It's easy to forget that Disney owns the rights to A. A. Milne's classic honey obsessed bear, Winnie the Pooh. In today's world of animation, you're either themed towards adults, or one of the sleek and expensive productions courtesy of Pixar and Dreamworks. There's very little room left for an animated 'toon that moves along at it's own pace, and emphasizes imagination and friendship over all other virtues. No explosions, no 3D, no overblown production budgets or silly marketing ploys. Winnie the Pooh feels exactly as you remember it, a piece of your childhood frozen in time.
All the characters you know and love are here flashing the traits that have made them so memorable. Directed with love by Stephen Anderson and Don Hall, the story is an amalgamation of various Pooh stories. Eeyore, the perpetually grumpy donkey, has lost his tail yet again. Tigger is as bouncy and obnoxious as ever. Pooh, the silly ol' bear all stuffed with fluff, is again on his eternal quest for more honey. It's his drug of choice. Their home in the storybook land of 100 Acre Wood is a magical place, where the calm and quiet is rarely interrupted except for the occasional bounce from Tigger. Only this time there's a little bit of "danger" involved, as the gang mistakenly believes their human friend, Christopher Robin, has been kidnapped by an imaginary creature known as the Backson.
The story spearheaded by Burny Mattinson is simple enough for kids to enjoy, and highlights many of the themes of Milne's classic stories. Yet the dialogue has been updated just a little bit to add just a touch more depth. The characters joke and poke fun at one another more than in previous incarnations, yet it's all in good fun and never mean spirited. The musical score, always such a crucial piece to every Pooh film, is provided by Avenue Q, with most of the lyrics performed by indie fave, Zooey Deschanel. Her signature voice is a perfect complement, adding to Pooh's offbeat tone. Some of the recognizable voices have been altered, with most working better than others. Tigger's is a bit too growley for my taste.
This is the first Winnie the Pooh film since 2005's disappointing Pooh's Heffalump Movie
. Here's hoping Disney keeps these coming every couple of years or so, especially if they're going to be this good. At only 68 minutes in length, parents will have little excuse not to introduce their kids to one of animation's great treasures. 
Trav's Tip: Winnie the Pooh was created by A.A. Milne in 1926, based on a toy teddy bear owned by his son, Christopher Robin Milne, who also was the basis for the Christopher Robin character. The original bear Christopher owned now sits at the New York Public Library main branch.
