Watching Christopher Robin was quite simply one of the most wonderful experiences I have ever had in a movie theater.
Was it the best movie I have ever seen? I do not believe so. It is hard to say considering I spent the entire time in a magically induced trance filled with awe, wonder, and pure happiness.
For one of the only times I can remember, the movie was not the star of this experience. This film was merely an excuse to take a walk down memory lane. Perhaps "excuse" is selling it too short. This movie cast a spell that compelled the viewers to relive their childhood... or their children's... or their grandchildren's.
I have never seen a movie audience comprised of a wider range of ages. Parents were there with their adult children. Grandparents sat next to tiny grandchildren. Young families beamed as they settled in to watch what I imagined to be their child's first movie. After the credits, a teenage daughter embraced her mother as the pair left the theater as the happiest blubbering mess I have ever seen. The mix was amazing.
And I was there with my 11 and 13 year old children. Or were they 1 and 3... or 3 and 5... or 5 and 7... or 7 and 9? It is hard to tell considering I spent the entire time in a magical stupor reminiscing about so many happy memories involving my children. Was my mom there too? I don't remember buying her a ticket. But it felt like she was right there next to me dreaming about the time she painted a perfect Winnie the Pooh mural on the wall next to the bunk beds my sister and I shared when we were children. Were those my baby brothers' cribs in the aisle? The cribs that my mother hand lovingly decorated with the silly old bear himself?
Yes. I think so. All of those things were there because I brought them all with and will never let them go. I store them in the thoughtful place reserved for my important things. It was so nice to take them all out for an hour or two.
You can't keep your important things all cooped up. Sometimes you need to let them out.
During those two hours I spent pouring over fond memories of my family, a movie played on the screen. A father was so busy with work and planning for his family's future that he forgot to enjoy the life that was right there in front of him. He was not a bad guy. Oh no, quite the contrary. He was a great guy who simply wanted to make sure his family would always be happy. Sadly, he had forgotten that today is also part of "always".
It was a story we have seen one thousand times.
But have we ever seen it with a life-like Winnie the Pooh who spouts the simplest yet deepest philosophical truths all while make us grin from ear to ear every time he is on screen? No. I don't think we have. And that makes all the difference. Pooh is Magic. He is also hilarious!
Of course, the story is very simple. (Pooh isn't a big fan of anything too complicated after all). An adult Christopher Robin needs help learning a lesson about what is truly important in this world. Naturally, his old pal Winnie the Pooh goes on an expotition to post WWII London to help his dear friend. Hijinks ensue when the pair need to get back to the Hundred Acre wood and find the rest of the gang.
Although not very complex, the movie is delightful. There are quite a few very funny scenes intertwined with the ones that tugged at my heart with the strength of a thousand heffalumps. As a result, I spent the entire one and a half hours with tears in my eyes. But don't worry, they were caused by my urge to "happy cry" as my daughter used to call this sensation. My daughter, on the other hand, was a full-blown "happy crying" mess for at least half of the movie. The only problem I had with the entire movie is the real world resolution to Christopher Robin's problem at work. In the story, he has a very large business problem to solve. The solution he poses is not very realistic (but who cars?! it is a kids movie about a talking bear.) Even though I did not like this scene, the writers very wisely tied it up incredibly quickly so we could get back to the fun.
The effects were perfect!
The effects used to create Pooh and the rest of the inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood were perfect. They do not look like live-action versions of cartoon characters. They look like stuffed animals! They have creases where their posable legs meet their bodies. The fake fur is worn around the eyes (probably from being hugged so tightly by their human friends). Tigger clearly has a metal spring hidden under his fury tail. These are clearly stuffed animals who have come to life. And they are awesome!
The voices are also perfect. The creators of this movie avoided a horrible mistake of casting some popular modern actor as the voice of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. Instead, Jim Cummings reprises the roles he has played since 1988. The magic contained in that familiar voice was one of the main reasons it was so easy to be transported back to the thoughtful place reserved for my important things.
The acting is fantastic. Although Ewan McGregor must spend the majority of the movie interacting with stuffed animals that aren't really there, he never lets the audience know he was merely playing pretend. It really looks like he is interacting with his old friends. He also plays the role with the perfect amount of heart. When he learns the essential lesson that Pooh has taught him, you truly feel the change inside his character. He is also an excellent "straight man" for that silly old bear. Hayley Atwell is wonderful as his wife. Although not in the movie as much as Christopher or Pooh, by far the most important character is Madeline Robin portrayed incredibly well by Bronte Carmichael. Madeline is Christopher's daughter... so of course she is the most important person in this movie and his world. (I'm pretty sure in the Hundred Acre Wood the words "son" and "daughter" translate to mean "most important thing in the world".)
This is what I call "an important thing".
As we drove home from the theater, my daughter was till crying. She felt so bad that Pooh had to wait for Christopher Robin for 30 years. I tried to get her to focus on the fun. That did not work. Then I tried to remind her that Pooh is the ultimate Taoist. He believes in the Yin and and Yang. I explained that Pooh wasn't sad about waiting so long because that wait allowed him to be so incredibly happy when he did see his friend again. Needless to say, that also failed. In between her sobs (and now confusion) she looked up and asked, "Can we watch baby videos when we get home?" She meant videos of her and her brother when they were younger.
Of course we could.
TLDR; The movie Christopher Robin inspired my kids, wife and I to watch several hours of home movies after we returned home from the theater.
It was one of the most wonderful experiences I have ever had after being in a movie theater.
Oh one more thing. If you can, please go and see a showing of this early in the morning. If you do, there will most likely be some very little kids in the audience. Normally I am not a big fan of people talking during a movie. However, Christopher Robin is an exception to that rule. In fact, my experience was enhanced by hearing the tiny little voices around me exclaim, "Pooh is real! He came to life!" or ask "How did pooh get on the train without a ticket?” Hearing the wonder in those voices made the experience all the more... wonderful.
And when there is wonder in the voices around you and the movie is wonderful and the memories it elicits are wonderful and the home movies you watch afterward are wonderful... that is what I call a Wonderful Day.
Geeky Dad's Movie Guide
Number of times I fell asleep: 0 (Unless it was all just the best dream ever!)
Number of eye rolls: 1 (The soltuion to the business problem was too silly... but it is about THE silly old bear so I can forgive it.)
Number of face palms: 0
Number of times my kids asked to go to the bathroom or get food out of sheer boredom: 0
Number of times I checked steemit: 0
Did my kids like it: They both loved it! Yes even a 13 year old young man was magically transported back to when he was a very little boy.
Would I see it without my kids: Yes... but it is so much more fun with them!
Full price/Matinee/Rental/Free/Not worth the time: Full price and early in the day so you can hear the little kids whisper about it.
My family and I LOVED it! It was one of the most heartwarming fun movies I have ever seen. I agree, it was like taking a trip down memory lane. Who doesn't want to hug Winnie the Pooh!
I saw your mom's comment. You are going to do a lot of very cool things in your life, but something tells me you will never forget being there for your mom.
Most teenagers forget how lucky they are to have a good mom. Seems like you are again an exception to that rule. You made a memory to look back and be incredibly proud of.
Pooh's the man!
He sure is!
Oh my goodness! I just finished reading your post! We just got back from taking our boys TODAY! I felt EXACTLY how you did through the whole movie! It WAS magical! It took me back to my childhood memories too! I cried through most of it, but then even sobbed at some parts! @hotrod was sitting right next to me, and even though he's 15, he hugged me and held my hand during most of it! I love that kid SO much! Both my boys are my life, and I do try to make EVERY day fun with them!
I also agree with you about using the original voices! Those voices have comforted me for years! It's truly one of the BEST movies I have seen in a long time! I was sorry when we had to leave the theater to go back to the real world! lol
Thanks for sharing your memories with us too!
I am so happy that you saw it with your kids! I figured you guys would all enjoy it (considering that you have hearts and souls and all that).
I was shocked at my 13 year old son's reaction. He was so happy. He is trying to be "cooler" lately but not on this day. he just truly enjoyed himself.
That is very sweet that hotrod recognized you needed him.
Big thanks for the review - I'd totally forgotten about this movie... fortunately it is playing here as well so we're all going to the cinema, as we're all big fans... my kids had tons of books and plushies and lots of Winnie-related stuff. A must see for all of us!
I am very confident that you will all enjoy it. I hope you do!
Oh, we had a wonderful time this afternoon at the cinema...the whole time we were like Aaww, such a sweet movie and the animation just wonderful... I loved how they managed to give them that air of old much-loved toys... my son declared it to be heart-melting. Thanks again!
You have inspired me - I will definitely take the whole family to see it soon! Thank you!
I really hope you enjoy it!
Ok, well this movie has gone from, 'Why should I watch it?' to 'When can I watch it?' My children might be too young (eldest is four) but that's never stopped me going to the cinema childless before!
I'm in your movie reviewing debt.
I think you are right that the 4 year old may be bored. You could always wait for them to be older and rent it. The beautiful thing is that Pooh clearly isn't going anywhere. ;)
Agh cute - who can not have a good feeling after some Pooh, Tigger and friends?
This is the kind of film I like, the one that makes us reflect, feel, see life differently and the ones that fill us with joy. Well, you enjoyed it.
@hanshotfirst, thanks for the great insights for the movie, I guess now I can imagine the whole movie from this. Thanks again.
Yes its really nice film i like it :)
If you don't mind please see my blog i hope you like it :)
Wow.. Your post has been so detailed in such a way that those who haven't watched the movie before could still get a picture of it.
Nice post.
Sounds like a magic film. I do have fond memories of pooh and the other characters. I will have to wait for the film out on Netflix or Amazon but will def watch it after reading this :)
Me too, Karen! I have to wait, but I will certainly be watching it. So many wonderful memories of Winnie the Pooh, the silly old bear!
I've just recently found out pooh is a girl?
Really??? Oh, now I remember...Winnie was a bear that was donated to the London zoo by a Canadian soldier (a veterinarian from Winnipeg Manitoba Canada) in 1915. He purchased the bear at a train station for $20 as he was passing through Ontario on his way to England. A. A. Milne took his son Christopher Robin to the zoo which named the bear Winnie. She was female. Later Christopher named his teddy bear Pooh. From that inspiration came the story about Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh and his friends in the 100 Acre Woods.
It is a great one to watch with any age child by the way.
So hubby would enjoy it haha
I will be watching this definitely! I remember receiving Pooh as gift. It was my first stuffed toy. My mom reminded me the question is threw at her. I was told that I asked where was Pooh's pants.
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Great question! Still one of the great mysteries of our time.
Thank you for sharing this experience of your family, it is really magical to watch the movie with children and to be able to talk about that, to discuss something and sometimes you find that you also may change your opinion as sometimes the children may have their own interpretation and you never thought about that. The books with Winnie the Pooh were first that my son started to learn reading and I remember how on and off we read them until he could fluently read, but I did not realized that was only his photographic memory for the words and text so he knew it by heart. I thought that he was really easy ready but he was telling me by heart. When I realized that we anyway had a lot of fun, as that is another very good skill that children can develop while little and to bring it to perfect with years.
Until now those books are his favorite, I have not heard about the movie but I think we will also have a fund watching it :)
Another Winnie The Pooh flavored movie and I bet it is a good one to be seen by my sibling's younglings @hanshotfirst and I hope too that it won't bore me down because I easily get bore with anything I do now.
Really its a wonderful movie. I also like to enjoy such movies.
its dull and not worth to be viewed.
this movie is literally awesome
seems winnie the pooh is back !
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