#4 ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD

Starring Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer, Mark Wahlberg, Charlie Plummer and Romain Duris. Written by David Scarpa, based on the book Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty by John Pearson. Directed by Ridley Scott. Budget $50 million. Running time 133 minutes. Certificate 133 minutes.

The fictionalised account of the 1973 kidnapping of J. P. 'Paul' Getty III (Charlie Plummer), the grandson of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty (Christopher Plummer) the richest man in the world and the desperate battle by the boy's mother Gail Harris (Michelle Williams) to get her ex-father-in-law to pay the ransom of $17 million. Getty who took the concept of being a miser to staggering lengths refused to pay, claiming if he did then his other 13 grandchildren would soon be kidnapped too. Instead the tight-fighted old bastard sent his best negotiator, ex-CIA operative Fletcher Chase (Mark Wahlberg) off to Rome to help track down his grandson with explicit instructions to resolve the situation by spending the least amount of money possible. Together Chase and Harris team up as the kidnapping becomes protracted and both sides resort to desperate measures to get their hands on the money. For the kidnappers this means selling their prisoner to the Mafia who promptly send JP's ear to the media and threatening to send more if the money isn't paid and for Getty it means blackmailing his ex-daughter in-law for custody of his grandchildren and securing the ransom money as a tax write off and loan.

This film is now more famous for who's not in it, rather than who's in it. Initially filmed with disgraced Kevin Spacey in the role of Getty, Ridley Scott at the 11th hour elected to reshot all of Spacey's scenes with Christopher Plummer instead due to allegations of Spacey's various sexual assaults on underage boys. Original rumours from the set claimed that Spacey turned in a stella performance, although all that remains of that is the brief first trailer. It's true to say that this film arrives with a lot of emotional baggage and many people will be going to see it not because of who's in it, rather who isn't. Indeed, some critics have reviewed this film not on the performances on offer but rather that one performance missing, which I think is a tad dis-ingenious.

This is a very well directed and mounted period drama that catches the details of the time, the early 1970s with great aplomb. The performances are all very strong, with Michelle Williams just clinching it, although Plummer 22 scenes are still very good. That said, you do sort of wish the film had been more about him, the sight of the greed and avarice of the man is simply breathtaking and you realise that a film about the Getty dynasty would make a fascinating 10 part Netflix series.

Ridley Scott can make this sort of film in his sleep, he seems to have two distinct styles of direction, one is his art-directed heavy style with fantastic use of special effects and art design but lacking in coherent story (Alien Covenant and Prometheus) and there's his pared down style as witnessed by this and films like Matchstick Men, American Gangster and The Counsellor. He's always seemed like a director more interested in the visual look of his films rather than the plot and so it's refreshing to see that in All The Money in the World, Scott has for the most part just let the true story unfold. It's an engrossing and gripping tale, which gets stronger the longer it progresses and offers some interesting glimpses of the banality of evil and also the corrupting evil of utter greed.

Most satisfying and worth a watch. 8/10

#3 MOLLY'S GAME

Starring Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Jeremy Strong, Chris O'Dowd and Bill Camp. Written and directed Aaron Sorkin, based on the book Molly's Game by Molly Bloom. Budget $30 million. Running time 140 minutes. Certificate 15.

The rise and fall and rise and fall 'true story' of Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain), the one-time Olympic free-style skier who, following one accident too many, gave up her olympic ambitions and dreams of becoming a lawyer to run a fantastically successful high-stakes poker game, first in Hollywood and then in New York City. The film follows Molly as she prepares her defence case with idealogical defence lawyer Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba) against federal charges.

Told exclusively from Molly's point of view and no-one else's, the film charts her life from young teenage precocious skiing protege to a pill-popping poker queen desperately trying to protect the true identities of her clients and her links to the Russian Mafia.

Kuddos must go to screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, who progresses to director for the first time. The film looks extremely good, is well directed and well acted, particularly from Jessica Chastain who single-handedly dominates every scene she's in from start to finish, she is the voice of the film and focus. However, there in lies the rub, because for a woman who ran a multi-million dollar poker game she seems just a little too nice and honest. And at the end you can't help but feel the film is a little one sided in its portrayal of a young woman apparently utterly oblivious to the fact much of the money she was coining it came from organised crime or the pockets of desperate gambling addicts (even if she is taking them to one side after they've lost millions and offering them paid for counselling. She's presented as almost a saint in her decency and it begins to sound too fake, like the old Hollywood bio pics of the 1930s, but this time with more buxom, bulging bosom. What made Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas so compelling was that he didn't try to white wash it's main character Henry Hill, presenting him warts and all, which had the effect of humanising him to a degree. In this film, Chastain's portrayal of Bloom presents us with a character seemingly more intelligent than everyone and that becomes quite annoying causing us to ultimately dislike her. And by the end of it you realise that rather than applaud her decision to plead guilty rather than accept the FBI deal to walk free with $5 million in exchange for just releasing her computer files, you should be booing her.     

When this film focuses on the mechanics of poker and the setting up of the gambling clubs it is a fascinating and rather interesting film that grips, less successful is the mechanics of the legal battle, which since it is played for real becomes somewhat dull and tedious.

Likewise her relationship with her father, played as always brilliantly by Kevin Costner, feels a little too fake particularly in the 'three years of therapy in three minutes' sequence late in the third act.

Aaron Sorkin directs the poker scenes with real aplomb and manages to create a gripping and exciting series of action sequences and its great to see another strong female lead who's not a victim.

Ultimately an interesting and well directed film diminished by a character who refuses to reveal any vulnerability, even when she's beaten up by a Mafia heavy, and becomes just too damn unlikable, unlike Henry Hill who despite his many violent foibles became strangely likeable. 8/10

#2 & 9: THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI

Starring Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, John Hawkes, Abbie Cornish, Lucas Hedges and Peter Dinklage. Written and directed by Martin McDonagh. Budget $12 million. Running time 115 minutes. Certificate 15.

An ink-black comedy from playwright, writer, director and producer Martin McDonagh who previously wrote and directed the simply superb In Bruges and the not so superb and over-egged Seven Psychopaths. This, the third film directed by McDonagh is, in a word, a masterpiece.

The story sees grief-stricken Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) buy advertising space on three dilapidated billboards on the outskirts of the small midwest town of Ebbing. The posters verbally attack the much loved Sheriff Bill Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) for not solving the rape and murder of her teenage daughter, which happened eight months previously. However with no arrests, no leads, no suspects and no hope of ever being solved, Willoughby has done just about everything he can do to solve the crime and is as frustrated as Hayes at the lack of results. The posters stir up much feeling in the close-knit community and Mildred, her family and her friends soon finds herself under attack from the inhabitants and police force of Ebbing, and in particular Officer Jason Dixon (Sam Rockwell), a racist homophobic, not-too-bright officer with serious anger management issues and a chip on his shoulder the size of Missouri.

This is a dark, powerful film, which manages to perfectly balance the black-humour with the pathos, making you laugh one scene and then break your heart in the next. The humour is delivered perfectly by the three main leads, McDormand, Harrelson and Rockwell and where it is clear that this is McDormand's film, whose performance is simply staggering, that's not to take anything away from the other leads, who are equally as compelling and together all three deliver  performances worthy of Oscar consideration. There's a staggering scene between McDormand and Harrelson in an interrogation suite that is just heartbreaking, as is a terrible flashback that will resonate with each and every parent. We spend time with the friends and families of each of the three main characters, which all contributes to create a truly nuanced and layered film with a genuine emotional heart.

The trailer would lead you to believe that this is the story of one woman's fight for justice, but it's not. It's the story about how a closely knit community, deal with a terrible crime and its aftermath. Honestly, this was a staggeringly good film, perfectly balanced, brilliantly directed, beautifully photographed and deeply, deeply moving. I loved its languid pace and most of all its characters, I wanted to spend more time with them and stay in Ebbing for a little longer. This is that sort of film where you know each and every person involved has given it their all.

It's not perfect, with so many characters, some momentum is lost, and there is there's also the odd introduction of a new character late in the proceedings who might offer a conclusion that's frankly not really needed, especially since this is the sort of story where the journey is far more interesting than the destination.

Overall, this is a profoundly moving, extremely funny, and immensely satisfying movie and I think one of the films of the year, and it's only the 2nd of January. 9/10

#1 STAR WARS VIII: THE LAST JEDI (A REVISIT)

 Decided to go and see this again, with a friend on New Year's Day making it the first film for me of 2018. I have to say it still held up on the entertainment front, although now I began to notice some of the flaws, the niggling plot holes and the, at times, uneven tone. That said it was very entertaining and for the life of me I can't see what's bugging the fans so much. As far as I'm concerned it's worth seeing just for the Rey/Ren/Snoke, and the Luke Skywalker showdown story line. Featuring fabulous effects, great battles and some good solid action. It's still let down by a slightly unnecessary side mission to a casino planet for some clunking dialogue about the true cost of warfare - IE the greed of becoming fantastically wealthy from the selling of weapons, which is ironic considering Disney spent 4.5 billion dollars acquiring the Star Wars universe and have no intention of ever letting that particular war end.

But still, this is a great, action-packed and thrilling adventure which points to an exciting future for the main Star Wars franchise.

8/10

For a fuller review why not check out this link to my previous review.

http://seeingfilmssoyoudonthavetoo.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/97-star-wars-episode-viii-last-jedi.html

#102 PITCH PERFECT 3

Starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Stainfeld, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Hana Mae Lee, Ester Dean, Alexis Knapp, Chrissie Fit, Ruby Rose, John Lithgow, John Michael Higgins and Elizabeth Banks. Written by Kay Canon and Mike White. Directed by Trish Sie. Running time 93 minutes. Budget $45 million.

In the good old days of the 1970s when successful British sitcoms would be given their own movie, I'm thinking Are you Being Served, The Likely Lads, and Love Thy Neighbour the desire was always to take the situation out of the comedy and plonk our characters in an utterly new environment, usually with terrible results. Indeed this tradition has carried on into the present with films such as Absolutely Fabulous, Bad Education and The Inbetweeners.

And this third outing for the Barden Bellas, the all-girl a cappella group whose adventures we've been following since 2012 sees that tradition proudly carried on.

This time round the girls get the band together for a trip around some parts of Europe, while performing an USO tour for the troops. They're forced to compete with two other bands for the honour of opening for a DJ called DJ Khalid. One of the bands is called Evermoist led by Clamity (Ruby Rose), the other is a sort of country and western outfit. Anyway much hilarity ensues when these three bands go head-to-head during a soundcheck and the Bellas get their heads handed to them on plates. Oh! And there's also a totally unnecessary plot involving Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) and her criminal father (John Lithgow) who turns up back in her life to get his hands on $180 million dollars of his money that's been signed over to Amy by her mother in a trust fund. Added to that are the usual subplots involving each of the underdeveloped Bells mostly about finding a boyfriend, or girlfriend in Cynthia (Ester Dean) - The Bella's token diversity character - case. Added to that a handful of songs which sound so staggering artificial as to render any suspicion that they've actually been produced naturally dead.

And that's it. Thankfully it's mercifully short, but could have been even shorter and so utterly bland and generic as to be totally inoffensive. It's like skimmed milk, what's the point?

I thoroughly enjoyed the last two Pitch Perfect films, they were silly, fun and entertaining, everything this tired three-quel isn't. And even Rebel Wilson who I love is criminally wasted. The packed cinema of mostly young women and mums sat stoney silent throughout this, and were more excited by the trailer of Momma Mia 2.

So, this is how the year ends, not with a bang, nor even with a whimper, but rather the slow gentle hiss of a flat tire. 5/10

FILMS OF 2017

Welcome to my annual list of the best and worst films of the year. It's been a pretty good year for film and I've been to the cinema over 100 times and seen 83 new release films, three re-issues and 15 repeats.

I've been moved three times to tears, I've been stunned silent by two and I've walked out of one. I've  seen the end of several long running franchises including Transformers (good riddance), and The Planet of the Apes. I've also seen the birth of some new franchises, Kong, Spider-man and of course Dunkirk (can't wait for the sequel) and the inexplicable continuing of the Fast and Furious franchise that does feel a little like it's now coasting.

The summer produced its usually crop of dross and yet there were still some utter gems, those films that arrived and surprised in equal measure and overall I still managed to see three films that I gave a 10/10 score too. One of those was a subtitled Japanese anime that was both moving, profound and uplifting. I've seen films that have arrived on the crest of overwhelming critical praise that have left me rather 'meh' and I've also seen films that critics dismissed that i thoroughly enjoyed, which is an important thing to remember. These following lists are mine and mine alone, their mine opinion and I fully expect many of you to disagree, which I look forward to because I adore the way that film engenders discussion and opinion.

Anyway, here, in case you're interested, is my various lists of the year. Oh, I've still got one film to go this year - PERFECT PITCH 3, but I'm not expecting it to change the running order of either of the lists.

So, without further ado...

TOP TEN (in ascending order):

FILM OF THE YEAR 2017:
MANCHESTER BY SEA
"I don't often say this, but I urge you to see this, it deserves to be seen. A modern masterpiece. 10/10"

02. YOUR NAME 10/10
03. SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING 10/10
04. DUNKIRK 9/10
05. BABY DRIVER 9/10
06. KONG: SKULL ISLAND 9/10
07. LOGAN 9/10
08. STAR WARS EPISODE VIII: THE LAST JEDI 9/10
09. WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES 9/10
10. BLADE RUNNER 2049 9/10


HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
11. COLOSSAL 8/10
12. TONI ERDMANN 8/10
13. DISASTER ARTIST 8/10
14. IT 8/10
15. THE DEATH OF STALIN 8/10
16. GET OUT 8/10
17. HAPPY DEATH DAY 8/10
18. WIND RIVER 8/10
19. TRAINSPOTTING 2 8/10
20. PADDINGTON 2 8/10

ALL THE REST:
MISS SLOANE 8/10

BATTLE OF THE SEXES 8/10
SPLIT 8/10
CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS 8/10
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 2 8/10
THOR: RAGNAROK 8/10
AMERICAN MADE 8/10
HIDDEN FIGURES 8/10
THE FOUNDER 8/10
THE LIME HOUSE GOLEM 8/10
A MONSTER CALLS 8/10
GIFTED 8/10
BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL 8/10
THE BIG SICK 8/10

THE BELKO EXPERIMENT 8/10
FREE FIRE 8/10
HACKSAW RIDGE 8/10
VALERIAN 7/10
THE HITMAN'S BODYGUARD 7/10
LOGAN LUCKY 7/10
GOING IN STYLE 7/10
THE GREATEST SHOWMAN 7/10
JOHN WICK CHAPTER 2 7/10
ATOMIC BLONDE 7/10
ALIEN: COVENANT 7/10
AMERICAN ASSASSIN 7/10
THEIR FINEST 7/10 
PATRIOTS DAY 7/10
THE GREAT WALL 7/10
A CURE FOR WELLNESS 7/10

THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE 7/10
DESPICABLE ME 3 7/10
LA LA LAND 7/10
UNLOCKED 7/10
THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE 7/10
WONDER 6/10
JUSTICE LEAGUE 6/10
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS 6/10
KINGSMEN: GOLDEN CIRCLE 6/10
FAST AND FURIOUS 8 6/10
GOLD 6/10
LIVE BY NIGHT 5/10

DISHONOURABLE MENTIONS:

20. FIST FIGHT 5/10

19. COLLATERAL BEAUTY 5/10

18. GEOSTORM 4/10

17. STRATTON 4/10

16. GHOST IN THE SHELL 4/10 

15. XXX: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE 4/10 

14. KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD 4/10

13. THE MUMMY 4/10

12. LIFE 3/10 

11. POWER RANGERS 3/10

BOTTOM TEN (in ascending order):

10. MOTHER! 3/10

09. ASSASSIN'S CREED 3/10

08. JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE 3/10

07. THE SNOWMAN 2/10

06. SLEEPLESS 2/10 

05. THE DARK TOWER 2/10

04. PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN 5: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES 2/10

03. UNDERWORLD 5: BLOOD BORE 2/10

02. TRANSFORMERS 5: THE LAST KNIGHT 1/10

THE WORST FILM OF 2017:

BAYWATCH 0/10

"Crap. A laugh free, exercise in the laziest film making I have ever seen. With not one iota to recommend to anyone. Seriously do not go and see this, it is truly dreadful.. 0/10"

REISSUES:
1. A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
2. TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY 3D
3. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND

REPEATS (no particular order):
JUSTICE LEAGUE 6/10 (x3)
LOGAN 9/10 (x2)
KONG 9/10 (x2)
VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND WORLDS 7/10 (x2)
WAR OF THE PLANET OF THE APES 9/10 (x2)
SPIDER-MAN: HOME COMING 10/10 (x2)
BABY DRIVER 9/10 (x2)
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 2 8/10 (x2)
JOHN WICK 2 7/10 (x2)
ALIEN COVENANT 7/10 (x2)
WONDER WOMAN 8/10 (x2)
BLADE RUNNER 2049 9/10 (x2)
THOR RAGNAROK 8/10 (x2)

ALL THE FILMS OF 2017 RANKED FROM BEST TO WORST:

1. MANCHESTER BY SEA 10/10 
2. YOUR NAME 10/10
3. SPIDER-MAN HOMECOMING 10/10
4. A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH 10/10 (RE-ISSUE)
5. TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY 3D 10/10 (RE-ISSUE)
6. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND 10/10 (RE-ISSUE)
7. DUNKIRK 9/10 
8. BABY DRIVER 9/10
9. KONG: SKULL ISLAND 9/10 
10. LOGAN 9/10 
11. STAR WARS EPISODE VIII: THE LAST JEDI 9/10
12. WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES 9/10
13. BLADE RUNNER 2049 9/10
14. COLOSSAL 8/10 
15. THE DISASTER ARTIST 8/10
16. WONDER WOMAN 8/10
17. IT 8/10
18. TRAINSPOTTING 2 8/10 
19. THE DEATH OF STALIN 8/10
20. GET OUT 8/10
21. HAPPY DEATH DAY 8/10
22. WIND RIVER 8/10
23. MISS SLOANE 8/10
24. PADDINGTON 2 8/10
25. BATTLE OF THE SEXES 8/10
26. SPLIT 8/10 
27. CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS 8/10
28. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 2 8/10 
29. THOR: RAGNAROK 8/10
30. TONI ERDMANN 8/10
31. AMERICAN MADE 8/10
32. HIDDEN FIGURES 8/10
33. THE FOUNDER 8/10
34. THE LIME HOUSE GOLEM 8/10
35. A MONSTER CALLS 8/10
36. GIFTED 8/10
37. BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL 8/10
38. THE BELKO EXPERIMENT 8/10
39. FREE FIRE 8/10
40. HACKSAW RIDGE 8/10
41. THE BIG SICK 8/10
42. VALERIAN 7/10
43. THE HITMAN'S BODYGUARD 7/10 
44. LOGAN LUCKY 7/10
45. GOING IN STYLE 7/10 
46. THE GREATEST SHOWMAN 7/10
47. JOHN WICK CHAPTER 2 7/10
48. ATOMIC BLONDE 7/10 
49. ALIEN: COVENANT 7/10 
50. AMERICAN ASSASSIN 7/10
51. THEIR FINEST 7/10   
52. PATRIOTS DAY 7/10
53. THE GREAT WALL 7/10 
54. A CURE FOR WELLNESS 7/10 
55. DESPICABLE ME 3 7/10
56. THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE 7/10 
57. LA LA LAND 7/10 
58. UNLOCKED 7/10 
59. THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE 7/10
60. WONDER 6/10
61. JUSTICE LEAGUE 6/10
62. MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS 6/10
63. KINGSMEN: GOLDEN CIRCLE 6/10
64. FAST AND FURIOUS 8 6/10 
65. GOLD 6/10
66. LIVE BY NIGHT 5/10
67. FIST FIGHT 5/10
68. PITCH PERFECT 3 5/10
69. COLLATERAL BEAUTY 5/10
70. STRATTON 4/10
71. GHOST IN THE SHELL 4/10 
72. XXX: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE 4/10 
73. KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD 4/10
74. THE MUMMY 4/10
75. POWER RANGERS 3/10
76. LIFE 3/10 
77. MOTHER! 3/10
78. ASSASSIN'S CREED 3/10
79. JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE 3/10
80. THE SNOWMAN 2/10
81. SLEEPLESS 2/10 
82. GEOSTORM 2/10
83. THE DARK TOWER 2/10
84. PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN 5: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES 2/10
85. UNDERWORLD 5: BLOOD BORE 2/10
86. TRANSFORMERS 5: THE LAST KNIGHT 1/10
87. BAYWATCH 0/10

That's it for 2017, see you next year movie lovers!

#101 THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

Starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya . Writen by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon. Directed by Michael Gracey. Music by John Debney and John Trapanese. Running time 105 minutes. Budget $84 million.

The potted, homogenised and sanitised bio-pic of P.T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman), renowned showman, politician and a civil rights activist. The film races through the life of this remarkable man at a break-neck pace, showing us his life from childhood (and extreme poverty) to young business man happily married to his childhood sweetheart, Charity Hallet (Michelle Williams) before fatherhood brings him and us up to speed with the particular stage of his life the film wants to focus on and all before the ten minute mark! Phew. Then it just carries on at that pace for the rest of the film's rather brief running time. After that, the young Barnum loses his job, and embarks on a dream of opening a wax works museum, which in turn leads to the creation of Barnum's first circus showcasing the talents of a hand-picked cast of freaks that he auditions. But hubris gets the better of him and in his desire to be accepted by high society he embarks on a tour with the Swedish Song bird, Jenny Lind (Rebeca Ferguson) with disastrous results.Then it's time for the arrival of the third act when everything goes tits up and he loses literally everything leaving us to watch his rise again through the love of not only a good wife, good children but also his good cast of human misfits who teach him the importance of 'family'. And one final song.

All told through the medium of interpretative song and dance, because do not be mistaken THIS is a mother-fucking musical! And not one of your boring old-fashioned musicals, no sir-rie, this is a modern, post-LaLa Land musical and all that that entails. Frenzied editing, massive dance numbers and a song every few minutes. Although none of the songs seem that different to each other and it's hard to work out when one ends and a new one begins, leaving the strange sensation that it's just been the same song playing the entire movie. Also the music sounds anachronistic to the era, once more making it hard to fully engage with the film.

And yet, incredibly, this still managed to be surprisingly entertaining, Hugh Jackman's passion for this type of performance is impossible to deny and he wears his heart on his sleeve, giving it his all, much as he did in Les Miserables a few years back. Actually, everyone in this gives it their all, belting out the song and throwing themselves into each spectacular dance sequence. The trouble is that so short is the film that we never get any real development or back story for the characters and that leaves one feeling short changed, you sort of wish the film would just slow down a bit and give the massive cast a chance to shine.

This is an entertaining enough slice of fun which is at its strongest when the talented cast just get on with singing and dancing. Less successful are the technical elements of the film which let this film down severely. The CGI is shocking, as is the animation – particularly when it comes to Tom Thumb and also the appalling animated animals. Like wise the painted back drops and hideous garish colours make this look like a homage to the glorious days of Technicolour, but dialled up to 11.

Offering no threat to the glory days of the great Hollywood musicals this is still a surprisingly enjoyable with a great cast and some lovely performances, plus it makes you want to read up more about the real life Barnum and Lind. 7/10