Paddington Double Feature Review

Double Feature Review: Paddington and Paddington 2                                                                11-16-18

Based on the beloved books by Michael Bond, Paddington is about a marmalade-loving bear cub named Paddington. After his uncle got killed in a storm, his aunt sends Paddington on a boat to London. He gets adopted by the Brown family, and Paddington stays with them until they find him a real home. Meanwhile, animal poacher and taxidermist Millicent discovers that Paddington is a rare bear, and plans on killing him so she can add him to her collection.

When I first saw the teaser trailer for Paddington 1, I thought it was disgusting: I was thinking it was going to be like one of those live-action Alvin & the Chipmunks or Smurfs movies. It looked something like this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-d-V9jXYDE

However, after watching it, I ended up liking it more than The Good Dinosaur, which was released the same year. Paddington is an enjoyable film with a story that stays true to Michael Bond's books, likable characters, and a memorable score from Nick Urata.

Millicent Clyde, played by Nicole Kidman, is also a memorable villain. She's reminiscent of movie villains that we don't see much of anymore.

In conclusion, Paddington is a wonderful film that easily outshines most of the live-action Disney remakes.

In Paddington 2, the titular bear is happily settled in London with the Browns. While looking for the perfect birthday gift for for his Aunt Lucy's 100th birthday (in bear years), Paddington comes across a unique pop-up book in Mr. Gruber's antique shop, and he embarks on a series of jobs to get enough money to buy it. When the book goes missing, Paddington gets framed for the crime and gets sent to prison. While in jail, Paddington befriends the local chef Nuckels, and back in London, the Browns and Mr. Gruber try to find the real culprit and clear Paddington's name.

Paddington 2 is one of the best sequels I have seen in a long time, animated or live-action. The film takes what was wrong about Muppets Most Wanted and fixes each problem and adds the charms of Paddington 1.

Nuckels (Brendan Gleeson) being given a marmalade sandwich by Paddington.

Nearly everything about Paddington 2 is perfect: The story, the characters, the cinematography, the music! In fact, I actually liked Paddington 2 more than Incredibles 2, and I'll probably like it more than Ralph Breaks the Internet. I'll be surprised if this film doesn't get a single Oscar nomination.

Paddington 1 rating: 4 stars out of 5

Paddington 2 rating: The perfect rating of 5 stars

PLUS 5 oranges (for making marmalade)