Paddington

Lately, there has been no cuter movie than Paddington. Paddington is simply the highest caliber of cuteness. And it is also very nice to watch because he breaks and touches everything that enters his field of vision. On the other hand, this fairy-tale combined the real world with the animated one in a way that made me continually ask why nobody finds it strange that the bear talks and acts like a human. I am probably too old for that idea, but the cuteness was so strong that every child has to drool with delight. (2015.11.04)

Though the visual style of Paddington betrays the involvement of the creator of The Mighty Boosh (fluid transitions between the real and fantastical worlds, very bold colours and costumes), it also borrows quite a lot from the films of Wes Anderson (centred frontal compositions, the mis-en-scène resembling the interior of a dollhouse). The plot conspicuously uses motifs from 101 Dalmatians and less strikingly from Chaplin’s The Kid and other films about abandoned children. Structured as a series of action sequences, the narrative is reminiscent of the more recent works Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit and The Adventures of Tintin. However, this doesn’t mean that Paddington is devoid of original ideas and only stole from others. On the contrary, it is based on a feeling of familiarity. It straightforwardly and sincerely tells a traditional story with a popular character (popular in Britain, at least). It neither denies nor is ashamed of its connection to a tradition dating back at least to 1958, when the first Paddington book was published. Nor does it throw out sentimental scenes or relativise its liberal message (how to behave toward outsiders and generally toward those who are different in an era of ever increasing intolerance). Despite the thin plot, underdeveloped or underused characters and the compositionally poorly motivated mishaps, the combination of familiar elements makes Paddington a candidate to be a new Christmas classic. 75% (2014.12.16)

The main character is endearing, and the scenes depicting his intricately complex adaptation to the interior of his new London home are truly perfect. The humour will mostly please both the children's audience, who will jump with excitement at every stunt the confused bear pulls, as well as the parents, who will appreciate its accessibility and the solid moral message, which Paddington, as a classic family film, does not spare. But what is downright annoying, however, is Nicole Kidman's character and basically the whole plot arc in the second half, which is devoid of surprise and also fails. With a bit of hindsight, I have to downgrade it to three stars, because the memory of the film has faded surprisingly quickly. 65% (2015.07.15)

A cute family film based on classic children's literature, which has not yet taken up residence in the Czech Republic. The stories of the teddy bear from darkest Peru are, after all, too closely linked to London and colonial poetics. Filmed very skillfully, it bets on certainty and fans will be attracted by a wide star spectrum that includes Nicole Kidman and Gwen Stefani. Kidman is betting on a new variation of the villain she last tried in The Golden Compass. Her new straw-colored mikado and perverse tendencies suit her with a naturalness that is all her own. And Stefani sang a new song with Pharrell for the credits to remind her listeners that she's a mom herself. All in all, this is a genre surprise that I can recommend. (2016.07.07)

For me, Paddington is a pretty cute family movie that is nothing new when it comes to its storyline, although it is a very enjoyable affair with a wonderfully likable main character. It is a really British movie, which is a big positive thing for me and so deserves one star for that. It also means I found this movie far from mediocre, especially when I watched it original dubbing. I could appreciate the lovely British accents of the main actors, which I find so pleasant to listen to, and of course, also enjoy the very funny English humor. This movie brought to my attention that Londoners have one hundred and seven ways of saying that it is raining, and I had a great and enjoyable experience. (2015.02.01)