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 high-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 un-noticed 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: ****

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: ****

HAPPY FEET TWO (U)

MUMBLE the penguin (Elijah Wood), who learned to dance in the first film, has raised a son called Erik (Ava Acres) with his wife Gloria (Pink). Like his father, Erik is struggling to find his rhythm in Emperor-Land and he searches for answers with best friends Boadicia and Atticus in the company of wise-cracking Ramon (Robin Williams). Mumble chases after the little ones and returns home to discover a giant iceberg has slammed into their home, trapping all of the Emperor penguins to certain doom. Noah The Elder (Hugo Weaving) attempts to keep calm with the help of trusted penguins like Seymour (Common) but the situation is dire. With time running out, Mumble compels Ramon to marshal the Adelie penguins to help with the rescue effort.

STAR RATING: **

HUGO (U)

TWELVE-year-old Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) is raised by his father (Jude Law), who works at a museum and has a passion for cinema and mechanical devices. The old man dies, leaving behind an intricate automaton, and Hugo is forced to live secretly in the station with his hard-drinking Uncle Claude (Ray Winstone), who maintains the clocks. When the bottle claims Claude's life, Hugo continues to tend the clocks while stealing food from the shopkeepers without attracting the attention of the station inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen). An encounter with bookish Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz), goddaughter of toy shop owner Papa Georges (Sir Ben Kingsley), catalyses a journey of self-discovery that Hugo hopes will lead to a message from beyond the grave from his father.

STAR RATING: ****

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN (15)

COLIN Clark (Eddie Redmayne) hails from privileged stock and thanks to family connections, he secures a position working as assistant to Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh). From the moment Marilyn (Michelle Williams) arrives, Olivier is smitten. On set, Olivier's desire turns to frustration as Marilyn fluffs takes and turns up late. Celebrity photographer Milton H Greene (Dominic Cooper) issues a warning: "Accept Marilyn on her terms and you will be okay. Try to change her and she'll drive you crazy." So Olivier asks Colin to win his leading lady's trust and get her to set on time. While Colin falls under Marilyn's spell and extinguishes a burgeoning romance with wardrobe mistress Lucy (Emma Watson), the screen siren argues with her husband, writer Arthur Miller (Dougray Scott).

STAR RATING: ****