I watched these films when I was young and I've always had a soft spot for them.
Nanny McPhee may look like a direct Mary Poppins follower, but is based on an older series of books called Nurse Matilda. The story involves the troubled Brown family with many rowdy children being visited by a frightening, stern, and ugly nanny who is there to teach them lessons through magic, whereupon she starts to transform and become more beautiful.
I really like the first film. It's quintessential dark British fantasy, and the title character is excellently written and played alike by Emma Thompson. She's imposing, witchy, and eerie, but never once seems cruel and is always wise and caring about the needs of the family, including knowing when to act and help and when to let the children (and their father) learn through consequences of their own actions. Her appearance feels iconic and her well-applied authority is admirable. At the heart of the magic and comedy and darkness is the story of a family about to fall apart through lack of communication, and the resolution through Nanny McPhee's involvement is magical and emotionally satisfying. Although it's a period piece, it feels timeless.
The second film is less favorable to me. It's a bit more comical and loses the compelling dark tones of the first even though the emotional drama is still intact. The source books got boring to me after a while, and I think one factor was the focus on one family, so the sequel wisely keeps it fresh and expands the mystique by sending Nanny McPhee to another family many decades later. It's a worthy film, but not as spooky as I'd like.
These are really engaging and enjoyable fantasy films. They're not just Mary Poppins.
A charming dark family fantasy.
I watched these films when I was young and I've always had a soft spot for them.
Nanny McPhee may look like a direct Mary Poppins follower, but is based on an older series of books called Nurse Matilda. The story involves the troubled Brown family with many rowdy children being visited by a frightening, stern, and ugly nanny who is there to teach them lessons through magic, whereupon she starts to transform and become more beautiful.
I really like the first film. It's quintessential dark British fantasy, and the title character is excellently written and played alike by Emma Thompson. She's imposing, witchy, and eerie, but never once seems cruel and is always wise and caring about the needs of the family, including knowing when to act and help and when to let the children (and their father) learn through consequences of their own actions. Her appearance feels iconic and her well-applied authority is admirable. At the heart of the magic and comedy and darkness is the story of a family about to fall apart through lack of communication, and the resolution through Nanny McPhee's involvement is magical and emotionally satisfying. Although it's a period piece, it feels timeless.
The second film is less favorable to me. It's a bit more comical and loses the compelling dark tones of the first even though the emotional drama is still intact. The source books got boring to me after a while, and I think one factor was the focus on one family, so the sequel wisely keeps it fresh and expands the mystique by sending Nanny McPhee to another family many decades later. It's a worthy film, but not as spooky as I'd like.
These are really engaging and enjoyable fantasy films. They're not just Mary Poppins.