Preparations to be Together for an Unknown Period of Time (out Mar 17) is the story of a 30-something-year-old neurosurgeon based in the United States who quits her job and travels to Hungary after falling in love with a man. Things don’t go as planned. If you want to go on a strange, peculiar ride where you’re not sure what lies around each bend, this is for you. Grade: B+.

Escape from Mogadishu (out Mar 17) is based on actual events from 1990-91 and is the story of North and South Korean embassy officials forced to team up and flee Somalia in the midst of a violent civil war. A little too scripted in places but it’s an interesting story with some powerful images. Grade: B.

Anonymous Club (out Mar 17) is an Aussie documentary centred on introverted singer Courtney Barnett. She opens up about a range of topics including life as an in-the-spotlight artist, the negative thoughts which shape her music, and the difficultly she has doing press. An interesting person. Grade: B+.

Dog (out Mar 17) is the kind of movie where you know what'll happen from the outset. A former U.S. Army Ranger suffering from PTSD (Channing Tatum) befriends an ex-military dog battling demons of her own. The film struggles in trying to be both a light-hearted canine flick that families can enjoy, and a darker tale of war, PTSD and suicide. Well-intentioned but not particularly deep or memorable. Grade: B-.

Book of Love (out Mar 10) is a trashy, manufactured romantic comedy about two unlikely people who team up to create a successful book. One is a boring English idiot and the other is a struggling single mother from Mexico. It's amazing how little sense this made. Grade: C.

Facing Monsters (out Mar 10) is an Australian doco about a local surfer who takes on huge waves in an isolated, dangerous spot on the West Australian coast. It’s a very personal story and those involved were not afraid to “open up” but I’m not sure there’s enough insightful material here to warrant a full length feature. Grade: B-.

Off the Rails (out Mar 10) is the story of three middle-aged women who, following the death of a close friend, go on a European holiday together to honour her memory. When trying to be reflective and emotional, it works. When trying to be fluffy and comedic, it’s super corny. Grade: B-.

Bergman Island (out Mar 10) is the tale of two writers who go to a home in Sweden once occupied by filmmaker Ingmar Bergman and use it as inspiration for their own screenplays. It’s slow going… but thankfully the story in the second half (where one of the scripts comes to life) boosts the interest levels. Grade: B-.

The Batman (out Mar 3) distinguishes itself from the successful Christopher Nolan-helmed Batman trilogy. It's dark, heavy, interesting… and a little frustrating. I’ve seen stronger stories. It's a one-note Batman and a not-so-exciting group of villains. The limitations of the screenplay are offset by the stellar direction of Matt Reeves and cinematography of Australian Grieg Fraser. Many instances where I thought “whoa, that’s a great shot!” Grade: B+.

Blind Ambition (out Mar 3) is a great documentary that focuses on a 4-man team from Zimbabwe who are competing in the World Wine Tasting Championships for the first time. If you’re someone who likes seeing good things happen to good people, this film deserves your attention. Grade: B+.