Did anyone feel a pervasive sense of sadness? (not in a bad way)
I think part of this is due to me growing older and some of the things I was indifferent or insensitive to in the past just hit me a lot harder nowadays.
But I don't think you can deny that there is really a palpable sense of sadness pervasive in this movie. In many animated/children movies, there is that one sad event at the beginning (Bambi, Lion King, Finding Nemo etc) and while it is not forgotten, the mood usually changes after it and the negative emotions aren't revisited often. Up may be the closest it comes to revisiting that feeling relatively often, but even that movie became pretty upbeat after the first 10 minutes.
But in Paddington, oh man, it is just everywhere. From the earthquake to the heartbreaking scene at the station with everyone ignoring him, to Paddington watching the black & white film of Peru and dissolving through it to see memories of his childhood, to him writing letters to his aunt thousands of miles away, to the family not trusting him and making him feel forced to leave. To what was probably the most gut wrenching scene in the movie of him going around trying to find the explorer in the rain and on the streets.
Again I really do think this has a bit to do with me. I used to be able to watch Grave of the Fireflies and Children of Men without even batting an eye, but now things get to me easier. But do you guys agree that there is a definite prevalence of sadness in this film?