Belle and Sebastian: Friends For Life (PG)
91mins  ★★★

Having battled Nazis and nature, 12-year-old Sebastian (Felix Bousset)  and his beloved Pyrenees mountain dog Belle now face past threats and future challenges.

The joy of his father's Pierre's (Thierry Neuvic) wedding to his guardian Cesar's (Tcheky Karyo) niece Angeline (Margaux Chatelier) is short-lived when he discovers they have plans to settle in Montreal, rather than St Martin.

While Cesar attempts to persuade him that he is a "lucky boy" getting to see the world, the tween fears for his canine companion and her three pups. It's a concern that becomes all to real when the black-hatted Joseph (Clovis Cornillac) turns up claiming that he used to own the pooch. He might be a mini-tank-driving problem gambler, but he comes with signed statements from his village as to his ownership of Belle and is threatening police intervention.

But while Cesar is prepared to sell his farm to eliminate the problem, Sebastian has another, riskier solution.

Belle and Sebastian: Friends for Life is the third movie focused on a young boy and his Pyrenees mountain dog .

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* Movie Review: Belle & Sebastian: The Adventure Continues
* July's must-see movies

Like this French series' previous two installments, returning writers Juliette Sales and Fabien Suarez have crafted an amiable Biggles-esque boys' own adventure filled with domestic drama, danger and doggy derring-do. Based on a 1965 French novel that has also inspired a Japanese anime and Scottish Indie pop band, it has the feel of late 20th century kidult movies like White Fang and Iron Will.

It's a film where bad people get their commupances, more mature characters get unexpected love interests and a lesser-loved model of car becomes a hero (and actually threatens to get more screentime than the dog of the title).

While offering nothing particularly new in the storytelling stakes, Friends for Life boasts some impressive visuals of gorgeous snow-laden vistas, plenty of outdoor action and the chance to see the tireless Karyo (TV's The Missing, GoldenEye) play something other than a villain or a cop.

Diverting holiday fun with a bit of a difference.

In French with English subtitles.

 - Stuff