“Oh Bother”A.A. Milne was quite an eclectic writer. He wrote murder mysteries that even appeared on Alfred Hitchcock Presents. From that fertile mind would also come a place known as the 100 Acre Wood. In that select place some of literature’s finest characters had the greatest adventures any boy could imagine. And adventures are certainly no fun on your own. Young Christopher Robin was joined by Piglet, Tigger, Owl, Rabbit, Eeyore, and, of course, Winnie-The-Pooh. Who didn’t fall in love with that silly old bear… Winnie-The-Pooh. OK, so maybe Dahmer or Bundy might have been exceptions. Still, anyone growing up in the last 30-40 years who isn’t a psychopath has had a love affair with Winnie-The-Pooh, all stuffed with fluff.
But I can’t recognize my old friends any longer. Where has Christopher Robin gone?
Where is Owl? And who are these other animals that now populate The Hundred Acre Wood? I feel like I’ve just been roused from a 100 years of suspended animation. There is that faint hint of familiarity. Jim Cummings is still voicing Pooh. But I really must have missed a large gap of stuff between then and now, between there and here. This film appears to be a spin-off of a Disney Channel series called Super Sleuths. It’s likely some Blue’s Clues copy from what I can tell. I say apparently because I have not seen the show, nor did I even know it existed before now.
In this television grade CG animated adventure the gang are having a picnic. It’s such a wonderful picnic that they break out into a song about family and togetherness. Rabbit is congratulated for organizing the affair and rewarded with the title of Mayor of The Hundred Acre Wood. Once he finds out exactly what a mayor is, the power goes to his head. Before long Rabbit has regulated every aspect of life in The Wood. He allows Tigger only one hour a day to bounce and schedules official times for nearly all chores. The rules create a split in the friends, and before you know it the entire Wood is split into two. The line runs straight through Piglet’s home, causing both sides to politic him to join their side. Of course, the friends discover it’s no fun being separated, and soon we’re all singing the family song again.
The story is okay and certainly fits in with Disney’s Pooh universe. If you’re expecting something along the lines of the previous traditionally animated films, you will be disappointed. I don’t even know these characters any more, and honestly wish I’d never seen this movie. I feel like an endearing memory from my own childhood has been trampled. I guess that’s progress, but this movie is certain evidence that not all progress is good.
Video
The movie is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.78:1. Colors are bright, and the movie benefits from its digital source. Lines are very clean. Black levels are solid.
Audio
The Dolby Digital 5.1 track might as well be a stereo presentation. There are almost no ambient sounds or effects. It’s all dialog, and sometimes not even that.
Special Features
There are some musical song extras only.
Final Thoughts:
This movie is intended for very young children only. The random bright colors that appear are totally geared toward the post toddler stage. I suggest you skip this piece of junk and take out a classic Pooh adventure instead. Those are truly timeless characters and stories. This movie is nothing but the exploitation of beloved characters. When it was done, there wasn’t much I could say, except “Oh bother”.
