Winnie-the-Pooh,
Tubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff.
He’s Winnie-the-Pooh.
Winnie-the-Pooh.
Willy, nilly, silly, old bear
Doesn’t that tune just get you humming? I have had it pleasantly stuck in my head since Saturday when I had the opportunity to see attend a special preview of the fantastic new movie Winnie the Pooh.
The first thing that caught my attention was how gentle the movie was to the senses. I am so used to the flashing lights, loud noises and rock star tunes that are so common in most movies today. You never realize how much those aspects impact your perception until they are removed. I especially noticed it with my son who was able to stay really focused on the story, laugh at many of the subtle jokes (he normally would miss) and he was able to retell the story with exceptional detail.
The movie also does a wonderful job of maintaining the connection to the book. In the opening scene of the movie we travel down the hall and into Christopher Robin’s room. The camera pans each of the stuffed animals eventually landing on a red copy of the book by A.A. Milne. The book opens up and begins to zoom in causing the illustrations to come alive and the narrator begins to speak. Throughout the movie there is a perfect synchronicity between watching the film and feeling like you are actually part of the a book.
Another fantastic thing about the movie is that there is no villain or evil doer. All the mishaps in the movie are caused by simple misunderstandings. From Eyore loosing his tail to Owl convincing the residents of the hundred acre woods that Christopher Robin has been kidnapped by a “Backson” the story weaves and flows in a perfect example of friendship, problem solving and loyalty.
I also want to mention the movie sound track. The tunes are catchy and sweet. As they played on during different scenes I could hear the children in the audience start to hum or sing along. From the traditional “Winnie the Pooh” tune to the new song “So Long” by Zooey Deschane. I was mesmerized by the catchy little chalk drawings during the “The Backson” song and for some reason, the “Everything is Honey” song just keeps coming back to me.
At one point as Pooh lost his honey pot at one point my sweet boy exclaimed, “poor pooh, he lost his honey” out loud in the theater,it touched my heart. My personal favorite moment in the movie is when Eyore comes walking by with an anchor attached as his tail. Pooh asks him a question about it and he responds in his best grumbly tone, “found that anchor over there and now it’s attached to my derriere.” Hee Hee. So cute!
Lastly I want to include this little video of my mini reviewers. I tried to fix the sound but unfortunately my voice is very loud and the kids are hard to hear. However, they were both so cute and their perceptions are priceless. Oh, and Eph thinks that Eyore is a bear despite my explanation to the contrary.
From young to old, you won’t want to miss this instant classic. Winnie the Pooh is hunnarific and super sweet too! The movie opens this tomorrow, July 15th, 2011 nationwide.
