Winnie Puuh und I-Aahs Geburtstag

"Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore" isn't as good as the 3 earlier shorts but it's still likable.

The picture quality of this short is slightly inferior comparing to the earlier ones and that is part of the reason why it isn't as good.

Another reason is because most of the cast is different. Unfortunately we have no longer Sebastian Cabot, Junius Matthews, Barbara Luddy and Sterling Holloway. On the other hand, luckily we still have Ralph Wright, Paul Winchell, John Fiedler and Hal Smith in this short - and that's a good sign. Jim Cummings does a decent job as the voice of Winnie the Pooh, but Sterling Holloway was better.

This short is mostly dedicated to the gloomy donkey Eeyore.

However, he is feeling more miserable than ever for two reasons. First, because Tigger bounced him and accidentally threw him into a river. And second, because it's his birthday and nobody remembered that, which causes Eeyore to believe that nobody cares about him.

In a try to help Eeyore getting off the river, Winnie the Pooh accidentally throws a rock to his belly, nearly causing poor Eeyore to drown.

When Pooh finally finds out that today is Eeyore's birthday, he decides to give him a jar of honey as a present, while Piglet decides to give him a balloon. But accidentally Pooh eats the honey and Piglet breaks the balloon after falling.

Surprisingly, Eeyore enjoys the empty jar and the broken balloon. Another surprise is that Eeyore smiles. We never see him smiling.

In the meantime, Cristopher Robin returns and they all celebrate Eeyore's birthday with a new game named "Pooh Sticks". Of course that Tigger says "That's what Tiggers do best" and then he contradicts himself.

"Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore" is still a very enjoyable experience and luckily it is available as an extra in the 25th Anniversary Edition DVD of "The Many Adventures of Winie the Pooh".

These Winnie the Pooh's shorts/stories are also a great way to learn and see how valuable friendship is.

"Winnie" is having an amble when he finds a fir cone. He drops it into the river - inadvertently discovering the game of "Pooh Sticks" - and is soon playing with his friends "Rabbit", "Piglet" and "Roo". Their game is disrupted by a large floating object - and that turns out to be the glass-half-empty character that is "Eeyore". What's he doing in the river? Seems he was "bounced" into it - and there can only be one culprit for that. "Tigger" denies all knowledge but a bit of intervention from the narrator proves who did what and reminds us that it's also the gloomy donkey's birthday! Quickly they decide that they have to get him some gifts - but what chance "Pooh" is actually ever going to remember his task. "Owl" might be able to help out? "Piglet" has got him a balloon - or has a balloon got him a "Piglet"? "Pooh" eventually gets him an useful pot and "Christopher Robin" gets everyone together for a nice birthday tea - well it's nice until "Tigger" arrives and we are soon all back where we started - on the bridge with the sticks! It's a little bit long, this animation, but the characters and the friendly nature of the story makes for an easy watch with just about everyone in on the act and trying to pull together to cheer up "Eeyore".

As a kid this short was important for two reasons: 1) Eeyore was a vital character and presence as a child because he was sad and, while told sometimes to try and cheer up, he wasn't forced out of his state (this kind of precedes Sadness from Inside/Out, but you get the idea). 2) I recognized the animation and the voices were different, subtly so, from the three shorts that made up the 'Many Adventures' feature, and this was the first time I realized that cartoons were not made at the same time (ie this was post Sterling Holloway's death). Small things, but I was a freak for Winnie the Pooh as a real little kid! (Hell, the first movie I ever saw and all) This is a wonderful short to watch and is a celebration of Eeyore as an essential part of the Pooh-verse: his dry sense of humor, his seriousness, and acceptance when surrounded by friends.

And yes, there are 'Pooh sticks'.

Kids will love this Winnie the Pooh story about friendship. I must say I was entertained as well. Pooh is not the smartest bear in the world and Eeyore who is not the fastest donkey in the world made me even laugh a couple of times.

'Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore' is an animated short movie for the whole family to enjoy!

It's Eeyore's birthday, but none of his so-called friends have bothered to notice. Pooh has made a new game involving chucking sticks into the river to see which one wins in a race. He calls it 'Pooh Sticks'. Now, where I come from that particular noun means something completely different.

When Eeyore comes floating along they realize that he is more depressed than usual. When he reveals why the day is supposed to be so special they all run off to find makeshift presents and prepare a party. It actually works, and he cheers up.

A fine Winnie the Pooh short, with the great animation and wonderful backgrounds we've come to expect. It also keeps Christopher Robin to a minimum.