Wonkette Movie Night: Paddington 2

'Aunt Lucy said if we're kind and polite, the world will be right.'

A sequel to a kids’ movie with a computer animated bear that was rated higher than Citizen Kane on Rotten Tomatoes is quite the introduction for tonight’s movie.

Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash

Paddington 2 is based on a familiar character from children’s literature, Paddington Bear, the beloved, adorable, ursine waif in the blue raincoat and red hat. Authored by Michael Bond with illustrations from Peggy Fortnum, R. W. Alley, David McKee, and others, the series began with A Bear Called Paddington in 1958 and ended with Paddington at St. Paul's in 2018.

The movie Paddington was released in 2014; it was a live action, animated film with Ben Whishaw voicing the talking bear and Nicole Kidman as a villain taxidermist. It showed how the little bear with a big heart found a family and gained his name. But we're skipping that one and jumping right into the second movie, Paddington 2. Spoilers ahead, but they’re small ones, like Paddington. 

For three and a half years it held the number one position on Rotten Tomatoes with a perfect rating, topping Citizen Kane — until one review in 2021 dropped Paddington 2 to a 99% rating, where it currently stands. But writers for Screen Rant still make the argument that it is "the greatest movie of all time."

So what makes this kids’ movie so good? First and most importantly the animation is really well done, because if that doesn't work, nothing does. (See: The Polar Express.) But it does here, and Paddington is lovable, not weird. So it is easy to accept him as a character. Moving on from the earlier film, Paddington, the little bear has happily settled into his life with the Browns. All he wants, besides marmalade sandwiches, is to get his Aunt Lucy a birthday gift, a picture book. But unknown to Paddington, that book may hold a secret and a villain will interrupt his plans.  

There is a surprising amount of fun, humor and excitement stuffed into this film, with exciting chases and thrilling escapes. The villain is wonderfully campy and expertly portrayed by Hugh Grant. There's a miscarriage of justice as Paddington is accused of stealing the picture book. We root for him as he tries to clear his name, making friends in prison with the cook through the power of marmalade and those cakes we like. His family fights for him, knowing he is innocent, and to prove it they just need to find the missing picture book. As the mysterious secret the book holds is slowly revealed, so is the actual thief.

It will make you laugh, cry, sit on the edge of your seat and finally stand up and cheer. 

Paddington 2 stars Hugh Grant, Ben Whishaw, Sally Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters, Brendan Gleeson and Jim Broadbent.

The movie is available on Tubi for free with ads. For $3.99 in the usual places.

To make requests and see the movie lists and schedules, go to WonkMovie.

Our cartoon is Betty Boop in Judge For A Day from 1935. Directed and produced by Dave and Max Fleischer.