ThiefHott Too much of everything

Nessieldwi Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

BelSports This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

SnoopyStyle It's WWII Britain, and 2 spoiled rich kids (Rosie Taylor-Ritson, Eros Vlahos) are sent to their relatives in the countryside. Isabel Green (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is haggard running a farm and a store while her husband is away for the war. Her 3 children (Oscar Steer, Asa Butterfield, Lil Woods) clash with their rich bratty cousins. Meanwhile, brother Phil (Rhys Ifans) is trying to steal the farm to repay a gambling debt. In desperation, she calls in help from Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson). The formula is already known. Nanny McPhee teaches everybody lessons. Once the lessons are learned, Nanny McPhee leaves. "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."Maggie Gyllenhaal's accent and the cartoonish countryside are somewhat off-putting. All the poo and all the syrup makes it all seem very sticky and uncomfortable. It is nice to see the combative kids turn likable friends. However, I didn't like brother Phil's story. He's a bad unnecessary distraction from the main lessons to be learned, and doesn't work as comic relief. I think the missing father is the biggest story for those kids once they start getting along. There is no need for the brother and his scheming. Then they drop a giant bomb on the whole thing. I don't really get it. It doesn't fit a kid's movie.

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

noriborijoyner What an incredible movie. Just fantastic. All of the cast was absolutely phenomenal, especially the kids, they were amazing! You know you're a talented actress when you don't have the leading role but you still make the whole movie, and that's what Maggie Smith did. She was hysterical all the way through, some highlights being when she is frantically waking up her husband because she wants him to see the bomb go off, when she tries to sit on the cow patty thinking it's a cushion, and when Isabel goes into her store to find that by "putting the flour away", she really means dumping it all over the floor, but the best part of all was right at the end. Nanny McPhee says goodbye to Aggie, and Aggie pulls a little silver rattle out of her dress pocket, it clicked to me and to other fans of the first movie that Maggie Smith is playing a full grown version of Baby Agatha from the first movie. I suggest seeing the first movie before the second one, because it's okay standalone but there's at least one reference to the previous movie. The part when the father gets home is ever so slightly corny for all us cynics out there, but it didn't put a damper on my enjoyment of the film, and I really really liked this. I recommend it to anyone, particularly people with kids of any age. Great film.

TxMike 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 same family. This is a whole new set of situations.It is during the war and the nice family is struggling to make ends meet 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 kids in 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 the Army to help, but we know she has certain magical qualities, and rapping her walking stick on the floor or the ground makes wonderful things happen.Maggie Gyllenhaal is Isabel Green, the mother. Rhys Ifans is good as Phil Green, the brother-in-law who is no good, has gotten into debt by gambling, and is trying to get Isabel to sign the farm over to him. It is good to see Maggie Smith, here as Mrs. Docherty who seems to run the local store, badly.I must admit I had lots of trouble sticking with it during the first scenes, in the muddy barnyard, with animal feces everywhere and of course all the kids getting into it. But once Nanny McPhee showed up it got watchable. Still, not that enjoyable a movie for adults. Mostly silly stuff.