Mama (out now) is pretty damn freaky. It's a horror film that comes with an interesting premise, creepy ghoul and some nice cinematography. Not all of it works but this puts a slightly different spin on the genre with horror enthusiasts should enjoy. Grade: B+.

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (out Mar 14) is an easy comedy about a magician trying to revive his struggling career. This is the kind of film that creates laughs by having characters who look funny and speak funny. I only wish the dialogue itself was funny. That said, I did enjoy the final scene. Grade: B-.

Goddess (out Mar 14) is an Australian comedy/musical about a Tasmanian woman who finds stardom by putting a 24 hour webcam in her kitchen. It’s a shame the screenplay implies a low level of intelligence on the part of the audience. So much of the story rings false. The one major highlight was Magda Szubanski's musical number. Grade: C+.

Broken City (out now) is a political thriller about a mayor who hires a private detective because he believes his wife is having an affair. This is such a dumb movie. Even a half-assed journalist could have exposed some of these cover-ups (as silly as they are). Don't even get me started on the unnecessary subplot involving Mark Wahlberg's girlfriend. Grade: C.

21 & Over (out now) has been made from the same mould as last year's Project X. This is a little better though. We follow 3 guys who go on an epic bender to celebrate a 21st birthday. There's not a single shred of new material here but a few timely laughs save it from being a total write off. Grade: C+.

Oz The Great & Powerful (out Mar 7) is a prequel to the famed Wizard Of Oz story and is flashy, coloured, family-friendly. James Franco is nice as the Wizard but Zach Braff steals the show as an animated flying monkey. While it looks good on screen, the film needed much more in terms of back-story. What we get feels far too simple and doesn't explore the witches very well. Grade: B-.

Great Expectations (out Mar 7) is a fresh adaptation of Charles Dickens' popular novel. It's a rich, intricate story and writer David Nicholls and director Mike Newell are to be commended on the many subplots they explore. Olly Alexander is the pick of the cast and this should satisfy those who enjoy a complex period-piece drama. Grade: B+.

The Last Stand (out now) was surprisingly entertaining. It turns out that Arnold Schwarzenegger has still got it! Yeah, it has a few familiar clichés from the action genre... but it comes with a bunch of great characters (especially Luis Guzman) and a terrific sense of humour, particularly in the final third. Grade: A-.

I Give It A Year (out Feb 28) in an English rom-com that tries to win laughs by being offensive. A shame there's no wit or charm to go with it. I hated every single character (no exceptions) and would rather drink bleach than watch it again. For the purposes of full disclosure, some in the audience did seem to find it humorous. Grade: C-.

Side Effects (out Feb 28) starts out as an intriguing drama but develops into a silly thriller where logic and common sense is thrown out the window. It revolves around a young woman battling depression who is prescribed drugs by her doctor that, as the title promises, come with side effects. Grade: C+.