Endless Love (out Feb 20) is a simplistic, by-the-book romantic drama about a villainous father who is trying to keep his college-bound daughter from falling in love with the wrong guy. There's an audience for these types of movies. I'm not part of it. Give me something with a little more realism. Grade: C.

Nebraska (out Feb 20) is the story of an old man, suffering from the early stages of dementia, who incorrectly believes he won a $1 million sweepstakes prize. This is another wonderful feature film from director Alexander Payne (Election, Sideways, The Descendants) where dialogue has been used sparingly. Bruce Dern heads the superb cast. Grade: A.

Dallas Buyer's Club (out Feb 13) gives off mixed messages but it's still a debate-generating drama about a man diagnosed with AIDS in the mid 1980s who shuns his doctors and goes in search of his own cure. The performances are the highlight here with Matthew McConaughey leading the way in his Oscar nominated role. Grade: B+.

Are We Officially Dating? (out Feb 13) is a pathetic romantic comedy about three unlikeable guys who make a pact to NOT get in a relationship and instead, develop a roster of women who they can regularly sleep with. The film is cliché after cliché until it reaches its predictable conclusion. Grade: C.

Winter's Tale (out Feb 13) is an incoherent mess set in a fantasy world that is never explained. The music is overdone, the casting is wrong and the narration only adds to the confusion. Grade: C-.

Blue Is The Warmest Colour (out Feb 13) is a French coming-of-age tale that centres on a 17-year-old high school student named Adele who falls in love for the first time. Rather than lead us by the hand to a predetermined destination, this is a film that asks us to stand back and observe. It'll provide plenty of conversation starters (good and bad). Grade: B+.

RoboCop (out now) is a surprisingly interesting remake of the 1987 original. It doesn't go overboard on the action and it explores some topical moral/political issues. Grade: B+.

Labor Day (out Feb 6) is set in the 1980s and follows an escaped convict who is shielded from the authorities by a lonely single mother with a shy 13-year-old son. The actions of these characters defy logic and while I'm sure there's more detail in Joyce Maynard's 2009 novel, this cinematic version was too much of a head scratcher. Grade: C+.

Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom (out Feb 6) is squeezing far too much material into its running time and so the emotion/gravity of key situations doesn't get a chance to sink in. That said, many will still enjoy it as a "history lesson" given its breadth. Idris Elba puts up a strong showing in the title role. Grade: B+.

The Past (out Feb 6) is the latest film from Iranian director Asghar Farhadi (the guy who won an Oscar two years ago for A Separation). This is not quite as powerful but it's still an engaging, complex family drama that offers a few surprises. Grade: A-.