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Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
2018 | Family
Would have been better without Mary
I generally enjoyed the film and found the songs very in keeping with the original but I had a real issue with Emily Blunt's portrayal of Mary. She was too stern and her accent was horrible. She just made me dislike Mary Poppins and that is downright wrong.
The other characters were good and the kids were great, little George in particular. Also I was delighted when Dick Van Dyke turned up.
Its a good fun movie but Emily should never have been Mary Poppins.
  
Mary Poppins (1964)
Mary Poppins (1964)
1964 | Classics, Comedy, Family
A timeless classic!
I hate to admit I had never seen the original Mary Poppins until today. I really loved it.

While not made for a 47-year-old man, I found plenty to enjoy including some songs I already knew and some new ones I had never seen before. I like musicals, but am still sort of a novice at them having not seen some of the classics.

The story is a simple one; however, that does not mean it is not entertaining. I really liked it a lot.

Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke were amazing.

  
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Amy Curtis (49 KP) Dec 31, 2018

Have you seen the new one yet Andy? I've not got around to going to the cinema as of yet...

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Andy K (10821 KP) Dec 31, 2018

Hi @Amy Curtis ! No I haven't. I don't get to the theatre too much and the reviews were just mediocre so I'll probably wait and watch at home.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
1968 | Family, Musical, Sci-Fi
What a feel good film
I am surprised that this film doesn't have better rating as I love a good classic and this is definitely I my top 10 list.

It really is such a lovely feel good film that you can sit down with the family to watch. Combined with a few fantastic songs from the title one for starters to "truly scrumptious".
I love that it is a very much an ugly duckling feel to the story.
Always love a dick van dyke film ever since I saw Mary Poppins when I was little.

One for those rainy days with a blanket and a bucket ful of popcorn.
  
Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
2018 | Family
Cast (1 more)
It ended
Songs (1 more)
No charm
Could've...shouldve..but didnt!
The cast is great and it was cool seeing the legendary Dick van Dyke make an appearance. It had elements of what should have been a good film. Good, not great. However, those elements got lost and the film, for me, ended up being very bland...just like the songs!
Mary Poppins is a classic. It had warmth, charm, humour and great songs. Everything that the sequel doesn't have.
Instead of making a sequel that follows the Banks family, maybe they could have had a different family and brought it a bit more up to date?
It got 5 stars cos my little ones liked it, however, they never asked to watch it again (thats unlike them) and they couldn't remember a song from the film.
  
Mary Poppins (1964)
Mary Poppins (1964)
1964 | Classics, Comedy, Family
Practically Perfect In Every Way
After watching MARY POPPINS RETURNS, the BankofMarquis was itching to check out the original 1964 Julie Andrews/Dick Van Dyke/Walt Disney production of MARY POPPINS to see if it holds up as well as my memory has held it up. I was a little nervous when I put the DVD in the player and hit go.

And I shouldn't have worried, for MARY POPPINS is...pardon the expression..."Practically Perfect in Every Way".

Based on the series of books by P.L. Travers and set right around 1900, the film tells the tale of the London Banks' Family - Mr., Mrs., Jane and Michael - who need a new nanny. Both parents are too busy to spend time with their children - he with his job at the Bank (get it - Mr. Banks works at a Bank) and her involvement in the Women's Suffragette movement. Into their lives flies (quite literally) Mary Poppins - a nanny with magical qualities who, along with her friend and cohort Bert, casts a spell on the children - and the Banks' family.

Julie Andrews earned the Oscar for Best Actress for her feature film debut - and it is richly deserved. Her Poppins is stern, smart, brassy and loving - oh...and a marvelous singer and dancer. Just as strong as Andrews is Dick Van Dyke as Bert (though some will quibble with his Cockney accent). I say...don't worry about his accent and watch the wonderful comedic timing, dancing and joi de vivre that Van Dyke brings to this film. He is the "secret sauce" that makes this work. Julie would not be as good - nor would this film be as interesting - without Bert by her side.

EVERY major player shines in this film from David Tomlinson's befuddled, straight-laced British Gentleman Mr. Banks to Glynnis Johns as the enthusiastic supporter of Votes for Women, Mrs. Banks, to the children - Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber. Special notice should be made to Ed Wynn who's one scene/song/cameo as Uncle Albert - the "I Love To Laugh" scene - is pure gold.

Even the smaller, supporting roles are stellar. Reta Shaw and Hermione Baddely as the "domestics", Arthur Treacher (yes - he, of FISH AND CHIPS fame) as the Constable and Reginald Owen (Scrooge in the 1930's version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL) as Admiral Boom are all fun to watch and match the energy and timing of the leads in their limited screen time.

And...the music...Oh, the Music! Written by Richard M and Robert B Sherman - these songs are classic. Starting with the Oscar Winner for Best Song - Chim Chim Cheree and continuing through Feed The Birds, I Love To Laugh, Jolly Holiday and Let's Go Fly A Kite - ALL the songs are magical and lend a hand to the story - they serve a purpose and are not just a distraction. This film is worth watching just for the rooftop Step-In-Time song and dance number alone.

But the thing that makes this film go is the story - the characters, settings, costumes, songs and dances - are all in service to a touching, sentimental (but not cloying) simple story of a family coming together. It is charming in it's simplicity and leaves everyone with a heart full of joy.

Surprisingly to a modern audience, the special effects (especially the "Live Action and Animation" sequence) holds up really, really well. It is amazing to me how strong these effects are - even over 50 years later.

This is a wonderful, heartfelt family film that deserves a re-watch if you haven't seen it in awhile.

Letter Grade A+

10 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (OfMarquis)
  
Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
2018 | Family
Following up a beloved classic is never easy task but that is what Disney is attempting to do with “Mary Poppins Returns”. This time out Emily Blunt takes on the magical umbrella of the no-nonsense but whimsical Nanny made famous by the series of books by PL Travers and of course the beloved classic starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.

When hardship strikes the Banks family; Mary returns to assist Michael and Jane as well is Michael’s young children in much the magical way that she helped Michael and Jane all those years ago.

Joining her is local lamplighter Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), who remembers Mary and Jane Banks from his childhood.

Shocked that Mary has returned after all these years and not looking a day older; Michael Michaels three younger children are with delay on a magical adventure that only Mary Poppins can provide. Along the way they will dabble in animated environments, meet all manner of quirky characters, and of course bring the house down with magical and show stopping musical numbers as they attempt to help Michael and Jane save their beloved family home from ruthless bankers.

The film captures much of the joy and magic that you remember from the characters and it is likely to evoke an emotional response from you throughout the film.

Blunt does an amazing job taking over the role and her singing and dancing is very impressive. Miranda while struggling much as Van Dyke did with the Cockney accent; throws himself into the various musical numbers with passion and energy that helps take the scenes to a new level.

As I was watching the film and enjoying it thoroughly; I thought to myself the only real quality it lacked where the show stopping tunes that made the original such an unforgettable event. The Sherman Brothers set an impossibly high standard to follow as the score for the original film is peppered with Disney mainstays that have endured the test of time. No sooner had I thought that to myself; than to amazing musical numbers lit up the second half of the film to the point where I found myself not only humming one of them after the screening, but singing parts of them for several weeks after.

 

“Mary Poppins Returns” is a magical and musical film that the entire family can enjoy and takes viewers back to the simpler and nostalgic times of old. Let us hope that there will be new adventures for Mary to grace the cinema screen in the not-too-distant future as her absence has been far too long and dearly missed.

http://sknr.net/2018/12/12/mary-poppins-returns/
  
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Timothy Spall recommended Mary Poppins (1964) in Movies (curated)

 
Mary Poppins (1964)
Mary Poppins (1964)
1964 | Classics, Comedy, Family

"One of my favorite films of all time has got to be Mary Poppins. Well I was old enough to remember it when it came out, but I don’t think I saw it in the cinema, I think I saw it when it eventually came on television. In those days, you had to wait about six or seven years before a film got from the f–king cinemas to the television, and it being Disney, they never actually released their films. It was a very clever policy: They just re-released them every 10 years. I think it’s one of those movies. I was having a very depressing time recently working on a job. I was feeling particularly bad and I put the television on on a Sunday afternoon, and Dick Van Dyke was singing “Chim Chimney” — it just lifted my spirits. Everybody criticized his Cockney accent — and even at the time I probably joined in — and you can criticize his Cockney accent, but you cannot criticize his brilliant comic dancing. It’s f–king wonderful. Oh, it’s wonderful. And the quality of the work: The beauty of that film, the simplicity of it and the way it was made and directed; the charm. The way it appeals to people — it’s the old cliché, you know: Eight or 80. It’s a wonderful piece of work. And it’s magical. It’s one of those films, you know, that you can dip into. If you’re ever feeling low, stick it on and you’ll feel much better. If you haven’t got any illegal drugs, put that on and you’ll be alright. [Laughs]"

Source
  
Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
2018 | Family
Practically Adequate In Every Way
I wish there was a world where there was not the shadow of the previous, beloved, MARY POPPINS film existed so I could review MARY POPPINS RETURNS on it's own merits.

But...that's not the world that we live in...so most of this review is going to be - "insert name" is no "insert name".

For example...Emily Blunt is wonderful in the role, but she is no Julie Andrews (who was "practically perfect in every way").

Lin-Manuel Miranda is fine as Mary's sidekick, but he is no Dick Van Dyke (though the 2 share the same inability to affect a plausible English accent)

The musical numbers by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman are perfectly adequate for this film, but they are no Sherman Brothers tunes (no SUPERCALIFRAGILISTIC... anywhere to be seen).

You get the point.

And that's the issue I had with this film - it tried to pay homage (not duplicate) the previous film but fell just short in every aspect because it was constantly reminding us of the previous film.

As for this film on it's own, it's practically adequate in every way. The performances are "fine". The musical numbers are "fine" the direction flows the film in a perfectly acceptable way and the plot of the film is okay. So if you have a children in the target age of this film, they'll enjoy it well enough.

It just isn't the first film and I, for one, will skip a rewatch of MARY POPPINS RETURNS and, instead, will pop in (for the umpteenth time) the original MARY POPPINS.

Letter Grade: B

7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)