Moon Film Reviews: Mary Poppins and The Favourite

Your Cultural Correspondent (Film) had what the critics might describe as a 'triumphant start' to their cinematic year with two excellent films.

First up was 'Mary Poppins Returns'. Your Cultural Correspondent (Film) thought it was beautiful, although that, of course, might have been helped by their being the only person at the screening. But, seriously, it was a wonderful film, helped of course by some very excellent acting, not least Miss Emily Blunt, Dame Julie Walters playing 'Ellen' like a 'Great Slump' era Mrs Overall, and Miss Meryl Streep even if she only had a cameo role. As we watched her, we wondered if she had been inspired by Dame Angela Lansbury's portrayal of Mrs Salome Otterbourne in 'Murder on the Nile'? How fitting then, and how unexpected, Your Cultural Correspondent (Film) not having read anything about the flick before seeing it, that Dame Angela should herself have a cameo role, which was unsurprisingly superb. Anyway, we shall leave you with this song. It has the same impact as 'Feed the birds' in the original film and in the stage show.



Second up was 'The Favourite', viewed by a packed house. Your Cultural Correspondent (Film) has seen the film billed as a 'comedy' and described as 'savagely funny', having 'a laugh rate with Airplane' and being 'often hilarious'. Well, dear readers, let Your Cultural Correspondent (Film) tell you this: they didn't laugh once and they didn't think it is a comedy. In fact, they thought it was a very serious film with, of course, and probably as intended, lots of parallels with today, not only in terms of people in leadership positions, but in other and surely all arenas across the land. The jockeying for position. The doing oneself up by doing others down. The sucking up to those in charge. The decadence of so many of those at the top. And the loneliness, insecurity and need for reassurance of those at the very pinnacle. All, of course, familiar themes today especially when set against the background of scrapping with those on The Continent.

But let's not get too political. Let's instead make one criticism: namely the soundtrack which in parts was very irritating and very annoying, no doubt some hangover from the Director's significant art-house background, which passed by your blissfully unsophisticated Cultural Correspondent. And let's conclude by saluting all the players, all of whom were spot on and marvellous, but, of course, particularly Miss Emma Stone, Miss Rachel Weisz, and above all Miss Olivia Colman, who played Queen Anne beautifully, tragically and most insightfully. Un applauso a tutti, as our Italian friends would say.