By Susan Granger

Aptly timed for the holiday season, the boldly animated adventure “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” should delight comic book fans of all ages.

“I always find a way to come back,” says Marvel’s aging Peter Parker (voiced by Jake Johnson), which forecasts his relationship with Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore), an Afro-Latino teenager living in Brooklyn with his parents (voiced by Luna Lauren Velez & Brian Tyree Henry).

When his imprudent Uncle Aaron (voiced by Mahershala Ali) takes him deep into the subway system, Miles is bitten by a glowing radioactive spider, turning him green overnight. Suddenly, bewildered Miles finds he’s sticking to whatever he touches.

But could there be two Spider-Men? Why not?

The Westport Country Playhouse cast rehearses for tonight’s script-in-hand play reading, “Tuesdays with Morrie,” based on the best-selling memoir by Mitch Albom. The reading is directed by Anne Keefe (l), Playhouse associate artist and curator of the play reading series. Actors are Charles Socarides (c) and Harris Yulin. Tickets are $20 each. The one-act performance starts at 7 p.m. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

By Susan Granger

If you’re looking for a jolly holiday gift that’s “practically perfect,” take everyone — kids and grandparents included — to see “Mary Poppins Returns,” an enchanting, utterly delightful Disney sequel.

It’s set in 1930s London, long after “Mary Poppins” original 1964 visit. Grown-up Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) is now a widower, and his labor-activist sister Jane (Emily Mortimer) has come to help him with his three little children: Georgie (Joel Dawson), John (Nathanael Saleh) and Annabel (Pixie Davies).

Their mother died a year ago, and grief-stricken Michael’s financial position is so precarious that they’re at risk of losing their beloved family home on Cherry Tree Lane to villainous Fidelity Fiduciary banker, William Weatherall Wilkins (Colin Firth), unless Michael can repay a home equity loan in five days.

That’s when Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt), the mysterious nanny, descends from the clouds, clutching her parrot-headed umbrella and carpetbag full of surprises.