10 Movies That Escaped The Dump Month Curse

Released on January 16, 2015, in the United States, Paddington did not seem to be anything worth watching based on its promotional material. The trailers looked generic while the CGI design made audiences recall the terrible experiences of computer-generated animals like Scooby Doo and Alvin and the Chipmunks. At the same time, another red flag was Colin Firth dropping out of the project.

As many expected it to be a dumb cash grab, it was a pleasant surprise to find out that the film overcame the low expectations. Paddington received critical acclaim and has a very high 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes as critics and audiences praised the film for its sincerity and as something that all age groups could appreciate. And despite trailers saying otherwise, the movie stayed true to the spirit of its source material.

Paddington also ended up being a financial success as it grossed $282 million at the worldwide box office. This was doubly impressive as outside of the UK, the titular bear was not well-known. Ultimately, the gamble of releasing a Paddington movie paid off and led to the release of Paddington 2 which is considered one of the best films of the 2010s.