Monday, December 11, 2017

Movie Review … Paddington 2

Since 1958, English author Michael Bond’s creation Paddington Bear has enchanted people of all ages.  With a love of marmalade and attired with hat and duffel coat, the cute bear has spun off into all sorts of different media.  Films are a natural for the character with ‘Paddington 2’ picking up where the 2014 film left off.  Charting the further adventures of everyone’s favourite bear, ‘Paddington 2’ is fun nonsense sure to shake the morose apathy of the most hardened movie-watcher.

Paddington is enjoying living life in Windsor Gardens with his adopted family the Browns.  Looked after by Henry (Hugh Bonneville) and his wife Mary (Sally Hawkins) Paddington has become a popular member of the community.  When his Aunt Lucy celebrates her 100th birthday, Paddington decides to purchase a special pop-up book for the occasion. On his way to buy it, he is dismayed to discover it has been stolen.  Accused of the crime and sent to prison, he and his family determine to find the culprit.  A suspect emerges in Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant) whose shady ways are no match for the always clever bear.

‘Paddington 2’ succeeds because of its abundance of charm.  That’s the key to a successful children’s movie.  If it manages to have a modicum of enchanting charm then it’s halfway there.  ‘Paddington 2’ has genuine feeling and depth without overly laying on the sentimentality.  It’s a credit to Paul King’s direction that we care about an animated creature with Paddington’s innocent optimism a bonus instead of a sugar-coated negative.  The human cast do an excellent job in matching the film’s light tone, diving into the fun adventure with glee.

Although the pacing occasionally drags, ‘Paddington 2’ is consistently enjoyable viewing.  The English locations are wonderfully photographed, effectively capturing the original aura of the Paddington books.  It would have been easy making these films period pieces but the modern setting works.  There are no cynical remarks or bodily function gags which could have robbed it of any timelessness.  Years from now ‘Paddington 2’ should still stand up as quality family entertainment with the action sequences and sense of awe never fading.

‘Paddington 2’ is a bouncy ride having the ‘wonder’ other films lack.  Sadly Michael Bond died a few months before this film was released.  But hopefully Paddington’s creator knew his legacy was in good hands as ‘Paddington 2’ further cements the character’s popularity for further generations to enjoy.

 
Movie Review Rating out of 10:  8

Movie Review by Patrick Moore

Agree with Patrick's Movie Review? Then please use the comment box.

Patrick Moore's Movie Review is an alternative look at movie releases in Australia.

TRAILER

SOUNDTRACK

Movie Review … Lady Bird

‘Lady Bird’ is a comedy drama about family relationships.  As we all come from a family in one way or another, films like these should easily resonate as the topics are usually the same with the high and low points challenging.  Dealing with these issues can bring out the best and worst in people as ‘Lady Bird’ shows.  Written and Directed with stylish flair by Greta Gerwig, ‘Lady Bird’ is an arresting essay in the trials and tribulations of growing up and familial life.

Christine (Saoirse Ronan) attends a Catholic high school.  Preferring to go by her nickname ‘Lady Bird’, she grapples with what life throws at her.  Dealing with her over-bearing mother Marion (Laurie Metcalf) and friends, she has a lot on her plate.  Christine’s daily hassles nearly take their toll on her tough exterior with a crisis always around the corner.

There’s nothing more exciting than watching the debut feature of a new talent.  Gerwig is someone to watch as she puts a lot of herself into ‘Lady Bird’.  It almost plays like a documentary as the camera eavesdrops into Christine’s emotional dilemmas.  Based on situations in her own life, Gerwig directs with keen authenticity without resorting to melodramatics.  The characters and emotions are very real with the humour and drama blended perfectly.  Little feels forced in what Christine and her friends face as they attempt to find their place in the world.

Ronan, Metcalf and their co-stars also make ‘Lady Bird’ compelling viewing.  They highlight the best parts of Gerwig’s astutely written script due to their realistic performances.  Whilst the interaction between Christine and her mother are occasionally uncomfortable, that’s the whole point of ‘Lady Bird’ as it meditates on the problems of teenage and parental life.  The cinematography deftly captures their arguments in extreme close-up that forces viewers to join in the melee.  The subversive look at the catholic school system is interesting as well with the typical clichés in other coming of age school movies absent.

‘Lady Bird’ isn’t the usual type of family film seen.  ‘The Brady Bunch’ it isn’t and it’s the better for it.  With a solid cast and strong script it rarely falters as it discards false sentimentality in favour of authentic freshness making for an unusual but captivating outing.

 
Movie Review Rating out of 10:  8

Movie Review by Patrick Moore

Agree with Patrick's Movie Review? Then please use the comment box.

Patrick Moore's Movie Review is an alternative look at movie releases in Australia.

TRAILER

SOUNDTRACK

Movie Review … The Disaster Artist



Nobody sets out to make a bad movie.  Despite enthusiasm in creating a cinematic masterpiece, often outside forces render that impossible.  There have been countless films like that such as ‘Plan Nine from Outer Space’.  Even the worst of them have become enduring cults which the 1994 Tim Burton film ‘Ed Wood’ touched on.  ‘The Disaster Artist’ is cut from the same cloth as it explores the making of an eternally wretched movie.  Even the most appalling endeavour has something going for it with several more entertaining than the most over-blown Hollywood blockbuster.

Wanting to make his mark in films, Tommy (James Franco) aims for the stars.  Taking total creative control of his dramatic epic ‘The Room’, he crafts a story about a man searching for love.  With friends Greg (Dave Franco), Sandy (Seth Rogen) and others, Tommy shoots his magnum opus with gusto.  Thinking fame is just around the corner, he receives a rude shock.  A different type of fame awaits with the film’s wayward notoriety cementing Tommy’s name into a folklore he couldn’t have imagined.

‘The Disaster Artist’ is an entertaining and occasionally touching look at ambition.  Tommy’s egocentric and bizarre behaviour instantly makes him a strange type of hero to watch.  As with any artist wanting to achieve something, it’s about how passionate they are about a project. Tommy’s passion shines through even if his methods are extremely questionable.  ‘The Disaster Artist’ pays tribute and mocks its subject in equal measures.  The audience can laugh at and with him just like any bad movie.  The screenplay generally follows a predictable narrative path in telling the story although it’s never less than engaging.

Actor/Director James Franco does a fine job in getting under the skin of his quirky protagonist.  Whilst it’s frustrating that Tommy remains an enigma with his background still hidden, Franco at least successfully conveys Tommy’s desperation in making it big.  Dave Franco also provides strong support with a cast of well-known performers having a grand time re-creating ‘The Room’s famous scenes.  ‘The Disaster Artist’ is mostly a comedy with slight drama thrown in and in a way becomes inspiring in that dreams can be achieved no matter the quality of the end product.

Unlike the making of the movie it explores, ‘The Disaster Artist’ isn’t a dud.  A consistently enjoyable biography of a peculiar film and star, it may derive its own type of cult.  Good and bad movies will always happen but the passion making them will be the same which in the end is what counts the most.

 
Movie Review Rating out of 10:  7

Movie Review by Patrick Moore

Agree with Patrick's Movie Review? Then please use the comment box.

Patrick Moore's Movie Review is an alternative look at movie releases in Australia.

TRAILER