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Winnie the Pooh
Stars: Voices: Jim Cummings, Craig Ferguson, John Cleese, Tom Kenny, Bud Luckey, Jack Boulter, Travis Oates, Kristen Anderson-Lopez
Director: Stephan J. Anderson, Don Hall
Given that Winnie is quintessentially British, Disney has thoroughly Hollywoodised the amiable Bear over the years in a (variable) series of animated movies. Happily, (perhaps due to the influence of executive producer John Lasseter?) this latest addition to the studios A A Milne treasure trove returns in style to the original, intermingling Milnes text with attractive evocations of E H Shepards original illustrations. (Also, for accompanying adults, who would be well advised to take a break in the lobby during the two sugar-soaked short cartoons that precede the main feature, Winnie the Pooh is not too long).
The plot has hunny-addicted Pooh spending an eventful day with his pals in Hundred Acre Wood hunting for Eeyores missing tail and misreading a note which makes them believe Christopher Robin may have been the victim of a terrifying creature.
Its all quite gentle and likely to entertain youngsters who havent been brainwashed by the more athletic Scooby Doo, Ben 10 and their ilk. American actor Cummings speaks for Pooh and Tigger again, with Ferguson as the voice of Owl, and Cleese, plummy and just right as the narrator, flying the flag for Britain.
Alan Frank
USA 2011. UK Distributor: Walt Disney. Technicolor.
74 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: U.
Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 0.
Review date: 14 Apr 2011