Paddington (2014); adventure comedy family film review

Korean poster artwork for the adventure comedy family film Paddington.

Beloved Bear by Linh

One of the most loved fictional bears in children’s literature finally has his own movie. Paddington is the brainchild of author Michael Bond and the young bear began life on the pages of a children’s book series. The Paddington books inspired an animated television series and a stage musical adaptation depicting the funny misadventures of Paddington bear. With Bond’s blessing, Paddington is brought to cinematic life with an ensemble cast featuring some of Britain’s best stage and screen performers. Keep an eye out for Bond’s cameo appearance in the film as a kindly gentleman at Paddington train station.

Paddington is an origin film for Paddington bear, with most of the storylines from the first book and a few stories from later Paddington books. The film opens with a black and white short documentary created by British explorer Montgomery Clyde (Tim Downie). Clyde is amazed to learn that a species of highly intelligent bears live in the jungles of Darkest Peru and he teaches them to speak English. He introduces them to marmalade, which they immediately love. The bears featured in Clyde’s short documentary clip are Uncle Pastuzo (voice of Michael Gambon) and Aunt Lucy (voice of Imelda Staunton) and in the documentary, Clyde tells them they will be warmly welcomed if they ever visit London. Many years later, Uncle Pastuzo and Aunt Lucy are still living in Darkest Peru with fond memories of meeting Clyde and hope to visit him in London one day. They are raising their nephew (voice of Ben Whishaw), who is a curious and adventurous teenage bear. The young bear loves marmalade and helps his uncle and aunt make marmalade according to a special recipe. He is also bilingual and can speak, read and write English as well as his own bear language.

The bears’ happy life is disrupted when an earthquake destroys their home and kills Uncle Pastuzo. The young bear was able to retrieve his uncle’s red floppy hat, which he then continues to wear almost every day. Aunt Lucy decides that due to her old age, she cannot raise her nephew any longer and she will need to live at the Home For Retired Bears. She instructs her nephew to go to London and find Clyde who may help him find a home. She packs a suitcase full of jars with marmalade, ties a tag around her nephew’s neck which says “Please look after this bear. Thank you.” and hides him inside a boat bound for London.

When the young bear arrives in London, he is wide-eyed with wonder and excitement, until he discovers the warm welcome he expected was not forthcoming. At the train station, people ignore him and quickly walk past him without a word. The bear stands in front of the ‘lost and found’ office at the station until the Brown family walk past, and Mrs. Mary Brown (Sally Hawkins) turns around to converse with the bear. Mr. Henry Brown (Hugh Bonneville) is immediately suspicious of the bear while his children, Judy (Madeleine Harris) is disinterested and Jonathan (Samuel Joslin) is bemused. After the bear tells them his name in his bear language, Mrs. Brown suggests that he might like an English name. She names him Paddington as that is the name of the train station where they met him. The Browns take Paddington to their home to stay temporarily, where they live with their housekeeper Mrs. Bird (Julie Walters), and they offer to assist Paddington in finding Clyde. Unbeknownst to Paddington, his new life in London will soon become dangerous as Clyde’s daughter Millicent (Nicole Kidman) has some nasty plans that threaten his existence.

The cast is excellent and computer-generated images and special effects used to create Paddington works seamlessly.to blend animation with live action. Colin Firth was originally cast to voice Paddington, yet Ben Whishaw is commendable and better suited for the role with his younger voice and modulated tones. Hugh Bonneville, best known for his role as Robert Crawley in the television drama Downton Abbey, relishes the opportunity to show some comic and action skills as Mr. Henry Brown. He is brilliant as a cleaning lady in one scene and as a risk-taking rebel in an earlier scene. Oscar nominated actress Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine, X+Y) is delightful and affable as Mrs. Mary Brown whose inquisitiveness and curiosity attracted her to Paddington at the train station. Julie Walters (One Chance, Brooklyn) is always a hoot in any comic role and her portrayal as the observant and wise Mrs. Bird outshines the CGI feathered birds (Paddington’s hungry pigeons) in the film. Fans of the Doctor Who television series will be pleased to see Peter Capaldi (The Fifth Estate, World War Z) as the nosy and grumpy neighbour Mr. Curry, especially in the scenes when he appears inside or near a London telephone box, in reference to himself as The Doctor. Nicole Kidman (Lion, The Secret In Their Eyes) played a nasty character in The Golden Compass which was not well-received by most viewers, yet her portrayal of Millicent Clyde, a knife-throwing taxidermist for the Natural History Museum in this film, is vastly superior in nastiness. There was a brief sombre moment for some viewers when Kidman’s character said “My father is dead”, as some people were aware her father in real life, Dr. Anthony Kidman, died during the film’s post-production stage.

Paddington is a film which reminds us that no matter where we come from, we can always find a home elsewhere. However, the film depicts possible obstacles and other challenges that make ‘fitting in’ more difficult depending on one’s race or ethnicity. Paddington not only comes from a different country, he is also of a different species, which makes his presence in the human community very interesting and sometimes complicated.  He is the only anthropomorphic bear in London who speaks English, which makes him especially unique and finding a home for someone like Paddington requires open-mindedness, kindness and patience. Although he is a bear, Paddington contributes to the community and to the Brown family through cultural means of food and language, such as sharing his special marmalade recipe and teaching them his bear language.

There are underlying themes of immigration, social inclusion and acceptance which are depicted implicitly through Paddington’s misadventures and his interactions with other characters in the film. For example, Mr. Gruber (Jim Broadbent), who owns the antique store, has a strong German-Jewish accent and represents immigrants who may have escaped war-torn countries to find a home in London. Through hard-work and perseverance, Mr. Gruber has settled comfortably in London to become a familiar and friendly face in the community. Paddington’s arrival in London would be deemed by some as “illegal” as he arrived by boat without any legal identity papers. The community’s acceptance of Paddington is a result of his misadventures, so he is liked for his considerate, polite and generous nature.

Paddington is a highly enjoyable and entertaining film that will entice viewers to read or re-read the Paddington books and is a great introduction of Paddington bear for the uninitiated. Director Paul King succeeds in bringing the warmth and humour of Paddington bear from the books to the film. The fantasy scenes from Paddington’s imagination and his misadventures in the bathroom, in the kitchen and chasing the wallet thief are highlights of the film. For fans of Paddington, there are many more stories from the Paddington books that would make sufficient and superb material for another Paddington film.

Director: Paul King

Writers: Michael Bond (books), Paul King (screenplay), Hamish McColl (screenplay)

Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Nicole Kidman, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Tim Downie, Ben Whishaw (voice), Michael Gambon (voice), Imelda Staunton (voice), Matt Lucas, Madeleine Worrall, Theresa Watson, Geoffrey Palmer, Lottie Steer, Michael Bond

Producers: David Heyman, Harvey Weinstein, Bob Weinstein, Rosie Alison, Alexandra Ferguson, Ben Irving, Jeffrey Clifford, Ron Halpern, Manohar Tahilramani, Oliver Courson

Cinematographer: Erik Wilson

Original Music Composer: Nick Urata

Film Editor: Mark Everson

Production: Gary Williamson (production design), Cathy Cosgrove (set design)

Costume Designer: Lindy Hemming

Running Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Mamma Mia! The Movie (2008); musical comedy film review

Poster artwork for the musical comedy  film Mamma Mia! The Movie.

Dancing Disco Divas by Linh
Based on the stage musical, Mamma Mia! is brought to the silver screen with a stellar cast including Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth. Producer of the stage version, Judy Craymer and director Phyllida Lloyd have remained loyal to Catherine Johnson's script, transposing the hit musical from stage to screen.

With the blessings of ABBA band members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, who were also the executive producers alongside Hollywood super couple Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, more than twenty ABBA songs are performed and woven into the narrative.
In the simplistic plot, Sophie Sheridan is about to get married and lives on a beautiful Greek island with her mother, Donna, who runs a crumbling hotel. Sophie has never known her father and dreams of finding him to walk her down the aisle. She finds her mother's diary and invites three candidates who might be father to attend the wedding, without telling her mother.

Triple-Oscar winner Meryl Streep is definitely the stand out performer amongst a talented ensemble cast. Having sung in numerous stage and screen productions, the role of Donna seems to be a vocal fit for the likeable Streep. Even doing the splits mid-air while singing and bouncing about on a bed comes naturally to her. Streep has a powerful vocal delivery and is sensational in her dance sequences. Her highlight is the emotionally gut-wrenching The Winner Takes It All, but other solos of note include Money, Money, Money and Mamma Mia.

Amanda Seyfried, of Mean Girls fame, stars as the wide-eyed and sweet-voiced Sophie, who is engaging and shines with humour in her lead vocals for Honey, Honey, moving and melodic in I Have A Dream and in romantic mode for her duet with Dominic Cooper, Lay All Your Love On Me.

British actress Julie Walters is Rosie, the comical and supportive writer friend of Donna's, who is also a member of the girl power band Donna and the Dynamos. Walters delivers here harmony parts in Chiquitita, Dancing Queen and Super Trouper with aplomb. Her duet with Stellan Skarsgård, Take A Chance on Me is an absolute hoot.

Christine Baranski is the bold and brassy socialite, Tanya, who is also a member of Donna and the Dynamos, with a huge sexual appetite for younger men. She is hilarious in her duet with young suitor, Philip Michael, with Does Your Mother Know?, and provides brilliant harmonies in Gimme, Gimme, Gimme (A Man After Midnight)and I Do, I Do, I Do.

Although the male cast for Mamma Mia! looks stylish, their vocal prowess lacks the intensity and energy compared to the ladies. Pierce Brosnan plays the architect, Sam Carmichael, whose heart still burns for Donna after twenty years apart. Brosnan adds the same suave and smoothness to Sam as he does for James Bond, but his singing is a little rough around the edges. Despite this, Brosnan is capable of carrying a tune (you could even hear his Irish accent while he sings) and he gives his all in S.O.S and Our Last Summer.

Everyone's favourite Mr Darcy, Colin Firth, is amazing as the former rebel rocker turned corporate banker, Harry 'Headbanger' Bright. Firth is the strongest vocally and musically of the male leads, even playing his guitar during Our Last Summer. He lends his talented vocals in harmony for Gimme, Gimme, Gimme (A Man After Midnight) and Voulez-Vous.

Other notable performances come courtesy of Stellan Skarsgård as Bill Anderson, Sophie's third possible father and travel writer whose care-free spirit and larrikin humour provide comic relief; Dominic Copper as Sophie's fiance, Sky, has barely enough screen time, yet he is competent as singer and dancer; and the actors who play the hotel staff and also double as chorus singers and backing dancers throughout were excellent.

Eagle-eyed audiences would be able to spot ABBA members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus in cameo roles during the middle and the end of the film. Stay around for a special encore performance from the entire cast, that's ABBA-solutely fABBA-ulous.
It's a nostalgic dance down the 1970s dicso memory lane, with sequins, skin tight spandex and silver-soled platform boots. Whether or not you've seen the stage musical, it won't affect your enjoyment of the sparkling and exhilarating spectacle of Mamma Mia! The Movie.

TRIPLE THREAT: Rosie (Julie Walters), Donna (Meryl Streep) and Tanya (Christine Baranski) reminisce about the days of young love on the eve of Sophie's wedding in a scene from Mamma Mia!. Image: Universal Pictures.

Director: Phyllida Lloyd

Writer: Catherine Johnson (screenplay and stage musical)

Cast: Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski, Dominic Cooper, Juan Pablo Di Pace, Rachel McDowall, Philip Michael, Norma Atallah, Chris Jarvis, Ashley Lilley, Colin Davis, Heather Emmanuel, Nancy Baldwin

Producers: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Judy Craymer, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Gary Goetzman, Mark Huffam

Cinematographer: Haris Zambarloukos (Director of Photography)

Original Music Composers: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, ABBA

Film Editor: Lesley Walker

Production: Maria Djurkovic (Production Designer), Rebecca Holmes, Nick Palmer, Dean Clegg (Art Directors), Barbara Herman-Skelding (Set Decorator)

Costume Designer: Ann Roth

Running Time: 1 hour and 50 minutes