One Chance (12, 103 mins) *** Starring James Corden, Julie Walters, Colm Meaney, Mackenzie Crook, Jemima Rooper, Alexandra Roach, Kathryn Drysdale, Valeria Bilello.

Paul Potts (Corden) is a shy and unassuming man, who lives with his parents in Port Talbot. He earns a living in a Carphone Warehouse shop with his best mate Braddon (Crook) but dreams of becoming an opera singer. New girlfriend Julie-Ann (Roach), who he met online, persuades Paul to take his first tentative steps towards realising his ambition by taking part in a local talent show. After silencing a heckling crowd with his stunning voice, Paul uses the winnings to enroll on a course in Venice and in the city of water and dreams, he meets the beautiful singer Alessandra (Bilello) and earns an opportunity to sing in front of his idol, Pavarotti. One Chance is a life-affirming feel-good tale of triumph over adversity.

Thor: The Dark World (12, 112 mins) ** Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Christopher Eccleston, Sir Anthony Hopkins.

The Dark Elves of Svartalfheim led by Malekith (Eccleston) intend to unleash a fluid called the Aether, which will plunge the Nine Realms into eternal darkness. Throwing a spanner in the works, astrophysicist Jane Foster (Portman) has been exposed to the goo, which now courses through her veins. Thus, Malekith launches an assault on Asgard, where Thor (Hemsworth) has concealed Jane in the hope that his father Odin (Hopkins) can extract the Aether from his sweetheart. When that glimmer of hope is snuffed out, the crown prince turns to his nefarious brother, Loki (Hiddleston), for help. Thor: The Dark World is a sequel-by-numbers that is as big and muscular as its titular hammer-swinging hunk, and equally short on sparkling repartee, ricocheting between action, comedy and romance.