Winnie The Pooh: "Silly Old Bear"

Director:  Stephen J. Anderson
                 Don Hall
Starring:  Jim Cummings
                 Tom Kenny
                 Craig Ferguson
                 Travis Oates
                 Bud Luckey
                 Jack Boutler
                 Kristen Anderson-Lopez
                 Wyatt Dean Hall
                 John Cleese
Rating:    *****

Disney's brand new big screen adaption of the AA Milne classics will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Down in the 100 Acre Woods, Pooh and his friends are going about their happy lives as they normally would. But when Christopher Robin gets kidnapped by a 'Backson' they go on an adventure to save their dear friend. Along the way they face challenges, like getting out of a hole or finding a new tail for Eeyore. These stories may sound simple but the tenderness and colourful drawings will keep both you and your children happy throughout.

Along the way you are treated to the warm narration from John Cleese, his interaction with the characters, and fatherly voice turn this film into a bedtime story. Throughout the film he makes you feel safe but also makes the characters feel safe, something that children really respond to and enjoy. It's this quality that makes this film so comfortable and endearing to watch.

Each character's voice artist is wonderful. They know how to make the characters come to life and jump off the screen. Pooh and Tigger are both voiced by Jim Cummings, and the casting is perfect. He knows how to give the warmth and love of Pooh, and the excitable and fast-paced nature of Tigger. This isn't his first time doing these voices and it shows, he slips into the charcter like a comfy pair of shoes and that is what these charcters need. Rabbit, Owl, Piglet, Eeyore, Christoher Robin, Kanga And Roo have all been cast so well that you fall in love with them all over again. The warmth and enjoyment they exude is perfect for these kinds of films.

The animation is flawless, and I have yet to see a piece of cinema this beautifully made since 2004's 'Howls Moving Castle'. Each scene and frame has been hand drawn and really captures not only the feeling of the original film, but the beauty of Milne's old books and E.H Shepard's original illustrations. This rarely used (at least these days) way of making the film brings a real feel of nostalgia and warmth, something which appealed to me and should appeal to fans of the old 'Blustery Day' Winnie the Pooh.

The final piece of the puzzle that makes this film so enjoyable and lovely is the music. Robert and Kristen Lopez wrote 7 sweet songs for the film. They capture everything that makes Winnie the Pooh what it is and put into song. The friendliness and fun of each original song fits exactly with the flow and the feel of the film. Zooey Deschanel (yes the actress) also provides her jazzy vocals and impressive song writing skills for this film. Not only did she write an original song which she sings over the end credits, but she also provides a new and fun take on the classic theme music.

This film is perfect for fans of the books and the old films, but also I feel it will translate perfectly for the 'Pixar' generation. It is sweet, colorful and full of fun, and I really recommend you pick the DVD up from your local store.