Bathtub Musings on Paddington 2
It sounds silly to say now, in the middle of a global pandemic, but September was a little bit of a rough month for me. I did not have an easy transition back to school this year, and put my foot in my mouth a few times. It led to a lot of anxiety for me, and one of the things that helps with my anxiety is writing. So, during my nightly 45 minute bath (yes, nightly) I wrote this article on Paddington 2 in my Notes app on my phone. I like to think of it as the start of our movie blog. It probably sounds different than if I had written it today, but I’m leaving it as is. I’m sure this isn’t the last time I’ll be writing about Paddington 2. Besides, the combination of my anxious thoughts, a warm bath, and a marmalade-loving bear makes me laugh.
I don’t really know if you would like watching movies with me. And I get it. I really do. I can be snarky about movies. And I roll my eyes. And sulk. And I point out all the things that I don’t like about the movie I’m watching with you. I feel like that’s not fun. It’s something I need to work on.
So here I am working on it. I’m done with being a movie critic. Instead, I’m going to try to show to others what I really am: a movie lover. Everyone nowadays is a critic. We are cynical about everything we consume. Why can’t we go back to when we were in middle school? I loved Bring it On in seventh grade. I cried when I saw Win a Date with Tad Hamilton. Seriously, I really cried. I miss loving movies. So I’m going to celebrate them.
Here is a love letter to a movie I truly truly love: Paddington 2.
Paddington 2 is one of my favorite films. It has it all. Lovable and complex characters, British humo(u)r, a beautifully crafted pop up picture book that a boutique would call bespoke and sell for a billion dollars down the street in London.
I can talk about the film eloquently espousing about prison rehabilitation and these deep messages and blah blah blah, but let’s talk about what really matters:
BRENDAN GLEESON IN A PINK STRIPED PRISON UNIFORM. Isn’t that what we have all been waiting for? Such a curmudgeon, so gruff, making marmalade sandwiches with a cute bear that sounds way more like a grown man than I expected. It’ll melt hearts, soften the hardest stares, make a believer out of anyone who dares to criticize Paddington 2 being in my top three movies. Also, Mad-Eye Moody is Domnhall Gleeson's dad in real life?!
If that doesn’t get you, think of Paddington 2 like this: it’s like a PG Wes Anderson movie where no dogs die. Who would’ve thought? This is candy-coated, Hugh Grant-villained, pure orange marmalade. And honestly? I think we need a little more of that right now. There is a lot to be angry and scared about, so sometimes (all the time) I need to see Hugh Bonneville at his absolutely delightfully silliest.
So this is it. It’s the start of my movie loving celebration. I am going back to my junior high perspective for a little while, and silencing my inner critic...at least until awards season begins.