We’re giving it a 5 star rating

by I Am Starstruck’s movie reviewer Katerina Papathanasopoulos

Saving Mr. Banks. The movie I will now set against every film I have or ever will see. It certainly has set the standard.

Having always been interested in the Disney franchise, the man himself and all things to do with Mary Poppins, I went into the cinema with high hopes and I certainly was not disappointed.

Such poignant scenes were displayed within this one film; a sort of behind the scenes look at how Mary Poppins was created as well as a biopic on the many important people involved in creating this timeless classic. We delve into the lives of P.L. Travers, author of Mary Poppins as well as Walt Disney and those involved in the production of the Technicolor pic.

The structure of the film took it to another level. There was the constant message that Travers’ characters are her family, a key issue paralleling with Disney who felt the same about his character Mickey.

With standout performances from Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell and Paul Giamatti, the quality of both screenplay and scriptwriting are in my opinion award winning. My favourite scenes included the childhood flashbacks between Ellen Travers Goff (whose pseudonym is P.L. Travers) and her father Travers Goff.

The lake scene was key, as it reflected on imagination, money and growing up. I found myself being drawn in, much like Travers to the monologue Disney presented to her, along with certain parts of the film where my Disney knowledge and trivia skills come in handy.  This includes the scene where Disney is enchanted by the song “Feed the Birds”, known to be one of his favourite songs. The scenes between Thompson and Giamatti are truly beautiful and display a certain charm that establishes the foundations for the two worlds past and present to entwine.

It was so profound to experience even in a secondary state, the way in which things were created at this time. The age of imagination and intrigue, of developments and new advancements. It was wonderful to learn of the way in which these people, these characters who we know and love have been through hardships and experiences that we can relate to. We come to understand them in a new light and feel as though we too, can achieve great things simply by being happy and using a power we all possess, the power of imagination.

Throughout the film we were laughing (some of us hysterically I might add) and tears both happy and sad were shed. The theme never stop dreaming could not be more present in this film and from what was presented I’m sure any person who sees this film will never lose that quality. Putting it eloquently in the film Disney states, “That’s what storytellers do. We restore order with imagination. We instill hope again and again.”