Mary Poppins Returns

[Old Fish Tale]

They've started showing the film to some critics. Of course, they still can't talk about it. Here's some detective work:

http://awardswatch.com/forums/showthrea ... ost3602255

http://awardswatch.com/forums/showthrea ... ost3602622

http://awardswatch.com/forums/showthrea ... ost3602623

http://awardswatch.com/forums/showthrea ... ost3603673

http://awardswatch.com/forums/showthrea ... ost3603678

http://awardswatch.com/forums/showthrea ... ost3603692

http://awardswatch.com/forums/showthrea ... ost3604314

http://awardswatch.com/forums/showthrea ... ost3603880

I think the embargo will probably lift next month. Like it happened in 2014 with 'Into the Woods'.

[Musical Master]

Interesting. I do wonder when the critics embargo will be lifted.

[D82]

^I'm surprised those critics couldn't even reveal the name of the movie they had seen. It'll be interesting to see if it really was Mary Poppins Returns and if the reviews in general are as enthusiastic as these early reactions seem to indicate.

First look at the Mary and Jack Barbie dolls and at the Funko Pop figurines:
https://ohmy.disney.com/news/2018/10/29 ... rns-dolls/
https://twitter.com/PopFr_/status/1056962392549134341
https://twitter.com/PopFr_/status/1056989389975441408

[blackcauldron85]

Do you think they'll make a Bert Pop since Jack has one? I'd like a Bert to go with my Mary, and at least for me I'd be more inclined to get Jack if I could display the Marys with their leading men.

[Musical Master]

New TV spot looks really good!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ylDV1S75c8

[Old Fish Tale]

It looks so good!

I can't believe so many users were more excited about 'The Nutcracker and the Four Realms' than this film.

[D82]

New TV spot looks really good!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ylDV1S75c8

Thanks for sharing! All the previews so far look amazing. And the more I see, the more convinced I am Emily Blunt is perfect for the role. However, I don't want to get my hopes up too much. As it has already been discussed, the movie seems to be trying to recreate the same elements from the original a bit too much and I haven't liked the previous two films from the director. I'm not sold on the songs yet either. On top of that, I thought I had problems with remakes of Disney classics, but not so much with sequels. However, after Christopher Robin, my views on that have changed a bit. The only thing I've no doubts about, is that I'll love to see traditional animation in a Disney movie again. But as for the film as a whole, for now I remain cautiously optimistic.

I can't believe so many users were more excited about 'The Nutcracker and the Four Realms' than this film.

Well, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms was an adaptation of a story Disney hadn't adapted before, while Mary Poppins Returns was a sequel of a beloved Walt Disney classic. Some of us prefer original stories over remakes or sequels. And personally, I'm nervous every time they touch old Disney properties. Also, the teaser trailer of The Nutcracker looked quite good and we hadn't seen much from Mary Poppins Returns by then. Now that we've seen more, it's true that it seems it will be a better film, but as I've explained above, I'm still not sure I'll like it.

[Musical Master]

An article about Rob Marshall and Emily Blunt's friendship and some info about the movie.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/mo ... story.html

Some notable quotes from it.

There’s an exceedingly warm mutual admiration and a shorthand between the pair after two films together, a rapport that first sparked years ago over lunch for a project that didn’t pan out and blossomed when Blunt starred as the plucky baker’s wife in Marshall’s 2014 hit adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s "Into the Woods.”

“Mary Poppins Returns” was the most massive undertaking of his career, Marshall estimated, and that’s coming from a filmmaker who also directed a “Pirates of the Caribbean” sequel.

The Mary Poppins of the books, she found, presented new and different qualities than those seen in the 1964 film. “There’s an eccentricity and a battiness to her. She’s incredibly vain and rude and funny,” grinned Blunt, “and weird, actually. Like this strange, rare bird. You can’t get a read on where she’s going. But I read the books quite fully, and it became clear to me where I wanted to go with her.”

“If we can just bring a ray of hope to the world now … ,” mused Marshall. “It is a fragile time, and a divided time. I think we all need hope that something better is coming.”

[JeanGreyForever]

I'm glad to hear it reiterated that this Mary Poppins will be closer to the book version. The book version is actually quite funny imo with how irascible her character is.

[Sotiris]

As it has already been discussed, the movie seems to be trying to recreate the same elements from the original a bit too much and I haven't liked the previous two films from the director. I'm not sold on the songs yet either. On top of that, I thought I had problems with remakes of Disney classics, but not so much with sequels. However, after Christopher Robin, my views on that have changed a bit. The only thing I've no doubts about, is that I'll love to see traditional animation in a Disney movie again. But as for the film as a whole, for now I remain cautiously optimistic.

I couldn't agree more. I have also started preferring remakes to sequels when it comes to classic properties. With a remake you can wipe the slate clean and take a different approach to the material, if you so wish. You have more leeway to take liberties. On, the contrary, a direct continuation needs to remain faithful and consistent to the original while avoiding retcons, plotholes, and mischaracterizations. It's not an easy thing to accomplish. It's much more difficult to live up to the original and meet expectations with a sequel. When that's made decades later, it becomes even more so since you have to deal with recasting on top of everything else.

The limitations of sequels apply in this case as well. The plot of Mary Poppins Returns is too much of a retreat. Why not just do a remake if you're planning to duplicate most of the elements of the original? At least then the similarities would have been more justifiable. Right now there's very little that makes this a sequel instead of a remake. Essentially, it's only the names and ages of the characters. It's no wonder that so many people online keep mistaking this for a remake even though it says "returns" in the title.

I'm not entirely sold on the songs either but to be fair we only heard a tiny bit so far. I'm going to wait until I listen to the soundtrack to judge that. I have faith in Shaiman given his track record.

I can't stand LMM's terrible acting and obnoxious English accent. I can't help but cringe whenever I hear him speak. His presence is big turn off, for me. Honestly, I would have preferred if he were writing the songs instead of starring in the film.

While I find Emily Blunt to be a fine actress, I have a real hard time accepting her as the same Mary Poppins of the original. Her take on the character differs from Mary Poppins' original characterization. Emily comes off a little more standoffish, snarky, and mean than Julie's portrayal of the character. Julie brought a unique kind of warmth and humanity to the character that balanced the character's occasional brusque demeanor. That's why it would have been so much easier for me if this were a remake. Maybe it has to do with the type of person Julie actually is. She always seems to exude an effortless sense of elegance and grace combined with genuine kindness and compassion.

I'm slightly disappointing in the animation too. I noticed that there a plenty of CG elements to it such as props and even some of the backgrounds. The digital 2D animation overall doesn't compare favorably to the traditional animation in the original. It has a somewhat artificial and glossy quality to it.

I'm glad to hear it reiterated that this Mary Poppins will be closer to the book version. The book version is actually quite funny imo with how irascible her character is.

This would have been a positive if it were a remake. Are we all forgetting this is supposed to be the same Mary Poppins from the first movie? This makes her characterization incongruous.

[Disney Duster]

I thought when you do a sequel you can still make the characters different versions of themselves. Think Return to Oz's Dorothy.

[Musical Master]

One thing to note here is that when you actually read the sequel books P.L. Travers wrote; it can be argued that the stories there are re-treads of the same thing. So Mary Poppins Returns actually has a pretty solid reason why it would do this due to using elements from those other books that do the same thing.

As for everything else, there is a lot to be excited for and I am definitely seeing this opening night. But there is nothing wrong with being cautiously optimistic for this either due to the love we all have for the classic original film.

[Old Fish Tale]

Some new footage of Mary arriving: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU6o21HUJXQ

And there was another screening yesterday: https://twitter.com/marksummerscast/sta ... 6298209282

It's amazing how users like Sotiris and Disney's Divinity have already made their minds up. Enjoy that nutcracker monstrosity, I guess...

[blackcauldron85]

The limitations of sequels apply in this case as well. The plot of Mary Poppins Returns is too much of a retreat. Why not just do a remake if you're planning to duplicate most of the elements of the original? At least then the similarities would have been more justifiable. Right now there's very little that makes this a sequel instead of a remake. Essentially, it's only the names and ages of the characters. It's no wonder that so many people online keep mistaking this for a remake even though it says "returns" in the title.

But there are new (similar but new) characters, songs, situations, locations...I'm the opposite, I don't want retreads- gimme somethin' new! And since there are other MP books, it's based on literature, I'm much more fine with this.

While I find Emily Blunt to be a fine actress, I have a real hard time accepting her as the same Mary Poppins of the original. Her take on the character differs from Mary Poppins' original characterization. Emily comes off a little more standoffish, snarky, and mean than Julie's portrayal of the character.

We don't know what Mary has seen/been through in the last 2-3 decades...people often aren't exactly the same as they were 20-30 years ago...that's how my mind is thinking of the change. And many people totally get grumpier/snippy as they get older [not that Mary gets "older" in the traditional sense....but the lady's been through stuff!].

I can't believe so many users were more excited about 'The Nutcracker and the Four Realms' than this film.

Well, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms was an adaptation of a story Disney hadn't adapted before, while Mary Poppins Returns was a sequel of a beloved Walt Disney classic. Some of us prefer original stories over remakes or sequels.

I didn't know how to put my thoughts into words, so I'm glad you said how I felt, D82!! I am super-excited for MPR, but I've just been drawn to Nutcracker for so long now. Christopher Robin & Nutcracker were my 2 most-anticipated films, then Ralph Breaks the Internet, then a tie for Incredibles 2 & MPR (last but certainly not least- still super excited). Some might say, But CR is a sequel...I think it's because it's the return of Pooh & friends!, and CR learns lessons only they could teach, and I like "darker" or lifelike themes, like CR being an adult, he's been through things (so I'm sure that I'll like the grown-up Banks children storyline). And RBtI is a sequel...that film is so jam-packed with characters we know and love, and I love that they're going to the Internet-- When WIR was coming, I was super excited, but I'm not a gamer, but I AM an Internet user! And I'm pretty obsessed with the art direction on that film, from what the Internet sites look like, to the avatar-concept. I have been impressed with everything I've seen of MPR, and I truly am excited.

[estefan]

If Lin-Manuel Miranda's British accent sounds weird, wouldn't that be par for the course for this series? Dick Van Dyke's attempt at a Cockney accent is still a laughing stock to this day.

We don't know what Mary has seen/been through in the last 2-3 decades...people often aren't exactly the same as they were 20-30 years ago...that's how my mind is thinking of the change. And many people totally get grumpier/snippy as they get older [not that Mary gets "older" in the traditional sense....but the lady's been through stuff!].

Kind of like Luke Skywalker, haha. I know there were a lot of Star Wars fans disappointed in how crabby and somewhat cynical he was in The Last Jedi, which I understand. But The Last Jedi is also set about thirty years after Return of the Jedi. A lot can happen in that time to change a person. Even in the original trilogy, the Luke in Return of the Jedi was different from the Luke in A New Hope, who whined about not being allowed to buy power converters.

I hope Mary Poppins Returns doesn't end up as divisive among the MP fanbase as The Last Jedi was among Star Wars fans, though I assume Mary Poppins fans aren't nearly as nitpicky and obsessive.

[JeanGreyForever]

This would have been a positive if it were a remake. Are we all forgetting this is supposed to be the same Mary Poppins from the first movie? This makes her characterization incongruous.

I think the reason for this was because they knew that copying Julie Andrews' performance would likely not be well received by audiences so a new take on Mary Poppins would be preferable. It's also possible that they felt more comfortable going with the original incarnation of Mary Poppins from the books after the success of Saving Mr. Banks.

One thing to note here is that when you actually read the sequel books P.L. Travers wrote; it can be argued that the stories there are re-treads of the same thing. So Mary Poppins Returns actually has a pretty solid reason why it would do this due to using elements from those other books that do the same thing.

Agreed. A lot of children's book series are like this with the sequels rehashing elements from the original. Even the Mary Poppins Comes Back script that P.L. Travers wrote was very similar to the first film and she clearly didn't have an issue with that.

We don't know what Mary has seen/been through in the last 2-3 decades...people often aren't exactly the same as they were 20-30 years ago...that's how my mind is thinking of the change. And many people totally get grumpier/snippy as they get older [not that Mary gets "older" in the traditional sense....but the lady's been through stuff!].

This I have to disagree with though. Mary Poppins doesn't age and she's supposed to be one of these timeless magical characters who never changes, in part because she doesn't have to. There's a reason she's practically perfect in every way.

Kind of like Luke Skywalker, haha. I know there were a lot of Star Wars fans disappointed in how crabby and somewhat cynical he was in The Last Jedi, which I understand. But The Last Jedi is also set about thirty years after Return of the Jedi. A lot can happen in that time to change a person. Even in the original trilogy, the Luke in Return of the Jedi was different from the Luke in A New Hope, who whined about not being allowed to buy power converters.

I hope Mary Poppins Returns doesn't end up as divisive among the MP fanbase as The Last Jedi was among Star Wars fans, though I assume Mary Poppins fans aren't nearly as nitpicky and obsessive.

There's a big difference between Luke Skywalker and Mary Poppins though. The former should grow and evolve over time, especially 30 years after the original film where his greatest success has become his bleakest failure. Mary Poppins is something more akin to R2-D2, a character who you can encounter in any time or era and she'll be the same.

[blackcauldron85]

Funko merch:
https://www.laughingplace.com/w/article ... l-figures/

ShopDisney.com (Use DVDizzy's affiliate link!) has a good selection of merch, too, for this film.

[Old Fish Tale]

The world premiere is this month: https://twitter.com/PlayPartyPlan/statu ... 6612132865

[Musical Master]

We can probably expect the first major reviews until the premiere. Unless of course there's a critics screening before then.

[Toky]

https://youtu.be/0ylDV1S75c8

New tv spot


https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpox2oiAHFy ... fjuvw380so

New dolls