CG bear makes fool of smug blogger

Well this is embarrassing. Having firmly settled on my Top 10 Films Of 2014 some weeks ago, safe in the knowledge that nothing else from the remainder of the year's cinematic output could possibly be good enough to knock Spike Jonze's Her off the arse end of the list, I blithely strolled into a cinema to pass some time while on holiday in the Lake District last week and had my presumptions knocked into a cocked hat. And not just any old cocked hat: a floppy red cocked hat with an emergency marmalade sandwich in it.

Paddington's plot doesn't bear (lol) too much scrutiny, but what it lacks in Chandleresque machinations it more than makes up for in funny noises, ursine slapstick, bottomless charm and knowing commentary on the decline of polite society (especially in London) and the importance of tolerance (especially of immigrants, furry or otherwise). It's a sweet, intelligent, tears-streaming-down-your-chops joy which celebrates and commemorates the idiosyncracies of the English with pinpoint accuracy, and I cannot wait for a sequel. Therefore I have no choice but to wedge it into my Top 10 Of 2014 between The Wolf Of Wall Street (at #6) and Two Days, One Night (at #7). Please cut out the image below and glue it into my Top 10 post in the appropriate place.

I hope you can forgive me this small indiscretion; I'm now desperately concerned that Annie, which I also haven't seen, might rival 12 Years A Slave for its lacerating relevance and undeniable significance so now I suppose I'll have to see that too.

I'd just like to give a feeble shout out to the Royalty Cinema in Bowness-on-Windermere where I saw Paddington: it's a delightful place to visit, the staff are all knocking on a bit and are mildly but delightfully mad, they've got a Wurlitzer organ in Screen 1 and there are signs like this up everywhere:

So next time you're passing by, do pop in and tell them The Incredible Suit sent you. They won't have the foggiest idea what you're on about but they will show you a good time.