Night at the Museum

Slightly overlong - and lacking the perhaps obligatory love interest - this is as good a film as any parent will be able to excite their kids with this holiday period - well certainly in the UK. The film has huge plot holes and probably hundreds of continuity errors but rampaging dinosaurs, goodish CGI and another athletic comic turn from Ben Stiller, together with the gorgeous Carla Gugino make this near perfect Xmas cinematic fair.

The Museum of Natural History is suffering a downturn in visitor numbers and has to make cutbacks by way of night security men. Step up Larry Daly (Stiller) in an attempt to retain his home and convince ex wife that he is a role model for their impressionable son. The film's premise that the various waxwork and skeleton inhabitants come to life at night due to the presence of a magical Egyptian golden tablet placed 50 years before is, of course, to suspend disbelief beyond anything else you'll be expected to this year - but anyone at a loss for an excuse to get the kids out of the house over the Christmas period could do a lot worse than spend just under a couple of hours at the multiplex to see what is a cross between Jumanji and the Indian in the Cupboard.