Ho, ho, ho! – It seems that Santa has brought many films for us to watch this Christmas holiday. Sadly, within that bag of treats there is also some coal mixed in. But, also some festive, jolly warmers that are well worth the watch. Here is our recommendation of new releases to see over the festive break:

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
(19th December 2014, UK)

Following the success of the first two films, the third Night at the Museum is finally here! This time around Larry (Ben Stiller) has to span the globe in order to save the museum's characters before the magic that brings them from still models to lively animations. With all of the original cast returning; Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Robin Williams (the late and greats last film), Rickey Gervais – plus, a new era of characters from the British museum, Sir Lancelot (Dan Stevens) and Sir Ben Kingsley to name a few. It’s a family treat for all and well worth a watch!

Annie
(20th December 2014, UK)

Based on the 1977 Broadway hit comes the last ‘feel-good’ film of the year – because who doesn’t like real-life events breaking into song? Featuring many classic tunes, the film follows a young foster child called Annie, who has had a rather hard knock life ever since being left outside a restaurant aged-four. Now, living in a home under the care of Cameron Diaz’s nightmarish Colleen Hannigan she soon meets William Stacks (Jamie Foxx), a business tycoon that thinks being seen with Annie will help his chances of becoming the mayor of NYC. It’s an updated version of the many film adaptions already out there, But it is fun-watching none-the-less.

Paddington
(28th November 2014, UK)

Everybody’s favourite bear, Paddington (sorry Winnie the Pooh), is finally on the big-screen! For those unfamiliar with the children popular story, the film follows a young British boy finding a talking bear at Paddington London train station (no, it is not anything to do with Ted). What follows as he is taken into the boy’s home is a fiesta of heart-warming, hilarious and merry encounters. Being a British story, the film hosts a number of well-known British icons, including; Hugh Bonneville, Nicole Kidman, Ben Wishaw, Michael Gambon, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi and Matt Lucas.

Dumb and Dumber To
(19th December 2014, UK)

Set twenty-years after the original comedy hit, comes the anticipated sequel, Dumb and Dumber To! Picking up right where it left off, with not much happening in between, we meet Lloyd (Jim Carrey) and Harry (Jeff Daniels) as they soon take on another cross-country trek. But there is a plot involved too! As Harry has just found out he has a daughter and he plans to go and meet her for the first time. It’s bonkers, stupid and so silly - yet has the great comedic value that we have long been awaiting.

Exodus: Gods and Kings
(26th December 2014, UK)

From the director of some of the best films of the last few decades, comes Ridley Scott’s newest epic, Exodus: Gods and Kings. Which, for those who missed Sunday school is based on the feud between Moses and Ramses as God directs Moses to lead over half a million enslaved Israelites out of the Egyptian empowerment. In addition to the spectacular God-like effects, massive production sets, and story – comes the stellar casting of Hollywood’s finest; Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Sir Ben Kingsley, Sigourney Weaver, Aaron Paul and Ben Mendelson. Out on Boxing-day, this is one not to miss.

We would love to hear in comments films you will be seeing this Christmas.
From all of us here at Gone With The Movies, we wish you a merry Christmas, and a happy new year!