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Paddington
R2 - United Kingdom - Studio Canal Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (4th February 2015). |
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The Film
 ***This is an A/V and Extras review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** Adapted from Michael Bond’s beloved books, PADDINGTON follows the comic misadventures of a polite young Peruvian bear with a passion for all things British, who travels to London in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone at Paddington Station, he begins to realise that city life is not all he had imagined – until he meets the kind Brown family, who read the label around his neck (‘Please look after this bear. Thank you.’) and offer him a temporary haven. But little do the Browns realise just how much comic mayhem one young bear will bring to their family life, and when this rarest of bears catches the eye of a sinister, seductive taxidermist, it isn't long before his home – and very existence – is under threat... Produced by David Heyman (The Harry Potter series) PADDINGTON, is a timeless and universal story written and directed by Paul King. With Ben Whishaw as the voice of Paddington Bear, the film’s all-star cast includes Hugh Bonneville, Nicole Kidman, Sally Hawkins, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi and Julie Walters.
Video
Multi-national distributor Studio Canal have released the family film "Paddington" on to DVD in the United Kingdom, using the original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The transfer is anamorphic, and is in PAL format. It's a very good presentation, which is what should be expected of a new movie. Now Paddington is a British institution, so of course, the first thing I looked for in this transfer, was minute details in the excellent animation of the leading star. I was not disappointed. Paddington's fur looks absolutely tremendous, especially when he is soaking wet, whilst the small details in the infamous blue jacket and red hat are also cause for cheer. The level of detail elsewhere was also of a consistently high level for the format, especially with facial close-ups, mid-range items in the household, and the dull weathered London streets. Colours are generally very good, though I did feel at times the black levels could've been improved upon. There are a surprisingly large number of darkened locations, but the more vivid colours used help add a great layer of depth. I did see one small instance of banding in a skyline, and also some occasional mild aliasing, but there is nothing particularly noteworthy to complain about here. One of the better DVD transfers I have seen in some time. I imagine the Blu-ray looks amazing. The feature is uncut and runs 91:18.
Audio
Three audio options are included: - English Dolby Digital 5.1 - English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo - English Audio Descriptive Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo For my viewing, I obviously opted for the English Dolby Digital 5.1 option, but it must be noted that this disc continues with the run of annoying releases which plays the stereo track by default. Thankfully, it only took me about ten seconds to realise. Anyway, the audio here is almost as good as the transfer. The surrounds get some consistent use for smaller subtle environmental effects - especially for things that are off screen - whilst the LFE also pounces from time to time, most notably during Nick Urata's score. Dialogue is well placed and has good clarity throughout, showing impressive levels of channel separation and direction. There are no issues such as drop out, scratches, pops, or background hiss. Optional English subtitles for the hard-of-hearing are included.
Extras
The first of three short featurettes is entitled "Meet the Characters" (2:15). This takes a quick look at the various characters in the film and the actors that play them. It's a quick EPK style fluff piece. "When a Bear Comes to Stay" is the second featurette, and is the shortest at just 1:47. Made up of various film clips with some basic by-the-numbers soundbites from cast members and director Paul King, this is a quick look at Paddington as a character and how he was animated. The final featurette is called "From Page to Screen" (2:55). I'm sure you can guess from the title that this extra takes a closer look at the original books by Michael Bond and how they chose to base the film around Peggy Fortnum's animations and remain faithful to the books. The generic photo gallery offers 25 pages of posters and promotional stills. There are also some start-up trailers: - "Shaun the Sheep: The Movie" (2:18) - "The House of Magic" (1:57) - "Mirror Mirror" (2:13)
Overall
The trailer for this was bloody awful, yet the end result is a really good family film that takes me back to my childhood. The cast is perfect, especially Nicole Kidman who has been off base with some her recent outings.
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