Nanny McPhee Returns

Everyone's favorite Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson) shows up at the doorstep of the chaotic household of Isabel Green (Academy Award nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal) and her three children, Norman (Asa Butterfield), Megsie (Lil Woods), and Vincent (Oscar Steer). While her husband is away at war, Isabel is left to juggle the family farm, a job at the village shop, the shady brother in law Phil (Rhys Ifans), and a sudden visit by the aristocratic London cousins Cyril (Eros Vlahos) and Celia (Rosie Taylor-Ritson) Gray.

Following her motto of “When you need me, but do not want me...then I must stay. When you want me, but no longer need me.. then I have to go”, stern looking Nanny McPhee uses her magic to teach the youngsters five new lessons.

Academy Award winning screenwriter Emma Thompson set the feature in the 1940's English countryside rather than a fairy tale atmosphere. While the first installment of Nanny McPhee dealt with war between a parent and his children, the new feature deals with war between children.

Brilliant and endearing performances are delivered by the children as well as by cameo appearances of European talent Bill Bailey (farmer Macreadie), Ralph Fiennes (Lord Gray), and Ewan McGregor (Mr. Green). In addition, Two time Oscar nominated costume designer Jacqueline Durran and Oscar nominated composer James Howard enhance the feature's visual and acoustic aesthetics.

Great Hair and Makeup artistry by Peter King, display the various complicated stages in facial transformation Nanny McPhee undergoes over the course of the story. Initially, Nanny McPhee has a hideous look with two hairy warts, a single eyebrow, a protruding 'tombstone tooth' and a nose like two potatoes, but her appearance changes as the children's behavior improves.

Visual effects include CG animation of flying, tree climbing, synchronized pig swimmers and Mr. Edelweiss, a burping bird companion, give a fantasy feeling to the beautifully detailed feature that is both enchanting and heartwarming.