This review will consist of me asking myself 10 questions and answering them to the best of my ability. However, before I do that, let’s take a look at my clues from last week.
#1 It’s a buddy movie…I think this is pretty self-explanatory if you know anything about the characters from the Hundred Acre Woods.
#2 The main character is based off a classic story to which its main character was inspired by something that happened in real life…Author A. A. Milne had a son named Christopher Robin who absolutely adored a black bear named Winnie who lived at the London Zoo. Winnipeg, or Winnie, had a sweet tooth just like Pooh Bear, but she preferred ice cream.
#3 In this colorful film, misunderstandings abound…I used the word colorful in place of just coming out and saying that the film was animated. Also, if you know anything about these characters, know that they aren’t the brightest bunch.
Lastly, there was my very subtle bonus clue that stated “the next movie I’m going to review may seem a bit out-of-place;” that is, of course, considering you saw my two previous reviews that were entirely not appropriate for children or maybe even teens (I’m not a parent, so that’s a little gray for me).
New: see my viewing experience notes here.
1. What is this film about?
Winnie the Pooh wakes up hungry and goes in search of honey only to find his friend Eeyore with a missing tail. So, all the stuffed friends and creatures of the Hundred Acre Wood gather together, along with Christopher Robin, to find a replacement tail, with no luck. As Pooh continues his search for honey, it appears that Christopher Robin as gone missing…and without him, calamity ensues.
2. What did I think of the title, poster, and or trailer?
I liked the poster a lot the first time I saw it. I thought the friends were headed on sea voyage until I saw the trailer. I thought the trailer was misleading after seeing the movie, but not in a bad way. In a way, it was good that it didn’t give too much of the story away. As for the title, there have been many movies featuring Winner the Pooh, but I was glad to see he finally got title coverage in his own feature-length film.
3. What did I think of the main character(s) and how the actors performed them?
You must watch this movie with an open mind and perhaps a bit of nostalgia. I can totally see some uptight P.C. person complaining about the misspelled words and the silly misunderstandings that occur, but that’s not the point of the story. I love these characters because they are simple and compartmentalized; easy for children to understand. Obviously, I wouldn’t want real people to be like this, but for talking stuffed animals, it’s perfect.
You have the chubby one who often puts food first.
Then there’s the sad or “downer” one who always needs cheering up.
There’s the pink little people pleaser.
There’s always one who thinks he knows more than everyone else does, and so on…
With all that being said, I still love each and every one of these characters for the innocence and sincerity they represent.
Also, the voice talent on the film is great. You can’t beat John Cleese as your narrator. All the voices and personalities mesh quite well together.
4. What did I think of the direction and cinematography?
Stephen J. Anderson directed this film and is currently most known for his work on the movie Frozen. To be honest, I haven’t considered the impact of direction in animated films. I feel I know too little about the director’s role in animation to really comment on this. I assume voice coaching is involved and perhaps character expressions and pacing, but who really knows.
I guess since I thought the film looked and flowed beautifully, the direction must have been good. I must say, though, that I was so excited to see that this film was a product of tradition animation. I have nothing against computer animation, but for a story as simply and basic, and down to earth as this, traditional was the way to go. I don’t know if I’m ready to see Pooh Bear totally computerized, but I think would have still watched it anyway.
5. What did I think of the soundtrack and score?
I loved this soundtrack. It brought back my childhood and made me like Zooey Deschanel even more. I was very surprised and pleased that the song that appeared in the trailer, didn’t actually appear in the movie. Again, not that that would have been so bad, I just think it was better without it.
6. What did I like about the story as a whole?
This is a story of friendship and overcoming obstacles. I could try to get real deep here if I wanted to, but I don’t think that’s necessary. It’s a sweet movie, suitable for the whole family and clever enough to keep mom and dad awake during viewing.
Pooh Bear may be a little slow and one sighted at times, but when he passes up honey to help a friend, it all comes together…The things we do for the people we love.
7. What did I not like about the story?
I don’t usually have trouble thinking of a dislike, but because this story is so much a part of my youth, I think I must have blinders on. I can’t think of anything I didn’t like. Even the annoying Rabbit was lovable in this film.
8. Would I recommend this movie to others?
Absolutely!
9. If yes, who? What would I rate this movie?
I really think this film is good for anyone, but I realize a children’s cartoon might be a tough sell for some adults.
On a scale of 1 to 5 movie reels, I give this film 5 reels.
10. Was there anything in this movie that could be related to me or anything I have written?
Tales of Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh have shaped my life, so course they have affected my writing. Most importantly, it has affected the way I depict friendship. It saddens me now, as an adult, to know that Christopher Robin grew up and outgrew Winnie the Pooh, though Winnie never stopped loving him and wanting to play with him. I guess that’s why, in my Eternal Curse Series, Giovanni outlives all the people he cares about.
Not one to end on a sad note, I’d like to list my favorite quote. You may have to see the movie to truly appreciate it…“I cannot knot.” 😀
Watch, rent, or buy this movie here.
Mock Squid Soup – Film Society
MOCK! and The Armchair Squid are proud to introduce Mock Squid Soup: A Film Society. Each month, on the second Friday, we shall host a bloghop devoted to movie reviews. We invite others to participate and post their reviews…Don’t be shy; come join the fun! 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords
