Paddington (2014) - Bears are the better human beings - 8/10 (01/02/18)

Usually, I'm not a very nostalgic person and I'm certainly not a person who watches Dinsey films as an adult. However, Michael Bond's Paddington has always fascinated me since my early childhood. The idea of an innoent bear from darkest Peru integrating into British society has intrigued me much. The novels have a lot of creativity and soul as they offer beautiful life experiences and valuable morals. Since I have always loved animals, it wasn't a surprise that I was always rooting for the sympathetic young bear.

In many cases, live-action or CGI animated movies fail to capture the essence of the novels they were inspired by. To my very positive surprise, this is an entirely different thing for this particular movie. The animated bear looks splendid and the actresses and actors around him do a very credible job, making us believe that the young bear is truly around them. Paddington doesn't look out of place in contemporary London and actively interacts with his diversified surroundings.

The story is nicely crafted as well. It tells us the sad yet hopeful background story of the charming young bear in a concise way. We then explore how the bear finds a new home, new friends and new experiences in London. There are many humorous scenes that put a constant smile upon your face such as Paddington taking a bath in a very chaotic way. Despite creating so much chaos, the young bear changes people around him in a very positive way. On the other side, the movie also has a dramatic side as Paddington is trying to find out more about his origins and comes across a pitiless taxidermist who stuffs exotic animals. The mixture of light-hearted comedy, gripping drama and surprisingly humane life lessons from a young bear is absolutely splendid.

As someone who isn't nostalgic, I was truly moved by this film and enjoyed it from start to finish. The makers of this movie have managed to recapture the magic of the novels and bring them onto screen. Paddington is a very rewarding experience for younger and older viewers. If you aren't familiar with Paddington at all, you have missed out on something and discovering this fascinating franchise will change your mind about children's literature. In times, when cinemas are flooded with gruesome Battle Royale copies, it's refreshing to go back to such a classic franchise with a pure message. Watching this movie will make you feel like an innocent child again. Bears are the better human beings.