To be honest, I never really gave Tinker Bell much thought. I felt sad when she almost died in Peter Pan, but other than that, I gave her about as much thought as I did fireflies. Well Disney, enjoying much success with their Disney Princess line, apparently decided that the time was right for us to learn more about one of its most recognizable characters... or they felt that they needed another merchandising line, and fairies seemed like a good option. Whatever the motivation, Tinker Bell has her own, self-titled movie, and although I'm embarrassed to admit it, I actually kind of liked it. Weird, huh?

Now, if you're expecting for Tinker Bell to detail how she first met Peter Pan and how they developed their rather unique relationship, I'm afraid that you'll be rather disappointed. I know I was. That story I think would not only be intriguing, but also pretty good. Instead, Tinker Bell merely explains how Tink got her name and what her role is in the grand tapestry of the faerie world. It's a story about loving yourself for who you are and seeing that you have been given unique talents that matter. It's about how fairies are responsible for the changing of the seasons and about Tink's misadventures as she discovers who she "really is." The overall plot is pretty blah, but the characterizations are surprisingly fun.

This is the first time that we've ever heard Tink talk, but the change wasn't nearly as jarring as having Tom and Jerry talk. The animators and voice actors do a good job of making Tink feel very similar to the pantomime character we first met on Peter Pan's grand adventure. There are even a couple of clever moments where Tink strikes an exact pose from that first movie; but you have to have a sharp eye to catch them. It's a nice attention to character detail that I appreciated.

The rest of the characters of faerie world are basic archetypes, but they fill their roles well and provide some fun characters for Tink to interact with. It's through these interactions, not through the story itself, that the movie gets its biggest laughs (yes, I did laugh out loud a couple times) and best moments. The CG animation is quite good and helps make these moments more enjoyable, which really have nothing to do with the plot.

Speaking of which, parents may want to consider just how much they want their kids buying into this drivel. This is yet another self-actualization tale that can only cause more harm than good if little girls are raised to believe that all they need to do is believe in themselves and all of life's problems will be solved. Look, I'm all for good self-esteem and confidence, but I know very well that confidence in myself, belief in myself, can only take me so far. At best, those beliefs might be able to take me through a fairly successful and comfortable life, but they won't get me anywhere after this life is over.

Plus, there are times when I face problems that are just too big for me, or for any person for that matter, to solve. Where do I turn then? Where do we go when ourselves and our strength isn't enough? Some people call Christianity a crutch. I agree with that statement. In fact, I think it isn't just a crutch, it's really more a stretcher. I play basketball, and the couple times when I've twisted my ankle, I need a crutch to help me get around. That wasn't a sign of weakness, that was a necessity for me to get around. There's no weakness in acknowledging that you need help.

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