Two Tickets to Greece (out Dec 26) is a limp comedy about two childhood friends who re-connect decades later and go on a holiday together. They're as different as chalk and cheese (the film has Odd Couple vibes) and while it sounds like a recipe for laughs, the misadventures are poorly conceived. Grade: C.

Wonka (out Dec 14) is designed to be a prequel to the 1971 flick starring Gene Wilder. It's fun! The story is easy to follow, the musical numbers fit nicely, and the production values are strong. In the title role, Timothée Chalamet’s dancing/singing skills are charming but it’s the blend of quirkiness and sincerity he brings to the character which makes Wonka easy to root for. Grade: B+.

Godzilla Minus One (out Dec 1) is a terrific Japanese action flick set in the aftermath of World War II where residents of Tokyo must find a way to defeat the destructive creature. The acting is stiff at times but this is still a tense, engaging movie which feels more credible than Godzilla flicks which have come out of Hollywood in recent years. Grade: A-.

Dicks: The Musical (out Dec 7) is the rudest, crudest musical I've ever seen. Directed by Larry Charles (Borat), every scene is trying to shock the audience with a lack of political correctness. The best laughs are in the closing credit outtakes. That's not usually a good sign but, as a whole, the film still deserves a look for its eye-raising stupidity. Grade: B.

Maestro (out Dec 7) reminded me of the 2004 Cole Porter biopic De-Lovely in that it chronicles the life of a renowned, extraverted musician, his rocky marriage, and the gay love affairs kept from public view. The subject here is Leonard Bernstein. It takes a while to get going but is bolstered by two great lead performances. Bradley Cooper is superb but Carey Mulligan is extraordinary. Grade: A-.

Time Addicts (out Dec 7) is an Australian film about two drug-taking folk who, aided by something they ingest, travel back and forth in time. In terms of the time travel genre, this isn't offering anything new. Average characters. Grade: C+.

The Boy and the Heron (out Dec 7) is the final film (apparently) of legendary director Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away) and is a hand-drawn animated feature about a 12-year-old whisked into an assortment of alternate words. Enjoyed the animation and music but, aside from the final 20 minutes, the weird mix of storylines don't generate much humour or emotion. Grade: B.

Master Gardener (out Dec 7) is a slow-paced drama from director Paul Schrader about a felon-turned-horticulturalist (Joel Edgerton), his boss (Sigourney Weaver), and her grandniece (Quintessa Swindell). The conversations (with a little narration) didn't do enough to have me care about these characters or their fate. Grade: C+.

Silent Night (out Dec 7) is a John Woo action flick about an ordinary parent who turns into a vicious vigilante following a tragic event. The fight sequences ain't too bad but the film's big novelty (no dialogue) wears thin quickly. There are only so many facial expressions in star Joel Kinnaman's repertoire. Grade: B-.

Bottoms (out Nov 30) is a comedy centred on two unpopular female high school students who start a fight club for nefarious reasons. Liked the cast but the dialogue is over-written and the broader plot is too goofy. Grade: B-.