Mary Poppins Returns - 4K Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Mary Poppins Returns

Movie:
4K Video:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score: ​

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Movie
Sequels are a very tough thing to do in general, but it’s exponentially harder when it’s a sequel to a beloved classic that takes placed decades in the future. Especially when you consider what a cult classic the 1964 Mary Poppins films really is. Mary Poppins is a film that has spawned countless fans over the last 55 years, and has been hailed as the peak of Julie Andrews career for very good reason. It was one of those films that is like lightening. It struck once, and is just about nigh impossible to capture that magic again. The film was shot during the great golden era of Disney live action films, and starring a magical cast of actors who not only made the film their own, but became icons of film history. Mary Poppins is what I would consider the perfect live action Disney film. It has the music, the charm, the characters, and the whimsy to be an utterly unique film out of all of Disney’s repertoire. Films like Bedknobs and Broomsticks came pretty close to being AS fun, but for some reason Mary Poppins is a movie that transcends time and social norms. Kids today are just as fascinated by Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke dancing around and singing supercalifragilisticexpialidocious as they were 55 years ago, and a sequel to that was something I was VERY trepidatious about.

It’s been 25 years since Jane and Michael Banks helped save their father with the help of Mary Poppins, and now the roles have been reversed. Michael Banks (Jim Wishaw) is still living at his family home of 17 Cherry Tree Lane with his children John (Nathaniel Saleh), Annabelle (Pixie Davies) and little Georgie (Joel Dawson). This time, instead of old Mr. Banks being in trouble, it’s Michael. You see, he lost his wife about a year ago, and the artistic boy was forced to take up a job as a bank teller at the same bank his father was once a senior partner in. But in his grief, the young father has forgotten to pay a few months back on a loan he took out to keep the family afloat. A loan that has now come due in part to his forgetfulness and the bank wants the ENTIRE sum back in 5 days or they repossess his family home.

Grief stricken and frustrated, the Banks family can’t seem to catch a break. That is until the wind changes and a familiar face comes gliding out of the clouds armed with a parasol and a carpetbag. With a brisk gesture and just a little magic, Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) is back again to help out the Banks family. While Michael Banks struggle to find the certificate of stock shares that old Mr. Banks left him when he died, Mary Poppins once again whisks in and teaches the entire family to look within themselves and find what is needed to once again be a FAMILY again.

Mary Poppins Returns was the one movie this year that I was extremely leery about watching. How do you capture lightening in a bottle TWICE? It just can’t be done. Mary Poppins is probably one of my absolute favorite childhood movies and I still show it to my nephews and nieces year after year after year when they come over, and enjoy it just as much each time. Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke were incredible on screen, and their antics were what MADE Mary Poppins so enthusiastically fun. Not to mention that it was just a once in a life time experience. However, I must admit that Mary Poppins Returns is a more than acceptable sequel to the iconic 1964 classic. Emily Blunt makes the role her own, and while she can’t match Julie Andrews, she does an admirable job. In fact, I’d say that she’s front and center the reason for the film’s success. Ben Wishaw is a fantastic actor, and does a great job as Michael Banks all grown up, but you can’t take your eyes off of Emily when she’s on screen. Lin-Manuel Miranda is great as Jack (a Bert clone, who actually was supposedly an understudy of old Bert) and the rest of the cast is great to watch as well. My only complaint is that my own personal nostalgia and bias towards the original has sort of tainted it. I’m not above saying that some of my disappointment with Mary Poppins Returns may partially be due to how often I was trying to compare it against the original. If looked at objectively, Mary Poppins Returns is a fun Disney adventure for a new age, and does quite well for itself with the actors at hand. I just kept subconsciously comparing it to the 1964 film that started it all and missing Dick, Julie, Angela and all the rest (although Dick Van Dyke DOES show up as the aged Mr. Dawes Jr. and Angela as a street seller, which are both awesome cameos).

According to interviews Julie Andrews actually declined an offer to come back as a cameo role in Returns on purpose. She went on records saying that she didn’t want to steal any of Emily Blunt’s thunder by shoehorning herself into the film, and felt it was better to shift the responsibility to another generation instead of hogging the spotlight, even if unintentionally. Honestly, I think that may have been a smart idea as Emily really shown on her own, and I guarantee you we would have been more star struck to see Julie Andrews back on screen and may have shifted our focus off of the new Mary Poppins.




Rating:

Rated PG for some mild thematic elements and brief action




4K Video: Video:

Mary Poppins Returns was captured at 3.4K digital cameras and then slightly upscaled to 4K (no idea if they upscaled straight from the 3.4K source TO a 4K master, or scaled to a 2K master for the Blu-ray and 4K release) and the results are about what one would expect. It provides a moderate upgrade from the 1080p Blu-ray, showing of slightly better clarity and some stronger detail levels with the bulk of the upgrade coming from the boosted colors that the HDR adds to the picture. Items like the back streets of London, as well as the digitally animated Music Hall scene show better clarity, but there’s a slightly soft look to the picture in both formats (seemingly indicative of the filming style). It’s buttery warm, with a slightly diffused look that is almost magically mystical at times. Facial details are strong, although Emily Blunt’s face looks a bit smoothed, almost like they tried to de-age some wrinkles (even though she’s not got many to begin with according to recent pics).

The HDR adds a wonderful feel to the film with strong, bright, colors that just pop off the page. The red balloon at the end of the film is so vivid and strong, while the shiny baubles in Mary’s cousin’s house is sharp and orangey. The black levels also show strong improvement, with no signs of color banding and a DEEP silky depth to it that really stands out in the dark alleys of London. All in all, this is a solid step up from the Blu-ray, but not one that will shock and awe.






Audio:

While the Blu-ray had a DTS-HD MA 7.1 track, the 4K UHD disc has a full on Atmos track, and I have to say that it isn’t wildly different than the 7.1 mix at all. The 7.1 mix was already a good mix and this one just layers in a light bit of overhead usage with a few of the fantastical journey’s to fill it out. Yes, before anyone asks, it IS prey to the infamous “low volume” that modern Disney titles are known for. About 6 Dbs according to my calibrated receiver, and once it’s raised up to those level the track opens up a good bit. Dialog is crystal clear at all times, with the surrounds offering up some moderate usage during the magical adventures of the three children. Low level emissions are moderate as well, with some boom from a cannon shot, or the clopping of horses hooves and the ringing of Big Ben. It’s a very solid track, and does everything quite well, it’s just not as explosive and powerful as others.




Extras:

• Deleted Song—"The Anthropomorphic Zoo" – In this early song sequence, Mary Poppins and the children visit a very special zoo where the humans and animals trade places.
• The Practically Perfect Making of "Mary Poppins Returns" – Join filmmakers and cast on an amazing journey to embrace the legacy of the original film while making a fresh modern sequel.
- Introduction – Filmmakers and cast remember the first Mary Poppins movie and share the thrill of working on "Mary Poppins Returns."
- "(Underneath the) Lovely London Sky" – Discover how the team mined PL Travers' books for a fresh perspective on a much-loved character. Plus, meet the Banks children!
- "Can You Imagine That?" – Be on location for Mary's iconic entrance from the sky, and explore the movie's original songs, inspired by the Sherman Brothers.
- "Nowhere to Go but Up" – Experience being on set with the legendary Dick Van Dyke and Angela Lansbury, and celebrate the joy of choosing the right balloon!
• Seeing Things From a Different Point of View": The Musical Numbers of "Mary Poppins Returns" – Go behind the scenes and experience the film's production numbers from a new angle.
- "Trip a Little Light Fantastic" – Led by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the cast performs the film's biggest production number, with dancing lamplighters, bicyclists and more!
- "The Royal Doulton Music Hall" / "A Cover Is Not the Book" – Find out what it takes to create two musical extravaganzas inside an animated world, highlighted by dancing animated penguins!
- "Turning Turtle" – Mary's eccentric cousin, Topsy Turvy, played by Meryl Streep, has an unusual house that turns this musical number upside-down.
- "Can You Imagine That?" – Dive under the bubbles with the cast and crew to see how this exuberant number was created.
• Back to Cherry Tree Lane: Dick Van Dyke Returns – Dick Van Dyke, who played Bert and Mr. Dawes Sr. in the first film, returns after 54 years to Cherry Tree Lane as Mr. Dawes Jr.
• Practically Perfect Bloopers – There's nowhere to go but up with the cast and crew in this lighthearted collection of flubs, goofs and prop fails!
• Deleted Scenes
- Leaving Topsy's – After their visit to Cousin Topsy, Mary, Jack and the children pause to take a look back.
- "Trip a Little Light Fantastic" – The leeries light up the screen in this extended clip from the movie's biggest musical production.
• Play Movie in Sing-Along Mode – Sing along with all your favorite songs as you watch the movie.

Final Score:
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All in all, Mary Poppins Returns is a fun sequel to the 1964 classic, but it is not as practically perfect in every way like the original. It’s a fun romp, with a nice new modern twist on the old tale, and famed musical director Rob Marshall (who’s pretty much the go to musical director since Chicago) was smart enough to not rehash the past, but rather forge new stories and make the film it’s own. The 4K UHD is a solid upgrade over the Blu-ray, but nothing spectacular and the array of extras is once more copious enough for this old curmudgeon who grew up in the heyday of collector’s edition DVDs to be satisfied. Recommended as a fun watch.




Technical Specifications:

Starring: Emily Blunt, Jin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Wishaw, Emily Mortimer, Pixie Davies, Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Dick Van Dyke, Angela Lansbury
Directed by: Rob Marshall
Written by: David Magee, Rob Marshall, John DeLuca
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 HEVC
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Core) French, Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish, Korean
Studio: Disney / Buena Vista
Rated: PG
Runtime: 130 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: March 19th, 2019

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• Michael Scott
• May 11, 2017

Recommendation: Fun Watch

 

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review. I enjoyed the first one. Will check it out.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Don't forget... we are giving away a Poppins blu-ray!

https://www.avnirvana.com/threads/win-a-free-copy-of-mary-poppins-returns-on-blu-ray.4265/

 

[Jack]

....off we go, what a good looking film. I guess it better be mine. Thank You Michael.