Movie Review - Paddington in Peru

Director: Dougal Wilson
Genre: Adventure/ Comedy/ Family
Runtime: 106 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Ben Wishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Imelda Staunton, Antonio Banderas Olivia Colman, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin
 
Description: Paddington returns to Pery to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Brown family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey.
 
Review: Paddington has been living with the Brown family for several years. The children are almost young adults. Mother Mary worries about the inevitable empty nest as daughter and son increasingly live their own lives. But then a disturbing message arrives from Paddington’s homeland in Pery. For one last family adventure, the Browns travel to the Peruvian jungle, where they come face to face with crazy villains, spikey plants and singing nuns. Like its predecessors, “Paddington in Peru” is a dryly comic, slightly wacky and heartwarming film for all ages.

When the family arrives in Pery, Aunt Lucy is missing. So the Brown head into the jungle to find her. Paddington’s clumsiness and enthusiasm is still the root of it. His politeness and marmalade sandwiches are again his main weapon. Along with his new umbrella. A true British gentleman, of course, cannot do without one.  

Although still a writer on the project, Paul King did not direct the third film in the series. Dougal Wilson takes over. And it’s all a little bigger and brighter for this one. Even though I still highly enjoyed this film, I prefer the smaller take on the story in previous films (especially the second one).

I like all the Paddington films, because Paddington himself is just the most adorable character. You have to be completely heartless to not be affected by his kindness. The film is funny, witty, charming, heartwarming and adventurous and this is the perfect family film.

Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

Title: The Midnight Feast
Author: Lucy Foley
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
Published: 2024
 
Description: It’s the opening night of The Manor, and no expense, small or large, has been spared. The infinity pool sparkles crystal pouches for guests’ healing have been places in the Seaside Cottages and Woodland Hutches; the “Manor Mule” cocktail is being poured with a heavy hand. Everyone is wearing linen.
 
But under the burning midsummer sum, darkness stirs. Old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. Just outside the Manor’s immaculately kept grounds, an ancient forest bristles with secrets. And the Sunday morning of opening weekend, the local police are called. Something’s not right with the guests. There’s been a fire. A body’s been discovered.
 
Review: The Midnight Feast” is the fourth book I read from Lucy Foley. I have enjoyed “The Guest List” and “The Paris Apartment”, and didn’t like “The Hunting Party”. And I’m sorry to say, “The Midnight Feast” is my least favorite so far.
 
In this book we are introduced to Francesca, who is the owner of a luxury hotel called The Manor. She has organized a wonderful weekend and everything has to be perfect. She gets help from her staff and her husband. But what many guests don’t know is that Francesca grew up in this hotel, when it was just a luxury house. Something happened here in the past which now seems to be driving the force behind the extraordinary events in the hotel.
 
Something that Lucy Foley does in all her thrillers, is creating an atmosphere with the setting, telling the story from multiple POV’s and use different timelines. The luxury seaside manor with a creepy forest is the setting, we follow five perspectives and alternate between three timelines: before the feast, after the feast and diary entries from 15 years ago. So far so good.
 
The first third of the book is introducing us to the characters, learning about their lives and who they are. We learn more about the manor. It’s actually pretty boring and I understand people DNF’ing this book at this point. It does get more interesting after this, but not interesting enough to be super invested. There were no standout characters. And the story is not very focused either. There is a dead body, characters who have a past with other characters, a farm next to the manor that suffers from the resort being there. And then there is this weird side plot about birds and bird people in the forest. I didn’t really understand why this was in here, I served no purpose and felt really silly because there is no real explanation for all this in the end.
 
As for the twists and reveals, none of them really shocked or surprised me. There was one link between two characters that I did not see coming, but that was about it. I wasn’t disappointed in this book, because I already didn’t have high expectations. But I really didn’t enjoy most of the book. If you want to pick up anything from Lucy Foley, because I still think she is a good author, you should read “The Guest List”.
 
Rating: 2/ 5

20s Movie Review - Conclave

Director: Edward Burger
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 120 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini

Description: When Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with leading one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, he finds himself at the center of a web of conspiracies and intrigue that could shake the very foundation of the Catholic Church.

Review: A conclave is the private process by which the most devout men of the Catholic Church come together to elect a new Pope.

The Pope has died in his sleep. Cardinal Lawrence is given the task of leading the conclave. He is not happy about that, as he was just about to resign his position at the Vatican. The lobbying begins even before the trial has begun, and the the unknown Archbishop Benitez shows up.

You might expect “Conclave” to be a religious drama, but it’s not. It’s a thriller, almost political. It’s conservative versus progressive. And just like any political election, there are secrets that surface.
Ralph Fiennes is the perfect choice to play Cardinal Lawrence, a tormented soul. Stanley Tucci is a perfect “wing man”. John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini are also very strong in their roles.

Although the pace is slow, the tension is high and the film keeps you engaged from start to finish. I was surprised at how much I loved this film.

Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - The Upside

Director: Neil Burger
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 126 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston, Nicole Kidman
Description: A comedic look at the relationship between a wealthy man with quadriplegia (Bryan Cranston) and an unemployed man with a criminal record (Kevin Hart) who’s hired to help him.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 48: A MOVIE SET BU SOUTH-AMERICA
 
Review: Dell Scott makes his living from shady dealings and benefits. The latter seems to be coming to an end when his probation officer forces him to apply for a job and so he has to look for a real job. Dell has no intention of throwing himself into an honest job, however, and so he does everything but his best during various job applications. Until the moment he steps into the penthouse of millionaire Philip Lacasse. Lacasse is paralyzed and is therefore looking for a caretaker. A job for which the inexperienced Dell is totally unsuitable. Yet Philip sees in him the ideal person to help him and give his dormant life a new impulse. An impulse that will completely turn his life, and those around him, upside down. But a completely new world also opens up for Scott that makes him question the things he believed in until then.

“The Upside” is an American remake of the French film “Intouchables” from 2011. That movie was a huge success and I also absolutely loved it. The story is based on the true life friendship of Philippe Pozzo di Borgo and Abdel Sellou and was before this already depicted in the documentary “A la vie, à la mort” in 2003. You could say, a remake of “Intouchables” is not really necessary, which I would agree too. But to be honest, I’m not mad about “The Upside”.

When you compare the two, “Intouchables” is without a doubt the better movie. But looking at it, not thinking of the original, “The Upside” is actually a really good, heartwarming film. Bryan Cranston can do no wrong in my eyes and I liked him in his role. But it’s actually Kevin Hart that steals the show here. I seem to prefer Hart in roles like this, where he has his comedic moments, but they are not taking the overhand. He can do light drama very well. And Hart and Cranston are also very good together.  

I highly enjoyed “The Upside” and would still recommend it.

Rating: 4/ 5

TV Show Review - The Residence (Mini Series)

Season: Mini Series
Genre: Mystery/ Comedy/ Crime
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2025
Starring: Uzo Aduba, Giancarlo Esposito, Molly Griggs, Ken Marino, Randall Park, Susan Kelechi Watson, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Jason Lee, Bronson Pinchot, Jane Curtin, Julian McMahon, Kylie Minogue

Description: An inside look of the White House’s staff residence and the lives workers share with the First Family, and the brilliant detective (Uzo Aduba) hired to crack the case of the mystery death that has occurred.

Review: A murder, a number of suspects and multiple rooms and murder weapons; for fans of the board game (and movie) “Clue” this is right up their alley. I love this stuff. With “The Residence’ we get an entertaining whodunit, full of satire and eccentric characters. And while there is plenty to choose from when it comes to murder mysteries, this one is definitely worth watching.

During a gran state banquet at the White House, the head of the household is found dead. The country’s best detective, Cordelia Cupp, is called in to investigate and solve the case as discreetly as possible. Anything but inconspicuous, she sets to work in her own eccentric way.

The creators have found a perfect way to frame the story. Months after the incident, a hearing takes place in which a committee re-examines all the details of the case. People involved are questioned and through flashbacks the viewers get a better picture of the events. Little by little, new insights are revealed. In this way, time is played with and time jumps provide a dynamic progression.

At the same time it allows the committee’s interrogators to question Cupp’s distinct but highly effective modus operandi. Actress Uzo Aduba portrays her role of detective as an unflappable and perceptive character. Cupp is not intimidated by her surroundings or the influential people she interrogates. In her spare time, she is a passionate birder, ans those skills – patience, attention to detail and focus – come in handy in her work as well. In Sherlock-like fashion, she manages to paint a complete picture of a situation with just a few clues.

The pace of the series is fast, with quick edits and fluid jumps in time. This contrasts with the slower, more introspective scenes in which characters are explored. The White House is obviously the ideal setting for a murder mystery, because with its many beautifully decorated rooms, hidden hallways and intriguing hierarchy among the staff, much remains hidden. Cupp has the location locked down; no one is allowed our until the culprit is known.

With a cleverly constructed story, interesting characters and a great setting, the series remains engaging from start to finish. For every murder mystery fan, this is a definite must-see.

Book Review - Mr. Nobody by Catherine Steadman

Title: Mr. Nobody
Author: Catherine Steadman
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Published: 2020
 
Description: A man lacking identification and unable to speak is found unconscious on a British beach and immediately draws national press and Mr. Nobody. But when neuropsychiatrist Dr. Emma Lewis is invited to assess him, she discovers he does recall something about her own past that no one else knows.
 
Review: From the first page, you are in the story. It starts with a man who washes up on the beach in England. He has no memory of what happened to him, who he is and he can’t speak. Dr. Emma Lewis, a specialized neuropsychiatrist, is brought in to help him regain his memory and find out what happened to him. But Emma grew up in this area, a place she never really planned to return back to. Because she has a secret of her own. Emma actually goes by a different name and left Norfolk with her family when she was young.
 
The books leaves you in the dark about Emma’s secret for a long time and the mystery around the man that was found is very intriguing as well. You eventually get to know Emma better and we learn, together with her, what is going on with the man.
 
But once it’s unraveled and we know more about Emma’s past and the mystery around the man, the book really becomes less interesting. It all plays out a bit predictable and the ending is very implausible. There are a lot of plot points that I predicted, because they were obvious. And I don’t mind predicting plot points, as long as they are not too obvious.
 
In the end is was just okay, nothing noteworthy or memorable.
 
Rating: 3/ 5

10s Movie Review - Filth

Director: Jon S. Baird
Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: James McAvoy, Jamie Bell, Eddie Marsan, Jim Broadbent, Imogen Poots

Description: A corrupt, junkie sop (James McAvoy) with bipolar disorder attempts to manipulate his way though a promotion in order to win back his wife and daughter while also fighting his own inner demons.

I WATCHED THIS FILM FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 18: A FILM WITH JAMES MCAVOY
 
Review: Bruce Robertson possesses every bad trait you can think of: he is manipulative, negative, vulgar and hates everyone. When he hears that he can get a promotion to police inspector, he wants to do everything he can to get this job. He is convinced that this way he can restore his relationship with his wife and daughter. Then he puts everything into defeating his competitors and pits his fellow police officers against each other. In between, he drinks, smokes, fucks and uses drugs on a regular basis. And Bruce is getting worse and worse.

There is a reason why James McAvoy is one of my favorite actors and here is another one. In “Filth” he is fantastic. His character Bruce is irredeemable, he is so unlikeable because of everything he says and does. It becomes increasingly difficult to sympathize with Bruce. But somehow he manages to turn this around right at the end. And McAvoy steals the show and carries the entire film.

Would I recommend “Filth”. Not to everyone. If you’re into sarcasm, dark comedy and a highly unlikeable and disturbed main character, this is for you. If none of this speaks to you, you’d better skip it. This is a typical case of you hate it or you love it.

Rating: 3,5 / 5