Black Widow is a mixed bag. The villain is a "nothing" character, the laughs often miss, and the over-the-top action scenes smother the story. Thankfully, David Harbour and Florence Pugh elevate the material and create characters worth rooting for. Grade: B.

Escape Room: Tournament of Champions (out Jul 1) is an adequate follow up to the 2019 original. It's a carbon copy in terms of format and it rushes too quickly through its "puzzles" but I like the concept and the lead characters. Grade: B-.

Werewolves Within is centred around a newly appointed park ranger who, as the title suggests, sees some weird things in a small, remote, snow-covered town. The introductions drag on for too long but once it all goes crazy, the film wins laughs. Grade: B.

Perfumes is a French tale about a struggling chauffeur who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a renowned, introverted perfumer. The connection between these two doesn’t ring true but there are nice scenes where they open up and stretch away from their comfort zones. Grade: B.

Herself is a British drama about a mother who escapes her abusive husband and, despite having next-to-money, tries to build a small house to provide for her two daughters. Clare Dunne carries the film with her passionate portrayal of a woman who needs help but is reluctant to ask for it. Grade: B+.

Little Joe is a curious drama about a single mother who genetically engineers a plant that, when you smell it, makes people happy. Does it have at side effects though? It’s like a horror film that’s not a horror film. The look (there’s lot of green) and sound make it all rather unsettling. Grade: B.

In the Heights (out Jun 24) is a film based on the Tony Award winning musical from 2008 of the same name. The narrative is a touch “light” in that there are no real villains, not much suspense, and a formulaic love story. Still, it has a wonderful, infectious energy thanks to the cast, locations, songs and themes. Grade: B+.

The Sparks Brothers (out Jul 8) is terrific. While most music documentaries tend to focus on artists with massive highs and massive lows, this one looks at a gifted duo who have spent over 50 years in the business with middling success. Director Edgar Wright extracts oodles of humour from the many interviewees. Grade: A.

Moonbound (out Jun 24) is an animated feature about a kid trying to rescue his sister who has been captured by the “Moon Man”. Not overly memorable but I think there’s enough to entertain younger audiences. Fun characters. Grade: B.

Buckley’s Chance (out Jun 24) is the tale of a kid, raised in the United States, who moves to the Australian outback to spend time with his cranky grandfather. There’s plenty of corny dialogue and forced subplots (e.g. the granddad being pressured to sell his land). Not much to it. Grade: C+.