Here’s the plot summary as written by Walt Disney Pictures:

When Walt Disney’s daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers’ “Mary Poppins,” he made them a promise – one that he didn’t realize would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney’s plans for the adaptation. For those two short weeks in 1961, Walt Disney pulls out all the stops. Armed with imaginative storyboards and chirpy songs from the talented Sherman brothers, Walt launches an all-out onslaught on P.L. Travers, but the prickly author doesn’t budge. He soon begins to watch helplessly as Travers becomes increasingly immovable and the rights begin to move further away from his grasp. It is only when he reaches into his own childhood that Walt discovers the truth about the ghosts that haunt her, and together they set Mary Poppins free to ultimately make one of the most endearing films in cinematic history.

Saving Mr. Banks shifts between 1961 in Los Angeles as Walt Disney tries to win over “Mrs. Travers” and Australia in 1906 when “Mrs. Travers” was a child growing up with an alcoholic father (Colin Farrel) and an overwhelmed and exhausted mother (Ruth Wilson). It is worth noting that child actress Annie Rose Buckley plays the young girl, and she is brilliant in the role, sweet, yet wise – a very old soul.

The all-star case includes Tom Hanks as Walt Disney, Emma Thompson as Mrs. Travers, Paul Giamatti, Bradley Whitford, Kathy Baker, Jason Schwartzman, B.J. Novack, Melanie Paxson and Rachel Griffiths.

Julianne Hough, who has nicely transitioned to lead actress in her first starring role here, plays Katie, on the run and looking to start a new life for herself in a small North Carolina town. The first person she meets is Josh Duhamel’s Alex, tall, handsome, single father who has been grieving his dead wife for 3 years.  The two are awkward with each other at first, but totally attracted to one another and they end up falling in love, of course.

Then Katie’s past ends up catching with her, and the rest of the movie is less romantic tension and more just plain tension as havoc comes to town.

Two super cute kids in the mix – lots of “awwww” factor – and a helpful BFF.

This movie came out on Valentine’s Day – good timing!

Hunt, and Austrian driver Nick Lauda (played by Daniel Brühl) were rivals on the Formula 1 circuit. Although the movie takes place in the world of racing, it’s really more about the relationship between these two polarly opposite men, and how they pushed each other to be better – both as drivers and as people.

Olivia Wilde is Hunt’s love interest, a super model who understands the limelight and is attracted to Hunt until his ego gets too big for the relationship.

Rush is an interesting movie that’s worth seeing. A little slice of history.

Good story, some dark moments – very timely for today.

This is an adventure – and a fun one at that.