Civil War (out Apr 11) is directed by Alex Garland (Ex Machina) and follows a team of journalists travelling from New York City to Washington DC in the midst of a violent war between states. Great use of visuals and sound. Engaging characters. Let down by a garbage finale. Grade: B.

Late Night with the Devil (out Apr 11) provides a refreshing spin on the horror / supernatural genre. We watch a 1977 episode of a fictitious late-night talk show as the host performs a quasi-exorcism on stage to help boost sagging TV ratings. Directed by two Aussies and featuring distinctive performances and cinematography, this is one of the year's best. Grade: A.

Robot Dreams (out Apr 11) was nominated at the Oscars for best animated feature and is a dialogue-free flick about a lonely dog who befriends a robot. There’s an upper layer which kids can easily follow but there are other deeper layers which require a higher maturity level to fully grasp. It's not afraid to be dark and sad. Grade: A-.

La Chimera (out Apr 11) is from Italian director Alice Rohrwacher and is centred on a man (Josh O'Connor) who teams up with an eccentric group to rob ancient graves in search of money. I enjoyed the film's meandering pace and relaxed vibe... but struggled to grasp something meaningful to take away. Grade: B.

The First Omen (out Apr 4) illustrates how you can take a wafer-thin (at best) idea and painfully drag it out for two hours. A dull horror film where I didn't care about a single character. Grade: C.

Monkey Man (out Apr 4) is the Dev Patel show. He serves as director, writer, and star in this gritty action thriller about an unnamed man from the slums of India who seeks vengeance against those who killed his mother. With religion (both pros and cons) adding an intriguing inner layer, this is worth your time. Worth noting it is incredibly brutal and violent in places. Grade: B+.

Goodbye Julia (out Apr 4) is a heavy Sudanese drama about two very different families who interact after a tragic event. The acting is stiff at times but the story is interesting, moving and powerful. Grade: A-.

Origin (out Apr 4) explores caste systems around the world. Director Ava DuVernay takes an interesting approach. Rather than adapt a famed non-fiction book into a movie, it’s the story of the author’s journey in writing the book in the first place. The flashback scenes are often clunky and over-written, but the current day narrative and conversations are fascinating. Grade: B+.

The Tiger’s Apprentice (out Apr 4) isn’t overly ambitious but it’s still a fine, watchable animated feature for younger crowds to engage with. It’s the story of a 15-year-old who learns he has superpowers and must use them to defeat a villainous sorceress. Grade: B.

Housekeeping for Beginners (out Apr 4) is set in Macedonia and is the story of a lesbian couple who, after one is diagnosed with terminal cancer, make important decisions about their family’s future. Moves at a quick pace. Grade: B.