Dec 31st    
Paddington in Peru* (PG)   
(Vue Stratford Westfield)

(GB/Fra/Japan 2024)
Columbia/Stage 6/Studio Canal/Marmalade. 106m.

Paddington goes back home after his beloved Aunt Lucy mysteriously disappears.
The human beings take second place to the animated bears in this second sentimental sequel on a similar par with its predecessors, together with an added element of spoofery of Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Sound of Music, and others, with at least its heart in the right place.

Written by: Mark Burton, Jon Foster, James Lamtont, Paul King, Simon Farnaby.
Producer: Rosie Allison.
Director: Dougal Wilson.
Starring: voice of Ben Whishaw; Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer (replacing Sally Hawkins), Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, Juleie Walters, Carla Tous, Jim Broadbent, Hayley Atwell, Hugh Grant; voice of Imelda Staunton.
Photography: Erik Wilson.
Music: Dario Marianelli.

Dec 13th     
1984*    
(GB 1984)                
Virgin/Umbrella-Rosenblum Films. 110m.

Meek news censor Winston Smith seeks to chronicle his thoughts and enters into an illegal loveaffair with a co-worker, but it is all a trap by Big Brother to root out possible subversives.
Filmed apparently during the actual time period of the novel (April-June 1984), with some 80s excesses, but mostly a retro exercise harking back to Orwell's 1930s/40s, almost totally pervading in gloom which can distract from the philosophical aspects of the novel, with interesting performances.

Written and Directed by: Michael Radford, based on the novel by George Orwell.
Producer: Simon Perry.
Starring: John Hurt, Richard Burton, Suzanna Hamilton, Cyril Cusack, Gregor Fisher, Roger Lloyd-Pack.
Photography: Roger Deakins.
Music: Dominic Muldowney, Eurythmics.

+ Burton's last film, for which he came in as late replacement six weeks into shooting after Paul Scofield had pulled out of the role due to injury