The Screen Critic: A moving musical-drama, a warm family comedy, a raucous adventure and Rowan Atkinson vs an unexpected house guest

What better way to start the New Year than with Song Sung Blue, a superb, touching musical drama celebrating the music of Neil Diamond via a struggling husband-and-wife tribute act.

Based on a true story, Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson are at their best playing Mike and Claire Sardina, a couple whose love for Diamond’s back catalogue is almost as deep as their love for each other.

Though it’s full of great musical numbers – all performed by Jackman and Hudson – the film’s main focus is on the hardships the couple endure involving mental illness, alcoholism and life-altering injury.

Destined for Oscar love, it’s a very moving, uplifting film. And you don’t have to be a Neil Diamond fan to love it – but, seriously, who isn’t?

In the warm comedy-drama Rental Family Brendan Fraser plays an American actor living in Japan who lands an unusual gig where he pretends to be friends and family to those in need of emotional connection.

While playing an estranged father to a little girl so her mother can get her into an elite school, he forms an attachment to the family that he finds difficult to break. He also strays from his brief by befriending an ageing actor with dementia.

Heart-warming and funny with some well-judged touches of drama, the film offers a sincere, and very timely, tale celebrating the importance and complexities of family love along with another winning performance from Fraser.

For a big dose of seasonal silliness, be sure to catch Anaconda, a fun adventure-comedy in which Jack Black and Paul Rudd play a pair of losers who try remaking the 1997 film on a tiny budget and with no filmmaking experience.

Amidst all the slapstick troubles they encounter in the Amazon is a generous sprinkling of gags about movie-making and the importance of having a big, loud climax, which this lark delivers in spades.

In a far-superior follow-up to Man vs Bee, stumblebum Rowan Atkinson has to contend with an unexpected Christmas guest in Man vs Baby.

There’s a much better story this time around as well as many more laughs as Atkinson and baby (Jesus in a nativity play) move in to a penthouse apartment.

Those looking for a pleasant, feather-light New Year’s wind-down will love it. Catch it on Netflix.

For more visit jimschembri.com with updates on X at @jimschembri