Mary Poppins Returns: A Must For Kite and Umbrella Fans!

This Disney sequel to the all-time classic "Mary Poppins," staring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke (1964), isn't a great movie like it's predecessor, but it's still a very enjoyable film.  The soundtrack isn't superb like the original, but there are still catchy, original tunes with good lyrics.  The special effects and animation scenes are even better than the original due to CGI and other advancements in technology since 1964.  The movie received only mediocre reviews, but Robin and I both think it's worth seeing on the BS. It's 1930's London and the Banks children have grown up.  Michael (Ben Whishaw)'s wife died the year before, leaving the family (Michael, two sons and a daughter) in crisis.  Helping out the family is Michael's sister, Jane (Emily Mortimer).  Michael was having trouble making ends meet so he took out a loan on his house.  Tragically, Michael doesn't have the funds to repay the loan and he will lose his beloved home in a week if he doesn't come up with the funds. Dropping in from the sky, holding her umbrella, comes Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) to save the day.  Blunt plays the role differently than Julie Andrews, but she gives a terrific performance.  (Her voice isn't as good as Julie's, but it's good enough.)  Mary Poppins starts taking care of the children, making life fun again for them, filling the void in their lives left by their mother's death. The Director (Rob Marshall) gets excellent performances from the ensemble cast, including Lin Manuel-Miranda, Meryl Streep, and Dick Van Dyke, among others.  We loved the dance scenes, too.  If you liked the original – or even if you never saw it – I'd catch this one before it leaves the theaters.  To be "Blunt," it's not as magical as "Mary Poppins," but it still casts a marvelous spell.