I fell in love with a gentle bear called Paddington while watching his first movie. So, of course, I had high expectations for Paddington 2.  And I’m happy to report that this sequel even exceeds my expectations.  Paddington still lives with the delightful Brown family in a London Windsor Gardens neighborhood. Although very comfortable there, he misses Aunt Lucy, whose 100th birthday is approaching. Being a loving nephew, Paddington wants to send his aunt (still living in Peru) a very special birthday present.

Paddington 2 centers around our hero’s efforts to find the perfect gift and what happens when the gift he chooses gets stolen. This second Paddington (voiced again by Ben Whishaw) outing involves spending a bit of time in a London prison. One of the film’s highlights shows how my favorite bear changes the entire prison for the better.

Besides focusing on colorful characters, the movie emphasizes kindness, humanity, compassion -- and the magic of marmalade sandwiches.           

Here’s a big cheer for Paddington!

He’s back again with lots of fun.

His first film gave us boundless joy.

And this one? Well, I won’t be coy.

It’s filled with love and laughter too.

And sometimes tears, more than a few.

Visual effects, just like the cast

awe and charm us as in the past.

Hugh Grant shows up as a bad man

who ends up dancing in the can!

Happiness is a film like this.

It’s a movie you should not miss.

Paddington 2, directed with great care by Paul King from a witty screenplay by King and Simon Farnaby, also features exciting action scenes that represent creativity at its best. I don’t want to give anything away, but don’t even blink during the London pop-up book tour sequence. Every nano second makes you want to thank the filmmakers for their extraordinary work on this live-action motion picture. And be sure to stay for the end credits to witness the very funny Hugh Grant -- who plays an unsuccessful actor (!) -- perform a humorous musical number with convicts as back-up dancers.

All the human actors do a terrific job in this remarkable film, but Grant as the villain is a stand-out here.  

I can hardly wait for Paddington 3. Here’s hoping the entire cast and crew stay on board for another sequel.        

NOTE: Kudos to Michael Bond for creating “Paddington Bear.”

(Released by Warner Bros. and rated “PG” for some action and mild humor.)

For more information about Paddington 2, go to the IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes website.