Winnie the Pooh****
Dirs. Stephen J Anderson, Don Hall. 60 mins. Circuit Planete, Empire Theatres and Grand Cinemas, July 14.

Movie review
AA Milne fans exasperated by recent DVD versions  may be calmed by this big-screen reboot of the Winnie the Pooh franchise from Disney. While the animation is similar, the story is more closely basec on Milne's deftly written  comedy episodes. Milne's words appear on screen and interact with the characters: at one point they use the letters to form a ladder.

It's more literary than recent versions such as 2005's 'Pooh Heffalump Movie' and brings and old-fashioned charm back to the series. Plot-wise, it's nothing special: the film is a couple of stories woven into one and can't hold a candle to the likes of 'Toy Story'. This is a relatively modest film but one that should entertain the very young - along with nostalgic parents and grandparents.

Author: Anna Smith