"Saving Mr. Banks" Movie Review

Since I first heart about Saving Mr. Banks, I just knew that I had to see it. I absolutely love the Mary Poppins movie and I also love biographies and biopics, so this seemed like the perfect movie for me, and it was. I honestly didn't know much about the development of Mary Poppins. I have read the first book and (of course) seen the film, but that's about where my knowledge ended. However, Saving Mr. Banks has certainly caught my interest and I can't wait to read Mary Poppins, She Wrote. 

I thought this movie is just wonderful. The acting is great and I think everyone did a great job in capturing the people they play. Even though I obviously knew that the Mary Poppins film would be made, this story was so convincing that there were times that I couldn't help but wonder if Travers would ever give in and allow Disney to make her book into a film. I also enjoyed how the elements of Travers' childhood were incorporated into this film. As someone who knew nothing about the life of P.L. Travers, I found this part particularly interesting as we found out what inspired her and how the world and characters of Mary Poppins came to be.

I feel like it's been awhile since there's been a movie that I have genuinely been excited to see and even longer since I left the movie theatre just as excited about the film I had just watched.  Saving Mr. Banks managed to do both for me. I will definitely be getting this movie when it comes out on DVD and will likely watch it often. I think it is the best film I have seen this year and highly recommend it to those that love Mary Poppins (both the book and the film), to those that love a good story, and to those that just want to see a good movie.



Happy Viewing!
-Melly

"Dick Van Dyke: My Lucky Life in and Out of Show Business" by Dick Van Dyke

I guess you could say I have a guilty pleasure when it come to reading and that pleasure would be memoirs.  I just love them.  I recently came across Dick Van Dyke's My Lucky Life in and Out of Show Business and immediately checked it out for my kindle- and just couldn't put it down.  Admittedly I knew little of Van Dyke's acting outside of The Dick Van Dyke Show and Mary Poppins and knew nothing of his life outside of the spotlight.  His life in fascinating.  His stardom really was due to a lot of luck and being in the right places at the right time.  He rose from radio host to starring in his own show (though at the time he was still a little known actor).  But through his stardom he was still a dedicated father and husband (well, mostly).  It's always nice to come across the memoirs of someone that has really lived an interesting life that is worth documentation.  This book is not one of those that was written just to be another piece of merchandise for fans to buy.  It was written with real heart!

I kinda figure that this book is marketed more towards an older crowd (no offense).  It's no secret that I LOVE older television shows such as I Love Lucy, Petticoat Junction, and other black and white classics.  Sometimes I feel like I was born in the very wrong decade.  I don't see this book appealing to most younger readers, but I personally loved it and recommend it highly!



Happy Reading!
-Melly