I'm Mary Poppins, Y'all!

Madison blurts out this line from time to time:  "I'm Mary Poppins, y'all!"  It's probably the best quote of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," and by the best character in the movie, Yondu.

This has been a really funny meme lately, with a lot of people posting pictures like this one above online, or this one here below:

Yondu's gibberish is a funny bit from the first movie, something that Madison and Daddy do from time to time.  He's been a great character!

While reading the latest Pirates of the Caribbean book, we stumbled upon the theme for Disney Marvel this year, one that obviously connects both "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Guardians of the Galaxy."  It's pretty clear the two are communicating the same message.  And so when you look further into the year, you sort of see elsewhere in the Disney movies a similar theme:  "What is the definition of a real father?"  That theme for the two movies above is sacrifice, and again you see it present with "Rogue One."  The icing on the cake would be if we saw it with "Spiderman:  Homecoming."  In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, what did happen to Peter Parker's father, and furthermore, is Tony Stark somewhat like an adoptive father?  Anyway, there's your theme for the year.  We don't see it so much in "Beauty and the Beast," although there's the Father-daughter relationship there.

This theme stuff has been a hobby.  It might have been presented here before, but it all started back in 2012 when I noticed, “What’s up with all these archers in movies?”  There was Merida, Hawkeye and Katniss all within a few months of each other.  It's funny how all these rival movie studios sort of race to come out with an idea all at the same time.  The year Madison was adopted coincidentally featured some scenes of China in movies, somewhat of a mini-theme.  Of course, the Olympics were in China that year, so you can see the motivation from studios to embrace that theme.  But we had "Kung Fu Panda," "The Mummy 3," and "Forbidden Kingdom."  In 2007, we saw France in "Ratatouille," "Rush Hour 3," "Mr. Bean's Holiday," and a little in "National Treasure:  Book of Secrets."

So anyway, the following year in 2013, we noticed it was animated slugs and snails.  And so each year it became somewhat of a game to look for the new recurring theme, particularly in the Disney/Marvel/Star Wars empire.

In case you’re wondering, here’s the movie seasons from 2012 to 2016:

2012

The Year of the Archer

Brave, The Avengers and Hunger Games

2013

The Year of the Talking Slugs/Snails (Only one of these is actually Disney, but how weird to see this many slugs/snail creatures over the course of a few weeks)

Turbo, Epic, Monsters University 

Below are the last few years, Disney movies only:

2013-14:

Nice Guy Teammates who turn out to be Traitorous Villains

Frozen, Thor Dark World, The Pirate Fairy, Captain America:  Winter Soldier and Agents of SHIELD

Also… Walking Tree People

Maleficent, Guardians of the Galaxy,

2014-15:

San Francisco:  

Inside Out, Ant-Man, Big Hero 6

2015-16:

Orphaned children left alone in the wilderness: 

The Good Dinosaur, The Jungle Book, Pete’s Dragon

(updated for 2016-17):

Sacrificial Father Figures: 

Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Dead Men Tell No Tales, Rogue One

(updated for 2017-18):

Suddenly Realizing Your Heroes are Flawed (and actually talking to them in the afterlife) : 

Black Panther, Coco 

(updated for 2018-19):

Dead mothers with keys

The Nutcracker, Dumbo, (Mary Poppins Returns features dead mom, but no key)

Smaller living things grouped together in the shape of a larger thing walking around.

Wreck-it Ralph 2, The Nutcracker

(updated for 2019-20):

Female lead characters going over giant ocean waves.
Frozen 2, Rise of Skywalker

(updated for 2021-22):

People stealing important necklaces that bring them together with their villainous parent.
Cruella, Shang Chi

And there's the theory.  Last year's (2015-2016) was a little weird with all these orphaned kids running around in the woods, but it's solid.  Three movies with that same idea?  

This all started out with Madison and Yondu.  Who is with Marvel, and speaking of which, tonight's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." ended season four with a return of Ghost Rider, and a set up for things in the future season... in space.  Madison is anxious to hear what happens next, and so she will in the morning.  She asks for "Agents" updates each Wednesday morning.  

It was Taco Tuesday today, and so we had our tacos, and we also had a lot of artwork coming home from Madison's school year.  Tonight, we did finish that "Pirates" book, something both Mommy and Madison really liked a lot.  Daddy too, although starting the book we had no clue that it would actually tell us the story of the upcoming movie as well.  So it's kind of spoiled for us, but we did enjoy the book, and still look forward to the movie.

Daddy had to go back to work today, as it is our busy season.  He was there for a good portion of the evening, although he returned in time for the bedtime story.  The one thing that he had to do that was unanticipated is return to Brenau to look for jazz shoes.  Madison's lost jazz shoes.  She left them there yesterday.  It took a bit of time, but there was a triumphant moment of discovery, and now we're good. 

Madison toured the fifth grade halls today, meeting fifth grade teachers.  Yikes.  I don't really want to talk about that now!  Let's just savor fourth grade for what little time we have left in it, shall we?  Time is moving along so fast!  And that quote seems to be a theme unto itself for this entire blog.