POOH'S HEFFALUMP MOVIE

by Jane Louise Boursaw

Rated G. 63 minutes. Directed by Frank Nissen. Ok for kids 3 and up.

There’s something mysterious in the Hundred Acre Wood. Tigger (voiced by Jim Cummings) describes it as a loud shaking that suddenly stops, and Rabbit’s pretty sure there’s only one creature who makes that noise: a Heffalump, an evildoer with “fiery eyes and a tail with a spike” which is “wide as a river and tall as a tree,” as “The Horribly Hazardous Heffalumps” tune goes.

So crotchety Rabbit (Ken Samson) organizes a hunting expedition, complete with elaborate traps and schemes. “I’d like to see a Heffalump try to breach these defenses,” he says confidently. Tigger, Pooh (also Cummings), Piglet (John Fiedler) and the others join in, but tell little Roo (Nikita Hopkins) he’s too young to take part in the hunt. So Roo sneaks off on his own, encounters a baby Heffalump named Lumpy (Kyle Stanger), and realizes there’s nothing to be afraid of.

THE WRAP-UP: It’s been far too long since we’ve had a good Pooh movie, and this one, narrated by David Ogden Stiers, is just the ticket to ward off the mid-winter blues. Thanks to Roo and Lumpy's friendship, everyone learns a valuable lesson about working together and not believing everything you hear.

Pooh and his buddies are perfect for the preschool crowd, and even grade-schoolers will have a good time with this gentle, feel-good movie. And dare I say it? The little story could easily apply to real-life prejudice and our heightened fears about homeland security.

SCORE: 4 out of 4 Reels.

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Jane's Reel Rating System:

One Reel – Pathetic. Even The Force can’t save it.

Two Reels – Tolerable. Coulda been a contender.

Three Reels – Pleasant. Something to talk about.

Four Reels – Wow! The stuff dreams are made of.

E-chat with me at jane@reellifewithjane.com - I LOVE to talk about movies!

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