Showing posts with label Winnie the Pooh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Winnie the Pooh. Show all posts

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Best Fictional Bunnies, Ranked

Some spoilers included.

With Easter coming up, now is the perfect time to feature the long-eared cuties who don't get nearly enough recognition. Whether starring in movies, cartoons, or favorite childhood books, or simply acting as support for other characters, bunnies are often the unsung heroes of fandoms. So, without further ado, here are the best fictional bunnies, ranked:

18. Snowball, The Secret Life of Pets


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Coming in last place on this list is Snowball, the evil bunny who serves as leader of the Flushed Pets. His criminal organization has earned him a place on this list, but he's really just kind of annoying.


17. Peter Rabbit, The Tale of Peter Rabbit


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Peter Rabbit is cute, and he's smart enough to lead his friends and get away with shenanigans, but he's a fairly run-of-the-mill character. Childhood nostalgia wins him some points, but lack of personality lands him seventeenth.

16. Ralphie, A Christmas Story


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While Ralphie is not actually a bunny, I couldn't make a list without including him. So while his humanity earns him a low spot on the list, his adorable humiliation and iconic look earns him a spot nonetheless.

15. The White Rabbit, Alice in Wonderland


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His one dimension and constant tardiness puts him low on the list, but the fact that Lewis Carroll wrote him earns him a higher spot than he would have had otherwise. Really, though, get a better watch. Or some better time management skills.

14. E. Aster Bunnymund, Rise of the Guardians


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To be honest, I don't really remember much about this character other than he's the Easter Bunny. And Hugh Jackman. Hugh Jackman and all the badassness he brings earns this bunny his spot.


13. Buster Baxter, Arthur


I grew up on Arthur. Buster, in my childhood eyes, was the absolute best best friend that could ever exist. But watching it as an adult... he's not very competent. Even for a child. So he made the list for nostalgia's sake, but he's not the top.

12. Judy Hopps, Zootopia


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Judy is a try-hard cop with a decent story arc, but not as good of an arc as Nick. Sorry, I've just got a much bigger soft spot for conmen than I do for easily frustrated bunnies.

11. Lola Bunny, Looney Tunes


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Bugs's sexy counterpart, Lola is just all-around a badass. She commands attention, she's smart and witty, and she plays basketball like a boss. Her low spot on the list is only from her lack of exposure.

10. Boingo, Hoodwinked!


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A much better villain than Snowball, Boingo earns his spot in the top ten through inventiveness, showmanship, awesome songs, and a fantastic villain laugh. He's really got a pretty good handle on things as far as evil masterminds go.

9. Mother Rabbit and Family, Robin Hood


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Mother Rabbit is quite possibly the most morally upright of any on this list. She does her best to help Robin Hood, to help the poor, and to raise her adorable children. Her children are brave and imaginative and just genuinely good people. Well done, Mother Rabbit.

8. Thumper, Bambi


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"If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all." That alone earned him his spot on this list. But Thumper is also just adorable, adventurous, and full of personality. He's a very memorable and lovable character, and he very much deserves his spot at number eight.

7. The March Hare, Alice in Wonderland


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The March Hare is just a fun character. I prefer the live-action version to the animated, though the book character, of course, is obviously also great. He's mad, he's helpful, he loves parties, and he's always having tea. What's not to love?

6. Roger Rabbit, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?


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Roger Rabbit, while highly annoying, has possibly the most personality of any bunny on this list. He has all the traits of a typical toon, but he's also self-aware--and funny--which is why he's earned spot number six.


5. The Long Patrol, Redwall series


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The Long Patrol are an honorable military in the world of Redwall, and each hare is personable, respectable, and fun. They're characters with a solid moral compass and a deep, abiding bravery. Plus, all the hares of the Long Patrol love food. So obviously they're great.


4. Rabbit, Winnie-the-Pooh


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Rabbit just wants to tend his garden in peace. And who can blame him? But he's still (usually) willing to lend a hand in pinch, and all the characters are rather fond of him. His sarcasm and need for order paired with the fact that he always helps his friends, even when they annoy him, is why he's ranked so high. He's timeless.


3. The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog, Monty Python and the Holy Grail


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"Well, that's no ordinary rabbit. That's the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on. [...] Look, that rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide, it's a killer!"

You don't get better than this.

2. Bugs Bunny, Looney Tunes


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How could Bugs have any spot other than one of the top? He's THE cartoon bunny. He's hilarious. He's brilliant. He's fun. He breaks the fourth wall. He's got a handle on everything. He's perfect...


1. Usagi, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles


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...but he's not the best. Because how do you beat a kind-hearted, honorable, badass samurai bunny? Especially a brilliant and witty one? You don't.

Did I miss any bunnies? Who would you rank first?

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

10 Winnie-the-Pooh Quotes to Make Life Better

On January 18, 1882, A.A. Milne, creator of the Winnie-the-Pooh stories, was born in Hampstead, United Kingdom. Thus, January 18 is officially Winnie-the-Pooh Day. As a longtime fan of Winnie-the-Pooh (ever since I can remember I would watch the movie and show with my grandma), I re-read the original story collection and found the pages brimming with insightful quotes and inspirational delights. Here are ten quotes from Pooh and Co. that I found utterly delightful and worth sharing in celebration of this "silly old bear."


If you need a bit of motivation while performing your workout routine, Pooh has the perfect song to help you with your "Stoutness Exercises":

Tra-la-la, tra-la-la,
Tra-la-la, tra-la-la,
Rum-tum-tiddle-um-tum,
Tiddle-iddle, tiddle-iddle,
Tiddle-iddle, tiddle-iddle,
Rum-tum-tum-tiddle-tum.
Isn't it the cutest?


Pooh has a plethora of wisdom to offer for a bear with stuffing for brains, especially in regards to the most important question of the day. 
"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "What's the first thing you say to yourself?"
"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh
I, too, ask such important questions in the early hours of the time.


Piglet also has some life wisdom that we can all benefit from remembering.
Piglet: "It's so much more friendly with two."
Everything is better with a friend by your side. It's touching he has many wonderful friends to choose from.


Despite his gloomy outlook on life, Eeyore has a few reasonable words to contribute.
Eeyore: "Brains first and then Hard Work."
Without brains, the hard work just won't get done. I think we all need to make sure we have our brains in proper order before beginning a task.


Piglet reminds us that sometimes in life all you need is a hand to hold.
Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.
"Pooh!" he said.
"Yes, Piglet?"
"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw. "I just wanted to be sure of you." 
Doesn't it just melt your heart?


If you're feeling a bit downtrodden because of winter, Eeyore has an interesting perspective on the weather.
"It's snowing still," said Eeyore gloomily. 
"So it is."
"And freezing."
"Is it?"
"Yes," said Eeyore. "However," he said, brightening up a little, "we haven't had an earthquake lately."
Thanks, Eeyore, for looking at the bright side.


If you need a little wisdom about how to treat others, no matter who they are or where they come from, Pooh has the answer for you.
"You can't help respecting anybody who can spell TUESDAY, even if he doesn't spell it right."
Stories meant for children always seem to make simple, everyday things more important and thoughtful.


As a writer and lover of language, Pooh reminds me why I shouldn't get too frustrated when trying to write.
Pooh: "But it isn't easy because Poetry and Hums aren't things which you get, they're things which get you."
Truer words have never been spoken. Am I right?


Pooh also understands how it feels to put your thoughts into spoken words.
"Because when you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed Very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it."
I just love this line because, as an introvert, I highly relate to this moment. Who knew that a children's story simplifying ideas into "Thingish Things" could be so touching?


And the most important quote of all...
Eeyore: "A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference."
Thanks, Eeyore, for you extraordinary wisdom. If only more of us were like you.


If you're looking for more Winnie-the-Pooh fun, here are more ideas to spend your day:
And remember:
"Where they go, and whatever happens to them on the way, in that enchanted place on the top of the Forest, a little boy and his Bear will always be playing."

All quotes and pictures from The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne, published in 1994 by Dutton Children's Books.