Dr Seuss' The Lorax

Having exhausted the most famous works of Dr Seuss (The Cat in the Hat and The Grinch), Hollywood has now turned to his lesser-known books to provide reliably quirky kids' fare. The citizens of Thneedville live in an entirely artificial world, but curious young Ted (voiced by a suitably perky Zac Efron) ventures outside the city limits to bring back a real tree for Audrey, the girl of his dreams. There, he encounters the hermit-like Once-ler (Ed Helms), who recounts how his actions destroyed the forest, despite the best efforts of woodland guardian the Lorax (a pleasantly cranky Danny DeVito). Will Ted be able to restore nature's balance? The ecological theme of the book was ahead of its time when it was published in 1971, and here is tempered with cheerful good humour and psychedelic imagery. But stretching a short children's book out to feature length means the brilliant simplicity of the story is somewhat lost. Nevertheless, the catchy songs, personable characters and heartfelt message mean this is still a sweet and enjoyable concoction.