Grace Of Monaco (out Jun 5) is a muddled stew of politics, conspiracies, romance, family values and fairy tales. Some elements are quite interesting (such as the tension between France and Monaco in 1962) but like so much of the film, it’s all oversimplified. It all feels too pro Grace Kelly, too anti everyone else. Grade: C+.

Under The Skin (out May 29) is a mysterious science fiction piece that follows a woman (Scarlett Johansson) and a series of men she encounters. I felt a little too distant from the narrative in the middle stages but this is still an intriguing, hypnotic feature from director Jonathan Glazer. A great combination of visuals, music and sound. Grade: A-.

Maleficent (out May 29) tries to offer a new spin on the 1959 Disney classic Sleeping Beauty by telling things from the perspective of the villainous "witch". This film isn't much of anything. It features a shallow story (that takes too long to set up) with zero tension. I can't see kids or adults being enthralled. Grade: C+.

A Million Ways To Die In The West (out May 29) is a spoof western that uses the same jokes again and again and again. Did we need 4 fart jokes in the opening 30 minutes? Seth MacFarlane can't carry this film. I quickly grew tired of his politically incorrect humour (which is not witty). Grade: C.

The Trip To Italy (out May 29) follows the same format of the original. Rob Brydon does impressions. Steve Coogan talks about his problems. Chefs cook amazing food. If you're a big fan of The Trip, you'll enjoy this. If not, you probably won't. As for me, well, I had a few laughs but there's only so much time I can spend watching these guys do the same thing over and over. Grade: B-.

Gardening With Soul (out May 29) is a New Zealand documentary about a 90 y/o nun (she's quite sharp for her age) with a love for gardening. The focus is not so much on her nursery... but rather her whole life and her thoughts on the recent controversies that have plagued that Catholic Church. Not a life changing film but one that's nice to watch. Grade: B.

The Babadook (out May 22) is an effective horror-thriller about a single mother dealing with a young son who believes there's a monster in the house. Turns out the kid is right. The ending may not sit well with everyone but the lead up is superb. Grade: A-.

Sunshine On Leith (out May 22) is a musical based around some of the more popular songs from the British band The Proclaimers. The first half doesn't flow and is too happy-go-lucky but things settle in the later stages and a few key scenes will tug at the heartstrings. Fans of musicals and/or The Proclaimers will probably enjoy this more than me. Grade: B-.

The Zero Theorem (out now) is the story of a guy waiting for a phone call while trying to solve an impossible mathematical formula. Confused? Don't worry. You'll be just as confused as you leave the theatre. I admire Terry Gilliam as a filmmaker but I was scratching my head far too often in this instance. Grade: C+.

X-Men: Days Of Future Past (out May 22) paints a bleak view of the future where robots have annihilated the planet. The solution is time travel. Wolverine heads back to the 1970s where he will try to “end the war before it begins”. Director Bryan Singer has created an entertaining action flick with a predictable, yet still engaging, premise. Has the right number of characters too. Grade: A-.