Beatrice McClearn

25 May 2012

Tried to get into it, but couldnt.

We saw the original title where the movie was based in the UK. Needlessto say, the movie was absolutely horrible to us. There was no humor inthe movie (at least none that we could relate to being under 30 and inthe U.S.). We couldn't watch more than 30 minutes of the movie the first night. Onthe second night, we decided to painfully watch the rest in an effortto give it a fair shot. That didn't pan out the way we wished. It washopeless so we turned off the movie completely.I didn't care for the weird way the movie decided to take place duringWWII. I didn't find any humor in the supposed humorous parts such asthe synchronized swimming of pigs. I didn't care for the uncle whowanted to rob his brother's family of any type of fortune for theirfarm. And I especially didn't find Nanny McPhee humorous in this movie.I noticed that there's another version of this movie out theresomeplace. In the movie trailer there's a baby. Maybe we will give thata shot sometime soon. Prayerfully it's much better.

24 May 2012

Nanny McPhee

This review is from: Nanny McPhee Returns (DVD) Emma does it again! We loved the first McPhee film, but this one is our favorite of the two. We hope Ms. Thompson will consider bringing us another chapter in the life of Nanny McPhee, soon. (Amazon, as always, delivered the purchase on time and in perfect condition. Thank you!)

Daniel Webster

22 May 2012

Big Bang Theory

Although I did see this in the theater I would recommend anyone to either download directly from the internet or order the DVD or Blu-Ray from the UK. Nanny McPhee Returns is actually just the USA name for the last year release of Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang. The DVD and Blu-Ray have been out since March. That being said this movie is great. The story is very easy to follow and ties in nicely with the first one. There is even a suprise at the end but I will allow you to watch it for yourself so I don't spoil it. The acting was pretty good and there are some very famous cast members. All-in-all this is a good movie and has more of a thought out story than the first one.

Jackson Booth-Millard

21 May 2012

Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang

I saw the trailer for this sequel to the kids film based on thechildren's stories, and to me it looked like it was going to be lame,but then I saw the critics rating ti quite high, so I watched it.Basically young Isabel Green (Maggie Gyllenhaal) lives on her familyfarm with her three troublesome children, Norman (Asa Butterfield),Megsie (Lil Woods) and Vincent (Oscar Steer), and she also runs avillage shop with Mrs. Docherty (Dame Maggie Smith). Sent from Londonto live on the farm, I guess because of the war, are the children'sspoilt cousins, the Grays, Cyril (Eros Vlahos) and Celia (RosieTaylor-Ritson), and the misbehaving only gets worse for Isabel. So incomes Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson) to teach the children the valuablelessons to behaving well and learning to get on with each other. Thefirst lesson is to stop fighting each other, which she does by makingthem all hit themselves against their will, and this makes a wartdisappear. The next lesson is to share with each other, i.e. beds, andshe makes them sleep next to the animals they name they would rather besharing with, including a pig and a baby elephant, and this makes herother wart disappear. While learning these lesson, the mean Phil Green(Rhys Ifans) is trying to buy the farm off Isabel, since her husbandRory (Ewan McGregor) has been fighting in the war so long, but shewon't give in. The children's third lesson appears when Nanny McPheemakes all the pigs go wild and try escape, and they must learn to worktogether to catch and sell them to Farmer Macreadie (Bill Bailey), theydo and her unibrow disappears. Going on a picnic, Isabel receives thenews that Rory has been killed in action, which Norman does notbelieve, so Nanny McPhee takes him and Vincent to the war office toconfirm this, while Isabel is tempted to sell the farm to Phil. Normanconfirms from Vincent's father, Lord Gray (Ralph Fiennes), that hisfather is only missing in action and the letter was forged by Phil, whogets handcuffed to a rail in the house. A big problem pops up when abomb is dropped from the sky, due to a pilot sneezing on the trigger,and the children work together to defuse it, another lesson learnt andNanny McPhee's hair goes from grey to brown. In the end, the finallesson of having faith is learnt when Rory comes home alive and well,and Nanny McPhee with her smaller nose walks away as they want her butno longer need her. Also starring Sinead Matthews as Miss Topsey, KatyBrand as Miss Turvey, Nonso Anozie as Sergeant Jeffreys, 'Allo 'Allo'sSam Kelly as Mr. Docherty and Plus One's Daniel Mays as Blenkinsop.Once again Thompson does well as the magical almost anti Mary Poppins,and Gyllenhaal sports a pretty good English accent, there was a tinypart thinking it is almost the same film again, but it is a much moreinteresting film and the kids will love it, a worthwhile period fantasyadventure. Good!

21 May 2012

Nothing like a 2nd Nanny

The Nanny McPhee films are wonderful. First off, this Return, is not just Pt II, it is volume II, and deals with many of the same issues, with others tossed in.In this case, our Nanny is called to help a young mother with three young'uns while her husband is away. Instead of matrimonial problems, there are gambling debts to be paid while lessons are learned. Problem solving with McPhee is thinking outside the breadbox, in fact, this franchise in the making could be a successful parenting/problem solving seminar. Parenting With Nanny McPhee..Magic in the Huddle (or something like that).Maggie Smith and Emma Thompson are a good pair for the film that makes this believable, entertaining, and educational (for consequence based parenting). My first look at the DVD cover reminded me of Bednobs and Broomsticks...both have magic, and a nanny who comes to rescue. This is a film that will be fondly remembered as one of the highlights of our generation.

john brost

20 May 2012

Garbage McPhee

Horribly directed, no imagination or creativity, and not enjoyable. McPhee is barely in the movie. Not a single child laughed, and it appeared this movie was made with fragmented clips filmed over one weekend by some friends. Do not waste your money going to see this. Your children will not enjoy this movie.

18 May 2012

Cute movie

This review is from: Nanny McPhee Returns (DVD) This sequel is the first Nanny McPhee movie I saw with my kids, prompting me to buy the first movie as well. While my kids say they like both movies equally, I strongly prefer this one, Nanny McPhee Returns, as it is lighter and and cheerier. Maggie Gyllenhaal is great as the single mom struggling to keep her property, amidst a visit from two snooty young relatives who don't mix too well with her kids. Silliness and fun. The first movie seemed a bit dark to me.

llll a

18 May 2012

Very Enjoyable!

saw this movie only becuase nothing else appealed to me and ended up loving it!Emma Thompson is great and so is Maggie G.Didn't see the first one, so now I will have to rent it.Great theme....a little slow at times, but overalla very good Family oriented film!

Robert

18 May 2012

It was an okay family film

I didn't want to see this film when I saw the trailer because I didn't enjoy the first film that much. The first film and second film are both pretty much mediocre. I think kids will enjoy this film WAY more than I do. "Nanny McPhee Returns" does have its moments BUT I thought the best part of this film was the ending because it had a happy ending. I have to give this film credit for the happy ending and it probably was my favorite part of the movie. I give "Nanny McPhee Returns" a C and 2 out of 4 stars. It was a disappointment BUT what can I expect after seeing the first Nanny McPhee? that has to be my answer. Once again, I think children will enjoy this film even more and (I guess) possibly the whole family. Not the greatest Emma Thompson film that I've ever seen BUT this film ain't bad also.

Saber

17 May 2012

One for all the family

Not having seen Nanny McPhee 1, I wasn't sure what to expect, but Ihave to say I was very pleasantly surprised.The film was very easy to get into and the story and plot were wellwritten and set.The actors young and old performed brilliantly making the whole thingenchanting and a highly believable fantasy.The special effects were very well done and the comedy in it wasdelightful. I took my children with me, aged 5, 12, 15 and 18 and theyall loved it too, with lots of laugh out loud moments and lots ofsmiles throughout.All in all a very good film and I recommend it highly.If you're going to see it I suggest you take all the family. Its adefinite must see for all ages and you'll not be disappointed.

15 May 2012

Liked the original better

This review is from: Nanny McPhee Returns (DVD) I liked the first Nanny McPhee film the best. It seemed to focus on the people and their issues and on resolving them. Magic was part of it, but the magic of family was the important part of it. It made fun of adulthood and of unrestrained childhood without seeming to go beyond the pale. Furthermore the romance was delightfully comic, making Colin Firth, a former Mr. Darcy, a somewhat helpless and comic widower. With Nanny McPhee Returns the story seemed way too melodramatic and relied too heavily on special effects. That Nanny is a witch is obvious and acceptable as it was before, but here there was so much magic that the story seemed to get lost until the very end. I felt the film worked too hard and employed almost every time worn concept: "eat your green vegetables" to a grown man who'd been a ward of Nanny in the past. Not to mention that green vegetables, let alone cheese, during World War II would have been a welcome treat. The antics seemed intended more to lengthen the film than to enhance the story. Children chasing escaped piglets seemed quite manic and amusing enough, that the piglets should also do 1930s swimming routines and acrobatics was a little much; in short it felt patronizing. It was as though a group of adults sitting around a conference table tried to decide what would "entertain" children without really considering that children are people and they do get the point of things.More than anything I felt that these devices distracted from the true story, that of children sent away for adult reasons (insensitive parents facing divorce and a war), children faced with destitution by virtue of adult greed and circumstances (shortage of field workers due to a war and a wicked--and quite funny--uncle), children faced with the possible loss of a parent due to war, and most important, children learning to appreciate others, their actions, and their world view. That magic should bring the lessons home is acceptable, especially in a children's story, but total nonsense seems egregious.

tabuno

15 May 2012

An Emotive, Almost Over The Top Sequel

Overall, this sequel is almost over the top and as usual for sequel,seemingly more dramatic, more spectacular, more impossible, and yetEmma Thompson's script is in some ways even more compelling and moreemotively intimate and powerful. The early scenes of variouscontraptions seems to take away the charm and seemingly gimmicky andyet Emma's screenplay ties them together. The scene of London seemsalso to be overly fantastical and yet Emma's writing never seems todefinitely cross the boundaries of acceptability and fantasy.This sequel is even more touching and powerful in its presentation ofchildren and their issues, especially the the spoil boy and his fatherin one of the most carefully refined and strongest scenes. MaggieGyllenhaal does a nice job in a character that doesn't reflect hergeneral starlet persona. While there are the usual stereotypical anticsthere seems to be an added flair to most. Overall while this movie isslightly a mixed bag, its presentation, its message, and the charactersof the kids are both obnoxiously overly dramatic and yet again at thesame time there's some underlying restraint and dignified at the samemaking this sequel an improvement on the first in many places. Anintelligent and highly above average movie for children.

TxMike

14 May 2012

Just a fluff of a movie, mainly for the kids.

Emma Thompson is back as both the writer and the star as Nanny McPhee,but this time hired a director. She "returns" but not to the samefamily. This is a whole new set of situations.It is during the war and the nice family is struggling to make endsmeet and keep the farm while dad is away, fighting as an Army man.Relatives from London come to visit for a while and along with the kidsin the family make an impossible situation. Until a knock on the door,and there she is Nanny McPhee, 'small c, capital P.' She is sent by theArmy to help, but we know she has certain magical qualities, andrapping her walking stick on the floor or the ground makes wonderfulthings happen.Maggie Gyllenhaal is Isabel Green, the mother. Rhys Ifans is good asPhil Green, the brother-in-law who is no good, has gotten into debt bygambling, and is trying to get Isabel to sign the farm over to him. Itis good to see Maggie Smith, here as Mrs. Docherty who seems to run thelocal store, badly.I must admit I had lots of trouble sticking with it during the firstscenes, in the muddy barnyard, with animal feces everywhere and ofcourse all the kids getting into it. But once Nanny McPhee showed up itgot watchable. Still, not that enjoyable a movie for adults. Mostlysilly stuff.

CT

14 May 2012

YAWN

My 7 yr old totally bored and wanted to leave mid way.I thought the story entertaining so maybe more for older children and young parents.

NY Writer

13 May 2012

a few cane twacks away from greatness

It was good. Real young kids will lose interest fast. The lessons for all, especially those 8+ will appreciate it. It's a classic 60s Disney Flubberish kind of tale. All expected stuff, but strong. The only thing that kept this from grabbing more demographics was a lack of magic. Little kids see more twinkle in a Dora episode. Had this progressively better looking Army child psychologist twacked her cane a few more times, it would have created more sparks (figurately) and interest. However, I personally have to take issue with my words here. I wish today's audience would put up with a well told and acted story like this without a lot of razzle dazzle (from the box office #'s Europeans think differently), but the world has changed since Fred McMurray took his ride in the skies.

Prince AJB

12 May 2012

Nanny McPhees Magic Still Works

Emma Thompson returns from the 2005 film "Nanny McPhee" for the sequelas she reprises the titular character of the movie in "Nanny McPheeReturns (formerly known as "Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang". The firstmovie was surprisingly good and was it was a pleasure to watch themovie. Now, the second movie has a different tale and how about it? Itwas great.First, "Nanny McPhee Returns" is not set in a city but rather on thecountryside. A mother who's husband is gone to war has three naughtychildren who helps her work in the farm. Suddenly, their cousins fromthe city had to stay with them for a while. Since they're environmentis different, their way of living has to be different and so, theycan't stand it and so trouble comes. With nothing else on hand, NannyMcPhee comes to the rescue to teach the children five lessons thatwould change their behavior forever.From flying motorcycles to swimming pigs, "Nanny McPhee Returns" wasstill able to keep the magic pumping up from the first movie. Thismovie has more magical things than the first movie. But, the firstmovie has a stricter Nanny McPhee than the first one and the first one(I think) gives Nanny McPhee a harder job to handle them rather thanhandling the kids in the second movie.Emma Thompson who previously portrayed Professor Trewlawney from the"Harry Potter" series denied to reprise her role in the finalinstallments and instead chose to reprise "Nanny McPhee" back to thescreen. She was still able to repeat her solemn character in thismovie. Although Thompson was a bit less in depth on her acting, heracting can still be praised.Maggie Gyllenhaal plays the troubled mother who has been encounteringendless problems in her life. Here, she uses British accents on herlines and her acting was perfect. Maggie Smith who also playedProfessor McGonagall in the "Harry Potter" series plays Mrs. Dochertywho is a friend of Mrs. Green, the troubled mother. She plays in moreof a funnier role than her previous ones and her acting was great,brilliant. The actors/actresses who played the naughty kids were alsoshockingly awesome. There's nothing wrong with the acting.The special effects, the script and the cinematography were allstunning. The flying pigs scene was breathtaking and the script wasperfectly written. The cinematography was not a problem at all. Theywere all mesmerizing.In all, "Nanny McPhee Returns" is a good family adventure. It's stillable to recreate the magic of the first film. It was brilliant and Irecommend this to all families. I guarantee that most kids who see thisfilm will try to see this film again. I had no regret watching thisfilm. Overall, this movie gets 7 stars out of 10. Thanks for reading myreview.

Mr Awesome

10 May 2012

just a cute little movie

didn't see the first one. had no idea what to expect. the acting was good (even the kids'), maggie gyleenhal (sp) had a surprisingly believable british accent. you start to connect with the family. though the humor was a bit childish. not the best family ever but overall just a cute little movie. definitely a reccomendation

Joyce C

10 May 2012

Sequel is VERY Charming

The original Nanny McPhee was a nice movie. I liked it. This sequel is even better, and sequels usually leave much to be desired. Here, the plot is a little thicker, and the reality of husbands off to war dealt with very nicely. There's only one problem with Nanny McPhee: when you really want her but don't need her, she has to leave.

mightyelroy1

06 May 2012

Welcome Back Nanny McPhee

The original Nanny McPhee was a surprisingly entertaining movie. The sequel was equally enjoyable and fun. Emma Thompson returns as the best British nanny this side of Mary Poppins, and the magic that results is wonderful. More mystery to McPhee is added, while many familiar elements are back. Delightful characters abound, and the story is touching, amusing, and warms the heart. While the synchronized swimming pigs were a bit much for me, the rest of the movie was a very enjoyable adventure that was great for the whole family. I appreciate that in this movie Nanny McPhee was there as much for the struggling mother as she was for the nasty children, and the legend of Nanny McPhee was hinted at in that she seems to be ageless and has had many great adventures that we are yet to be privy to. A few nice twists in the story made the film great. Maggie Gyllenhal turns in a fine performance as the mother trying to raise some difficult children while her husband is at war. Maggie Smith plays a delightful senile old bird that steals every scene she is in. The children are spot on at being absolutely annoying and endearing at the same time. And of course, Emma Thompson's return to her previous role of the magical nanny is as powerful as the first. A great movie and a worthy sequel. Take the kids.

TheLittleSongbird

06 May 2012

Just as lively, colourful and entertaining as the first movie

I really liked the first Nanny McPhee, so I was looking forward toNanny McPhee and the Big Bang. And I enjoyed it greatly, comparing itto the first, they're about the same score-wise but I prefer the firstjust slightly. The plot isn't as fresh or quite as imaginative thistime round I feel and the film could have been shorter, however thefilm never fails to be lively, colourful and entertaining which waseverything I liked about the first movie.The sets are colourful and gorgeous and captured very well by theluscious cinematography, while the music have a certain energy andliveliness to it. The film goes at a cracking pace as well, maybe theycould have slowed it down a tad in one or two scenes, but that is minorreally, the script is witty and funny, the message doesn'toverly-patronise and the direction is sprightly.The performers do wonderfully. The kids are entertaining and don't fallinto the trap of being overly-precocious or annoying. Maggie Smith is adelight to watch, Ralph Fiennes is a welcome presence, Rhys Ifans isentertaining and Maggie Gyllahaal is wonderful with a controlled accentand mannerisms. Emma Thompson is the real delight, she does bring a lotof charm, fun and vigour into her title character.All in all, a very enjoyable sequel that does justice to itspredecessor. 7.5/10 Bethany Cox