Paddington’s Aunt Lucy is turning 100 years old and he wants to find her the perfect present. When he finds a pop up book of London in an antique shop he thinks he has found the perfect gift until washed up actor Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant) hears about it and has other ideas.

In achieving what I thought was impossible and improving upon the original film, Paddington 2 manages to be sheer heart warming joy in film form. This sequel manages to be funny and uplifting whilst whizzing us through a great caper story headed up by a truly bonkers villain.

Hugh Grant is having riotous fun playing the splendidly named Phoenix Buchanan and even gets a post credits scene to put the icing on the cake. Whilst Ben Wishaw’s soft-spoken voice is still a perfect fit for the warm-hearted bear. Elsewhere the film manages to fit in a plethora of English comedians and actors including a brilliant cameo by co-writer Simon Farnaby as a hapless security guard.

And to cap it all the film has some truly inventive visual flourishes with moments where Paddington steps into the pop up book and a prison break that would fit well in a Wes Anderson film.

All in all an absolute corker of a film for people of all ages.