Wild Mountain Thyme (out Feb 4) is a disappointing romantic drama set in Ireland about two farmers (Emily Blunt and Jamie Dornan) who refuse to admit they're in love with each other. The dialogue is over-written, the plot becomes repetitive, and the finale is laughable. Grade: C.

The People Upstairs (out Feb 11) is a Spanish comedy-drama about two couples from the same apartment building who catch up for drinks and nibbles. The conversations spin in strange directions and, while the four actors never leave the apartment, you’re never quite sure what’s going to happen next. Grade: B+.

Escape from Extinction (out Feb 11) is a documentary, narrated by Helen Mirren, that looks at the many animal species on the brink of extinction and the work being done in zoos to regenerate their numbers. Its repetitive, simplistic nature makes me wonder if it’s pitched more at kids than educated adults. Grade: B-.

Assassins (out Feb 11) is a very interesting documentary that delves into the investigation and trial of two women charged with the murder of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in Kuala Lumpur in 2017. We see things play out in real time and there’s great behind-the-scenes access to the lawyers and journalists involved. Grade: A-.

Long Story Short (out Feb 11) is about a recently married man who jumps forward a year in his life every few minutes. The message is well intentioned (time is precious) but it’s tough to make this work as the film is largely Rafe Spall acting confused and asking questions about each year he missed. Grade: C.

Synchronic (out Feb 11) is a multi-genre film about two paramedics confused by a series of deaths/injuries related to a new designer drug. I didn’t care a lot about the characters and their troubled backstories but in terms of the film’s time-twisting concepts, I was intrigued. Grade: B.

Another Round (out Feb 11) is a darkish comedy from Denmark about four male high school teachers who try to maintain a continual blood alcohol content of 0.05% throughout the day to see if it will improve their lives. This could easily have been a silly, far-fetched comedy but director Thomas Vinterberg isn't "preachy" and he's created real, honest human beings. The ending is the right one. Grade: B+.

The Nest (out Feb 4) is centred on an interesting character - a superficial, compulsive liar (Jude Law) who puts an exhaustive amount of time into “appearing successful” as opposed to doing the hard yards and earning his achievements. The film deserves a look but his arc is limited and it feels like an opportunity has been missed to make something more distinct and memorable. Grade: B-.

Wrong Turn (out Feb 4) is a horror-thriller about 6 youngsters who go on a hiking trip and encounter some unpleasant people, There are glimpses of something edgier (shades of Midsommar) but for the most part, it's a formula-driven flick with not-so-bright characters and illogical plot points. Grade: C+.