Paddington Travels to Peru: At The Movies With Kasey
The other day, I asked my daughter to rank the fictional bears. Corduroy topped her list, followed closely by Paddington and Winnie the Pooh. Then, we saw the latest Paddington movie in the theater, and it did not help the loveable bear take the top spot.
Paddington in Peru opens with the titular bear receiving his British citizenship and a new passport to prove it. Shortly thereafter, the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman) who oversees the Home for Retired Bears where his Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) resides sends Paddington (Ben Whishaw) a letter imploring him to visit. In the meantime, Mary Brown (Emily Mortimer) has realized that with her kids, Jonathan (Samuel Joslin) and Judy (Madeleine Harris), on the verge of leaving home, she and Henry (Hugh Bonneville) are not spending enough time with them. So, the Brown family, Mrs. Bird (Julie Walters), and Paddington set off to Peru to check on Aunt Lucy. When they arrive, they discover that she has gone missing, so they enlist a mysterious boat captain, Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas), and his daughter, Gina (Carla Tous), to track Aunt Lucy down, perhaps as she finds her way to the mythical El Dorado.
My synopsis was longer than usual, and it still did not quite capture how convoluted this story is. Although Paddington’s experience offers an unexpected reflection on the emotions of emigrating, the rest of the narrative is pretty ridiculous. For adults, it has some action-adventure elements reminiscent of Indiana Jones, but those parts were sometimes almost too intense for a little kid. It could have been more fun to see Paddington return home, but the film traded the usual whimsy of the bear’s adventures for too many versions of a gold-obsessed Antonio Banderas.
The film lacks a lot of the charm of the previous films not only because of the strange plot but also because the performances are missing the warmth they used to have. Emily Mortimer is a perfectly lovely replacement for Sally Hawkins and Hugh Bonneville has several funny moments as the ever-risk-averse Henry Brown, but the connection between the family really does seem to have waned, much as Mary Brown fears. Olivia Colman gives such an annoying performance as Reverend Mother that she further drags the ensemble down.
Paddington in Peru is by far the weakest film in the series, but it is still a Paddington movie, so it provides sweet moments, funny jokes, and a heartwarming conclusion, even if it left my preschooler unimpressed.
Paddington in Peru was directed by Dougal Wilson and written by Mark Burton, Jon Foster, and James Lamont. It runs 106 minutes and is rated PG.
On Netflix, Apple Cider Vinegar examines the dangers that can arise when wellness culture collides with a serious cancer diagnosis. Based on real reporting, the limited series weaves together the stories of three women and their cancer treatment—or lack thereof. Influencer Milla Blake (Alycia Debnam-Carey) and her partner, Arlo (Chai Hansen), seek to treat her cancer with a protocol of organic juice and coffee enemas. Lucy Guthrie (Tilda Cobham-Hervey) struggles with how dehumanizing the medical system can feel as she navigates intense courses of chemotherapy. Then, her husband Justin (Mark Coles Smith), starts using his skills as an investigative reporter to look into an Instagrammer he thinks has been a bad influence, Belle Gibson (Kaitlyn Dever). Gibson launched a hugely successful app and cookbook, claiming that she treated a terminal brain tumor with a healthy diet, but little about her story stands up to scrutiny, including the existence of any cancer diagnosis.
Apple Cider Vinegar has a propulsive pace and an edgy tone that reminded me of Painkiller and Inventing Anna. Kaitlyn Dever’s performance in the role of Belle Gibson moves so adeptly between conniving and delusional that it is hard to tell how much of her own lies she believes. She creates a deliciously dramatic core for the series, allowing the more serious moments to land without feeling too heavy. Her acting and the well-balanced pace and subject matter of the writing make the series both gossipy and thought-provoking.
Apple Cider Vinegar was created by Samantha Strauss. It runs for 6 episodes and is rated TV-MA.
Several other true crime series have been released lately. On Max, An Update on Our Family covers the rise and fall of the family vlogging Stauffer family after the mysterious disappearance of their adopted child from their YouTube channel. On Netflix American Murder: Gabby Petito tells the story of a young woman who was killed by her boyfriend amidst a cross-country road trip. The Gabby Petito documentary includes new information and insights into the investigation of her disappearance and murder, plus moving interviews with her family and friends. The docuseries on the Stauffer family, however, relies on talking heads from other YouTubers and provides nothing beyond a summary of the situation. If you are already familiar with the Stauffer drama, that series could easily be skipped in favor of something more informative.
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