ARTHUR CHRISTMAS 3D (U)

SANTA (voiced by Jim Broadbent) has been the figurehead of the Yuletide season for decades and he proudly oversees this year's delivery of presents in his hi-tech spacecraft, masterminded with military precision by eldest son Steve (Hugh Laurie). Down in the bowels of the craft, youngest son Arthur (James McAvoy) excitedly answers correspondence from the children of the world, including a young British girl called Gwen (Ramona Marquez). A malfunction in the loading bay goes unnoticed by the elves in mission control and Gwen doesn't receive her pink bicycle. With time running out, Arthur joins forces with Grandsanta (Bill Nighy) and wrapping elf Bryony (Ashley Jensen) to deliver Gwen's gift.

STAR RATING: ****

DREAM HOUSE (15)

WILL Atenton (Daniel Craig) is a successful publisher in Manhattan, who abandons the city to spend more time with his wife Libby (Rachel Weisz) and daughters Dee Dee (Claire Geare) and Trish (Taylor Geare) in the suburbs. While reconnecting with his family, Will also intends to churn out the novel he has always promised to write. But an even bigger story unfolds in the Atenton's home when Will learns that the family nest was a murder scene. A mother and her brood were slain at the hands of a wrathful husband, shocking the quiet community. Ann Paterson (Naomi Watts) and her teenage daughter Chloe (Rachel G Fox), who live across the street, clearly know something but are reluctant to speak. Then a stranger called Boyce begins to spy on the Atentons.

STAR RATING: ***

50/50 (15)

ADAM (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) works behind the scenes at Seattle Public Radio with best friend Kyle (Seth Rogen), who makes public his issues with Adam's artist girlfriend, Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard). A doctor's appointment to determine the reasons for Adam's acute back pain reveals the quietly spoken 27-year-old has a tumour that must be treated immediately. His chances of survival are 50%. Rachael fails to offer emotional support so Kyle steps in, ferrying his pal to appointments where Adam meets fellow patients Alan (Philip Baker Hall) and Mitch (Matt Frewer). Buoyed by the support of the people he loves, Adam weathers the onslaught on his body, determined to see his 28th birthday.

STAR RATING: ****

IN TIME (12A)

DIRECTOR Andrew Niccol imagines an emotionally starved globe in which money has become obsolete and the currency is time. People are engineered to age until they reach 25 years old, then a timer, embedded in their arm, begins to tick down second by second to their demise. During a night out, Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) has a chance encounter with handsome yet suicidal rich man Henry Hamilton (Matt Bomer), who donates 100 years of his time to Will's body clock. Granted access to the most exclusive parts of the city, Will learns the truth about how Philippe Weis (Vincent Kartheiser) and the men in power manipulate the populace for their own gain. Will vows to bring down the corrupt system.

STAR RATING: ***

MONEYBALL (12A)

OAKLAND Athletics manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) rebuilt his team in a way that revolutionised the big-bucks game of baseball in the early 2000s. After losing the showpiece final game of the season to the mighty New York Yankees, he lost several key players. Painfully aware he couldn't compete on an equal footing with the big boys, Beane defied conventional wisdom and challenged the fundamental tenets of the game. Moneyball is an inspirational drama that celebrates Beane's tenacity in the face of stinging criticism, inspiring his minnows to completely change the way baseball is played through unity, self-belief and a smattering of luck. Billy works alongside Yale-educated economist Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), who believes in analysing data to make crucial decisions. Together, Billy and Peter compile a list of the most undervalued players in the league and bring together this band of misfits and rejects.

STAR RATING: ****