Weinsteins Acquire 'Paddington' for North America, With Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth to Star | Hollywood Reporter Weinsteins Acquire 'Paddington' for North America, With Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth to Star 2:14 AM PDT 9/13/2013 by Stuart Kemp Getty Images Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman The live-action CGI version of the classic children's story, to be produced by StudioCanal, will be the first release from new Weinstein banner TWC-Dimension. The big-screen adaptation of Michael Bond’s classic kids character Paddington Bear, starring Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman, will be brought to North America by The Weinstein Co. Paddington will be the first release through a new label for the company, TWC-Dimension, which will see Harvey and Bob Weinstein team on films. PHOTOS: Portraits of Nicole Kidman: An Oscar-Winning Actress' Second Chapter in Indies The books follow the adventures of a curious bear from darkest Peru who arrives in the British capital lost and is adopted by a well-to-do family named Brown. His adoptive family name him after the place where they found him: London's iconic Paddington train station.

Paddington will be the first live-action film inspired by the books, which Bond began in 1958. The stories have been adapted for a cartoon series. British producer David Heyman, the Harry Potter franchise producer, is mounting Paddington, a project fully financed by French-owned StudioCanal. Firth, an Oscar winner for The King's Speech, will provide the voice of the CGI teddy bear, while Kidman will play an evil taxidermist out for revenge. The duo were recently seen together in The Railway Man, which unspooled in Toronto. Also added to the cast are a who's who of A-list British talent, including Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters and Jim Broadbent. Shooting in the U.K. starts this month, with TV director Paul King (Come Fly With Me, The Mighty Boosh) at the helm. Framestore is doing the VFX work, and StudioCanal has set a Nov. 28, 2014, rollout in the U.K., planning a day-and-date release in its other territories that include France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. TWC-Dimension will release in North America in first quarter 2015.

StudioCanal also is handling international sales. Heyman described bringing alive the Paddington story as "a great honor." Said Heyman: "I am hugely excited to be working with Paul King, whose imagination, flair and sense of wit and wonder make him the ideal director. And I am thrilled that we now have such an exceptional cast to bring the story of Paddington Bear to life." StudioCanal chairman and CEO Olivier Courson said: "We’ve been developing the film with David Heyman for a while. Starting the shoot with such a great cast is a dream come true. And we are thrilled to have Harvey and Bob Weinstein joining us in the adventure." Bob and Harvey Weinstein said in a joint statement: "We have both always loved the stories of Paddington Bear and the amazing library of work from David Heyman. This film has the sensibilities of classic filmmaking as well as commercial appeal.

We are excited to partner with StudioCanal and look to this as a potential future franchise, bringing this long-time cherished character to the big screen for the first time." PHOTOS: Katie, Nicole and Now Leah: 7 Stars Who Quit Scientology Paddington will be the first release under TWC-Dimension, for which Harvey and Bob will jointly acquire, develop, produce and distribute films that "combine core sensibilities of a TWC film, as well as mainstream sensibilities of a Dimension film." The North American deal was negotiated for Dimension Films by TWC COO David Glasser, executive vp business/legal affairs and acquisitions Michal Steinberg, executive vp acquisitions Dan Guando and managing director of Europe Robert Walak along with StudioCanal’s Ron Halpern, executive vp international production and acquisition, and Harold Van Lier, executive vp international distribution. Firth and Broadbent are repped by CAA and the U.K.’s Independent Talent Group; Kidman by CAA; Bonneville by UTA and the U.K.’s Gordon and French; and Hawkins by ICM Partners and the U.K.’s Conway van Gelder Grant.

Video: Paddington Bear voted UK's best animated character - Telegraph TV and Radio Video Paddington Bear voted UK's best animated character Paddington Bear has been voted Britain's best animated character of all time, beating the likes of Bagpuss, SuperTed, Danger Mouse and Wallace and Gromit. 3:19PM GMT 16 Mar 2012 The announcement was made at the ninth British Animation Awards which took place at the British Film Institute in London last night. Winners of other categories included the BBC's adaptation of The Gruffalo, Wallace and Gromit makers Aardman Animations and Harry Potter. Paddington Bear was created by former BBC cameraman Michael Bond who published his first book in 1958 and made into an animated BBC TV series in 1975. Paddington won the hearts of millions of viewers with his fondness for marmalade sandwiches. He got his name from the London train station where he was found before being adopted by the Brown family.

Related Content Colin Firth And Hugh Bonneville To Star In ‘Paddington Bear’ Movie | Anglophenia | BBC America Colin Firth And Hugh Bonneville To Star In ‘Paddington Bear’ Movie By Fraser McAlpine | 3 years ago It’s hard to be sure that this news, which is impossibly exciting for British people of a certain age and mental attitude, will have quite the same resonance all the way over there, but here goes, from the beginning: Paddington Bear is a hugely popular children’s character , created by Michael Bond. His personal mythology goes as follows: discovered on a platform at Paddington Station – from which he takes his name – he’s a very polite bear who has travelled from Darkest Peru in a blue duffle coat that boasts a luggage label with “Please look after this bear, thank you” written upon it by his Great Aunt Lucy, who has moved to a retirement home. He is adopted by the Browns, a sympathetic family who feed him marmalade sandwiches (his favorite, he keeps spares under his hat) and have to endure his ability to create utter chaos – of the ‘flooding the entire house’ variety – from the most well-meaning of beginnings.

He’s also the possessor of what he calls a Very Hard Stare, which is reserved for people who are unkind or impatient towards him. Most of his adventures involve him embarking on a project and then rather wishing he hadn’t. There have been Paddington books, a popular animated TV show, narrated by Sir Michael Hordern, endless amounts of merchandise and toys, and now there is going to be a live action Paddington Bear movie, and Colin Firth is going to play Paddington, with Hugh Bonneville and Sally Hawkins as Mr and Mrs Brown. Colin won’t be dressing in a bear suit, however, as told the Mail: “Paddington will be computer generated, and I will speak his lines with, I suspect, a slight Peruvian flavour. “Every other character in the film will be real, live, human beings. But the idea is that Paddington will have something of me in his DNA because I’m going to do some sessions wearing one of those helmets with cameras to capture my face muscles, and all that data will somehow be incorporated into Paddington. “Then they’ll use motion- capture equipment on someone more bear-size than me to do all the full body, bear stuff.

I will do the table reading and rehearse with the other actors, but I won’t do the voice work until much later on — some time next year. Naturally, for such a hugely British endeavor, the best character actors Blighty can muster have been brought in too. Julie Walters will play the Brown’s housekeeper Mrs Bird, and Jim Broadbent is in the frame too, possibly playing their irascible neighbour Mr Curry. Oh and Emma Thompson had a hand in writing the script. And as if that wasn’t enough, Colin and Hugh et al will be battling an evil Nicole Kidman (who also stars in Colin’s latest movie The Railway Man ), who admits she found it a fairly easy job offer to accept: “I just had to do the bear film. My agent called and said: ‘We’ve got this offer from London for you to be in a film about a Paddington Bear.’ And I said: “You mean the Paddington Bear?!” “I was read the stories when I was little and I grew up with Paddington. I know all about his adventures and what mischief he got up to.” Oh that’s it, blame the bear. Typical baddy. The film starts shooting this autumn.

Paddington: Movie’s just right | The Chronicle Herald Paddington: Movie’s just right Jocelyn Noveck the associated press Published January 16, 2015 - 5:31pm Cute enough for kids, mischievous enough for adults, with excellent cast Paddington:What’s not to love about this cuddly little British bear? (AP) Paddington Bear. How well we know him. He’s cuddly, he’s loyal, he’s sensitive. He’s well-travelled — but loves to stay home, too. And he can whip up a mean homemade marmalade. As Mom would say, what’s not to love? And one can say precisely the same of the engaging new Paddington, written and directed by Paul King and based of course on the famous 1958 book by Michael Bond. It doesn’t try to be too clever. Or too sweet. Or too dark, for that matter, though there’s plenty of mischief, thanks to Nicole Kidman, channeling her inner villainess. And it works.

For parents looking for a film that’ll please them and their kids in equal measure, Paddington is — as Goldilocks would say in that other bear story — just right. The ingenuity in King’s approach — at a few points, his technique even recalls Wes Anderson — is apparent from the start. We knew that Paddington (that’s not his name, at first) came from “darkest Peru,” but King’s version shows us the backstory in entertaining fashion. In the Peruvian jungle, a friendly British explorer befriends a bear family and introduces them to certain veddy veddy English inventions — like marmalade. When he leaves, he tells them they’d always be welcome in London. Years later, when an earthquake destroys the bears’ home, orphaned Paddington (well, that’s not his name quite yet) decides to set off for London on a boat, leaving his elderly aunt (Imelda Staunton) behind at a retirement home.

He brings with him only a suitcase filled with jars of marmalade, the hat the explorer left behind, and a tag around his neck: “Please look after this bear.” Arriving in London, though, our bear (entirely computer generated, and sensitively voiced by Ben Whishaw) finds people aren’t that welcoming — it’s hard to even get noticed, let alone immediately adopted and taken to a nice home. Luckily, the Brown family, alighting at Paddington Station, does notice him. The rather uptight Mr. Brown (a delightful Hugh Bonneville, whom most of us know from Downton Abbey) isn’t keen to take him in for the night, but the two kids are, as is their warm-hearted mum (an equally delightful Sally Hawkins.) Once at home — just for one night, Mrs. Brown promises Mr. Brown, while they help find the explorer friend from long ago — Paddington (so named after the station) proceeds to inadvertently cause a giant flood in the bathroom. This does not please Mr. Brown, but will surely delight any kids in the audience — especially when the bear’s head gets stuck in the toilet. Who doesn’t love a good toilet flood scene?

As the search for the explorer continues, trouble rears its head. It seems that an evil museum taxidermist named Millicent (Kidman, with short, blunt-cut blond hair and an unhinged demeanour) has designs on Paddington. She doesn’t want to give him a home — she wants to stuff him, and store him in a glass case. Just why will become clear soon enough. Meanwhile, all the Browns are falling for Paddington, including the all-knowing housekeeper (Julie Walters). Even the stuffy old Mr. Brown — there are clear echoes of the dad in Mary Poppins here — comes round, and becomes one of Paddington’s biggest defenders. As the showdown with Millicent reaches its climax, it is Mr. Brown who will utter the film’s warm, cuddly and very relevant message: Families aren’t only about who you’re born to. They’re about who you love. And movies like this are easy to love, too. Paddington Bear (TV Series 1976–1987) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later.

X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error The misadventures of a little Peruvian bear living in London, UK. Stars: Mr. and Mrs. Brown find a bear on Paddington Station. They name him "Paddington". Mr. Brown takes him to a buffet for some refreshments and things rapidly get out of hand. 7.5 Paddington arrives at 32, Windsor Gardens, the Brown's home. He meets their housekeeper, Mrs. Bird. After unpacking he is taken to the bathroom, where he creates a disastrous mess bathing, and meets ... 6.8 Paddington takes a trip on the Underground.

6.6 a list of 42 titles created 24 Sep 2012 a list of 30 titles created 23 Nov 2012 a list of 36 titles created 01 Nov 2013 a list of 30 titles created 23 Jun 2014 a list of 23 titles created 22 Sep 2015 Search for " Paddington Bear " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Title: Paddington Bear (1976–1987) 7.1/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 2 nominations. See more awards » Photos Adventures of a bear from Peru that comes to England after an earthquake that destroys his home. Stars: Jon Glover, John R. Hernandez, Ève Karpf The Wombles (TV Series 1973) Animation | Family The misadventures of a fantasy folk community dedicated to cleaning up litter and put it to their own use.

Stars: Bernard Cribbins, Dieter Hallervorden A melancholic children's animation from the 'Smallfilms' team of Postgate and Firmin. Bagpuss and his friends are toys in a turn of the century shop for 'found things'. When young Emily ... See full summary » Stars: Oliver Postgate, Sandra Kerr, John Faulkner Popular British children's animation series, repeated almost constantly since 1971. Mr Benn is the ordinary, bowler-hatted office worker who lives in the ordinary suburban street of Festive... See full summary » Stars: Ray Brooks Legendary British children's animation of the early 70s made by the 'Smallfilms' team of Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin, this series chronicled the melancholically funny lives of the ... See full summary » Stars: Oliver Postgate A man runs a shop in Manchester with fun, mischievous puppets Sooty, Sweep, Soo and Little Cousin Scampi. Stars: Matthew Corbett, Brenda Longman, Larry Dann Children's animation from the 'Smallfilms' team of Postgate and Firmin.

In the 'top, left hand corner of Wales' runs an archaic railway line staffed by such characters as Jones the Steam ... See full summary » Stars: Olwen Griffiths, Anthony Jackson, Oliver Postgate 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.6/10 X A sequel, of sorts, to Camberwick Green but set in the larger, nearby town of Trumpton. Each episode opens with the town hall clock and ends with the fire brigade band playing. Every show tells the story of one of the townsfolk. Stars: Brian Cant The long running television series of the Grange Hill Comprehensive School, and the children's everyday lives. Stars: Stuart Organ, Gwyneth Powell, Lee Cornes Button Moon (TV Series 1980) Family Mr Spoon and his family live on Junk Planet. He travels in his baked bean tin spaceship across blanket sky to Button Moon. There he meets many strange characters and watches stories unfold on other planets using his telescope. Stars: Robin Parkinson Children's slapstick show with the little bear glove puppet and his friends.

Stars: Matthew Corbett, Brenda Longman, Harry Corbett Children's puppet programme featuring music and stories. Stars: Geoffrey Hayes, Roy Skelton, Stanley Bates Edit Storyline Paddington Bear is a child-like honey-bear from South America (Peru) with a passion for marmalade sandwiches, who is adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Brown when they find him sitting on his suitcase at Paddington Station. Written by scgary66 13 April 1981 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Did You Know? Trivia This series is animated in a unique way: the only 3D figure animated in stop-motion is Paddington himself while every other character is animated in paper cutouts. See more » Connections (Euless, Texas) – See all my reviews I remember as a kid watching this when it used to air on the show "Pinwheel." I loved each of the adventures Paddington Bear used get into, and the stop-action animation (think Gumby) made this show fun to watch! I hope children of today will get to experience this wonderful show...its a heck of a lot better then what kids are exposed to today. 17 of 18 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes A Bear Called Paddington Book Review Review this title! What's the story? The Browns find a small bear sitting on his suitcase in Paddington station in London with a tag that says, \"Please look after this bear.\" He has emigrated from \"darkest Peru\" after his Aunt Lucy went into \"a home for retired bears.\" So they take him home, name him after the station where they found him, and he quickly becomes one of the family. But, through no fault of his own, things are always happening to Paddington -- he's \"that sort of bear.\" But no matter how big the disaster, Paddington always comes out on top. Is it any good? QUALITY This is a lovely way to introduce a new generation to one of the classic children's book series of the 20th century. The oversized 50th anniversary edition includes the original illustrations, now in color, and a few that were left out of the original edition.

This is a book from an earlier time, when the humor was gentle and not fixated on bodily functions, when the classic British virtues of kindness, tolerance, and unflappability were assumed without fanfare, and when books for children were expected to entertain and comfort, not introduce them to the seamier side of reality. Michael Bond is not A. A. Milne, winking at the adults in the room while he tells his stories to the children. These stories don't have different levels that appeal to different audiences -- they have just the one, which appeals to everyone. They are perfect both for young readers making the move into chapter books, and for snuggling up in bed with an adult to read to them out loud while you drift off to sleep -- there's nothing here to disturb young dreams, and much in both text and simple pictures to make both reader and listener grin and giggle. In our hurried, violent world, during the headlong rush to grow up, these stories can carve out a little space for a child just to experience unalloyed pleasure. Families can talk about... Families can talk about how books for children have changed in the last half century.

How does this book seem different from other, more modern books you read? Why do you think they have changed? Which type of book do you like better, and why? Why has this book lasted for so long? Book details Paddington Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 143 out of 164 people found the following review useful: Quintessentially British, Irresistibly Warm from Worcester, England 10 December 2014 I have to state this before continuing with this review, prior to seeing this I was very reluctant and hesitant as to what I was due to view. After growing up hearing the stories and watching the animated tales of Paddington Bear, I was unsure as to whether a CGI-heavy live- action tale could really establish a story that portrays the bear in all his charm, well my predictions were woefully inaccurate. 'Paddington' is a very well-executed adaptation of the titular bear for a 21st century audience. From the producers of Harry Potter, 'Paddington' delivers a family-friendly and charming atmosphere whilst conveying an endearing and gloriously comedic tale about a bear and his adventures in London.

One of the late and great films of the year, Paul King's irresistibly warm story creates a sense of nostalgia whilst boasting a quintessentially British feel and pitch-perfect humour that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Was the above review useful to you? 69 out of 90 people found the following review useful: An Instant Classic from United Kingdom 28 November 2014 I loved it. It didn't matter to me that myself and my husband were watching it without the cover of escorting children, family movies are probably one of the most satisfying things out there to watch when done as well as this one was. Cute is an understatement to describe Paddington Bear: he is simply warm and cuddly and I fell for him wholeheartedly. I may even add PB to my Christmas list of wants, even at my great old age. Adult comedies can engender one or two laughs, if you're lucky, but this family fun trip had me and the audience laughing throughout (apart from the odd serious moments where it wouldn't have been right to do so).

Everything was right: the colours, the cast (except I'm not a fan of Nicole Kidman: her pert nose, pert bum or whispered speech), and again...I was entranced by the great warmth of the entire piece. Folks, go see this one, whatever your age, with kids or without. You'll all love it, I'm sure. My hubby hadn't wanted to see it, but he thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommended. I'm sure it will grace many TV screens at many Christmases for many years to come. Was the above review useful to you? 53 out of 71 people found the following review useful: Watch out for the world's most wanted bear from Hong Kong 2 January 2015 OK, I must admit when I looked at the film poster, I had asked myself: How could a feature length film about a British family adopting a CGI talking bear be good? That's why I went into the theater with zero expectation, and Paddington proves to be a huge surprise. As soon as I walked into the theater, I could see I'm the oldest one (excluding those parents), and I did feel a tiny bit embarrassed - sitting alone surrounded by hyperactive children.

But then, as the film goes, I found out watching Paddington is one of the best decisions I've made recently, and that is not exaggerating, because as I watched that little talking bear roam around London, I found the inner child inside of me who's been lost for quite some time. I have never laughed and screamed so freely along with those children and I feel totally not out of place. Needless to say, Paddington is fabulously British, and as a Potterhead (proudly saying so), I recognized a LOT of familiar faces (and voices). Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters, Imelda Staunton, even Michael Gambon, and so many more other spectacular actors and actresses are housed in this 95-minutes film. They are one of the major reasons the film is so appealing. The screenplay of the film is impeccably crafted with totally hilarious, literally LOL jokes (some written particularly for children, and some more naughtier ones I'm sure only the parents would get), and also with moments of warmth so sincerely written that my heart has never been so molten before. Paddington truly is a surprising movie, and it surely is the best non-animated family film made in 2014.

It is ridiculous yet believable. Unlike the increasing amount of farces that call themselves "comedies", Paddington is truly hilarious and heartwarming with a story that is so rich and compelling. And I would recommend Paddington to anyone, and if you have not watched it yet, go watch it and you will find it's the best decision you've ever made. Was the above review useful to you? 35 out of 49 people found the following review useful: An immediate classic! from United States 17 January 2015 This is, without doubt, one of the funniest and most heartwarming films that I expect to see in my life. A true "Family" film, it should appeal to children of all ages as well as to adults who are still children at heart. The cast is perfection, and the director has been truly inspired. The extra touches in both sight and sound that he brings to the film are brilliant - but I shan't specify what they are, for fear of spoiling the surprises. The film walks a fine line being cute at times, but it never becomes cloying or overly sweet. Paddington lives.

I quickly forgot that he was a CGI and simply accepted him as another part of the cast. Even if you have no children to take with you, you should see this film. Was the above review useful to you? 31 out of 45 people found the following review useful: A Timeless Masterpiece from United Kingdom 1 January 2015 This is an instant classic. The raw materials, a heart-warming, but lightweight children's story are not the obvious stuff of a great film,the hybrid real life and cgi high risk. But it works, spectacularly. Translated into over thirty languages, and comprising over twenty books, the simple adventures of an anthropomorphised bear from darkest Peru have enchanted parents and children alike. Hamish McColl has done a fabulous job with the screenplay creating a story inspired by events in the books, but not telling a particular previous story. The ingredients are carefully crafted. Casting is almost perfect. Hugh Bonneville is an arch paternal figure, a role popularised with his stint at Downton Abbey, a series which has enjoyed great success in the United States, broadening the film's transatlantic appeal.

Nicole Kidman is wonderful in her baddie, Cruella de Ville incarnation as Millicent. All dads will love the lingering shots of her from the soles of her vertiginous heels upwards. She flounces and pounces and generally has the most fun, particularly when enhanced by her no-hoper admirer Mr Curry (Peter Capaldi). The kids, play cameo roles well, housekeeper Julie Walters is a dotty delight with prodigious drinking game skills. The only character I didn't quite buy was Sally Hawkins as the wife. Very Boho and Notting Hill, she didn't quite convince opposite Hugh Bonneville as his wife. At the eleventh hour crisis struck the production when Colin Firth left the production as the voice of Paddington. But sweet are the uses of adversity, and Ben Wishaw stepped in to capture the spirit and essence of the bear perfectly. Director Paul King creates a wonderfully British landscape without wallowing in nostalgia too much. Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, the Natural History Museum, Red telephone boxes, double decker buses and English Bobbies are of course on show, but multi -cultural bustling London is also there, saving it from a sickly sweet end.

Not only is the story well told, but the dialogue is crisp, funny and fresh too. The linguist daughter learns how to say "I have been accused of insider trading and require legal representation" in Chinese, and when Paddington is tied up in a chase wearing a policeman's helmet the local bobbies come to his aid with an "officer in distress" call. King has some fun with nods to other movies too. The scene where the cabbies code becomes "guidelines" under Inquisitor Nicole Kidman echoes Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean, Paddington has to rescue his hat from a descending shutter blind as Indiana Jones did, and Kidman descends from a skylight in an attempt to capture Paddington as Tom Cruise did in Mission Impossible, with a further scene reprised as Paddington makes his escape up a metal vent shaft. Ninety minutes is about right for a family film and at 95 minutes, not a second is wasted, nor dramatic lull endured.

Hugh Bonneville's scene in drag is more Les Dawson than Mrs Doubtfire and works in a surreal way, Matt Lucas gets his comeuppance as an awkward cab driver in a way that British MP David Mellor would surely approve of. Some homespun philosophy about outsiders, family, and love, stay just the right side of schmaltz neatly reinforcing the story's wholesome credentials. The special effects are fabulous, particularly a flood, and the essentials, a hat, duffle coat and marmalade are all present and correct. A certainty to be around for many Christmases, and years, to come. Was the above review useful to you? 33 out of 52 people found the following review useful: The Bear Necessities from United Kingdom 1 December 2014 A wonderful adaptation drawn from the characters immortalised in the books, this film is a major success. Heart-warming and humorous without being mawkish or over-sentimental, the antics and escapades of lovable Paddington Bear will surely delight fans of all ages. How the animators achieved such a wonderful and memorable 'Paddington' is a minor miracle.

His expressions and mannerisms are spot on, whilst the cast are obviously all enjoying themselves enormously in being permitted to perform in Paddington's World. It is obvious that a great deal of love and affection has been injected into the making of this film; the acting, graphics, editing, sets and storyline are all virtually flawless, and you must surely be a soul with no heart not to find some modicum of pleasure from this 90 minute magical movie experience. I have deducted one star, which may seem a tad mean after such a glowing review, but that is simply because my family and I wanted the film to go on longer. And that is a sure sign of a good movie. Was the above review useful to you? 27 out of 41 people found the following review useful: A delightfully warm and funny family film from United Kingdom 1 January 2015 Well this was a wonderful surprise. Full of charm and wit, Paddington is an irresistibly heart-warming film that everyone in the family will enjoy. Everything from the quirky humour, to the British scenery to the wonderfully-animated bear himself is a true delight to watch. The cast are also brilliant. The Brown family feel genuinely real and easy to relate to.

I particularly enjoyed Huge Bonneville's amusing performance as Mr Brown, as he overcomes his initial distaste for Paddington and grows to love him as the rest of his family do. Other stand outs include Peter Capaldi, as crafty neighbour Mr Curry, and Nicole Kidman as the Cruella De-Ville-esque villain. However, the true highlight of the film is of course Paddington himself. Whether he's flying down a staircase amidst a pool of water or clinging on to a bus for dear life to give a man his wallet back, he lights up the screen with his presence. Yet it is his honest and virtuous nature that makes him so lovable as a character. Innovative and fresh , yet a fine complement to the books, you would do well to find a more pleasant and charming family film than Paddington. Was the above review useful to you? 29 out of 45 people found the following review useful: A Great Family Film from United Kingdom 9 December 2014 9 December 2014 Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight - Paddingon. I've been looking forward to this film for months and it didn't disappoint.

Just in case there is the remotest chance that nobody knows......Paddington is the tale of a bear from deepest darkest Peru who comes to London and takes up residence with the Brown Family. There are all the recognisable elements from the children's programme, from the blue duffel coat down to the marmalade sandwich kept in Paddington's hat for emergencies. The baddie was played exquisitely by Nicole Kidman, a job she seems to relish. Mr Brown was excellently played by Hugh Bonneville, who seemed to carry a tiny but welcome piece of Lord Grantham into the character. The addition of Julie Walters as Mrs Bird was inspiring as she manages to bring her usual brilliance to the old housekeeper who had been with the family for years. The animation was extraordinary and had the whole audience laughing out loud. There was an audible gasp at one point when Paddington was in peril, and viewers young and old all sat up in their seats hoping against hope that our hero would survive. I went with a group of people of which I was definitely the youngest, the oldest being 78. This is definitely a film for the whole family. Was the above review useful to you?

29 out of 45 people found the following review useful: A bear necessity. from 7 December 2014 There's plenty to be cynical about where Paddington is concerned. The first feature film about the iconic bear - red hat, blue coat, suitcase in hand - was first announced in 2007, and went through a gestation period that's extraordinarily long even for a heavily animated film. The trailer's (literal) toilet humour seemed to confirm that it was pitched firmly at kids. And last, but certainly not least, the cast experienced a shake-up of fairly seismic proportions when Colin Firth announced in July that - with the unanimous consent of all concerned - he would no longer be voicing Paddington. All signs pointed towards a disaster of a movie, one stitched together to cash in on rather than celebrate the phenomenon of Paddington, a little bear who has lived in books, TV series and cuddly merchandise around the world. It's a flat-out joy to discover, then, that Paddington is very far from a disaster. Indeed, it's an unmitigated delight of a family film.

Of course, "family films" don't really cater to everyone in the family a lot of the time - the phrase is a euphemism applied to movies that adults must put up with or suffer through for the sake of entertaining their children. But Paul King's Paddington, based on the beloved books by Michael Bond, really does have something for everyone and is, incidentally, an utterly lovely movie about families to boot. The young will be bowled over by the adorable bear who tumbles through London and into the hearts of his adopted family. The young at heart -and even a few older, crankier people - will find much to enjoy in the film's cheerfully subversive script. Our journey begins in Darkest Peru, where a young bear (voiced with pitch-perfect charm by Whishaw) lives happily with his Aunt Lucy (Staunton) and Uncle Pastuzo (Gambon). He inherits from them a healthy love for marmalade and London, as well as a floppy, red felt hat left behind decades ago by English explorer Montgomery Clyde (Downie). When an earthquake destroys their idyllic home, Aunt Lucy urges her nephew to strike out to London.

Many jars of marmalade later, he finds himself in the iconic train station that gives him his name. He meets the Brown family: risk- averse Henry (Bonneville), dreamy Mary (Hawkins) and their children, Judy (Harris) and Jonathan (Joslin). With Henry insisting that Paddington can only stay while he looks for a more permanent home, the bear begins investigations in London - unaware that Millicent, an obsessive, possibly crazy taxidermist (Kidman), has very specific reasons for wanting him to visit her museum. Strictly speaking, there isn't anything all that new or original about Paddington. We've seen the trope many times before - in trying to find a new home, a misfit changes the hearts and minds of the people who will eventually become his family. The narrative of the film is also little more than a patchwork of wacky incidents and hijinks: Paddington floods the bathroom while trying to come to terms with the "facilities"; Paddington apprehends a criminal through sheer good luck and his incredibly honest nature; Paddington and Henry infiltrate the top-secret Geographers' Guild to hunt down Mr. Clyde.

And yet, King has crafted something quite charming and magical around the bare bones of his story. The film practically radiates love for the sweet-tempered, unfailingly polite bear at its heart. A life-long fan of the ursine hero, King peppers his script with smart references to Bond's books, from Paddington's trademark 'hard stare', used to embarrass people into behaving better, through to the meddling interference of nosy, thrifty neighbour Mr. Curry (Capaldi). He's also updated and deepened the story to give the elder Browns their own emotional arc: Mary's determination to open her heart and home to a stranger is what eventually leads Henry to getting back in touch with his wilder, more fun-loving side. The film also looks quite spectacular, whether Paddington is surfing down a flight of stairs in a bathtub or we're allowed a dollhouse glimpse at the Brown family as they go about their lives. Most importantly, King infuses the entire film with a practically joyous strain of comedy and wit. Pratfalls and sight gags are accompanied by deliciously silly allusions to William Shakespeare and Mission Impossible.

Even the film's supporting characters get their own hefty share of comedy, whether it's housekeeper Mrs Bird (Walters) distracting a security guard by means of a booze throwdown or Mr. Curry falling instantly for Millicent to a smooth burst of Lionel Richie. Millicent herself is an inspired creation. Prowling through the film, togged out in figure-hugging snakeskin and wielding scalpels, she brings to mind and subverts the icy-cool blonde archetype most beloved of Alfred Hitchcock. The sharp script and stunning visuals would mean little without a cast wholly committed to their roles, and King has struck gold with his offbeat casting choices. Bonneville, a veteran of Downton Abbey, has no problem playing Henry's constant anxiety over his children, but also gleefully flings propriety to the winds as he slips into tunic and apron for a spot of howlingly funny undercover business. Hawkins lends Mary - the loving, tender heart of the household and Paddington's biggest champion - a soulful gravitas. Great as they are, however, the MVP here is Kidman.

Her fantastically manic performance as Millicent reminds us why it's a damn shame that she hasn't been in a comedy for years - she's so cheerfully unhinged in the film that she steals pretty much every scene she's in. It doesn't matter whether you're a fan of Bond's books, someone who only knows Paddington as a cuddly soft toy, or a neophyte who has never heard of this walking, talking, marmalade-loving bear. Paddington is a big, warm bear hug of a film, one that will enchant children and tickle adults, even as it grabs just about everyone by the heart with its charm and humour. Was the above review useful to you? 29 out of 48 people found the following review useful: A great Christmas movie... from Dubai 24 December 2014 "Paddington" by Paul King is just right for the festive season. The fluffy main character you just have to love. The animations are lovingly detailed and of irresistible cuteness. The humor is wonderful quirky and endearing. It was a welcome change to laugh many times about a film that is essentially free of blood and death.

Nicole Kidman is wonderfully funny and nasty as Museum Director whose vocation is the stuffing of animals. The Brown family with the great Sally Hawkins as mother and a sympathetic stuffy Hugh Bonneville as a father is full of hilarious absurdity. The Movie is one you can really watch and enjoy with the whole family and there will be no doubt that everybody will love it. Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 19:

Question: What was the name of the British family who adopted Paddington Bear?
Answer: BROWN