Music (out Jan 14) is terrible. It's the story of a woman (Kate Hudson) asked/forced to look after her autistic half-sister (Maddie Ziegler) following the death of her grandmother. The subplots are woefully undeveloped (e.g. the Asian neighbours) and clichés are plentiful. Worst of all, writer-director Sia has characters illustrate their emotions using interpretive dance numbers that distract from the actual story. Grade: C-.

The Elfkins: Baking a Difference (out Jan 14) is a German animated feature (dubbed into English) that follows a small, cheeky elf who partners up with a human baker to reinvigorate his struggling business. It's very simplistic in terms of its narrative and villains but it's easy for young kids to follow and they're the target audience. Grade: B-.

The White Tiger (out Jan 14) is the Indian tale of an ambitious young man who, after landing a servant job for a rich family, loses his naivety and is exposed to a darker side of the world. The narration is overdone but the complexity of the lead character and his decision making (not always good) makes this an interesting film. Grade: B+.

My Salinger Year (out Jan 14) is based on a memoir and set in 1995. It's the story of a young writer (Margaret Qualley) who lands a job managing the fan mail for reclusive author J.D. Salinger at a literary agency. The best scenes involve a prickly Sigourney Weaver as the agency's boss but the remaining elements (particularly the romance subplot involving Douglas Booth) are dull. Grade: B-.

Ammonite (out Jan 14) reminded me of Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire... except the characters are less interesting and their development is more stilted. It wants to be a moving 19th century British love story between two women, nicely played by Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan, but the opening two acts are slow and it's a long wait to get the film's emotional punch. Grade: B.

Buddy Games (out Jan 7) is a lowbrow comedy about a group of super-competitive friends who reunite to compete against each other in a series of idiotic challenges. It’s like a weaker version of Jackass with boring characters and a dumb script. Not good. Grade: C-.

Promising Young Woman (out Jan 7) is the story of a 30-year-old woman who, following the death of her best friend several years ago, seeks vengeance against sleazy men. It's loaded with interesting, provocative ideas but the contrived nature of the storyline makes it difficult to fully buy into. That said, kudos to writer-director Emerald Fennell and actor Carey Mulligan for creating such an intriguing character. Grade: B.

Summerland (out Jan 7) would only be believable if a true story... but sadly, it’s not. It’s a contrived drama (featuring flashbacks with a flashback) about a cranky English writer to reluctantly cares for a child during World War II. With subplots involving unrequited love and fantasy islands, the film doesn’t come together. The love story is the weakest element. Grade: C+.

Spread Your Wings (out Jan 7) is based on actual events and is the French tale of an environmentalist who teams up with his reluctant 14-year-old son to save endangered geese. Similar to 1996’s Fly Away Home, the film has some nice interactions between father and son. A warm-hearted, likeable adventure. Grade: B+.

Dreambuilders (out Jan 7) is Inception for kids. It’s a Danish animated feature (dubbed into English) about a young girl who finds a way to change dreams. The film is pushing well-worn themes but I like the way they’re presented. Grade: B.