Post by Briar Rose on Jul 30, 2011 18:07:41 GMT -8
Accompanying the movie is a new 2D short titled The Ballad of Nessie. There's really not a lot to the short, but it's cute and sweet. Billy Connolly is charming as always (he's like Bill Thompson, yet with a legit Scottish accent), the animation is awesomely retro, and the message is actually an interesting one: sometimes it's okay to cry. Ain't that cute?
*** out of ****
Now, for the main event!
It's another day in the Hundred Acre Wood... and that's all I ever want it to be.
I am not ashamed to say it, and I'll say it loud and proud. I love classic Pooh. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) is one of my favorite movies of all time, even if it's mostly just a collection of classic shorts. I grew up with Pooh and friends. I love those characters. I used to watch The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh on TV every morning before school. Pooh's Grand Adventure actually made me teary-eyed. Needless to say, I have a very soft spot for Christopher Robin's stuffed animals. Unfortunately, A.A. Milne's classic characters have been subjected to a pretty lousy CGI TV series with some tomboy abomination of a hollow shell of a remote 'character' (and I consider that scathing insult gentle). I was afraid that if there was ever a new Pooh movie, it would be equally dreadful.
I was pleasantly surprised, then, to read John Lasseter's announcement of a new film. This new movie would be in 2D, and some of Disney's cream of the crop would supervise the characters' animation. Mark Henn animating Pooh and Christopher Robin? Andreas Deja bouncing with Tigger? Eric Goldberg crazing it up with Rabbit, and Bruce W. Smith being soft and sweet with Piglet, Kanga, and Roo? Sign me up!
But is this new film, simply titled Winnie the Pooh (2011), good? Does it stand up to classic Pooh? Is it sweet like honey? Yes. It's another day in the Hundred Acre Wood... and that's all I ever want it to be.
You need to understand, though, that Winnie the Pooh is exactly that: Winnie the Pooh. There's no voodoo magic and sacrificial insects here, like in The Princess and the Frog. There's no rollicking action and large-breasted villainesses, like we've seen in Tangled. Winnie the Pooh is very relaxed and much more simple. And, personally, I like the change of pace. I'm all for good action, but it's nice to set those more active animated features aside and spend some time with classic characters, and go with their slow, chilled pace. Of course, Pooh is not for everyone, and there are as much haters as there are lovers. If you're not a Pooh fan, this new movie isn't going to sway you, or change your mind. But if you grew up with Pooh and loved the characters, like me, then this movie is heartily recommended.
And I still love those characters. When I watched Winnie the Pooh for the first time, I truly felt like I was reunited with some old friends. The movie opens with footage of Christopher Robin's room and his toys, and then the narrator (a charming John Cleese) jumps right into the book. Let me tell you, when that book opened up and the 2D animation filled the screen, I felt very happy.
Most of these characters are just as you remember them. Winnie the Pooh is that lovable bear with very little brain, and his addiction to hunny is more intense than ever (he eventually hallucinates, believing that "Everything is Honey"). While Sterling Holloway will always be the true original Pooh, I equally appreciate Jim Cummings's pooh-trayal. Cummings is also a worthy successor to Tigger, though I think Paul Winchell does own the role. Piglet is especially adorable in this new movie, and his inherent cowardice yet gentle sweetness are end-d-d-dearing. Though I really miss the late John Fiedler's voice, Travis Oates is a splendid replacement. Bud Luckey, who was one of Pixar's unsung heroes but is thankfully getting more attention, is excellent as the perpetually-depressed Eeyore. Eeyore is especially amusing here, and actually got some of the biggest laughs from the audience.
When I first heard that Craig Ferguson was going to voice Owl, my eyebrows reached for the sky. I just couldn't really picture his voice with classic Owl. Well, the movie fixed that; Owl has been tweaked a bit. Owl now does more than have long-winded, nonsensical speeches: he's an arrogant, smug pseudo-scholar. And it works, and Craig Ferguson is a great compliment. Yes, some longtime fans might be annoyed, but Owl wasn't ever a favorite character of mine, so I didn't mind the change so much.
Rabbit has also been changed a bit. Unlike many people, Rabbit was actually one of my absolute favorite Pooh characters as a child. There's just something so special about him. He feels he's the only sane guy in a nuthouse, and I found that endlessly amusing. For the most part, Rabbit is the same in this movie, though he also acts like a crazed army man in one scene. Yes, it's a funny scene and got me to laugh, but it still felt peculiar for him. I do think Sebastian Cabot is the best narrator Disney ever had, but I'm also a big John Cleese fan. Even if Cleese probably only accepted this role for the money (he had a really nasty divorce settlement), he does his job exceptionally well.
This movie has songs, like Many Adventures. No one can ever forget Winnie the Pooh's song after hearing it, and it's here, and sung very well by Zooey Deschanel (HUBBA, HUBBA!). But that's the only Sherman Brothers song you'll find here. All of the new songs in this film were composed and written by Robert and Kristen Lopez, with Deschanel singing three of them. These songs aren't as timeless or catchy as the songs in Many Adventures, but they're still nice, short, and hummable, as any Pooh song should be. My favorites are "Everything is Honey" and "The Backson Song," but I also like the credits song, "So Long."
Speaking of the credits, be sure to stick around and watch it. Not only is there amusing gags throughout the credits, but there's also bonus scene at the very end.
As I said before, Winnie the Pooh is not for everyone. If you dislike slow-paced, relaxing animated films that have no real villain, then you should give this movie a pass. But if you enjoy Pooh's company, and would like to spend a very brief 63 minutes (no joke, it's a short movie, even with The Ballad of Nessie accompanying it) in the Hundred Acre Wood, then I recommend this movie. The animation is great, the backgrounds echo the classic Xerox style, the characters are wonderful, and it's just a warm, gentle, sweet time. Sweet as honey, in fact.
One final detail: Gopher fans, you got screwed over. Only A.A. Milne's characters are here.
***½ out of ****
*** out of ****
Now, for the main event!
It's another day in the Hundred Acre Wood... and that's all I ever want it to be.
I am not ashamed to say it, and I'll say it loud and proud. I love classic Pooh. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) is one of my favorite movies of all time, even if it's mostly just a collection of classic shorts. I grew up with Pooh and friends. I love those characters. I used to watch The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh on TV every morning before school. Pooh's Grand Adventure actually made me teary-eyed. Needless to say, I have a very soft spot for Christopher Robin's stuffed animals. Unfortunately, A.A. Milne's classic characters have been subjected to a pretty lousy CGI TV series with some tomboy abomination of a hollow shell of a remote 'character' (and I consider that scathing insult gentle). I was afraid that if there was ever a new Pooh movie, it would be equally dreadful.
I was pleasantly surprised, then, to read John Lasseter's announcement of a new film. This new movie would be in 2D, and some of Disney's cream of the crop would supervise the characters' animation. Mark Henn animating Pooh and Christopher Robin? Andreas Deja bouncing with Tigger? Eric Goldberg crazing it up with Rabbit, and Bruce W. Smith being soft and sweet with Piglet, Kanga, and Roo? Sign me up!
But is this new film, simply titled Winnie the Pooh (2011), good? Does it stand up to classic Pooh? Is it sweet like honey? Yes. It's another day in the Hundred Acre Wood... and that's all I ever want it to be.
You need to understand, though, that Winnie the Pooh is exactly that: Winnie the Pooh. There's no voodoo magic and sacrificial insects here, like in The Princess and the Frog. There's no rollicking action and large-breasted villainesses, like we've seen in Tangled. Winnie the Pooh is very relaxed and much more simple. And, personally, I like the change of pace. I'm all for good action, but it's nice to set those more active animated features aside and spend some time with classic characters, and go with their slow, chilled pace. Of course, Pooh is not for everyone, and there are as much haters as there are lovers. If you're not a Pooh fan, this new movie isn't going to sway you, or change your mind. But if you grew up with Pooh and loved the characters, like me, then this movie is heartily recommended.
And I still love those characters. When I watched Winnie the Pooh for the first time, I truly felt like I was reunited with some old friends. The movie opens with footage of Christopher Robin's room and his toys, and then the narrator (a charming John Cleese) jumps right into the book. Let me tell you, when that book opened up and the 2D animation filled the screen, I felt very happy.
Most of these characters are just as you remember them. Winnie the Pooh is that lovable bear with very little brain, and his addiction to hunny is more intense than ever (he eventually hallucinates, believing that "Everything is Honey"). While Sterling Holloway will always be the true original Pooh, I equally appreciate Jim Cummings's pooh-trayal. Cummings is also a worthy successor to Tigger, though I think Paul Winchell does own the role. Piglet is especially adorable in this new movie, and his inherent cowardice yet gentle sweetness are end-d-d-dearing. Though I really miss the late John Fiedler's voice, Travis Oates is a splendid replacement. Bud Luckey, who was one of Pixar's unsung heroes but is thankfully getting more attention, is excellent as the perpetually-depressed Eeyore. Eeyore is especially amusing here, and actually got some of the biggest laughs from the audience.
When I first heard that Craig Ferguson was going to voice Owl, my eyebrows reached for the sky. I just couldn't really picture his voice with classic Owl. Well, the movie fixed that; Owl has been tweaked a bit. Owl now does more than have long-winded, nonsensical speeches: he's an arrogant, smug pseudo-scholar. And it works, and Craig Ferguson is a great compliment. Yes, some longtime fans might be annoyed, but Owl wasn't ever a favorite character of mine, so I didn't mind the change so much.
Rabbit has also been changed a bit. Unlike many people, Rabbit was actually one of my absolute favorite Pooh characters as a child. There's just something so special about him. He feels he's the only sane guy in a nuthouse, and I found that endlessly amusing. For the most part, Rabbit is the same in this movie, though he also acts like a crazed army man in one scene. Yes, it's a funny scene and got me to laugh, but it still felt peculiar for him. I do think Sebastian Cabot is the best narrator Disney ever had, but I'm also a big John Cleese fan. Even if Cleese probably only accepted this role for the money (he had a really nasty divorce settlement), he does his job exceptionally well.
This movie has songs, like Many Adventures. No one can ever forget Winnie the Pooh's song after hearing it, and it's here, and sung very well by Zooey Deschanel (HUBBA, HUBBA!). But that's the only Sherman Brothers song you'll find here. All of the new songs in this film were composed and written by Robert and Kristen Lopez, with Deschanel singing three of them. These songs aren't as timeless or catchy as the songs in Many Adventures, but they're still nice, short, and hummable, as any Pooh song should be. My favorites are "Everything is Honey" and "The Backson Song," but I also like the credits song, "So Long."
Speaking of the credits, be sure to stick around and watch it. Not only is there amusing gags throughout the credits, but there's also bonus scene at the very end.
As I said before, Winnie the Pooh is not for everyone. If you dislike slow-paced, relaxing animated films that have no real villain, then you should give this movie a pass. But if you enjoy Pooh's company, and would like to spend a very brief 63 minutes (no joke, it's a short movie, even with The Ballad of Nessie accompanying it) in the Hundred Acre Wood, then I recommend this movie. The animation is great, the backgrounds echo the classic Xerox style, the characters are wonderful, and it's just a warm, gentle, sweet time. Sweet as honey, in fact.
One final detail: Gopher fans, you got screwed over. Only A.A. Milne's characters are here.
***½ out of ****
