'Christopher Robin' Review

Nominated For: Best Visual Effects. 

All grown up, Christopher Robin has left the Hundred Acre Wood and his spirited, stuffed childhood friends long behind him to become a working class family man. Years later, Christopher Robin journeys alongside Robin as he unexpectedly encounters Winnie-the-Pooh who helps him to rediscover the joys of life. 

Growing up, I watched countless Winnie the Pooh cartoons, played with the affiliated toys, and jumped for joy any time I heard the silly old bear's famous jingle. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride at the Disney parks was once even my favorite ride there, and I'd still happily ride it now for nostalgia's sake and an easygoing experience. Needless to say, I loved Winnie the Pooh as I'm sure many of you reading did, and still may. So, of course, my interest was peaked when I got wind of this live action revival. Even though I'm admittedly growing a bit tired of Disney's live action reboots (there's three to be released next year alone), the trailers sold me that this could be unique and adorable. 

I quickly found my suspicions to be justified as I was treated to a genuinely adorable hour and forty-four minutes. Based on the characters created by author A.A. Milne and illustrator Ernest Shepard, Christopher Robin is directed by Marc Forster, features a screenplay from Alex Ross Perry, Tom McCarthy, Allison Schroeder, and attributes story credits to Greg Brooker and Mark Steven Johnson respectively. In the vein of Steven Spielberg's cult-classic Hook, Christopher Robin is all about re-instilling a sense of childlike wonder and playfulness in its protagonist. It's a simple premise you've likely seen before, but the story's still sweet thanks to the inclusion of Pooh and company. 

Stylistically, Forster differentiates from Pooh bear's previous outings first by making the jump to live action. In this medium, Forster utilizes a muted color palette which livens up over time and then depicts Robin's friends as CG-stuffed creatures rather than drawings or realistic animals. To some, these changes may be a bit too jarring, but I promise the dingy, desaturated coloring serves a purpose and the stuffed animals are more authentic than most would surmise. Pooh and his friends have always been stuffed animals after all, so why not animate them as such?

By the way, the visual effects work is top-notch because the bunch from the Hundred Acre Wood looked incredibly convincing. Due to the animators' attention to detail, their movement and mannerisms seemed especially authentic to how a stuffed animal would walk and talk when this could have easily fallen into the uncanny valley. One itsy bitsty nitpick I have would be that the stuffed aesthetic was consistent for all except Rabbit and Owl. The two of them looked more like the CG-animals you'd see in one of Disney's other live action reimaginings rather than the stuffed toys they're meant to appear as. This doesn't substantially affect my perception of the film, but simply seemed strange to me. 

Of Disney's recent reimaginings, Christopher Robin's trip down memory lane probably feels most nostalgic, and it's all the better for it! It's all about reminiscing to the simple days of growing up and staying in touch with your inner youth. The writers pull off a tricky balancing act and ward off the troublesome aspects of this message by focusing on the importance of family and valuing youth. Meanwhile, the novelty of Pooh's naivety doesn't ever wear off, so you'll find yourself emotionally moved by this endlessly adorable feature. The most heartfelt moments of levity happen to revolve around the stuffed animals rather than the humans, and this is largely because Forster and his crew encapsulated the spirit of Milne's characters so perfectly that you'll be continuously charmed by the woodland creatures. 

Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, and Bronte Carmichael each manage to elevate the surface-level writing behind their characters and are quite delightful as Christopher, Evelyn, and Madeline Robin. Though the three of them carry a quality family dynamic on-screen together, the spotlight most certainly belongs to the cast behind the stuffed creatures. 

Reprising perhaps his two most iconic roles, Jim Cummings lends his voice to Pooh and Tigger once more. Though not the first to voice either character, he's done it the longest (since the late eighties in fact). Cummings comfortably vocalizes the simpleminded bear and exuberant, one-of-a-kind Tigger to great effect. Elsewhere Brad Garrett marvelously mopes around as Eeyore for a second time (he previously voiced the dour donkey for a video game in the mid-ninties). Everything about Garett's line delivery wonderfully conveys the gloomy spirit of the dour donkey, and he's responsible for perhaps the funniest bits of dialogue. As for the rest, Nick Mohammed, Peter Capaldi, Toby Jones, Sophie Okonedo, and Sarah Sheen are all newcomers to Hundred Acre Wood in the respective roles of Piglet, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga, and Roo. They each do an excellent job embodying the accompanying personalities of their iconic characters, but this lot admittedly has less to say and do than either Cummings or Garrett.

Cute as a button and sweet as honey, Christopher Robin is simply the feel-good film of the summer! Between it and Paddington 2, 2018 is proving to be a bear-y good year for films starring beloved children's book teddies.

Film Assessment: B

'Paddington 2' Review

Paddington 2 finds Paddington well adjusted to his new home and overjoyed to now be a part of the Brown family after the events of Paddington. With his Aunt Lucy's 100th birthday on the horizon, Paddington decides he ought to search far and wide for the perfect present. While perusing Mr. Gruber's antique shop, Paddington settles on a unique pop-up book, but the book's out of his price range... Paddington then takes on a series of odd jobs to afford the precious present, but it's all for naught when the gift is stolen and Paddington is framed for the crime. It's then up to Paddington and the Browns to prove Paddington's innocence by uncovering the culprit truly responsible.

Paddington 2 bears witness to the return of Paul King as writer and directer, although King does receive some screenwriting assistance from Simon Farnaby this time around. King steps right back into his roles with relative ease as he's able to station audiences right back in the whimsical world they last left at the end of the fantastic first film. Oftentimes, sequels promise to deliver more of what viewers enjoyed about the original in their attempt to franchise a single commercial hit into a string of sequels and spin-offs. While Paddington 2 certainly follows that formula by keeping the charming characters and sentimental story up at the forefront, King successfully freshens things up a bit.

For one, the mild-mannered, marmalade enthusiast winds up in the slammer after a massive mishap. Perhaps, that may seem like an excuse for a series of silly shenanigans, but King utilizes the barren big house to emphasize how an infectiously upbeat attitude can turn an awful situation around. Obviously, this shouldn't be taken TOO literally. If you are imprisoned and attempt to befriend the hardened criminals surrounding you, you likely won't be as lucky as Paddington was. The films can be quite silly and unrealistic after all. However, King's messages are a cheerful source of encouragement to children that a positive outlook on life will always come in handy, even in the worst of times. 

It's well-intentioned moral lessons like this that are scarcely found among family-friendly fare these days. Sure, there are occasional animated ventures that stand above the rest. Last year, it was Coco and The LEGO Batman Movie, but for each of those exceptional examples, there were countless cash grabs to be found including the likes of Despicable Me 3, The Emoji Movie, and Ferdinand. I don't bring this topic up in order to drag those movies through the mud again, but rather to point out a greater problem in Hollywood. In an effort to make a quick buck, studios hardly pay attention to the importance of story, character, and worthwhile messages in their family-friendly content, which is precisely why it's reassuring to see such a sweet sequel as Paddington 2. I don't say this with the mindset that you won't find another quality family film released this year, because I'm sure there will be at least a couple, but merely to implore how genuinely goodnatured Paddington 2 is in comparison to other entertainment today.

Now I'm sure many of you reading this review have "100%" running through your mind because that's the current Rotten Tomatoes critic rating for Paddington 2... You may have come for further validation that this film is deserving of such a distinguished honor or because you think it's impossible that Paddington 2 of all things has a 100%. I personally believe the general public have begun to place way too much emphasis on this number, but that's a discussion I'd like to have another day with a post detailing why Rotten Tomatoes really doesn't matter. So to go ahead and quickly address this, I'll quickly explain the mechanics of Rotten Tomatoes (if you know how it works, go ahead and skip over this). A 100% rating does not mean every critic rated Paddington 2 with a perfect score. It actually means every Rotten Tomatoes certified critic gave the film a "fresh" review (meaning they liked the film). The Rotten Tomatoes score is set up as an aggregate compilation of the results of a binary choice, "fresh" or "rotten." A certified critic determines one or the other when linking their trade review to the site. The mass conspiracy that the site is rigged in favor of particular films is absurd and incorrect. It's as simple as the critic liked it or they didn't. That's all there is to it.

So with that insight, I wouldn't say the 100% necessarily reflects the film's quality, but it'd be especially difficult to find anyone who wouldn't be won over by Paddington 2's winsome charm. Paddington 2 is just as quirky, cute, and colorful as the original in every way imaginable. The cinematography ranges from simple and subtle-to-sweeping and grandiose while the editing enabled plenty of smooth transitions for almost two hours of well-paced pleasantries. The effort that went into the costume/production design, set decoration, and art direction is also quite apparent as the picturesque handicraft shines stupendously and Paddington once again looks extraordinary as a credible CG-creature in the live action setting, so hats off the vfx team as well! In regards to music, Dario Marianelli steps in as the sequel's new composer and manages to string together a swell accompaniment full of heart and character all on its own.

As for the film's illustrious ensemble, those brilliant Brits have done it again! Voicing the polite Peruvian bear, Ben Whishaw exceptionally articulates Paddington's goodnatured, naive intentions once more. Newcomer Brendan Gleeson steals a great many scenes as Knuckles McGinty, the prisons's hardened chef who's quickly won over by the courteous, cuddly teddy. The other inmates offer ample comedic relief, but none were necessarily stand-outs.

Sally Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, and Julie Walters all return as the respective members of the Brown family including the compassionate mother Mary, fervent father Henry, headstrong Judy, insecure Jonathan, and fiery Ms. Bird. Each has their moment in the limelight, but Hawkins and Bonneville are allotted the most screen-time as the peculiar parents. Other familiar faces (and voices) found among the distinguished ensemble are Peter Capaldi, Imelda Staunton, and Jim Broadbent who excel with the material provided to them.

Taking the place of Nicole Kidman's campy antagonist, Hugh Grant plays an array of kooky caricatures as formerly well-renowned character actor Phoenix Buchanan. He doesn't quite relish in his malevolence like most villains... Instead, Grant delightfully soaks in the glory of Buchanan's ego, acting abilities, and a bit of Sondheim (stick around through the first half end credits to see an utterly delightful song and dance number). 

Paddington 2 is a family-friendly film that best bears resemblance to its titular marmalade-obsessed Ursidae. It's a sequel that's cute, kind, full of wholesome values, and well worth spending an afternoon alongside.

Film Assessment: A

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Paddington'

This week I'm reviewing Paddington to coincide with American release of its sequel this weekend. I hadn't seen the film prior to last Saturday, but it's on Netflix for those interested. Reviews you can expect for the remainder of the month include Throwback Thursday Reviews of The World's End and The Shining, reviews of new releases Paddington 2, The Commuter, Proud Mary, 12 Strong, and Maze Runner: The Death Cure. I'll be reviewing any films from 2017 that I missed out on as I watch them so look forward to seeing some of those reviews up sometime soon as well. 

'Paddington' Review

Paddington journeys alongside a young bear after the devastating destruction of his quaint home in the Peruvian rain forest forces him to seek shelter and solace in London. Through circumstance, the altruistic bear meets the considerate Brown family while waiting at London Paddington station. The Browns then temporarily extend their home and hospitality in addition to bestowing the bear with an English name, "Paddington."

Paddington is a feature length film written and directed by Paul King that adapts Michael Bond's classic Paddington Bear children's book series. Beloved children's stories are regularly adapted to film nowadays, so the fact Paddington joined the pack wasn't too surprising. However, these modern adaptations typically lose sight of the source material's wholesome family-friendly angle. Instead, audiences are treated to crass, tasteless humor catered way too heavily towards children... Thankfully though, Paddington never found itself ensnared by such absurdity. 

King's script can sure be silly at times, but the humor is genuinely funny and well thought out. King could easily have appeased to younger audiences with stupid, purposeless jokes encompassing flatulence, but Paddington rises above every opportunity to tell a charming, virtuous tale about a marmalade-loving bear from Peru. 

In regards to the film's technical prowess, Paddington looks and sounds very much like a Wes Anderson production due to a quirky, colorful aesthetic and a breakneck score from Nick Urata, but I can assure you it's not one. King was clearly inspired by Anderson's work, but that's not the only influence on Paddington, as the Peruvian bear even tips his red hat to Raiders of the Lost Ark and Mission: Impossible in two distinct instances. Now, I probably couldn't finish writing this review without applauding the film's vfx team for the wonderful work on creating a convincing CG-Paddington. Oftentimes, CG-creatures found in live action family films aren't quite authentic in their appearance, instead seeming distinctly digital. However, the vfx department's fine craftsmanship here did not go unnoticed.  

Paddington's cast features the likes of abundant accomplished actors from Great Britain, and everyone turns in a fine performance. Front and center, Ben Whishaw bestows Paddington with a kindred spirit and naive nature through his sufficient voice work. Sally Hawkins makes for a calm, endearing presence as Mary Brown while Hugh Bonneville's Henry Brown is ill-tempered and uptight, and their troubled parental dynamic wound up being a plus for me! The Brown children, Judy and Jonathan, are portrayed by Madeleine Harris and Samuel Joslin respectively, who each offer up quality performances for their age. While I wouldn't say they quite fit into that upper echelon of young actors who have emerged lately, I'd still consider them the cream of the crop as far as child talent goes. 

In the antagonistic camp, Nicole Kidman plays Millicent as an over-the-top taxidermist, and it totally works due to Kidman's commitment and the sometimes cartoonish setting surrounding her. Peter Capaldi, who's probably best known as the last Doctor Who, steps into the shoes of the Brown family's nefarious neighbor Mr. Curry and manages to constantly complain about the beloved bear in astonishingly amusing ways. Also, there's a number of familiar faces from the Wizarding World to be found among the film's exceptional British ensemble including the likes of Julie Walters, Michael Gambon, Imelda Stanton, and Jim Broadbent in roles of varying size and substance. 

At its best, Paddington is a bear-y good example of something that doesn't come around too often these days... A loving, wholesome adaptation of a classic children's book that the entire family can enjoy.

Film Assessment: B