When everyone is just about worn out from holiday preparations, bring the family to relax at the movies, with free admission and free popcorn. Co-sponsored by the towns of Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor and Southport, the Harbor Theater’s Free Family Movies are making holiday activities just a bit more accessible and affordable for everyone in the community. In October, Halloween was marked by a free screening of “Beetlejuice” (1988).

For Thanksgiving, the Harbor Theater presents “Paddington” (2014), rated PG for rude humor and mild action, 1 hour 35 minutes. The free movie, “Paddington,” (with free popcorn) will be shown how only at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25. There is plenty of time to enjoy the movie before the Lighted Firetruck Parade at 4 p.m.! Paddington brightens up the Thanksgiving weekend with family fun! A young bear (Ben Whishaw) makes his way from the Peruvian rainforest to England in search of a new home. The bear, dubbed "Paddington" for the London train station, finds shelter with the family of Henry (Hugh Bonneville) and Mary Brown (Sally Hawkins). Although Paddington's amazement at urban living soon endears him to the Browns, someone else has her eye on him: Taxidermist Millicent Clyde (Nicole Kidman) has designs on the rare bear and his hide.

“A good-hearted film... as witty and clever as it is charming...” Leonard Maltin.

One week later, on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 1 p.m., the free movie will be “Happy Feet” (2006). With the early 1 p.m. start time, the family can easily fit the movie in between a ride on the North Pole Express in the morning and Santa’s arrival by boat in the Harbor at 3 p.m. This wonderfully happy movie won the Oscar for best animated film in 2007. Running 1 hour, 48 minutes, and rated PG for some rude humor and mild peril, it features the voices of Robin Williams, Hugh Jackman, and Nicole Kidman. Mumble (Elijah Wood), a young emperor penguin, lives in Antarctica. Like others of his kind, he needs to be able to sing to attract a mate, but he has a terrible voice. Instead, Mumble must express himself, and lure a female through his amazing talent for tap-dancing. Steve Martin said it best (in a 1977 Saturday Night Live skit), “I'm getting happy feet!”

We hope that families and groups of friends and neighbors from throughout the peninsula will all come take advantage of this holiday gift of free movies and free popcorn from the towns of Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, and Southport!