Hugh Bonneville

Downton Abbey (2010-2015)

downton-abbey

Downton Abbey (2010-2015)

Network:

PBS

Starring:

Hugh Bonneville

Phyllis Logan

Elizabeth McGovern

Michelle Dockery

Laura Carmichael

Dan Stevens

Plot:

A chronicle of the lives of the British aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the early 20th Century.

Review:

I watched the first season way back when it first aired but then canceled cable and totally forgot about it until I saw it on Amazon Prime. I ended up not re-watching the first season because I could remember the major points and I flew through the rest.

Mary, Michelle Dockery, was my least favorite character. When Lady Edith, Laura Carmichael, called her a bitch in the final season I nearly shouted, “Finally!” I really did not understand why the man she wound up with even liked her. She was nicer to Matthew, Dan Stevens, in the second season and she wasn’t bad in the third season, but all others she was horrible.

Loved watching the characters grow, I did think the fact that the Bate’s were almost always being framed for murder a bit tedious. All in all I could have enjoyed several more seasons of the show and now I’m trying to find something similar to it.

4/5

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Paddington (2014)

Paddington-Movie

Paddington (2014)

Director:

Paul King

Starring:

Ben Whishaw

Hugh Bonneville

Sally Hawkins

Julie Walters

Plot:

A young Peruvian bear travels to London in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone at Paddington Station, he meets the kindly Brown family, who offer him a temporary haven.

Review:

What the hell man? What the hell? Why did it have to start that way? I haven’t read a Paddington book in years but I started reading one to my daughter a while ago and it most certainly did not start with the death of Paddington’s uncle all in your face. You know there are plenty of stories out there that don’t involve the death of a loved one pushing the hero to great heights.

Setting that aside the movie was really cute. Loved the family and the way the dad was portrayed. The contrast between when he went into the hospital with his pregnant wife and when he left was hilarious and really put the nail on the head regarding the before and after of kids.

Paddington holds a special place in my heart and I thought this movie was good enough not to tarnish any memories I held.

4/5