Looking For Grace (out Jan 28) is an Aussie drama centred around 2 teenage girls who run away from home. The film follows multiple characters - some interesting, some not so much. It doesn't all come together in the end but the style should maintain your interest. Grade: B-.

Room (out Jan 28) is both horrifying and inspiring. A woman and her young son and held captive for 7 years in a tiny, soundproof room. When they finally escape, they face an even tougher battle to integrate back into society. The fact that it's told from the son's perspective is limiting in the later stages but the performances make this a tough, emotional ride. Grade: B+.

Spotlight (out Jan 28) is based on a true story and follows a team of investigative journalists as they dig deeper into the Catholic Church's cover up of child abuse in Boston. The script highlights the tough challenges that journalists face and the performances of the cast cannot be faulted. This is one of the best films I've seen in many years. Grade: A+.

The Hateful Eight (out Jan 21) is a three hour western from director Quentin Tarantino. A snow storm forces a group of people to take refuge in a remote cabin and not all will make it out alive. It's a little light in terms of story and humour but it has the terrific dialogue that has defined Tarantino's career. Grade: B.

The Danish Girl (out Jan 21) is set in the 1920s and takes us inside the world of Einar Wegener - one of the first individuals to have a sex change operation. It’s tough to illustrate the “inner anguish” of their respective characters on screen but Eddie Redmayne and co-star Alicia Vikander (as his wife) do their best. It’s hard not to feel empathy for their situation. Grade: B+.

The 5th Wave (out Jan 14) is a sci-fi thriller about a group of teenagers trying to save the world from an alien invasion. The writers struggle to flesh out the concept and there are many gaps in the narrative that are difficult to ignore. Grade: C+.

Goosebumps (out Jan 14) is a fun family adventure. Rather than adapting a single book from the successful Goosebumps series, the writers have created a fictitious "biopic" that shows the monsters created by author R.L. Stine were actually real. Jack Black nails the leading role. Grade: B+.

Carol (out Jan 14) is a beautifully shot film that captures the mix of nervousness and excitement that comes with most new relationships. The fact that it involves a same-sex couple in the 1950s adds to the complexity. Director Todd Haynes has brought style to Patricia Highsmith's novel and the performances of Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara are sublime. Grade: A-.

The Big Short (out Jan 14) follows three groups of people who predicted the 2008 global financial crisis and profited substantially from the demise of the U.S. housing market. These guys are continually questioned and ridiculed but you know they’ll get the last laugh during the film’s final act. The performances are superb with Steve Carell the standout. Grade: A-.

The Revenant (out Jan 7) is set in the early 19th Century and follows an explorer hunting the man who killed his only son. The film is more likely to be remembered for Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance than its slow-paced, grim narrative. An endurance test for both its leading character and the audience. Beautifully shot by cinematographer cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. Grade: B+.