MARY POPPINS RETURNS (2018)

Director:     Rob Marshall

Writers:      David Magee, Rob Marshall, John DeLuca

Actors:       Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Meryl Streep, Ben Wishaw, Dick Van Dyke, Colin Firth, Julie Walters, Emily Mortimer

This is saga which brings us to the time when the original Banks children have grown up and now have challenges of their own.  Mary Poppins returns to help the family, bringing with her all her delightful and magical presence.

It’s not the same, though.  When the original came out, many of us had no clue as to the possibilities of CGI effects, and so what was magic then becomes routine now.  The “ah” and “wow” factor have disappeared because we are now conscious that certain “magical” things on screen are simply a techno effect.

We are no longer a caveman mentality mesmerized by light turning on at the flick of a switch.  We take electricity for granted now, so it’s no longer magical.  The talented Emily Blunt is a talented, powerful actress, and while I was thrilled at seeing her toes-out figure zooming in from the clouds, it wasn’t the heart-stopping gasp I experienced when Julie Andrews did it.

Lin-Manuel Miranda is also talented and competent, but he just didn’t tickle my heart into the delightful energy Dick Van Dyke brought to his role.  In fact, the two who succeeded best at bringing back the joyous magic of the original movie were Meryl Streep and Dick Van Dyke. 

Having said all that, this is an excellent movie, with excellent actors and scenes, and it was time to revisit all the wonderful charms of Mary Poppins.  Unfortunately, as a young girl whose eyes popped out and heart expanded in magical wonder at the original, I can’t help making the comparison to the original, and, unfortunately, this new version is diminished in that comparison.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5028340/?ref_=nv_sr_1

TAGS:  Mary Poppins, Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Emily Mortimer, Ben Wishaw, Dick Van Dyke, Julie Walters