(Adventure/Fantasy: 1 hour, 38 minutes); Starring: Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Kelly Macdonald, Celia Imrie, Imelda Staunton, Thomas Sangster and Angela Lansbury; Director: Kirk Jones; Rated: PG (Crude humor and mild violence)

Movie Review: Cedric Brown (Firth) is the widowed father of seven children. He finds controlling his children an impossible task. After numerous nannies quitting on him, Brown finds the perfect nanny, Nanny McPhee (Thompson). The Brown kids soon find McPhee is magical and can control them with a tap if her cane.

This tale is another story where the children are very bad to a point Chucky — the killer doll — would not play with them. While antics of the children are nothing parents would ever like their tots to imitate, “Nanny McPhee” is an enjoyable, fantastical adventure for children. Emma Thompson plays a witch with poise and a certain charisma which are unmistakably beguiling in a mysterious manner. Firth is his usual agreeable self. MacDonald is charming. Lansbury, child actor Sangster (“Love Actually,” 2003), and Staunton (“Vera Drake,” 2004) add extra comedy. While not very complicated, “Nanny McPhee” provides excellent and adventurous entertainment.

Grade: B- (A good nanny for your small fries)