Frantz (out Apr 13) is the story of Frenchman who mysteriously befriends the widow of a German soldier just after World War I. Some scenes are quite moving but there are lulls in between where my interest waned. Grade: B.

CHIPS (out Apr 6) is based on the TV series from the late 1970s as is a standard, unadventurous comedy about two California Highway Patrol officers uncovering massive corruption within their ranks. There's chemistry between stars Michael Peña and Dax Shepard but most jokes are childish and not that funny. Grade: C+.

Colossal (out Apr 13) is creative but there's not enough material to justify the two hour length. It's about two troubled alcoholics (Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis) who find themselves in control of two Godzilla-like monsters that are terrorising South Korea. Grade: B.

The Fate of the Furious (out Apr 13) is a mixed bag. There are some great action pieces, a fun cameo from Helen Mirren and a worthy villain in Charlize Theron. The story itself is very ho-hum though. We've seen in before and we'll see it again. I'm also growing tired of the "family" theme that is reiterated to the point of being annoying. Grade: B-.

Denial (out Apr 13) is a historical drama based on famous UK court case from the late 1990s. After criticising the works of a Holocaust denier, a U.S. professor (Rachel Weisz) finds herself on trial for libel in the UK. Those looking for insight into "fake news" and the inner workings of a major court case should find lots to take away from this. Grade: B+.

Dance Academy: The Movie (out Apr 6) is a spin-off from the teen-targeted TV series that first aired on the ABC between 2010 and 2013. There's a realness to these characters and their journey that makes this worth a look (it's not all rosy) but the screenplay does succumb to predictability in the final act. Grade: B.

The LEGO Batman Movie (out Mar 30) is a fun spin-off to the 2014 original. The first half is the most interesting as it mocks the superhero genre and delves into Batman's introverted nature. The second half is more of an action-fest that doesn't have the same energy. Grade: B.

Ghost in the Shell (out Mar 30) is set in a cool futuristic world and delves into some interesting ethical issues (robots v humans) but it's a safe, take-no-chances screenplay that doesn't make enough of the material. Scarlett Johansson is strong in the lead role but the supporting players are forgettable. Grade: B-.

Smurfs: The Lost Village (out Mar 30) is an animated reboot of the Smurfs franchise. The story involves Smurfette discovering a new community of Smurfs and in the process, finding answers to key questions. It's a thin narrative and it's hard to argue this is an improvement on the recent live action version with Neil Patrick Harris. Grade: C.

Land of Mine (out Mar 30) recounts a fascinating piece of post-World War II history. It follows a group of young German prisoners of war who had to locate and disarm more than 150,000 land mines on a Danish beach. Unlike traditional war films, the tension comes from moments that are eerily quiet (as opposed to big action sequences). The moral is as relevant today as it's ever been. Grade: A-.