The Pirate Fairy

So much better than one would expect for a fifth installment in a franchise, this tribute to female friendship and girl power is a kick.

True flights of fancy - as when the fairies make an imaginary man walk and dance by manipulating an overcoat, tricorn hat and buckled boots - are far too rare.

There are some gorgeous Disney touches, rabble-rousing songs on the pirate ship and the usual 'best friends for ever' message.

The Pirate Fairy shimmers and shines and couldn't be prettier. It's bursting with old-fashioned girl power and although there's nothing new it will make fun excursion if you've got young girls on your hands these holidays.

Disney animators had fun with this one, coloring mostly within the lines of the Pixie Hollow movies but slipping outrageously outside the margins every now and then as they offer a rollicking prequel to Peter Pan.

Ranks right up near the very best of the its franchise and thus the very best direct-to-video Disney movies ever.

Sweet and simplistic, it won't offer you the bells and whistles of Frozen.

It's an engaging and entertaining adventure story, refreshingly centered around a group of distinct female characters and even directed by a woman to boot.

At its core, underneath the swashbuckling adventure, Tinker Bell and the Pirate Fairy is a thoughtful tale of female friendship, of appreciating individuality, opening one's mind to new possibilities and always believing in second chances.

A lively swashbuckling affair that pits Tink and her Pixie Hollow friends against younger versions of the pirates from JM Barrie's beloved children's classic, which is a delightful notion in itself and gives the action an appealing dash and swagger.

While Disney's cheaply made Tinkerbell films have none of the cultural cachet of more lavish animated features, they're getting slyer and more interesting on their own terms.

Terrific stuff, beautifully animated and with a nice, positive message... it is great fun and another example of how new ideas can help keep a franchise fresh.