MOVIE REVIEW: Triple Threat Holiday Weekend

The first three-day holiday weekend of 2015 brings a jam-packed slate of films filled with Oscar nominees, Golden Globe winners and new releases. Let’s take a look at three diverse films opening this weekend which covers the gamut of something for everyone.

PADDINGTON

I have never known the world without Paddington Bear. Born into the literary world around the same time as myself in 1958, Michael Bond’s “A Bear Called Paddington” has been a mainstay of not only my life, but for generations of kids who came after me (including my nephews). Paddington Bear was just like me; he was a child. And despite all of Paddington’s worldly education and manners taught him in Darkest Peru by his Aunt and Uncle, he had all the wide-eyed wonder, rose-colored glasses, optimistic hopefulness and innocent mischievousness that resonated with every child fortunate enough to meet him on the printed page and then run away with Paddington in their own imaginations. The charm of Paddington Bear was that his sticky-sweet marmalade covered paws and adventures didn’t rely on super-heroes, car chases, explosions and galaxies far far away; they relied on the day-in and day-out world around him, just like that of you and me.

But, in spite of all the merchandising and the beloved book series and even a short-lived animated tv series, author Michael Bond held tightly to the legacy of Paddington Bear and it wasn’t until producer David Heyman (the man behind the Harry Potter franchise) and first-time feature director Paul King entered the picture that Bond agreed to allow Paddington to make the jump to the big screen. The result is PADDINGTON, a film that perfectly captures the whimsy and fun of the books and this beloved lovable bear while sprinkling it with the sweet goodness of orange marmalade! Eye-popping, color saturated visuals, perfect casting which includes a cuddly and adorable CGI created Paddington, and the most endearing and heartwarming voicing of Paddington by Ben Wishaw, make PADDINGTON the “Must See” family film event of the year.

Developing a script that is grounded in the original Paddington book and then peppering in adventures from others within the series, we first meet Paddington as a young cub in Darkest Peru by way of a B&W newsreel by a great Explorer from London. Raised by his Aunt Lucy and Uncle Pastuzo, the family is exposed to culture, speech, tea time and marmalade, and have an open invitation to visit the Explorer in London. Although Pastuzo and Lucy often talk about going to London, it remains a dream; a dream until an earthquake tragically kills Uncle Pastuzo and destroys their home in Darkest Peru leaving Aunt Lucy to care for Paddington, something she is too old and frail to do, thus making this the time for Paddington to go to London. Remembering the Explorer’s stories about the kindness of Londoners and that during the war they welcomed homeless children, Aunt Lucy stows Paddington away on a cargo ship.

On his arrival at Paddington Station, the little bear finds that the times and the people are nothing like the stories told by the Explorer. People are somber, rushed, rude with no time for a little bear; that is until the Brown family appears. Mary Brown is immediately taken with the little bear and promptly names him Paddington (since no one can speak Bear), convincing her stiff and stuffy husband to let him come home with them. A family desperately in need of some good marmalade (or a little bear) to bind them together, disastrous adventures abound, starting with a bathroom plumbing incident (that is hilarious). With escalator escapades, skateboarding chase scenes through Notting Hill, shopping excursions with pickpockets, a flying bear with an umbrella and other assorted fun, the disasters only serve to bring Mr. and Mrs. Brown and their children Jonathan and Judy closer.

But thanks to a nosy Notting Hill neighbor and an evil taxidermist named Millicent working at the Natural History Museum, Paddington may not be safe. While Mr. Brown tries to help Paddington find the Explorer, Millicent is hot on the trail to capture Paddington and add him to the “stuffed animal” collection at the museum. It’s going to take the whole Brown family to get out of this sticky wicket!

Written and directed by Paul King with the blessing of Michael Bond, PADDINGTON is a pantheon of visual delights. Working with cinematographer Erik Wilson and production designer Gary Williamson, the visuals dazzle. Color tells its own story here and Wilson is masterful with its lighting and lensing creating subtleties of emotion and metaphor that capture the wonder and whimsy of the stories. Williamson and King tell the story of the Browns and their home by way of a dollhouse come to life. Clever and engaging for even the youngest viewer. Staying true to the heart and magic of Paddington Bear, the story is well crafted and constructed with the plot lines about love and family and the depths of that love, that come together in a neat little bow while leaving you wanting to see more adventures.

Casting is perfection starting with out initial introductions to Aunt Lucy and Uncle Pastuzo who are voiced by Imelda Staunton and Michael Gambon, respectively. “Human” cast just steal the heart, particularly Sally Hawkins who radiates love and affection as Mrs. Brown. Julie Walters is a kick in the funny bone, providing sage grounding as live-in relative Mrs. Bird. The often under-rated Hugh Bonneville is anything but as Mr. Brown as his heart melts the more Brown is around PADDINGTON. Jim Broadbent delights as the immigrant antique shop owner Mr. Gruber while Peter Capaldi is a scream as neighbor Mr. Curry. Stealing the show is Nicole Kidman who “wows” as Millicent, making her a villain that is beyond delicious!

And then there’s PADDINGTON himself - amazing CGI design and creation. Expressive with soulful eyes, the animators at London’s Framestore have outdone themselves in making PADDINGTON as real as one has always imagined. But then you add Ben Wishaw’s voicing with those beautiful emotional eyes... your heartstrings may never be the same again. You feel every emotion with PADDINGTON to such a degree you just want to reach through the screen and bring him home with you.... The film's heart, the heart within the performances and the heart of PADDINGTON just made my heart smile.

PADDINGTON feels so real, so genuine, you will find yourself tearing up in sadness and in joy, wanting your very own Paddington Bear to cuddle and hold. PADDINGTON - a fanciful whimsical delight for all ages!

THE WEDDING RINGER

Ringing my bell with laughter is THE WEDDING RINGER. Directed by Jeremy Garelick and co-written by Garelick and Jay Lavender, THE WEDDING RINGER goes into what is, in many respects, virginal best man territory, putting Kevin Hart and Josh Gad together for one of the best bromances ever and some of the biggest laughs you’ll see on screen. Calling on the likes of Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, Ken Howard, Mimi Rogers, Olivia Thirlby, Jenifer Lewis and Cloris Leachman, comedy veterans rush the end zone and score on every level while football legends like Joe Namath and “Too Tall” Jones come in for the point after.

Jimmy Callahan is the man, the “best man”. Hiring himself out as a rent-a-best-man, Jimmy is the savior to grooms who are friendless. His business Best Man, Inc. is beyond lucrative, and necessary, but there is one cardinal rule - there’s no contact with Jimmy after the wedding. We meet Jimmy going through the motions of creating personas and relationships for every different kind of guy out there and given the great montage of jobs, one would think he’s done it all and seen it all; until we meet Doug.

Doug is a successful tax attorney but is not what you’d call a catch in the looks or personality department, yet he is about to marry Gretchen, one of the hottest woman walking. Problem is, Gretchen is planning a huge wedding and while she has all the friends that lifelong money can buy, Doug has none. Zilch. Zip. With the clock running out, Doug is desperate and turns to Jimmy Callahan. But Doug’s needs are a stretch even for Callahan. Doug needs “The Golden Tux” - Best Man, seven groomsmen, bachelor party, life histories (based on Doug’s fabrications to Gretchen and her family) - and all in a week. Let the games begin!

And games is what we get as Gad and Hart go for broke with rapid-fire patter, improved dialogue and some great physical comedy in many cases hitting the caliber of vintage slapstick. Their energy is infectious, as is their comedy, thanks in large part to the comedic timing of each. But where the comedy truly excels is when director Garelick adds the groomsmen to the mix, the casting of which is impeccable - Affion Crockett and Colin Kane perhaps the greatest standouts as Drysdale and Plunkett, respectively. But what is most appreciated is the chemistry between Hart and Gad as Hart lets Gad shine and show off his comedic skills while Hart gets to showcase a softer and more sentimental side of his repertoire. It’s a wonderful pairing.

An extremely cohesive comedy casting all around, as Jimmy’s assistant Doris, Jenifer Lewis adds some necessary grounding and maternal lecturings and quite honestly, steals some of the scenes from all the boys. Cloris Leachman, while having minimal dialogue and screen time, goes through the roof with her facial expressions as Granny set on fire. Not to be missed is Ignacio Serricchio as wedding planner “Edmundo”. And then there’s Garelick’s casting coup of Joe Namath and some other gridiron legends who add their own layer of antics to the proceedings with Ken Howard.

The script is well constructed replete with tongue-in-cheek dialogue that is not only fun and often touchstones to other films, but immediately addressed and explained so as not to seem “been there, done that.” Nice technique by Garelick and Lavender.

On the whole, THE WEDDING RINGER is fast, crisp, clean. The script is tight and lensing tighter thanks to some excellent editing by Jeff Groth, Shelly Westerman and Byron Wong, particularly when it comes to a football game between Namath, “Too Tall” Jones, Howard and company versus Hart, Gad and the other groomsmen (and yes, Kevin Hart, we know you shot a muddy game with no mud on your face!), as well as an earlier dance sequence featuring Hart and Gad who put “Dancing With the Stars” to shame.

Produced by Will Packer, this is without a doubt the best production to come under his banner. Interestingly, this is also the first Kevin Hart film to boast an “R” rating thanks to some very interesting bachelor party antics!

Breathing great comic life, THE WEDDING RINGER just rings my bell with laughter, heartfelt honesty and humor.

LITTLE ACCIDENTS

Although in limited release, an indie gem that requires mention is LITTLE ACCIDENTS. Written and directed by Sara Colangelo, LITTLE ACCIDENTS is a very profound and thought-provoking character study and study of the human condition focused within the microcosm of reality in a West Virginia coal mining town. If LITTLE ACCIDENTS doesn't show the true chain of life and how everything intersects with everything else, how one ripple in a pond can change the entire flow of a river, then nothing will. Set against this grander ideal of "life", however, is the introspective questioning of oneself, of the very moral fabric of a person and how that fabric is tested and trialed both by the community/friends/family and by one's own conscience. The railing against the truth, the creation of facade as a means to hide from one's own possible failings, is beautifully told - particularly through the characters of Owen, Amos and Diana.

Amos is the sole survivor of a mining accident and is being pressured by the community when it comes to the government investigations into the accident as well as the class action litigation. Diana is the wife of the mining executive, a woman more worried about social functions and shopping than the deaths of men in the community under the charge of her husband. But her life is about to change when her son goes missing. And then there’s Owen, a young boy whose father was a victim of the mining accident and who now has his own cross to bear. As LITTLE ACCIDENTS unfolds, the lives of each of these three intersects, connects and showcases the cause and effect of each little act in one’s life.

This is without a doubt the best performance of Elizabeth Banks’ career. As Diana she is a powerhouse of emotion and metamorphosis that is riveting, courageous and sad. Jacob Lofland, who stole our hearts in “Mud” does so again here as Owen. It is Owen’s beating heart that is the pulse of the film and a key spoke in the wheel of storytelling. Owen is the future, but can he break free of the past and the sins of the closed community, or will he fall victim as the next generation to run from and hide the truth. Your heart bleeds for Owen as you watch Jacob's performance. His chemistry with Banks is heartwrenchingly beautiful. But a real testament to Lofland are the quiet moments, the intense close-ups, the pensive, reflective moments - as a boy who, once again, is sparse on words - Lofland soars as he lets his eyes tell Owen's story, hide his shame and fear. The nuance that he brings physically with his shoulders, the way he hangs his head or the way he treats a bicycle just draw one ever deeper into Owen's soul. Lofland makes Owen's hidden pain palpable. And then you put him together with the beyond adorable Beau Wright as little brother James. Tissues.

As he did with bringing authenticity and depth to "Out of the Furnace", another coal country/mining based film, so Boyd Holbrook does here. Again, like Lofland, Holbrook makes Amos short of words, but always observational, like a sponge; thinking, internally debating, feeling the pressure of what his actions or inactions will do. "Gifted" doesn't sufficiently describe Holbrook's performance enough. As with the entire film, a performance that is a study of a man's character, of the human condition and Holbrook brings that internal debate to life.

Put Banks, Lofland and Holbrook together and the dynamic singes the soul. And I'm not talking about them on screen in the same scene together; this is the story construct and the character development and the way the actions of these three characters determine the storyline and the film as a whole. Colangelo has done an incredible job with just the story structure and the "cause and effect" design, not to mention her casting and her lensing.

Then there's the lensing. Cinematographer Rachel Morrison delivers breathtaking imagery that captures the peaceful calm and heritage of a coal mining West Virginia. Morrison has a diversity to her work as a whole, but her visual storytelling voice has become distinctive and defining as an emotional, quiet, cinematographer. As she did with "Fruitvale Station", Morrison allows the lens to almost float, settling into an emotional focus; omnipresent but invisible, thus providing an intensity of emotion through the actors and the performance as opposed to unnatural trickery or forced establishing shots. Here, the lensing is crisp and clean, with light and color celebratory of mother nature and her truth and beauty while balancing that with the inky darkness of two backlit figures going into a mine - stunning metaphor for the internal darkness and unknown both Owen and Amos are facing. And yet, with just the headlamps in that brief mine scene, her lens captures the glistening rock on the walls, as if enticing men to dig deeper not only for coal, but within themselves. Powerful execution. Love the use of a lot of looking through windows throughout the film - everyone is filtering something, hiding something. LITTLE ACCIDENTS screams metaphor on so many levels, with each of more enticing and eye-opening as the last.

One thing's for certain - LITTLE ACCIDENTS is no little accident. This is a powerful film by design.

For my full reviews of each of these films and exclusive interviews with some of the cast and all of the filmmakers of each movie, go to http://www.moviesharkdeblore.com.