Magic in movies is rare nowadays. Some movies lack the excitement that we used to see as kids: captivating images, unique stories and songs that stick in our heads long after the credits rolled. I had almost forgotten how incredible a movie can be… until I saw “Mary Poppins Returns” in theaters.
I had planned to see it, but plans seem to fall through when you have a million other things to do. Work, hanging out with your friends and trying not to freak out over the new semester are things that clouded my mind until my aunt invited me to watch the sequel with her. I instantly said yes and wondered if the movie would live up to the Julie Andrews classic.
“Mary Poppins” is one of the many movies that defined my childhood. I remember how odd and unique the songs were, and how I was obsessed with how to spell “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” When the announcement of the sequel came out last year, I was beyond thrilled about a chapter of my childhood coming to life again. I wondered if Emily Blunt would be exactly like Julie Andrews in the original. Would they sing the same songs? Or would there be a fresh, new take on the classic? My inner seven-year-old was itching to find the answers.
This film had the bright colors and costumes that I loved in the previous movie. Emily Blunt put her own spin on Mary Poppins and I wondered which version of the character I liked more. There were odd characters that made me laugh, and songs that made the sequel able to stand on its own two feet. There was a strange comfort of knowing that the stories we loved when we were kids never really leave us. We can always find them in “The Place Where the Lost Things Go” (a title of a song in the movie that will bring you to tears, even if you can’t remember the last time you cried during a movie).
Watching “Mary Poppins Returns” made me realize how I had forgotten what it’s like to be a kid. I guess I had lost the curiosity and replaced it with stress over things I can’t control. I had forgotten the simple fact that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, even if you get lost in a fog. It reminded me what it’s like to run around with your siblings and not have a care in the world. Even though I’ve never flown a kite, watching the Banks children do it made me regret that missed opportunity.
There is another side to this movie that I realized after I stepped out of the theater. This movie is meant to stand the test of time. It’s simply about doing the possible, even if it seems impossible. It’s about believing in nonsense and holding onto the people you love most.
“Mary Poppins Returns” is magic. It’s funny. It’s beautiful. It’s captivating. It makes me want to be a kid again, which I’m pretty sure I’ve never grown out of.