Mary Poppins Returns
We saw Mary Poppins Returns a couple nights ago. This wasn't my first choice, but as it was Lori's birthday, I deferred. I don't post much about movies these days, but I figured after having fun with Princess Leia's bit as Mary Poppins in the most recent Star Wars flick , I'd take a bit of a closer look at the "real" Mary Poppins. First, I'll note that I never read the PL Travers books. But I've seen the first Mary Poppins movie many times, on laser disc (I date myself!). The first movie was a silly, elitist celebration and gentle lampooning of lily white Northern European aristocracy -- a popular Disney theme of the time. But that movie had Julie Andrews at the top of her craft, and Dick Van Dyke at his charismatic best, no matter his atrocious Cockney accent . It also had an overload of some of the Sherman Brothers' best songs -- the sound track included instantly memorable classics such as "Sister Suffragette," "A S...