You know who we all need right now? Well, you saw the headline when you clicked in but we still have to be SEO friendly - it's Paddington Bear. Like, we desperately need Paddington Bear right now. And I hear you! "Isn't Paddington for kids?" Sure, dear reader! Lots of things are for kids. But the beauty of most children's films nowadays is that they're created with the fact that the kids' parents will have to sit through the movie as well. Not a parent? That's okay. You're still allowed here.
Now, to get back on track: we all need a good, nice, happy does of Paddington right now. For those who have never seen them, and didn't find themselves exposed to the books as a youngster, the films follow a young and boisterous bear as he gets into mischief throughout London while trying to find a place with a new family.
Outside of the two films' technical prowess - both of which are incredibly impressive. There's a scene with an orange that you could watch on loop for days to help calm you down - there's a surprising amount of purity packed into their respective runtimes. Not the twee kind of "it's all going to be ok" kind of narratives that films that skew towards a much younger audience would tout, but the kind that presents some real emotional stakes that will punch you in ways that you least expect.
It's not all an emotional rollercoaster, either. These movies will most definitely make you feel, especially if you come from a non-traditional family of any kind, but they will also make you laugh. You just try to watch a baby bear stick electric toothbrushes in his ears and not have a good long giggle.
The bottom line is this: everything feels bad and scary right now. You can combat that bad and scary with a little bit of escapism and letting yourself watch something that is truly warm this evening. You could even make it a double feature! They're both very much worth the rental.
