Though not a Christmas movie per se, “Mary Poppins” shows up on TV schedules often enough at this time of year that it’s come to be an unofficial seasonal staple — and with “Saving Mr. Banks” now in theaters, more people than usual will be giving it another spin over the holidays. But does it merits its classic status? I’m firmly in the “yes” camp, but Kyle Buchanan is less convinced: “‘The Sound of Music’ is sturdily structured and well-cast down to its smallest roles; rewatching it now, there’s really not a superfluous scene. Not so much with Mary Poppins, y’all … The good parts are just as good as you remember – it’s just that they’ve been overrun by so many boring parts that it’s shocking. For every spoonful of sugar that Mary Poppins offers, there are two more spoons of medicine you’ve got to take first.” Bah, humbug. [Vulture]

Hans Zimmer, Thomas Newman and Steven Price are among the guests at THR’s composers’ roundtable. [Hollywood Reporter]

Christine Smallwood on why “Her” is something more complicated and unsettling than a love story. [New Yorker]

Jennifer Lawrence — remember her? — is AP’s Entertainer of the Year. [Thompson on Hollywood]

Chiwetel Ejiofor — not such a big draw in Italy. [The Guardian]

Playwrights from Tracy Letts to Aaron Sorkin to Neil LaBute talk about the process of adapting their work for the screen. [New York Times]

Justin Chang, Peter Debruge and Scott Foundas debate the merits of “The Wolf of Wall Street.” [Variety]

Nice Weinstein touch, this: a collection of interviews in which Oscar-nominated costume design Ruth Carter discusses her work on “The Butler.” [TWC Guilds]

Amanda Dobbins weighs up the year in actor/director reunions, from McQueen/Fassbender to, well, Scott/Fassbender. [Vulture]