It's Super.............. (fill in the rest)!!!!

Rating: 9/10 (18 May 2014)

"Saving Mr. Banks" is a "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" flick about how the Disney classic "Mary Poppins" popped into its development. The movie stars Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers, the author of the "Mary Poppins" novel who refused for years for her eye-popping book to be adapted into a Disney movie no matter how eagerly Sir Walt Disney tried to persuade her. Due to financial problems, Travers reluctantly takes the road well-traveled and decides to travel to Hollywood and meet with Walt and the Disney movie clan. However, she does have lots of reservations about how Disney wants to tinker with her "Mary Poppins". Sorry that I am feeding you a spoonful of puns, by the way. "Saving Mr. Banks" delves in also to Travers' childhood, most notably her relationship with her loving, but alcoholic father. But the magic of this movie is witnessing the interactions between Walt Disney and P.L. Travers. Director John Lee Hancock, who previously helmed "The Blind Side", opens our eyes on dreams, imagination, wonder, adversity, insistence, and of course magic; which are all elements Hancock had a hand in to make "Saving Mr. Banks" worth the ride. Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith's screenplay was divine. Thompson's performance was excellent as Travers, and it was a bit of a travesty that she did not get nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. Tom Hanks not only helped save Private Ryan, but also had a hand in "Saving Mr. Banks" with his superb charismatic performance as Walt Disney himself. Other worthy supporting turns came from Colin Farrell as Travers' father, Paul Giamatti as Disney limo driver Ralph, and B.J. Novak & Jason Schwartzman as film composers Robert & Richard Sherman. "Saving Mr. Banks" is a lovely movie that everyone should experience, and you can take that to the bank. ***** Excellent