Le retour de Mary Poppins

I am 43 and as a Generation X'er, I am skeptical by nature and am normally not inclined to introducing new actors into iconic roles. I loved Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins and now, Emily Blunt has made me fall in love with Mary Poppins all over again!!! When we left the theater, my husband and I felt like we had just left the Magic Kingdom - it is a magical movie experience! Worth every dollar to see on the big screen!! I couldn't be more pleased with Mary Poppins Returns. She is "practically perfect in every way". Emily Blunt has stage presence, the songs are pleasing and the story is extremely touching. (I watched Saving Mr. Banks and for those who don't get why Mary Poppins came back, missed the entire point of Mary Poppins, Saving Mr.Banks and Mary Poppins Returns.) We all need a Mary Poppins moment to remind us of what truly matters in life. So if you want to Trip a Little Light Fantastic, find out Where the Lost Things Go, and be reminded with a childlike heart There is Nowhere to Go But Up, then please see this movie and feel the magic!

Greetings again from the darkness. The 1964 classic Disney film MARY POPPINS is much beloved and has been shared across generations for more than 50 years. It won 5 Oscars on 13 nominations, and shifted Julie Andrews from a Broadway star to an international movie star, as she won the Oscar for Best Actress while becoming the ideal nanny for most every boy and girl. Rarely do reboots, remakes, or sequels to the classics make much of a dent with the movie-going public, but it's likely director Rob Marshall's (CHICAGO, INTO THE WOODS) film will be an exception. Marshall balances nostalgia with contemporary, and benefits from a marvelous successor to the Mary Poppins role ... Emily Blunt.

The film opens in low-key fashion as we follow Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda) through town as he performs his lamplighting duties singing the melancholic "Underneath the Lovely London Sky". It's actually a bit of a dry opening that may have some impatient kids wondering why their parents dragged them to see this. Soon after, we are at the familiar 17 Cherry Tree Lane - the Banks' home - easily recognizable from the original film. We meet grown up siblings Michael (Ben Whishaw) and Jane (Emily Mortimer). Jane is a labor organizer following in her mom's footsteps, and Michael is a struggling artist and widower raising 3 kids. He has taken a teller job at the Fidelity Fiduciary Bank where his dad (now deceased) worked, but mostly he's an emotional wreck. In fact, the only way to save the family home from foreclosure is with proof of his father's bank shares ... something the evil new Bank President, William Weatherall Wilkins (Colin Firth), conspires to prevent.

It's at this point that the kids' popcorn should just about be gone, so it's fortunate that our beloved nanny makes her timely appearance ... literally floating (with practically perfect posture) into the park where Georgie (an adorable Joel Dawson) and lamplighter Jack are flying a very recognizable kite. Jack, having been an apprentice under Bert the Chimney Sweep, is quite familiar with the significance of Mary Poppins' arrival. Back on Cherry Tree Lane, Michael and Jane are shocked to see their childhood nanny back in the house, and Michael's two spunky twins Anabel (Pixie Davies) and John (Nathanael Saleh) aren't sure what to make of this mysterious visitor.

Director Marshall wisely utilizes the template from the original film, so many of the subsequent sequences have a familiar and cozy feel to them. Mary Poppins' "Off we go" kicks off a fantastical bathtub adventure and leads to the first of many smile-inducing, visually spectacular moments. A broken porcelain bowl guides us to a beautiful hand-drawn animation (from Walt Disney Studios) sequence with horse-drawn carriage, penguins, and more. Meryl Streep performs "Turning Turtle" in her topsy-turvy studio, and there is an extended (perhaps a bit too long) dance sequence featuring Jack and the other lamplighters singing "Trip a Little Light Fantastic".

Julie Walters appears as the Banks' housekeeper and David Warner is Admiral Boom, the Banks' canon-firing neighbor; however it's two cameos that will really hit home with the older viewers: Angela Landsbury (not in the original) is the balloon lady singing "Nowhere to Go but Up", and the remarkable Dick Van Dyke (a huge part of the original) plays an elderly Mr. Dawes Jr from the bank - and even performs a dance routine atop a desk. All of the actors perform admirably, yet this is clearly Emily Blunt's movie. She shines as the practically perfect nanny, whether debating with her umbrella, digging in her mystical baggage, filling heads with 'stuff and nonsense', teaching life lessons to those in need, or singing solo and with others. It's a wonderful performance and she becomes Mary Poppins for a new generation.

Director Marshall co-wrote the story and screenplay with David Magee and John DeLuca, and they have created a worthy sequel (a quite high standard) from P.L. Travers' original books that is delightful and a joy to watch. The group of original songs by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman serve the story fine, but the one downside to the film is that none of the new songs are as catchy or memorable as those of the Sherman Brothers (Richard and Robert) from 54 years ago. They won Oscars for Best Score and Song ("Chim Chim Che-ree"), and left us singing others such as "Spoon Full of Sugar", "Let's Go Fly a Kite" and of course, "Supercalifragilistic". These new songs including "Can You Imagine That", "The Place Where Lost Things Go", "A Cover is not the Book", "Nowhere to Go but Up" all contribute to the story and to the viewer's enjoyment, but none leave us singing or humming as we depart the theatre.

This is a film where those behind-the-scenes are crucial to its success. Oscar winning cinematographer Dion Beebe (MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA) and Editor Wyatt Smith both are at the top of their game, and Costume Designer Sandy Powell delivers stunners, not just for the singing nanny, but for all characters. The core of the story remains rediscovering the magic in life, and finding joy in each other - and this sequel also provides the adventures to match the original. It's simultaneously familiar and fresh, which is key to a successful follow up to a beloved classic. Director Marshall has signed on to Disney's live action THE LITTLE MERMAID, but it's with MARY POPPINS RETURNS where he has delivered a film that is practically perfect in every way.

I do not compare it with the version of 1964. "Mary Poppins Returns" is not a sequel, it is not an alternative but only the gift for a new generation. It is beautiful, well crafted, charming. But, I admitt, I was one of neutral viewer seeing it. To old for discover other real working Mary Poppins than Julie Andrews, "victim" of the songs from the old version, not understanding many clues of the new one, admiring Emily Blunt performance but not recognizing in her the character of book, it deserves respect and polite applauses. Because it is a correct film. So, beautiful.

Expectations were very high for 'Mary Poppins Returns'. 'Mary Poppins' is still one of my all-time favourite films, the very meaning of a timeless classic. The cast is also a very talented one and have enjoyed some of Disney's previous re-makes/follow-ups. After watching the trailer, 'Mary Poppins Returns' did become one of my most anticipated films of 2018 and was really hoping it would be as good as the trailer was and not be a disappointment, where the trailer was great and the film was not, like another highly anticipated film 'The Nutcracker and the Four Realms'.

Found myself luckily really enjoying this on the most part after seeing it with my sister. It is not in the same league as, or have the same amount of magic as, 'Mary Poppins', which would have been a tall order in the first place with such enormously high quality to love up to. But on its own merits there were for me a lot of merits and a lot to enjoy for all ages, young and old, male and female. 'Mary Poppins Returns' is imperfect and the magic is not quite there all the way through, but for me the film was not devoid of it and there is a great deal of charm, not a cash grab.

There is not an awful lot of originality to the story, really did appreciate that it tried to be respectful, which is obvious in the numerous nods throughout the film. But structurally there was a sense of over-faithfulness and that it could have felt more like its own story. There were a few draggy stretches and scenes that felt like filler, especially the rather strange and not really needed in hindsight scene with Meryl Streep.

Really like Streep but she and her character were just bizarre and she overdoes the acting, with the character feeling like a going nowhere plot-device practically forgotten about quickly. Confess too to guessing early on everything with the shares.

However, 'Mary Poppins Returns' benefits hugely from looking absolutely wonderful, beautifully shot and with gorgeous nostalgic colours in the production and costume designs that fondly recall 'Mary Poppins'. The animation in the animated sequence shows technological advancement and how a lot of effort was made to show respect to 'Mary Poppins'. Another huge plus is Emily Blunt (closer to PL Travers' vision of Mary Poppins), who is superb and the asset that comes closest to being practically perfect in every way. She is well supported by Lin Manuel Miranda, sporting a not so great accent but immense energy, likeability, charm and a great singing voice (they work wonderfully together too, most obvious in "A Cover is Not the Book"). As well as appealing beyond their years performances from the children (evident in the tense climactic moments of the animated scene), movingly stoic Ben Whishaw and charming Emily Mortimer. Colin Firth is fun, and in the animated sequence his voice work was the standout, Julie Walters is even more of a hoot, and really loved the Dick Van Dyke and Angela Lansbury cameos and a hilariously crusty David Warner. Only Streep didn't work for me.

A lot has been said about the inferiority of the songs. Will say that they are nowhere near the same quality of those in 'Mary Poppins' and are unlikely to become songbook standards. In their own way though, to me they were very pleasant and well composed, the best being "Can You Imagine That" and "Nowhere to Go But Up", both actually very hummable, and the one miss being the completely forgettable and pointless "Turning Turtle". They were also very well staged, neither overblown or static, the standouts being "Nowhere to Go But Up" and "A Cover is Not the Book" (didn't actually find the latter long winded). That for "Can You Imagine That" was very colourful and had immense charm. A highlight too was the Doulton bowl/vaudevillian animated sequence, loved the animation itself and it was just very entertaining and charming with a tense end. Most of the film left me completely gripped, the script had drollness and heart (with some funny moments) and there was an investable emotional impact with the Banks' story without it being cloying. It was hard not to squeal and shed a small tear at the affectionate and nostalgic nods to 'Mary Poppins' peppered throughout the film. This was clearly made by people who loved, or at least had great affection for, 'Mary Poppins', not intent on tarnishing it. It's directed with a loving hand by Rob Marshall and the instrumental score is lush and whimsical.

So all in all, as said, not practically perfect in every way but the magic almost returns. 7/10 Bethany Cox

I thought that the film was very enjoyable, however, even though I've been cautioned not to I cannot help but compare this film to the original 1964 film with Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. There's so much to like in the 1964 film.