

And that's what you'll do AGAIN in this feature animation film. From watching the trailer a couple months back, I was unsure what kind of appeal it would have to others. To me, it seemed a little more mature than just a kids film where Pooh and friends would come together and accomplish something in cute and funny ways. After watching a few episodes that I watched when I was a kid, I realized that for even an adult, the story told lessons. To a kid, it was entertaining and something that once in a while they'd "ponder" about and then start asking questions...like I did!

Again we jump to present day. I am all grown up and I still had this love of a bear that loves hunny - yes hunny. We had the very special opportunity to watch an advanced media screening of the film at the Walt Disney Studios (aka Disney HQ) in Burbank in the famous Frank G. Wells Screening Room.

When we arrived with Mike, we found that we were the only teen/college aged people in the whole room! The rest of the room was filled with parents and their little ones. That gave me some idea of what to expect, but not until after the first couple minutes did I realize just exactly how this film would bring me back to my "childhood days."


Can you name them from left to right?!

1) I loved the STORY.

I'm a stickler for stories. STORY STORY STORY STORY! Just like I said in my Cars 2 review, the way a movie uses moving pictures and sound together should NOT just be for the sake of being a movie, but rather to portray and tell a story.

The Winnie the Pooh film is LITERALLY a story. The beginning credits begin with a narrator (John Cleese - great choice!) showing you around the room of Christopher Robin. He sets you up with how the characters come to be, where, etc. Then a book opens up and the story begins! It's a perfect way to begin...a story!! Kids will relate to this for sure.

As you'll see throughout the film as well, the imagery of an actual story being told through film is very evident and quite an interesting and yet thoughtful way to SHOW a story!


The narrator actually reads this text as the story goes on. It's like having the screenplay visible when it's being played out. I love that attention to detail - it REALLY just brings a book story to life!