Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

I know it appears sophisticated to downplay anything new while venerating the "classics." "It's not as good as the book." people love to say. Or "the original was so much better." Pish posh. Sometimes, and actually quite often, things can be improved, or at least capture the spirit and mojo of what has come before. The new Mary Poppins is one of those sequels which does make you quite feel as magical as the original film. But still remains practically perfect in every way.

I think this is Rob Marshall's best work since his remarkable (and unfairly maligned) Chicago. His film is structured to both inspire the feelings and story of the first film, while offering us much new. And once he gets it going it is the sort of film one watches with a big smile on one's face.

A big part of that magic is the cast. Emily Blunt captures the character so wonderfully. It is in no way a slight to Julie Andrews to observe how perfectly Blunt becomes Mary and how much joy and sass she brings to the part. And Lin-Manuel Miranda oozes old fashioned star quality. He sings and dances and lights up the screen (literally and figuratively). But it's not just the stars. Ben Wishaw and Emily Mortimer, along with the kids, are all delightful as are the cameos featuring Dick Van Dyke, Meryl Streep and more. When Angela Lansbury comes on screen to bring the film to its joyous climax, she sets just the right sense of magic to an already magical film.

Marc Shaiman's songs also perfectly reach the impossible heights of the Sherman Brothers' work on the original film. Certainly nothing will top the legacy of songs like those from Mary Poppins' soundtrack, but Shaiman certainly pays fitting tribute. While I personally loved A Cover Is Not The Book, I acknowledge Trip a Little Light Fantastic is a show stopping, completely hummable number which will go down as a classic. And Marshall is at his best when finding cinematic ways to stage these numbers. As in Chicago the film comes alive during the musical numbers. You'll want to stand up and cheer.

May Poppins truly does return to challenge common sense, put it in its place, and inspire us all to be better. The film feels like an event and it lives up to its legacy and blows away expectations. It is joyous.

Mary Poppins Returns
Starring: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Wishaw, Emily Mortimer, Pixie Davis, Nathanial Saleh, Joel Dawson, Julie Waters, Colin Firth,  Meryl Streep, Angela Lansbury, Dyke Van Dyke
Director: Rob Marshall
Writer: David Magee