Mary Poppins Returns

So, last night I finally go around to seeing Disney's latest film Mary Poppins Returns. Now, I love the original Mary Poppins from 1964; It's great fun, the songs are catchy, and Julie Andrews is perfect in the film. While I was excited to see more Mary Poppins, I was a bit nervous about a sequel to an iconic film that came out more than 50 years ago. 

In the film, a now grown up Michael Banks has hit a rough patch in his life. His wife passed away about a year ago, leaving him to take care of their three children and he is at risk of losing his family's home on Cherry Tree Lane to the bank. Of course, Mary Poppins comes floating in to look after the Banks children, bring them some joy, and maybe teach Mr. Banks a thing or two by the end. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I thought the cast was solid, Julie Andrews is one of a kind but, I felt like Emily Blunt still did an outstanding job and Lin-Manuel Miranda's character Jack (who serves a similar purpose as Dick Van Dyke in the original) was on of the highlights of the film for me. Is it one of the best movies ever? No. It's not Vertigo or Citizen Kane or Singin' in the Rain, but I do think it's a worth-while follow up to the original Mary Poppins. I keeps with spirit of the first film and I found myself smiling and tapping my foot along with the songs the whole time. It not perfect, but it's the type of movie that reminds me why I love going to the movies. It's an escape from the ordinary and a chance to see something fantastical. 

I give Mary Poppins Returns 4.5 out of 5.

Movie Review: Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

About a month ago I added to my ongoing '10 Movies Everyone Should See' series with a look at 10 Tom Cruise movies (you can check out that blog entry by clicking the link here: http://onlyinthemoviesblog.blogspot.com/2017/07/10-tom-cruise-movies-everyone-should-see.html). 

However, as always when I make those lists, there are films that are deserving but get left off for one reason or another. One of the films I just didn't have a place for on the list was 2014's 'Edge of Tomorrow', but that's not to say I don't enjoy it. It's a really cool sci-fi/action movie that I found entertaining it when I saw it in the theaters and have since rewatched a few times. Interestingly, despite a 91% critic rating and a 90% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film wasn't a box-office hit and a lot of people I know haven't seen it. Also, for some reason, after originally being titled 'Edge of Tomorrow' for the theatrical release when it was released on DVD and Blu-ray it was retitled 'Live. Die. Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow'. 

The film stars Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt and takes place during an alien invasion. Cruise plays Bill Cage, an Army officer that reluctantly gets sent to fight on the front line. After killing one of the aliens, some of the blood gets on Cage and he ends up stuck in a time loop, leaving him to fight and die over and over again while he tries to find a way win the battle and break the cycle. Think of it like an action-packed "Groundhog's Day". There are some great action scenes, and just about all of the comedy that's sprinkled in hits the mark. Additionally, the chemistry between Cruise and Blunt is pretty good and the plot moves along a brisk, entertaining pace during a runtime just shy of 2 hours.

Overall, if you haven't seen this one then I recommend giving it a try.
I give this one a 4.5 out of 5.


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