Sunday, February 1, 2015

Ms. Hen reviews PADDINGTON and meditates on the necessity of charm in film







PADDINGTON
Directed by Paul King
2015

Ms. Hen does not like family films of today. She used to like Disney when THE LITTLE MERMAID and ALADDIN were stylish, but she has little tolerance for computer animation and silly stories anymore, since she has become a more mature hen. However, she had an urge to see PADDINGTON, because the preview looked so adorable and the film got smashing reviews.

She was not disappointed. PADDINGTON is charming as a film can be. The bears look so real that they resemble kittens that can talk. The story shines with innocence. The Brown family discovers Paddington and gives him his English name. The Browns are complex characters and teach Paddington about the meaning of home.

Nicole Kidman as the villain frightens the audience with her evil doings, but toward the end, we discover there is a reason behind the things she does. Close-ups of her stylish shoes add a touch of glamour to the character.

Ms. Hen does not like the idea of a film considered a family film. She thinks that charming movies about characters that are not crass or rude should have a place in everyone’s life, even people who are not children or who don’t have children. She thinks that the comedies of today that are geared toward adults have no charm in them, and they only go for cheap laughs and are offensive. There is a place for charm everywhere, even in comedies or tragedies or science fiction.


Ms. Hen feels like she might be turning into an old fuddy-duddy hen and is not up to date with today’s sense of humor. Charm goes a long way, especially when you’re a hen and you go to see a film meant for children and you get swept away in the story and you get emotional. She only teared up a little, because hens don’t really cry. (Okay, they do, but don’t tell anyone, okay?)

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