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Everyone’s favorite umbrella-toting, giant bag-holding, spoonful of sugar-serving nanny extraordinaire is back–just in time for the holidays.
In theaters everywhere this week, Mary Poppins Returns, the sequel to the 1964 classic starring Julie Andrews, drops in on Michael Banks 25 years later. His life and finances are in disarray, but never fear—Poppins, played this time by Emily Blunt, flies in at just the right time to save the day.
The new musical is reminiscent of its original predecessor with plenty of magic, grand dance numbers, and all of the whimsy and charm one would associate with the Julie Andrews at her finest.
If you’re worried about the sequel’s inability to live up to its classic older sibling, you’re not alone. The reviews are in, however, and they’re largely positive.
As Christopher Lloyd of The FilmYap said, “This is good old-fashioned moviemaking with no ambitions beyond to entertain. But that it does, and in many heaping spoonfuls.” Rotten Tomatoes, notorious for its honest and usually accurate ratings, gave the film a coveted 78% from critics and 60% from audience, who clearly weren’t as easily impressed.
If Disney has its way, Mary Poppins Returns will stoke the embers of nostalgia and have you out buying original Mary Poppins DVDs for your whole family. The remake is expected to bring in $30-50 million on opening weekend and hopes to avoid joining the ghosts of remakes past (did the world really need a Home Alone 4 or Tim Allen’s Santa Clause 3?).
