ust saw Saving Mr. Banks with a good friend of mine at the AFI Fest last night. An amazing experience it was! You go into a movie with a great story setup; Mickey Mouse and Mary Poppins clash. The most important thing I must say about the movie was that Emma Thompson made it. Her portrayal as the creator of Mary Poppins (the book) a woman with a mean stubborn streak was enthralling and innovative. And although she was character we did not want to like, we end up loving her and sympathizing with her once we got to learn about her history. Think of her as “Driving Miss Daisy” in Disneyland. Thompson’s rendering of the character was supported by an equally phenomenal performance by Tom Hanks as Walt Disney. Although the Disney Studio was cautious of making this film on the grounds of protecting the integrity and image of its creator, I think this movie got his spirit down just right. He was a man with flaws, but he never underestimated the power of imagination. He knew how to make people happy. And P L Travers was probably his greatest challenge. It took him 20 years just for her to agree on the film rights. I do have some criticisms of the film. The flashbacks of Traver’s childhood in Australia seemed to slow down the film and they were less interesting than what was going on in Los Angeles in the 60s. Also, “Saving Mr. Banks” did seem like the stereotypical Disney film; promotes the finding of fairy-tale happy endings, seemingly light and jubilant. These are all the things that P. L. Travers did not want for Mary Poppins. She bluntly makes it clear that she does not share Walt Disneys view of looking at life in a twinkly sense. But all that (the flashbacks, the lighthearted sentiment) serves the purpose of what the film wanted to prove. It reminded us all how storytellers try to renew hope again and again, maybe a happy ending in real life is not possible, but its always possible in the world of imagination. That is what artists always strive to find and give to other people. (My Int. Cinema teacher and I could have a long debate over this matter) The script was very smart, very funny, never predictable, lots of unexpected twists and turns, and AWESOME dialogue. The best feel good movie of the year in my opinion, which is worth seeing again during the Holidays (maybe even worth an award or two). I give this movie an A. Its strange to think that me and my friend were one of the first North American open-to-the-public people to see this film. It was an experience Ill not forget.
Posted on: Sat, 09 Nov 2013 00:36:34 +0000
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