Mary Poppins

The film that gave us such musical gems as "A Spoonful of Sugar" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" was, in many ways, the feather in Walt Disney's cap. It took twenty years for him to make - a journey chronicled in "Saving Mr. Banks," currently in theatres - but the journey was worth every hard-earned step. Not only was the picture the most profitable of 1965 ($28.5 million) and critically acclaimed to the tune of 5 Academy Awards (including a victory for Julie Andrews over Audrey Hepburn, who stole Andrews' legendary Broadway role of Eliza Doolittle from her for the screen), but it also directly financed a project which was to become a cornerstone of the Disney brand: Disney took his profits and developed 27,500 acres in Florida.

The film itself belies the challenges required to make it: It's ever lighthearted, whimsical and efficacious - all traits that hold up nearly 50 years later. And the digital restoration here is both crisp and lush, particularly when it comes to the musical segments. It's easy to dismiss the film as flat, or just plain old, when comparing it to modern films; in particular, the animation feels week. But the film's heart is solid gold, and performances from Andrews, Dick Van Dyke and David Tomlinson are as delightful today as they were when the film first premiered.

Bonus features include those previously released (deleted song, documentaries, sing-a-longs, and commentary) - but a lovely sitdown between Richard Sherman, who co-wrote the songs, and the actor who portrays him in "Finding Mr. Banks," Jason Schwartzman, is particularly entertaining - and new for this release. The Mary-OKE addition (enhanced singalong with animated words) might charm younger viewers, but will lack appear for others.

Ultimately, the movie is the star. And for fans of Poppins - or those building the Disney Lexicon in their home theatres - this is the definitive edition you've been waiting for. In fact, it's practically perfect in every way.