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+.

Sisters (out Jan 7) stars Tina Fey and Amy Poehler and is centred on an epic party thrown by two middle-aged siblings in their childhood home (which is about to be sold). There are unexpected flashes of humour that surprise but most of it is silly and immature. A darker undertone to the story is touched upon but not given the gravitas it requires. Grade: B-.

Point Break (out Jan 1) is a poorly conceived remake of the 1991 original. An extreme sport loving FBI agent tries to take down a mysterious group of "Robin Hood" style criminals. Some subplots go nowhere (e.g. the love interest) while others make little sense. Very disappointing. Grade: C-.

Snoopy & Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie (out Jan 1) is packaged into a nicely-paced 88 minutes and sees Charlie Brown try to win the affections of the Little Red-Haired Girl. Kids will be able to follow the simple storyline. Older audiences will chuckle at some of the film’s finer details (such as throwbacks to Schulz’s black and white comic strips). Grade: B+.

Joy (out Dec 26) is based on a true story and follows a young inventor (Jennifer Lawrence) trying to find success while avoiding her family's negative thoughts. The film has some wonderfully dislikeable characters (that's a good thing) but parts feel shallow and simplistic (such as the finale). Director David O. Russell is too obvious when leaving trails for key "twists" later on. Grade: B.

The Bélier Family (out Dec 26) is a French comedy centered on a teenage girl with deaf parents who discovers she is a beautiful singer. A subplot involving the father's bid to become town mayor goes nowhere but aside, this is an entertaining coming-of-age tale with more than a few unexpected laughs. Grade: B+.

Daddy's Home (out Dec 26) is a lowbrow comedy about two competitive guys (Will Ferrell & Mark Wahlberg) trying to win the affections of two kids and their single mother. There are a few laughs early on but the film makes plenty of tonal missteps (such as a moment where one is electrocuted) on the way to the finish line. Grade: C+.

The Good Dinosaur (out Dec 26) follows in the same vein as the Shaun The Sheep Movie and is a creative animated feature that relies more on visuals and facial expressions than dialogue. It's the cute tale of a young dinosaur who teams up with a small kid to find his way back home to his family. Grade: B+.

Youth (out Dec 26) stars Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel as two friends holidaying in the Swiss Alps who reflect on their past and deal with issues that will shape their future. It's clear that Italian director Paolo Sorrentino (The Great Beauty) is trying to say something deep and profound. I struggled to grasp it through. Grade: C+.