She's Mary Poppins Y'all.
130 Mins. Starring: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Dick Van Dyke, Angela Lansbury, Colin Firth & Meryl Streep. Director: Rob Marshall.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Sugar, there's more than a spoonful of pure joy and Disney magic under this umbrella. And if you don't think a redefining Emily Blunt is THE Mary Poppins in 'Returns' then pish posh. Let's go fly a kite, because coming in on that paper crane bird here she is. "Winds in the east, there's a mist coming in, like something is brewing, about to begin." And to Big Ben chime the end of her best year from foggy London town, in reuniting with the Mickey Mouse franchise and her own "cousin" from 'Into The Woods', Blunt booms after she and her acting/directing partner John Krasinski (your 'Jack Ryan's from 'The Office' and the primetime of Amazon streams) made horror noise with the genre rejuvenating revolution of 'A Quiet Place'. We're still not crying after their headphone 'Harvest' dance with a bump to Neil Young. You're crying. So much so rumor has it that Emily and her dear John will trip as Marvel's Mr. and Mrs. Fantastic. Third time will be the charm for 'Four'. But coming in with a fall leave storm you won't want to see this possible Susan disappear as her powers here are more than the persuasion of invisibility. Blunt both homage honours Julie Andrews' legendary Poppins, all whilst having her own pop at the marvellous Mrs. Mary legacy. So either way this leading lady and Hollywood light from Great Britain is a Marvel and next generation, timeless decades to come Disney icon like the palace perfect castle everyone wants their moment under. As Blunt blossoms under its Cherry Tree Lane cobble pavement in her most iconic and signature role she will be known for yet. Blooming lovely with the Big Smoke's legendary Tower Bridge drawing in the definitive distance. And in 'The Greatest Showman' age of epic escapism, musical masterpieces to turn the calendar after Christmas this one doesn't even have to go to 'La La Land' to find it's city of stars. This reboot sequel of sorts of a tale as old as time is even better than Emma Watson's Belle of the ball in the 'Beauty and the Beast' remake in the live action era of Disney that is set to have its biggest year and best Summer yet with the real 'Lion King' and 'Aladdin', Will Smith genie in the bottle coming out in the same season. As 'Annie' director Rob Marshall and the man from 'Hamilton' join Blunt for non-judgemental jovial pleasures to resolute any pain in a joyless January. Reminding me of the time I took my mum to see Pixar's 'Up' and behind laughing at her in those Roy Orbison 3D glasses I was moved by the sweet smile on her face. The whole thing will just make you beam. Now how's that for some medicine to go down?
Happy tears of joy will be shed with this Mary Queen of Disney. Believe that. Even from this has been thirty-something writer lost for words. Beautiful big blockbuster movies like this especially from the Disney stable of traditional staples are supposed to evoke every emotion and boy do they. Between Netflix views and the New Year blues this movie mad, popcorn buff trapped in 'A Quiet Place' rivalling 'Bird Box' hadn't taken seat in those tilted red bleachers since DC told me to go fish. That for me may as well be an eternity, like those people who were last in theatres when the previous 'Star Wars' trilogy was. Pod Racing! No thanks Ja Jaa! It's safe to say I needed this one in all its tugging at the heart strings like your kids do at your coattails to take you to this Winters 'Frozen' yet again. Swimming against the cinema-less current with the billion served 'Aquaman' who is blowing bubbles at all the hate. Like this does with love, bubble bathing with dolphins in a frothing concoction potion before diving into Momoa's massive, mesmerising world of Atlantis. And all this is brolly brought to you by nostalgia evoking effects that are so much more than just special. CGI takes a brief break here for something so much more animated. Taking a carriage back to the porcelain plate perfect original without so much as a smudge. Bowled over, Roger Rabbit's eyes would rocket pop out of his falling anvil jaw like he just saw Jessica Rabbit for the first time. Because this red bonnet head gives Disney it's most vivid visual of instant vintage, classic cinema, movie world wonderment since the 'Legacy' of the 80's cartridge dusting off and rebooting 'Tron' remake sequel. Like this of sorts that carries on tradition but heels its own path under a perfect parasol. And oh how the musical numbers sing in this hymn sheet, script flipping ode. In all its educational and motivational sugar medicine for those mouths in need of a spoon. As 'The Girl On The Train' from the underground adaptor teaches us never to judge a book by it's cover and reassures us that not everything gone is lost. Blunt's beauty of genuine spirit and life vitality soars with the scales of these stanzas as she too really sings in more ways than one. Stepping out with a baby of classic choreography that over the candy colours of K-Pop moves in percent unison time like the Seoul music heart of BTS. But here standing in a blue pea coat, holding a deeper handbag than your girlfriends, with a 'Fantastic Beasts' worth of tricks and a talking umbrella flipped under her arm with sass is your real idol that unashamedly loves herself. And why not?
Saccharine sweet there's even more under this canopy for the wonderment of three child stars of the future. Like the scene stealing rap God of 'Hamilton', Lin-Manuel Miranda who makes a roaring successful turn from Broadway stage to West End screen. Illuminating this like his character does the London streets by honest work, rickety ladder. This Americans accented performance is on the right key, even from the songbook as the 'Moana' songwriter becomes a superstar under a whole new spotlight in an outstanding, opening instant that gives you a tour of England's down south capital with his exclamation. It looks like 'The Greatest Showman' missed a casting call. Because this showstopper is right here, now. And question Q, what would an old story in this land of cockneys who rhyme with slang (and if you want to see something funny. YouTube the interview were two kids teach and test Manuel and Emily on some "China plate" like sayings) be without 'Paddington' under the apple and stairs? Like that furry fond film, the Peruvian bear himself is here...minus the marmalade. As a wonderful but weary worn Ben Whishaw by the fire plays a fond fatherly role of the son Poppins nannied all too real world grown up. He has a case of the Ewan McGregor Pooh 'Christopher Robin's blues. With dark shades of Colin Farrell's forlorn father figure in Emma Thompson's 'Saving Mr. Banks' take on P.L. Travers' story with icon Tom Hanks' Walt Disney himself circling around his eyes with the banking sharks, pleading as they bleed him dry for that childlike wonder of reverie. It's lucky he has the library's worth of 'Bookshop' storyteller Emily Mortimer and national treasure by the 'Mamma Mia' movie Julie Walters by the stairs of his household side. Because he's going to get no respite from the 'Kingsman' speech of Colin Firth. Furthering his Bond age rebellion by making it as a first and fun as a pencil-thin moustache sneering villain. And when it comes to Disney bringing in the big names it's doesn't get much bigger in this 'Post' age than Oscar legend Meryl Streep. Showing up in her shop to turn everything delightfully mad, topsy turvy. And if that or a tap dancing cameo from original light and still got it at 91, 'Chitty Chitty's, Bang Bang' and 'Diagnosis Murder' star Dick Van Dyke isn't enough. Then how about one from Angela Lansbury? But its not 'Murder She Wrote' as she's popping nobodies balloons for a happy helium filled finale, in a moment rumoured to originally be for Julie Walters. But with so many brilliant books from Travers to traverse and Blunt more than bound to tell them we won't have to wait a half century for another sequel chance. Just look up to the sky. You'll see her up there with her own kite and not like that 'Simpsons' skit. Delight by lamplight, this really does trip the light fantastic. Practically perfect in you know how many ways. Off we go! TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Mary Poppins (1964)', 'Beauty and the Beast (2017)', 'Saving Mr. Banks'.
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