Venus In Fur (out Jul 17) featuring just two actors – Mathieu Amalric as a theatre director and Emmauelle Seigner as an actress trying to convince him that she’s perfect for an upcoming role. It's a curious film where you're never quite sure what's around the corner. Scenario a little tough to buy. Grade: B.

Sex Tape (out Jul 17) is a heavily padded comedy about a couple who accidentally upload a THREE hour sex tape onto the iPads of family, friends and work colleagues. Perhaps it’s just a poorly written script. Perhaps it’s just too hard to make a full length feature out of such a narrow premise. There just aren't enough good laughs. Grade: C+.

Charlie's Country (out Jul 17) follows an elderly Indigenous Australian from a far-north community who is struggling to come to grips with the interference of the "white man". It gets you thinking... but I grappled with what to take away from it. A touch slow also. Grade: B.

Words & Pictures (out Jul 17) is trying to elevate itself beyond the simple romantic drama formula and provides a rigorous debate about the value of words as opposed to pictures in society. Despite its best intentions, the dialogue is clunky and the situations feel too phoney, too manufactured. Grade: C+.

Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (out Jul 10) held me right through to the action finale. It's a strong, thought-provoking action release (i.e. the opposite of the latest Transformers). You’d be hard pressed to find another film so far in 2014 that asks more of the special effects artists. Director Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) deserves a big wrap. Grade: A-.

The Lunchbox (out Jul 10) is an enlightening, feel-good Indian drama about two people who connect when a home-made lunch is mistakenly delivered to the wrong person. We're treated to the sights and sounds of India – from the busy, chaotic streets to the quiet, regimented workplaces. It’s just a shame we can’t smell the food! Grade: B+.

Calvary (out Jul 3) is the story of an Irish priest (Brendon Gleeson) who is told in the confessional booth that he will be murdered in one week's time. What follows isn't a "whodunit" thriller. Rather, it's a dark black comedy that sees the priest put to the test by his odd parishioners. This is a wonderfully uncomfortable film and you’ll have to work hard to get inside the head of each character. Grade: B+.

Rio 2 (out Jul 3) is a family-friendly animation with some familiar themes - a blue macaw from Brazil must try to save his family when villainous loggers threaten to destroy their forest. Not all that original but it'll be easy for kids to follow (with a few timely soccer references thrown in). Grade: B-.

Jersey Boys (out Jul 3) takes the ridiculously successful Broadway musical and tries to turn into something more dramatic (with less music). Seems like an odd choice. While it lacks pizzazz, the strong performances from the cast (particularly John Lloyd Young and Vincent Piazza) help draw you into the story. Grade: B-.

The Volcano (out now) is a torturous French comedy about a divorced couple forced to go on a 2,000km road trip to get to their daughter's wedding in Greece. You couldn't find two more irritating, insensitive characters. Their actions are moronic. Really found it hard to laugh. Grade: C-.