Red Dog: True Blue (out Dec 26) contains plenty of cheesy moments but it's still a likeable, warm-hearted family drama that taps into Australia's history and culture. It's a prequel to the successful 2011 original and shows the bond between Red Dog and his first owner (played by Levi Miller). Grade: B+.

Allied (out Dec 26) is from Oscar winning director Robert Zemeckis and is set during World War II. Brad Pitt plays an intelligence officer who must investigate his own wife who has been accused of being a German spy. The dialogue feels unnatural in places and the ending offers less than expected. Grade: B-.

Sing (out Dec 26) makes the most of its many characters and is the story of a theatre-owning koala who tries to run a singing competition to escape financial ruin. There's a lot of music (for both young and old) but the film suffers with a safe finale which is just a long sing-a-thon. Grade: B.

Why Him? (out Dec 26) has some great comedic chemistry between the unusual pairing of James Franco and Bryan Cranston. It's the story of a father who doesn't see eye-to-eye with his daughter's strange new boyfriend. Better than the similar Meet The Parents. Grade: B+.

A United Kingdom (out Dec 26) is based on a true story and follows a prince from Botswana who risks his future after falling in love with an Englishwoman. It feels too oversimplified in places but it's an interesting piece of history that many will be unfamiliar with. Grade: B-.

Rosalie Blum (out Dec 26) is an unorthodox French comedy about romantic entanglement. It has its quirky charm but the strange behaviour of these characters (stalking?) makes it hard to enjoy. Not sure about the ending either. Grade: C+.

La La Land (out Dec 26) has a few small lulls but it's still a wonderful modern-day musical. It has something to say about the choices we make in life and the directions they take us in. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling made for an ideal pairing and director Damien Chazelle (Whiplash) dazzles us with great music, lighting and editing. Grade: A-.

Rogue One: A Star Wars (out Dec 15) is a worthy prequel to Star Wars that shines the light on the "forgotten heroes" in this fictitious world. It'll hold your attention but it doesn't quite have the depth of others in the franchise. Grade: B.

Office Christmas Party (out Dec 8) has a small number of laughs but for the most part, it's a limp comedy. It focuses too much on a dull story about "saving the company" and less on the outrageous Christmas party that features prominently in the advertising. Grade: C.

Queen of Katwe (out Dec 1) is based on a true story and follows a young girl who rises from the slums of Uganda to become an international chess champion. There's not a lot of subtlety in the film but it's still a feel-good underdog tale that will warm hearts. Grade: B+.