Spotlight: Winnie The Pooh (2011 film)

Winnie The Pooh opens in Philippine theaters today but here's the catch only in Glorietta and Greenbelt 3 cinemas. I guess a traditional animated movie is a hard sell these days and it makes me sad. Even in the U.S the movie just earned 26 million during its box office run and just around 6 million on international markets. The production budget is relatively low so that box office returns are OK enough and they will make the money back in home video but still it just shows how traditional animated movies are not attractive to kids and casual moviegoers anymore. Disney's The Princess and the Frog in 2009 did a good 100+ million in the box office worldwide but it pales in comparison with the huge 400 to 500 million gross CGI animated movies make. While I love CGI animated movies, there's still a certain charm and warmth traditional and handdrawn animated movies bring. I hope this art form will not die. Anyway, the film is just an hour long and I believe this is a good choice for a young child's (3-5 years old) first movie in the theaters. I will watch this because I miss traditional animated films in the wide screen.

Can I just I really like the trailer of Winnie The Pooh, it feels so nostalgic!

Here are the excerpts from Click The City's review of the Winnie The Pooh

Quote:

Winnie the Pooh is all about going back to basics. The animated film is a very different creature now. They’re all tentpole releases, and as such, are generally loud, colorful adventures that seek to emulate the success of blockbuster action films. Winnie the Pooh, on the other hand, is a very small film with a very slight story about a bear looking for some honey. The film simply goes back to the minimalist charm of the A.A. Milne books, and in so doing, creates something rather remarkable.

Quote:

Everything looks spectacular. There’s no denying how great CGI has been for animation, how it’s pushed the industry to new heights. But there’s still something special about handdrawn animation. There’s a real warmth to these drawings, a wonderful softness that gently draws the eye and brings the audience into the animated world.

Quote:

Winnie the Pooh isn’t exactly a game changer. In fact, it’s likely going to be one of the last films of its kind. Moviemaking is a business in the end, and traditional animation just isn’t efficient enough for today’s production environment. That only makes the film’s existence all the more extraordinary