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Since we are posting links to trailers for terrible looking films, if you've ever wanted to see a CGI bear rip-off a famous shot from Delicatessen then here's the Paddington trailer.

Even worse: no marmalade sandwiches anywhere to be seen!

Complete with gross bathroom humor mere seconds in!

Weird how Wes Anderson influenced the visuals are. And where is his duffel coat? That coat is about the only detail I remember of the books.

Not real encouraging. I have a long standing affection for this character and this series of books so I was admittedly always going to be hard to please though the stop motion animation shorts from the 70's managed it well enough. I always thought it would be a bad idea to set this in contemporary London, though Bond's own recent books in the series does do that with some problematic results. The Wes Anderson approach they seem to be taking here (twee alternate time) may be their way of trying to make that work but that ain't likely to work for me as I find Anderson's stuff suffocating and stultifying in equal measure. Also, the easy gag literal bathroom humor here is a lowest common denominator appeal and the bombast of the luge tub ride down the stairs is way off key--Paddington was always definable by the simple nature of his misadventures; they were low key and that was enough (again, the shorts nail that tone perfectly). In the books, for instance, the corresponding scene culminates in him running the water over the sides of the tub rather than TAKING DOWN THE DOOR AND RIDING A WAVE. But I am still heartened by the great cast in this. I continue to hope for the best.

FerdinandGriffon wrote:Weird how Wes Anderson influenced the visuals are. And where is his duffel coat? That coat is about the only detail I remember of the books.

They actually got that right as he doesn't acquire the coat till he visits Barkridges department store with Mrs. Brown in chapter 4 of the first book.

I'm really hoping for this movie's sake, the trailer's a lie and it'll be better than it looks.

It's a shame as I remember Paddington Bear from my childhood as being quite dignified even in difficult situations.

The best 'Creepy Paddington' picture so far is this one: Paddington By The Lake! (Someone must have gotten the wrong idea about the film featuring 'bears'!)

Wow. I was thinking during the trailer why Firth ever agreed to do it after reading the script, but how did he manage to drop out and not get in serious legal trouble? Will be interested to see how this progresses

I don't know, maybe he managed to work something out with the producers. I guess he realized he was too good for this kind of project.

It's really stunning how profoundly influenced by Wes Anderson this film is, the visual set pieces (like introducing the family through a doll house miniature like the cut out of life aquatic, the house maid calming busting out an arc welder to repair a bathtub or telling a brief story about kindertransport by looking down at a toy train) are really beautifully done. The script is shockingly smart with rather nice jokes for adult viewers.

Of course it is marred setpieces like the bathroom or chasing down a pickpocket, presumably to keep the restless kiddos interested.

And oh my there is a lot of marmalade. And even the occasional "hard stare"

And my god the pneumatic tube system in the explorer society is just phenomenal and one of the most wes Anderson things ever.

It's a pretty enjoyable film. But I did note that for a film that celebrates diversity, it shows a pretty white-centric view of London.

bdsweeney wrote:It's a pretty enjoyable film. But I did note that for a film that celebrates diversity, it shows a pretty white-centric view of London.

yeah it's extremely charming and a superb family film.

And given the plethora of films specifically referenced in the climax it's an ideal family film for the cineaste household: a gateway drug for kids to Anderson, reed, Hitchcock, dreyer, woo, etc

If Paddington inspires children to start watching Dreyer, then... Well, my view of the younger generation is obviously far too harsh currently.

Hehe I thought that would get a rise

Spoiler

there's a little shot reverse shot in the wrap up of the film a trial that seems designed to reference passion of Joan of arc

Sounds kind of insufferable. They couldn't work in a few references to Aguirre, the Wrath of God or Come and See along with the rest?

bdsweeney wrote:It's a pretty enjoyable film. But I did note that for a film that celebrates diversity, it shows a pretty white-centric view of London.

Although nowhere near as much as Notting Hill - at least Paddington has a street calypso band.

Sounds like they're bearly there!

Don't know if we have a thread for the sequel, but without seeing the first first I thought this was supremely charming if rather different from how I remember the books. It's charmingly goofy and lowkey with an excellent sense of mood. Brendan Gleeson's introduction scene is a great example of this. It starts off with an real awkward discomfort and gets genuinely tense until we actually see Gleeson where it instantly becomes hilarious. Gleeson cuts this immense figure that it has to be comical. The film also has a wonderful sense of style. A bit of that Wes Anderson style that seems referenced above is here though it seems to be reaching back to Jaco van Dormael which is different enough to be a pure delight.

It's also an interesting film thematically. It has an Eastwood like conservatism to it replicating his ideas on what a good immigrant is from Gran Torino. That conservatism though leads to a surprising cheer for diversity with German, Indian, West African, and of course Peruvian immigrants. In the context of a kids film that streak occasionally rubbed me wrong such as with its view of the prison system, but even that is a fascinating way to engage with the topic. That's helped by a killer's row of character actors doing amazing jobs. I'm most surprised with Hugh Grant as the villain. He's been surprisingly great these last couple of years playing his status as an old man with this self parody being the best I've seen so far. Sally Hawkin's as an eccentric Mrs. Brown is also a delight. Most of the characters' aren't given enough to be fully fleshed out (the son's desire to be cool is not dealt with at all), but there's at least enough for them to not be entirely anonymous.

Just like the first, and even slightly more, I absolutely loved it. Jumping on your comments (I saw the sequel a while ago) I don't very mind if there are some references to Anderson (the prison does mirror Grand Budapest quite a lot, but I love both, so who cares) because the humor and set-pieces here are some of the most wonderful that I've seen in a while. While Marvel and the rest keep making longer and more boring films, King and his wonderful cast keep finding ways into my heart.
Also the causality in this film is the closest I've seen in a while to the brilliant A Brighter Summer Day.
One of my favorite 2017 films and I'm more than ready for the third one to come.

Have heard the second was better than the first but I so supremely hated the first one that I haven't been able to bear (sorry) to see it. "Rather different" from the books is putting it mildly and kindly. As someone who adored them (and still does adore them) that first film felt almost like a sacrilege.

I thought the second was a huge improvement on the first. Very warm and charming.

Am surprised to see all the support for Paddington 2 here, as I had become completely convinced this was only the sort of thing that childless 30 and 40somethings in Film Twitter-land were obsessed with. Have never heard anyone I know who has children mention it but it seems like everyone in Brooklyn who owns beard oil has the Blu-ray

Saw this in January and still haven't seen anything even close to being as good as Paddington 2 since. I was skeptical about it, chalking it up to another CGI treatment of a beloved character for children. After the effusive praise for P2 online I sought out the first installment (fine, not great) so that I could catch this one. I found it incredibly moving, and have shown it to other friends who were skeptical as well and it moved a few to tears. The CGI is really lovingly done, you can tell they took the time to make ot right. Its leagues ahead of any recent superhero fare. I also like that this seems more like a Chaplin film than a typical recent children's film might be (including a rather cute little nod to the Little Tramp). I was surprised how much I loved this, but its just a ton of fun.

mfunk9786 wrote: Fri Jul 27, 2018 2:56 am Am surprised to see all the support for Paddington 2 here, as I had become completely convinced this was only the sort of thing that childless 30 and 40somethings in Film Twitter-land were obsessed with. Have never heard anyone I know who has children mention it but it seems like everyone in Brooklyn who owns beard oil has the Blu-ray

Kids love it in the UK and Australia, at least.

You'll probably love it too. It's hard for me to imagine someone actively disliking Paddington 2.