‘SAVING MR. BANKS’ – Spit Spot! It’s Practically Perfect In Every Way.


Disney Saving Mr Banks Movie Review - Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson. TOMORROW'S NEWS - The Latest Entertainment News Today!


The Cineworld Unlimited card pays off again with another advanced screening. This time it was Disney‘s ‘Saving Mr. Banks‘.
 

This was set to be released in early 2014, however some secret summer screenings meant the film release date was brought forward. Disney have really needed a hit after they wrote off £167 million on ‘The Lone Ranger‘ reboot, and John Carter didn’t do well. A real shame as the critics slated both movies, even though some audiences liked them.
 

The film centres around Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) and P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson) turbulent relationship as he is trying to fulfil a promise to his daughters of making a movie of their favourite book authored by Ms Travers – titled Mary Poppins.
 

In his quest to obtain the rights to the story, Walt comes up against a cantankerous writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled and made into a mockery by being animated or ruined by the Hollywood machine. Her books stop selling and money is becoming short so Travers reluctantly agrees to visit Disney at Burbank, Los Angeles, to hear his plans for the adaptation. She goes with no intentions of signing over the rights, and wants to hate every idea he comes up with.
 

Walt pulls out all the stops. He brings in the talented Sherman Brothers to come up with chirpy songs and imaginative storyboards. He goes forward into battle with the prickly author but she won’t budge, as the rights seem to move further away from his grasp.

 
Disney's Saving Mr. Banks - Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson. TOMORROW'S NEWS - The Latest Entertainment News Today!
 
Walt, whilst reaching into his own childhood, discovers the truth about the ghosts that haunt P.L. Travers and together they set Mary Poppins free to make one of the most endearing films in cinematic history.
 

If I was initially skeptical about this movie being any good, then this was blown away in the first few moments of the film starting. Thompson was excellent as the balshy, pushy author. She shone throughout the whole movie and you have a certain love hate relationship with her.
 

John Lee Hancock‘s direction on this movie was astounding. Once you got into the realisation into a split between Travers‘ childhood in Australia and the current day of them collaborating on the movie, it became apparent how she came up with the Mary Poppins Story. Whilst this could be confusing, and sometimes you were so enthralled in the story that you didn’t want it to go back to her childhood, you welcome the light relief.
 

A brilliant story so elegantly told which shows the success of Walt Disney Studios. This affectionate tale will have you singing songs from Mary Poppins and swaying in your chair to “let’s go fly a kite”. With its immediate hook, there is no denying that this is a sure-fire hit and a delight to watch.
 

This is my film of the year and there are still at least six weeks left!
 

5 stars out of 5.
 

This will certainly be a film that I get on Blu-ray when it’s released. I would urge you to stay during the credits as you will see something unfold that happened during the film.
 

I should probably say that all the cast gave standout performances. Hanks was great as Walt Disney, Colin Farrell excellent as Robert Goff Travers and Ruth Wilson as his wife Margaret Goff.
 

There was a lovely relationship unfolding throughout between Ralph (Paul Giamatti) and P. L. Travers as he drove her around Los Angeles.
 

Jason Schwartzman and B.J. Novak were excellent as the Sherman Brothers, and their chemistry on screen with Bradley Whitford as Don DaGradi shone through as they went round after round as P.L. Travers dug her heels in further.
 

If you are looking to lose yourself in a movie, then this is definitely the one for you. I am sure that a few oscars will be won by this movie and it was a smart move to push it out now. Fingers crossed this will be a box-office hit for Disney – its about time they have some success after the last few movies failed.
 

The strapline for Disneyland, as we are reminded in the movie, is The Happiest Place on Earth and the Magic Kingdom is the most magical place on earth. There is something magical about a visit to a Disney park – go see this movie to experience the magic of Disney as it unfolds in front of you.
 


 

Until the next cinema visit!

 

Reviewed by Mark LEGOBear MacKenzie

 

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