If you had asked me who I would cast to play Walt Disney in a movie, Tom Hanks probably wouldn’t be even close to my first choice, but it may just be one of the year’s most inspired bits of casting in the movie SAVING MR. BANKS. Emma Thompson plays P.L. Travers, author of the Mary Poppins books, and Hanks plays Disney who is desperate to turn the character into big movie. In real life Travers was not happy with the results of Disney’s work, and never worked with him or the studio again, though you’d never know that’s where things were headed from the trailer. You hear lots of horror stories about famous writers who feel their work is butchered when going from book to the big screen, but seeing it play out could be rather interesting, if told truthfully. In some ways it’s a little surprising this is a Disney release, though I can’t help be wonder if the ending will have a happy twist to it. Just look at that cast though, including Paul Giamatti, Bradley Whitford, Ruth Wilson, Rachel Griffiths, Colin Farrell, Jason Schwartzman, and B.J. Novak. It’s directed by John Lee Hancock (THE BLIND SIDE). Does this look like a film you’d enjoy seeing? Tell us in the comments below.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
