xXx: Return of Xander Cage (out Jan 19) is a mindless action film that sees Vin Diesel reprise the role he created in 2002. Did the script look this bad on paper? The villains are pathetic and the cliches are endless. Grade: C-.

Perfect Strangers (out Jan 26) is a wonderful Italian comedy about a group of friends at a dinner party who agree to share every text message, email and phone call received during the dinner. There are a few surprises and a few "laugh out loud moments". A great finale too. Grade: A-.

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (out Jan 26) is over-edited to the point where it is almost incoherent. A group of dull heroes run from a bunch of monsters/zombies and kill them at any opportunity. Plot is almost non-existent. Grade: C-.

Split (out Jan 26) is a tricky film to discuss. On one hand, it's about a guy with multiple personalities who kidnaps three girls. On the other hand, it's something quiet different. Director M. Night Shyamalan builds intrigue through the opening two acts but I expected more from the finale. Could have easily watched another half-hour. Grade: B.

Live by Night (out Jan 26) is a gangster flick about a man looking to get revenge at those who have wronged him. It's trying to be gritty and realistic but there's a dullness to the leading character (played by Ben Affleck) that makes it hard to be too excited about. Grade: B-.

Moonlight (out Jan 26) follows a kid named Chiron who is from a poor, troubled neighbourhood in Miami. It is split into three segments with each providing a glimpse of Chiron’s at key points in his life. This is a remarkably good movie about one man trying to find love and his place in the world. The performances are hard to fault. Grade: A.

Lion (out Jan 19) is a true story and an emotional story. It follows an Australian man's search to find his Indian family who he hasn't seen in more than 20 years. It’s hard not to feel a tingle down your spine as the film’s reaches its climax. My eyes were moist. Grade: A-.

Monster Trucks (out Jan 12) is about a high school student who befriends a mysterious, oil-loving sea creature. This film has been plagued with production problems and that's evident when looking at the finished product. The script doesn't flow well and several subplots add up to nothing. Grade: C.

Jackie (out Jan 12) is a rare U.S. film that focuses on the life of a First Lady as opposed to a President. Headlined by a beautiful performance by Natalie Portman, this offers a lot of food for thought. What is more important - what we do or how we are remembered? Grade: A-.

Ballerina (out Jan 12) is a simple, lightweight animated feature about an orphan girl who travels to Paris and becomes a ballet dancer. Elle Fanning and Dane DeHaan impress with their voice work but the premise lacks spark and originality. Grade: B-.