Image copyright © by Marcus Trahan

Nanny McPhee

(2005)

The story works okay, though it’s pretty predictable. Emma Thompson morphs from “the ugliest woman in the world” (as described in the books) to … well, Emma Thompson, and it doesn’t get much better than that. I could listen to her voice all day long. The kids are bratty enough to scare the Addams Family, and it is fun to see them learn the error of their ways. But I have to say the star of the show here is the art direction. The sets are so fabulously colorful you find yourself missing the action because you can’t take your eyes off the walls, or the scenery. Truly magical. Not since the new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory have I seen such visual imagination. It beat the hell out of the work on Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Here’s the team:
Production Design by Michael Howells
Art Direction by Lynne Huitson
Set Decoration by Philippa Hart
Costume Design by Nic Ede

Bravo to you all!