Swinging Safari (out Jan 18) is an odd comedy centred around three families that pays homage to 1970s Australia. Director Stephan Elliott has fun recreating the setting but the storyline feels very personal to him... and not so much for everyone else. Grade: C.

Maze Runner: The Death Cure (out Jan 18) is the last in this popular trilogy. What began with intrigue and strong character development in the 2014 original, finishes with a lethargic action thriller where everyone feels like they're going through the motions. Grade: C+.

I, Tonya (out Jan 25) tells the tale of the tale of Tonya Harding, Nancy Kerrigan and “the incident”. Unable to settle on a single version of the "truth", writer Steven Rogers has created a movie that is part comedy, part drama and part mockumentary. I don't think there's enough interesting material to fill two hours but the performance of Australian Margot Robbie makes it worth a look. Grade: B.

Sweet Country (out Jan 25) is set in the 1920s and while it drifts between storylines, is ultimately about the ramifications that arise when "a white fella is shot by a black fella." Described as Australian’s equivalent of an iconic American western, this is a gripping, moving drama that pulls back the curtain on a darker chapter in our history. Grade: A-.

The Shape of Water (out Jan 18) is an "adult fairy tale" about a mute janitor (Sally Hawkins) who falls in love with a mysterious, human-like sea creature at a top-secret laboratory. The story between these two is worthy but some of the subplots (e.g. Richard Jenkins, Michael Shannon) didn't resonate as strongly. Grade: B+.

The Commuter (out Jan 18) is a formulaic action-thriller that stars Liam Neeson as a recently unemployed guy who must identify a particular individual on a New York City train to claim a $100,000 reward. I don't mind this genre and Neeson has made some engaging stuff previously but the content of this film doesn’t make a lot of sense. Grade: C.

The Post (out Jan 11) looks at what went on behind the scenes before The Washington Post made the decision to publish classified military documents in 1971 that showed the government had been lying about its involvement in the Vietnam War. Director Steven Spielberg pushes its themes too strongly but it's still a fascinating true story with as much relevance today. Grade: B+.

Darkest Hour (out Jan 11) is a historical drama that spans only a few weeks in the year 1940 and looks at what went on behind closed doors before Prime Minister Winston Churchill declared war against Germany. Gary Oldman ticks all the boxes with his great leading performance but the female characters (e.g. Churchill's wife and secretary) are not given as much to work with. Grade: B+.

The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature (out Jan 11) is about a squirrel and some other animals trying to defeat a villainous mayor who threatens their lifestyle. Given the original wasn't released in Australian cinemas, I'm not sure why this is getting a run now. It's intended for young kids with almost no humour for adults. Not a fan. Grade: C-.

All the Money in the World (out Jan 4) is set in 1973 and is based on the true story of an extremely wealthy American businessman who refused to pay a ransom when his grandson was kidnapped in Italy. The production values are strong but screenwriter David Scarpa doesn’t make the most of the 132 minute running time. The most interesting characters (e.g. Romain Duris) are the least screen time. Grade: B.