Francesca’s Film Recommendation: Mary Poppins Returns

I have decided to continue on from last week’s theme which is musicals + Lin-Manuel Miranda. Mary Poppins Returns, in my opinion, is one of the best movie musicals. This is a hard title to gain from me considering my unending adoration for the original Mary Poppins and Julie Andrews as the titular character. In short, Mary Poppins changed my life. When I was growing up it was a movie night staple. As an only child, I was blessed with an overactive imagination. When you pair that with my infatuation of musical theater that movie was a win-win for me. When the sequel was announced I had mixed feelings. I was very protective of the original, but seeing the cast lineup completely changed my perspective.

This time around, Mary Poppins has come to nanny Michael’s three children John, Annabel, and Georgie. The family is going through a very rough time in their life, and are on the verge of losing their house. With the help of Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), a lamplighter, the five of them adventure in and out of London to save the Banks’ house. Along the way, Michael and Jane realize what it really means to be a child again.

I saw this movie three times in theaters. When it released on Netflix it got me through a rough knee injury. The music and whimsy of this film capture everything that I loved about the original. It definitely makes Mary Poppins Returns a sequel worth getting. What are your thoughts on the film? Did you love it as much as the original? Tell us your thoughts over @TheCinemaSpot.