Paddington 2 deserves Oscar nominations in these five categories

To say that "Paddington 2" should be a serious player in this year's price race should not seem like a crazy idea. Yes, no sequel has been nominated for the best movie since "Mad Max: Fury Road" in 2015, and a "children's movie" has not made the difference since "Toy Story 3" in 2010 (or "Hugo" in 2011, according to your definition).

Certainly, "Paddington 2" was released in January – a month from the previous year regarding the Oscars season – and yes, the story of a computer-generated bear trying to grab a pop-up book for his an aunt (also a computer-created bear) may seem a bit silly next to a historical epic like "Roma" or a love story that destroys the zeitgeist like "A Star Is Born" ". While it's undeniable that Hugh Grant brilliantly reinterprets Stephen Sondheim's music, it's hard to compete with Lady Gaga to forever transform the soul of Jackson Maine. Hard, but not impossible.

Consider his pedigree: "Paddington 2" is the "best commented movie of all time". (Agreed, technically, he has only the most criticism of all time. 100% fresh rotten tomato film, but The Guardian's dramatic title speaks for itself.) When he left for Great Britain late last year, he badembled a trio of prestigious BAFTA nominations, including best British movie. "Call Me by Your Name" was chosen for Best Screenplay, while Grant competed for the role of Best Supporting Actor alongside Willem Dafoe and Sam Rockwell; Grant even won the same category at the London Film Critics' Circle Awards.

Although it is too early to know whether American voters will have the same decency as their colleagues from across the Atlantic, it is reasonable to badume that "Paddington 2" will figure at least among the top 10 lists during next few weeks – in fact, this criticism can guarantee it. As the saying goes, "Paddington seeks the good in all of us and, one way or another, he finds it." Fortunately for us, looking for the good in "Paddington 2" is a pleasure and finding it is child's play. A love story, love and belonging inspired visually, inspired and visually inspired (which also works as a politely scathing reprimand to Brexit and xenophobia that made it possible) , the film has already been transformed into a real good old movie.

And yet, Warner Bros. – who distributed the film in the United States after the collapse of The Weinstein Company – does not even have a page for your consideration. The studio has even made one for "Ready Player One", a film that would hardly deserve to be taken into account on the DVD support of a service station. This must not remain. Justice must be rendered. And the court is now in session. Here are seven Oscar nominations for which "Paddington 2" deserves to be in the race, if not at the top of the pack.

1. Best picture

"Paddington 2"

Here is the problem: the "prestige" films of 2018 offer the Academy a golden opportunity to get things moving and to redefine forever what it means to be an "Oscar film". While relatively conservative tariffs like "First Man" (and ultra-conservative), prizes like "Green Paper") are still playing water, the conversation is dominated by contenders of the left field; not only will this be the first time that a superhero movie will be nominated for Best Movie ("Black Panther"), but also for the first time since "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" that a movie in a foreign language ("Roma") Has a legitimate chance of winning ("Love" is a masterpiece, but this has never been a pretender). "The Favorite" is a very different kind of drama from the time, while "A star is born" – even if it will please everyone – is always a music directed by the star of "Limitless" . Bradley Cooper crushes painkillers with a cowboy boot! Andrew Dice Clay is watching YouTube! Alec Baldwin hosting "SNL" could honestly be the most natural thing in all this movie.

So the question is not "Why 'Paddington 2'" instead of "Why do not "Paddington 2?" "In the first place, it's hilarious, it's filled with brilliant physical gags that fill the gap between CGI and the time of silence. The chase sequence in the first act signals to Harold Lloyd, the prison in Charlie Chaplin's second tribute, while the grand finale of the locomotive is a magnificent tribute to Buster Keaton; "The Artist" won the Best Film Award for much less. On the other hand, "Paddington 2" is an exhaustive and moving parable that has something to offer people of all ages and that ends with a moment that can reduce adult men to tears. And it's not like the Americans do not see it. While the film's $ 40 million filming represents less than 18% of the world's $ 227 million in gross revenue, this figure is still much higher than recent nominees such as "Call me by your name "," Phantom Thread "and" Moonlight ".

2. Best Supporting Actor (Hugh Grant)

Hugh Grant would be a key player in the best supporting actor, as long as anyone bets to fund a campaign for his performance. (We still have time!) As a fallen actor, Phoenix Buchanan – an aging West End legend reduced to organizing carnivals and playing in dog commercials -, Grant not only gets the best role in his career, but several of them. between them. When Phoenix discovers that Paddington has found a pop-up book that also serves as a treasure map, he takes out his old costumes, puts on a number of ridiculous disguises (a knight, a tramp, a very pretty nun) and stages the show. of a lifetime to steal the book and mentor Paddington for the crime; it is as if one sees his six characters of "Cloud Atlas" turn into a single narcissist pretentious to the ignoble plane.

The villainous part does a brilliant job in highlighting Grant's slightly misanthropic reputation, and the former rom-com star (himself a few years from his heyday) seems to have the time of his life. He savored every moment ridiculous, exalting the despair of a star faded and obsessed by himself, who desperately wants to return to the spotlight. Of course, all that Phoenix really wants is a captive audience, and the mid-generic scene in which he finally gets one of this year's best records; in the world of "Paddington 2", even the most selfish can redeem themselves by spreading love.

3. Best visual effects

Nowadays, computer-generated photorealistic characters are easy to take for granted. Contemporary viewers may be as impressed by the sight of a talking bear as by one of the characters in this film. And yet, it takes exceptional craftsmanship and art to ignore such extraordinary craftsmanship and craftsmanship. Paddington is a marvel of digital animation – the rare 3D cartoon as expressive as the hand-drawn characters you'll find in a clbadic Disney or Studio Ghibli.

The trick lies in how the special effects team allows Paddington to distinguish between a wild animal and a hyper-polite Londoner. he may be the only bear in the world to face the glbad, but he still cleans the glbad by rubbing his bad. Even when he's jailed preparing Brendan Gleeson marmalade sandwiches in the kitchen of a maximum security prison, he's still a four-legged ursine creature with a hard look that could shake a serial killer. The flawless effects maintain this balance at all times: it is a story devoid of the darkest Peru, wide-eyed, his determination and his wonderfully lively fur, which always give the feeling that it belongs to .

4. Best score (Dario Marianelli)

Dario Marianelli – who won the Oscar for "Atonement" and is long overdue – delivers one of the best (and most challenging) works of his career in "Paddington 2", composing a successful score to be colorful but never disgusting, sensitive but never saccharine, and always as bright and brilliant as Paddington himself. The glockenspiel in the main theme of the score gives the film a fanciful attitude and Marianelli's ability to extend this energy to a number of different sounds (samba, military choir, even religious) does a wonderful job in expressing Paddington's resources. and / or elasticity. Everything is there in the opening song of the soundtrack, a fluid mix of all the fun music to come. Marianelli's result for "Paddington 2" is quite different from the one Nick Urata wrote for the previous installment; he is deeper, richer and more dynamic in every respect.

5. Best costumes (Lindy Hemming)

"Paddington 2"

Lindy Hemming deserves nomination for best costume design for Hugh Grant's beautiful selection of ties only. Phoenix Buchanan's various disguises are brilliant in the way they reflect his character, emphasizing form to function, regardless of the urgency of the circumstances. Phoenix does not simply dress up as a knight to hide in the Tower of London, he wears a radiant armor dotted with rich blue and red to distinguish himself from other piles of scrap. Phoenix does not get in the habit of slipping into the convent; he wears a tight dress that allows him to move with a sacred grace; even reversible, allowing him to change at any time chic chic. Phoenix's best outfit could be his own checkered suits, bringing some Dickensian aplomb to his brief performance of the bearded homeless.

It's hard to compete with Paddington's signature jacket and hat combo, but Hemming's work gives the rest of the cast a chance to fight. Sally Hawkins outfits exude a strong maternal warmth (she wears this thick and red cardigan like a superhero cloak), while Hugh Bonneville often feels like silently screaming about the insipidness of her garment. white-collar work because Mr. Brown is desperate. to free himself from the boredom of his work in business and return to his free days "Daddy Cool". And let's not forget the most forward-thinking prison jokes in the history of cinema, which combine the precious charm of Wes Anderson with the oppression of a criminal justice system. Even Paddington's dear aunt Lucy is ready for the parade, wearing a cozy winter coat that accentuates the color of her fur and looks as comfortable as a sip of Sleepytime tea.

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