Despite a bit of a mid-week panic thinking I would't be able to fit it in - and instead indulging in Netflix, Sky Movies and seeing films I normally wouldn't such as Horrible Bosses 2 - I've now seen Paddington twice in one weekend, and I'd go and see it again tomorrow if I had the chance. What a film!
LOVE, ROSIE
* * *
Odeon Studios, Leicester Square // 2014 // In select UK cinemas now
"Rosie and Alex have been best friends since they were 5, so they couldn't possibly be right for one another...or could they? When it comes to love, life and making the right choices, these two are their own worst enemies."
(ALL IMAGES SOURCED FROM www.imdb.com UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE)
Unfortunately, the ending of this film is a foregone conclusion that's obvious from a 90 second trailer alone, and thus waiting over an hour and a half to reach that point is a little tedious. However, as far as cheesy rom-coms go it's not too bad as long as you let go any hope of being blown away at any stage. Lily Collins and Sam Claflin are a great match, and the chemistry between them during the film is what keeps the momentum going: all of the "shocking" twists (which aren't really twists at all) are only made credible because of them. There are also moments of real laugh-out-loud humour throughout, which is a pleasant surprise.
From what I can tell the book Love, Rosie is adapted from - When Rainbows End by Cecilia Ahern - was a refreshing literary offering in 2004 as it displayed a love story told through a relatively new format - via a series of letters, emails and texts, rather than standard prose. It's a shame that this originality just doesn't translate to the screen 10 years later: instead, it feels all too familiar and almost overdone.
Despite the unoriginality of Love, Rosie, it is a sweet (albeit forgettable) film, and although it's definitely not terrible it's not going to be winning awards any time soon.
HORRIBLE BOSSES 2
* *
FDA Screening // 2014 // In UK cinemas now
"Dale, Kurt and Nick decide to start their own business but things don't go as planned because of a slick investor, prompting the trio to pull off a harebrained and misguided kidnapping scheme."
I really hate to agree with scathing reviews from critics, but Horrible Bosses 2 really does seem like an unnecessary sequel. That being said, I found the majority of it hilarious, and thinking about it a week later I'm almost ashamed I laughed as much as I did. The jokes are ruder and crasser than the first film, and at times border on inappropriate (a rape "joke" towards the end definitely ran into that territory and shouldn't have made it past the cutting room floor). The audience at the screening I attended laughed loudly throughout the whole film, but the reception afterwards wasn't entirely positive. It bizarrely makes you chuckle before you've had time to catch yourself, and looking back you feel slightly guilty for liking parts in the moment that upon reflection aren't that good.
The format is exactly the same as before, but unlike the genius of 22 Jump Street and the acknowledgement that it's a sequel where everything is exactly the same, it just repeats an awful lot pretending it's original content and hoping for the same reaction. The three hapless leads just aren't suited to a life as bosses themselves however much they try, hence the introduction of father-son investors Bert and Rex Hanson (Christoph Waltz and Chris Pine) as the villains of the piece. Waltz is obviously fantastic - he plays villains excellently in every capacity - but it feels strange that the double Oscar-winner even agreed to take part in the first place as he's so clearly in a different league to his costars.
Horrible Bosses 2 is funny - yes - but it's a tried and tested plot that didn't need to be remade again purely for the box office profits. If anything it looks like the cast had a great time making it, and the marketing is fantastic: the UK twitter account @HorribleBoss tweets abuse as The Horrible Boss during the likes of The Apprentice in amongst promotion for the film. Such a clever idea for this sort of movie!
THE WORLD'S END
* * * *
Sky Movies // 2013 // DVD
"Five friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier unwittingly become humankind's only hope for survival."
The film is brilliant and such a perfect conclusion to The Cornetto Trilogy. It's just as witty and excellently edited as the two films preceding it, but there's something slightly more intelligent about The World's End that lifts it from the purely absurd and utterly hilarious to something poignant, nostalgic and touching.
Wright, Pegg and Frost strike again.
THOR: THE DARK WORLD
* * *
Sky Movies // 2013 // DVD
"When Thor's love interest gets cursed with a powerful object, Thor must protect it before an army and it's ruthless leader try to get their hands on it to take over the remains of Earth."
The Dark World is a decent sequel to both the first Thor and The Avengers, but it's a troubling one. Most obviously, the new villain - Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) is heavily overshadowed by yet another outstanding performance from Tom Hiddleston as the now reformed (?) villain Loki making him sadly really forgettable. The plot is all over the place, with Malekith's evil plan almost sitting second fiddle to the family drama escalating between Odin and his sons, despite clear attempts to make the dark Elves seem more important than they ultimately are. Jane (Natalie Portman) yet again pops up purely by geographical coincidence and continues to prove that she's more talented and intelligent than her on-off Asgardian boyfriend. In a film that's supposed to centre on Thor, he really isn't the main attraction, and better performances from other characters continue to highlight how hammer-happy and vaguely pathetic he is. Thor keeps proving he's all biceps and red cape, and no brains.
A major highlight is seeing the action taking place outside of the U.S. (specifically New Mexico…), but placing the final showdown in Greenwich is problematic. In a now iconic scene Thor attempts to travel from Charing Cross to Greenwich on the underground, to be told it's only a couple of stops. Nothing bonds a cinema audience in London like hearing this and experiencing a collective eye roll. It's an impossible feat without changing line, and without an Oyster card? He may be a god, but good luck pulling that off.
PRETTY WOMAN
* * * *
Netflix // 1990 // DVD
"A man in a legal but hurtful business needs an escort for some social events, and hires a beautiful prostitute he meets... only to fall in love."
So classic. Why don't they make romantic comedies like this anymore?!
PADDINGTON
* * * * *
Vue Islington / Cheshire Oaks // 2014 // In UK cinemas now
"A young English boy befriends a talking bear he finds at a London train station. A live-action feature based on the series of popular children's books by Michael Bond."
There no other word for it: Paddington is simply wonderful. Having now seen it twice and been just as impressed each time I can't put my 5* verdict down to purely being swept up in the initial viewing - it's a genuinely fantastic, heart-warming and utterly charming film.
The animation of Paddington is breathtaking. The opening scenes in Peru introduce the physicality of the bears and the sheer detail in the fur and expressions, but it's only when Paddington himself is blended with the scenes of London and juxtaposed with humans that the extraordinary talent of the animators at Framestore is apparent. There's no join between the animation and the live action, and the computer generated bear flawlessly interacts with the actors so well that it's easy to forget talking bears don't actually exist and the producers didn't hire one for the film.
Paddington's innocence and child-like inquisitive nature comes through in both his adorable eyes (so often wide-eyed in wonder at all London has to offer when not briefly adopting a vaguely menacing "hard stare") and playful voice, provided by Ben Whishaw. Colin Firth would have done a good job at Paddington - apart from singing there's very little he's bad at - but Whishaw is an undoubtedly much better fit, with his younger voice enabling Paddington to sound completely at home either conversing with adults or children alike.
It may have been billed as a children's film, but Paddington has to be one of the only films I've ever seen that so directly and successfully appeals to adults as well. In amongst ear wax jokes and poor pronunciation of words in bear, there are gags about insider trading, indirect and overpriced taxi routes, and the rudeness of Londoners. Both times I've seen it adults were laughing completely independently to the children, and a couple of times I've heard parents shushing children enquiring as to why they were laughing.
Paddington is a fun and adorable adventure that mixes a love letter to London with a strong belief in the kindness of strangers and the power of a family's love. It's warm, touching and excellent on so many levels - if you see anything in the next few weeks, make sure it's the film about a small polite bear with a worrying marmalade habit from deepest darkest Peru.
Have you seen Horrible Bosses 2 or Paddington in cinemas this week? Let me know what you thought of them in the comments below, or drop me a tweet!
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