Director Rob Mar’s “Mary Poppins Returns” is the sequel to the 1964 Disney classic, “Mary Poppins.” In this movie, viewers revisit a grown up Jane (Emily Mortimer) and Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) as they struggle with “The Great Slump” or The Great Depression. Once again, Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt)  comes to save the day when the going gets tough. This long awaited sequel manages to capture the hearts and minds of children and those who have waited 54 years to for the magic to continue.

Mary Poppins is not as cheery as the audience may be used to. However, Blunt’s portrayal of the popular nanny is the perfect mix between the original movie and the stage show, where Mary is shown to be more sarcastic and cold at times. Blunt’s performance was inspiring, but Jack (Lin Manuel Miranda) stole the show. Miranda captured the spirit of Dick Van Dyke and made audiences fall in love with his charming character. Viewers could tell that autotune was not used when Miranda sang, and his acting was “spit, spot, spick and span,” as Mary Poppins would say. Miranda’s use of wit and humor helped make his character the true star.

Along with the excellent characters, the use of CGI animation and the more classical Disney animation makes this a visually stunning film as well. The use of animation in a live action film brings an element of fun into the movie—the whimsical design of the beloved penguins from the original meet more realistic looking dolphins and pirate ships in an underwater scene. The costumes used in the film are beautiful as well. The most intricate costuming was in the “Royal Doulton Bowl” scene. The bright colors and fun patterns paired well with the upbeat songs in the scene. There is also a large dance number similar to Step in Time from the original. The dance features Miranda, and the other “leeries” spinning on lamp posts and doing bike tricks. There are many elements in this movie that make it beautiful to look at.

Overall, this movie is definitely worth going to the theater to see. It will keep audiences of all ages entertained, even if it could never live up to the original “Mary Poppins.” It is a movie filled with secrets and surprises bound to amaze you.