Mum's Monday: Paddington 1 and 2

WARNING SPOILERS

The first Paddington (Voiced by Ben Whishaw) film starts off well, setting up why Paddington ended up in London. We have never seen the background story until now, so this is a good basis for the films.

There is a bit of education on history relevant to the situation Paddington finds himself in, when it is mentioned that, children, during the war were evacuated to families safe in the country. It is a great reference and works well.

When Paddington arrives in London, it has changed since the times of the explorer and now gives a true impression of what it is really like. This gives the film a sense of realism, which adds to the quality of the film.

Some fun scenes and a lesson to be learned is never give a bear a sauce bottle and also what is interesting, fun and yet painful to watch is Paddington getting to grips with ‘The Facilities’. Another scene is where you have the most accurate sat nav in the world, when the voice on it says “Bare left” they look left and lo and behold there is a bear, Paddington flying through the air more precisely.

It is also nice to see in this film, where Judy (Madeleine Harris) notices things from Paddington’s point of view and it is nice to see Mr Brown (Hugh Bonneville) mellow, once Paddington tries on a family air loom, in the form of Mr Brown’s childhood coat.

The special effects in this film are well done and works really well, you would think Paddington was real.

It is sad that Paddington, although he tells the truth, no one believes him and there is one question “How can a nice explorer, have such an evil daughter?”. This is answered as in she felt wronged when her father refused to harm the bears in Peru.

Judy and Jonathan Brown (Samuel Joslin) show resourcefulness and create a great diversion, once they believe Paddington and all’s well that ends well, a real tear jerker and hooray for marmalade sandwiches and a trap door.    

Paddington 1 and 2 have good solid story lines, with the second one you go through a whole range of emotions and seems a bit more heart-warming than the first, the idea to have the book about London, that Paddington wants to get for his Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) as the story line is a great basis for this film and when Paddington is shown to help his fellow neighbours and they repay him at the end, you see it coming but it still gets you as a real tear jerker.

Some funny scenes, one when Paddington gets a job at a barbers, it is well put together and Paddington is very resourceful, but alas it doesn’t quite work out. Another scene where you have to ask “How much damage can one red sock do?” the answer “A lot of prisoners dressed in a lot of pink”. Also on the trains you can predict what is going to happen but it is still fun to watch.

When Paddington writes home to his Aunt Lucy back in Peru, in both films, the wording is perfect, coming from a bear living and getting to grips with the human world and their emotions.

The second film leaves more of a lasting impression; I just wish the bad guy Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant) didn’t leave such an impression in the end credits.   

I hope, as there is room for many more Paddington films, that these are not the only 2 they make.