Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief juxtaposes the battle of the Gods on Mount Olympus and the exploits of a teenage boy destined for greatness, based on the first of five books by Rick Riordan. Echoes of Harry Potter are uncomfortably palpable, but Percy at least offers significantly more laughs than the first outing of the earnest Brit wizard.

Alice had the best opening week in US history, grossing $116 million and getting rave reviews for it’s gloriously inventive visuals. There’s no denying that visually, Alice is a treat. But despite the exuberant effects, play with perspective and 3D glory, it cannot be denied that in terms of story, Alice is more than lacking.