During midwinter recess from school, young movie fans can enjoy two special screenings hosted by the Museum of the Moving Image.
To coincide with Black History Month, “Sweet Blackberry Presents,” created by actress Karyn Parsons (“Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”), features little-known, inspiring stories of African-American achievement, animated for children. The program includes three short films that bring the stories of Henry ‘Box’ Brown, Janet Collins and Bessie Coleman to life.
Brown was a 19th-century Virginia slave who escaped to freedom through the Underground Railroad and went on to become a noted abolitionist. Collins was among the pioneers of black ballet dancing and one of the few classically trained black dancers of her generation. Coleman was an American civil aviator, the first woman of African-American and Native-American descent to hold a pilot license.
The screenings of “Sweet Blackberry Presents” will take place every day from Saturday, Feb. 16 through Sunday, Feb. 24 at 12 p.m.
The film “Paddington 2” will be shown at 2 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 18 through Friday, Feb. 22 and on Sunday, Feb. 24. As fans of the first film and classic book series by Michael Bond know, the beloved Paddington faces the world with kindness — and always with a side of marmalade.
Every bit as charming and funny as the original “Paddington” film, the sequel finds the young bear now living comfortably with the Brown family in London and off to a new adventure.
Paddington seeks a special birthday present for his beloved Aunt Lucy. A visit to Mr. Gruber’s (Jim Broadbent) antique shop leads to the discovery of a beautiful and mysterious pop-up book featuring detailed scenes of London — the perfect gift.
Paddington just has to earn enough money to buy it and to keep it out of the hands of a master thief, played with delicious gusto by Hugh Grant. Featuring a top-notch cast, magical, animated sequences in which the book comes to life, and pure slapstick hilarity, “Paddington 2” is a joyful experience.
Variety has called the film “another near-pawfect family entertainment, honoring the cozy, can-do spirit of Bond’s stories while bringing them smoothly into a bustling, diverse 21st-century London.”
Ticket purchases to the above screenings include same-day museum admission, making a visit to the museum a fun and educational family outing.
The Museum of the Moving Image is located at 36-01 35th Ave. in Astoria. For more information, call 718-777-6800 or go to www.movingimage.us.
