Marry Poppins Returns, The Favourite and Stan and Ollie

The 

Whenever I think of the Mary Poppins story, I cannot help but picture Tom Hanks (as Walt Disney) when he suddenly realises in "Saving Mr Banks" that P J Travers has written about her father:
"So it's not the children she comes to save, it's their father; it's your father". 
In the new movie "Mary Poppins Returns", it is the new father, played by Ben Wishaw, that is desperately in need of help. In danger of losing his house to an abominable Colin Firth. So in flies you know who. 

I have to say that some of the set pieces are outstanding, even if the accompanying songs are less than satisfactory.  The lamps on the chimney sweeps bicycles in the semi dark and the cartoon sequence are superb. Most of the cast are fine: Emily Blunt, Ben Wishaw, Emily Mortimer and Julie Walters are on top form. I was less than convinced by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The story was quite hammy and the dialogue pretty ordinary but why worry about the cut, just feel the cloth.

I knew very little about the 18th century court of Queen Anne, all wigs, intrigue and candles in the dark. There has been no attempt to lighten the darkness and that works really well. All the plaudits rightly go to Olivia Colman as the Queen, sometimes enjoying, sometimes despising the battle for her favour between the incumbent (Rachel Weisz) and the upstart (Emma Stone). This three way tussle is absorbing and brilliantly acted. The often rude but clever script is by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara and director Yorgos Lanthimos has done a fine job.

Equally good, if not better, is Stan and Ollie. Steve Coogan and John C Reilly have career highs as the elderly double act struggling around the UK on tour. They are fortunate to have Jeff Pope to write the screenplay, although I felt the imput of Coogan would have been important, mirroring Stan Laurel for ever writing new stuff for their act. Along with director John S Baird, they have perfected the line between impersonation and impression. So good, you totally believe they are Stan and Ollie. Their bickering wives who join the tour later in London are a double act in their own right. The contrast between the early tour empty theatres and horrible boarding house with the successful later shows and the plush London Adelphi Hotel is a little heavy handed, but this is nothing compared to an overall brilliant movie.