Paddington (2015)

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

Full disclosure: I did not expect much from this movie. I threw it on to have something light in the background, but Paddington won me over. Some great directing and CGI work have brought the quintessential British bear to life, and he is equal parts funny and heartwarming. Paddington's adventures in London are perfect viewing for the whole family.

I remember Paddington from school around 25 years ago. I always knew that it's surprisingly smart for child books. But I kind of never liked Paddington. That said, still, I watched the movie out of curiosity. So, I hated stuff like the Chipmunks movies and most such new film interpretations with originally drawn characters. I didn't expect much. But... wow! I laughed so much and loved all the small details. The writing, the acting, the directing, editing and the CGI, etc... is just enormoulsy great! Everything is so much better than all this generic, stupid Hollywood stuff of today's times. And the movie seems to work even for people that usually never watch such a movie. I mean, I'm kind of a Jim Jarmusch, Wim Wenders, etc... guy. So... 10 stars for sure!

This is what happens when the best of all the different departments of British filmmaking come together. From the cast, the script, the animation and everyone else involved with this project - this film (and the sequel to it) come together to create a flawless story for all ages.Both this and the sequel are closely related and both must have been made either at the same time or with each other in mind.Like Disney's 'Peter Pan', the story is mostly about the kids and the titular character... and both give a generous portion of the narrative to the characters of the parents. There are other parallels, too.The voice of Ben Whishaw as Paddington is perfect and it's eerily similar to the sound of a softer Terence Stamp. At times you'd swear these two must have been born in the same room!Hugh Bonneville is sublime as the harried father who takes parenthood very seriously, although not always in a direction his wife and kids approve of. (Lots of teens will relate to that!)Sally Hawkins is simply brilliant as the wife who hasn't quite left her decadent '60s' years behind her... and who delivers the shortest lines ('Oooh, laminated!' & 'Crikey!') with phenomenal execution.Lots of slapstick for the kids and plenty of Easter eggs for the bigger kids, too.If you're a fan of the 'Richard Curtis' school of pathos, comedy, and storytelling, you'll love this.

Usually, I'm not a very nostalgic person and I'm certainly not a person who watches Dinsey films as an adult. However, Michael Bond's Paddington has always fascinated me since my early childhood. The idea of an innoent bear from darkest Peru integrating into British society has intrigued me much. The novels have a lot of creativity and soul as they offer beautiful life experiences and valuable morals. Since I have always loved animals, it wasn't a surprise that I was always rooting for the sympathetic young bear.In many cases, live-action or CGI animated movies fail to capture the essence of the novels they were inspired by. To my very positive surprise, this is an entirely different thing for this particular movie. The animated bear looks splendid and the actresses and actors around him do a very credible job, making us believe that the young bear is truly around them. Paddington doesn't look out of place in contemporary London and actively interacts with his diversified surroundings.The story is nicely crafted as well. It tells us the sad yet hopeful background story of the charming young bear in a concise way. We then explore how the bear finds a new home, new friends and new experiences in London. There are many humorous scenes that put a constant smile upon your face such as Paddington taking a bath in a very chaotic way. Despite creating so much chaos, the young bear changes people around him in a very positive way. On the other side, the movie also has a dramatic side as Paddington is trying to find out more about his origins and comes across a pitiless taxidermist who stuffs exotic animals. The mixture of light-hearted comedy, gripping drama and surprisingly humane life lessons from a young bear is absolutely splendid.As someone who isn't nostalgic, I was truly moved by this film and enjoyed it from start to finish. The makers of this movie have managed to recapture the magic of the novels and bring them onto screen. Paddington is a very rewarding experience for younger and older viewers. If you aren't familiar with Paddington at all, you have missed out on something and discovering this fascinating franchise will change your mind about children's literature. In times, when cinemas are flooded with gruesome Battle Royale copies, it's refreshing to go back to such a classic franchise with a pure message. Watching this movie will make you feel like an innocent child again. Bears are the better human beings.