12 Reviews of Christmas - Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year (2002)

         Hey guys, Chuck here, and for 12 Reviews of Christmas, we're heading back to the Hundred Acre Wood with Disney's Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year, released as a direct-to-video movie in 2002. 

        The movie starts off with Pooh taking home a Christmas tree, which is part of the Christmas Eve tree trimming party and gift exchange. Pooh, however, has to hide his gift for Piglet, who has arrived with everyone else, including Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, Gopher, Eeyore, and Tigger. After letting everyone in, Pooh and the gang decorate his house, Tigger annoys Rabbit with some jingle bells, and Rabbit recounts the story of how they almost missed out on Christmas gifts one year, cutting back to the New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh episode Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too.

        The story of that episode is as such. Christopher Robin writes a letter to Santa, with what everyone wants for Christmas. Rabbit wants a new flyswatter, Eeyore wants an umbrella, Tigger wants a snowshoe for his tail, and Christopher Robin wants a big new sled. Pooh and Piglet, however, don't mention what they want, although Pooh mentions pots of honey to get for everyone else. Anyway, the next day, Pooh finds the letter didn't reach Santa, and Pooh looks to add to the letter. Once again, the letter doesn't make it to Santa, so Pooh and Piglet pose as Santa and a reindeer to deliver shoddy versions of the new gifts. This upsets the likes of Rabbit, Tigger, and Eeyore, who go after the imposter Santa, finding out that it's Pooh. But, as luck would have it, Christopher Robin has everything that the gang wanted for Christmas, including some honey for Pooh. 

        Cutting back to the movie itself, and there is a definite contrast of animation between the movie and the Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too episode, we see gifts being exchanged, but Pooh forgot where he hid his gift for Piglet. Silly old bear. Anyway, as it happens, Christmas Eve is followed by Christmas Day, and everyone in the Hundred Acre Wood is enjoying the snow and sunshine, and Piglet gives Pooh a Christmas gift. Pooh then spends the next several days looking for his gift to Piglet, and eventually, he finds that it's New Year's Eve. 

        Unfortunately, Rabbit has gotten fed up with Piglet's skittish nature, Eeyore's gloominess, Tigger's incessant bouncing, and Pooh's appetite for honey, and decides to move away. So, everyone decides to act the opposite of how they normally are, with Piglet become obnoxiously brave, Tigger becoming extremely skittish, Pooh becoming gloomy, and Eeyore is cheery and always eating honey. This further fuels Rabbit to move away. 

       When Rabbit gets lost, everyone reverts to their old personalities and works together to save him. Rabbit is grateful for everyone rescuing him from the bees that had nabbed him and pulled him into a tree. Rabbit, initially unaware of the plans for the New Year's Party, changes his mind about moving away, and everyone reunites with Christopher Robin and the New Year's party goes off without a hitch. And, it's during the party when Pooh remembers Piglet's Christmas gift, and rushes home to collect it. And what is the gift? A music box playing the song "Auld Lange Syne." Pooh and the gang all sing "Auld Lange Syne," and the movie ends. 

        A Very Merry Pooh Year is a lot of fun, especially as far Disney Christmas movies go. Combining original storytelling with showcasing a previously released Christmas story involving the same characters was kind of interesting, although there's a clear visual and audio difference between the main movie and the previously released Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too. But, I'm also glad the Disney simply reused the episode as opposed to reanimating and redubbing the episode from scratch. And, given that Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too was used, we got to hear the voices from that episode, like Paul Winchell as Tigger, along with the movie's main cast of Jim Cummings as Pooh and Tigger, Peter Cullen as Eeyore, Ken Sansome as Rabbit, Kath Soucie as Kanga, and so forth. 

         The songs in the movie, both familiar and new, were very well done, with the opening song "Winnie the Pooh" being performed quite brilliantly by Carly Simon. I also enjoyed such songs as "Snow Snows" and "Happy Pooh Year." I think that Silversher & Silversher did a great job with the songs in the movie. 

       Overall, I enjoyed A Very Merry Pooh Year. It's definitely one that's for younger audiences, and is a worthy yuletide watch for the whole family. I'm giving Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year a rating of 4.85/5. 

      Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and 12 Reviews of Christmas will be looking at the 2002 Christmas comedy Mr. St. Nick.

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