Shackleton: The Greatest Story of Survival (out Mar 9) is a rudimentary documentary about the famous Irish explorer and a troublesome voyage to Antarctica in 1915. Moderately interesting if you haven't heard this tale before but it's more of a high school history lesson than an inspiring, captivating movie. Grade: B-.

Creed III (out Mar 2) has a slightly iffy set up (characters not always staying true to themselves) but it comes together nicely with a well-paced, energising finale. Michael B. Jordan, who also serves as director, and Jonathan Majors, as a freshly introduced character, are both excellent in the lead roles. Grade: B+.

Empire of Light (out Mar 2) doesn't fully live up to its potential but it's worth recommending for its homage to a pre-digital world of cinema. Set in 1981, it's centred on a middle-aged woman (Olivia Colman) who manages a slightly run-down, two-screen movie theatre in southern England. Grade: B.

Cocaine Bear (out Feb 23) is “inspired” by actual events and is a horror-comedy about a cocaine-fueled bear who goes on a murderous rampage in a national park. Every character is dull (you won’t care about a single one) but the film does work when the bear is centre stage and ripping people’s limbs off (that’s an indication of the violence if you’re a bit squeamish). Grade: B-.

Missing (out Feb 23) is made in the same style as Searching (2018) and is the story of an 18-year-old girl from Los Angeles who, using only her tech devices, tries to locate her mother who has disappeared on a Colombian holiday. This is completely bonkers and doesn't always make sense... but I was kept engaged but its many twists and turns. Moves at a fast pace. Also a great endorsement for multi-factor authentication! Grade: B+.

Aftersun (out Feb 23) is both uplifting and soul destroying. A simple, subtle, powerful drama about a 30-year-old woman who, through a mix of memory and old home movies, deeply reflects on a Turkish holiday she shared with her father 20 years earlier. Paul Mescal earned an Oscar nomination for his lead role and this isn’t a film you’ll easily forget. Grade: A+.

Fisherman's Friends: One and All (out Feb 23) is an inferior sequel to the 2019 original. While the first movie was a fun comedic drama which promoted a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction true story, this is a contrived follow-up which belittles the characters and creates fake tension. Grade: C.

Close (out Feb 16) is a Belgian drama about two 13-year-old boys who, despite being long-time friends, start drifting apart after starting high school. This is an incredible film! The documentary-like feel adds authenticity, the cinematography is stunning, and the music is haunting. Above all else though, Close achieves its emotional power because of two of the finest performances I've ever seen from child actors. You can't miss this. Grade: A+.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (out Feb 16) is dull. I like the characters but they've got very little to do here. It's heavily padded (e.g. an unnecessary Bill Murray cameo) with stiff dialogue, slow plot, and relentless CGI. Jonathan Majors has potential as a new villain but his character is barely developed. Grade: C.

Knowing the Score (out Feb 16) is an Australian documentary about composer Simone Young who started out in the 1980s and has achieved numerous honours across her lengthy career. Using a bunch of archival interviews and footage, her story is an interesting one. Grade: B+.