Sanctuary (out Aug 17) is a boring two-hander (or "one hander" in places) about the power games between a successful businessman and his long-time dominatrix. An interesting idea but I wasn't convinced by either of the two leads, Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott, or the finale. Grade: C+.

BlackBerry (out Aug 17) isn’t as interesting and juicy as hoped. The real-life tale will provide great fodder in business textbooks but as a movie, this rags-to-riches-to-rags film struggles to get out of first gear. It feels every character has been overdramatised and the narrative focuses on silly, trivial events (like cancelling "movie night"). Grade: B-.

Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter (out Aug 10) is a dreary, slow, unadventurous thriller about a ship set upon by a vampire. Production values are fine and there’s nothing wrong with Corey Hawkins’ lead performance but it’s a weak script (what the hell were they doing during all the daylight hours?) with little tension or urgency. Grade: C.

Gran Turismo (out Aug 10) should lure fans of the super-successful video game but as an engaging car racing flick, it’s a few laps behind the likes of Ford v. Ferrari and Rush. Based on a true story, it's the tale of a teenage racing gamer who makes the transition to professional driving in actual cars. David Harbour is the best of the cast with his performance as a straight-talking trainer / father figure. The rest of it feels a little phoney. Grade: B-.

Asteroid City (out Aug 10) is like a modern art exhibit - it's random, weird, original, and thought-provoking. You either get it or you don't. The screenplay lacks the emotional depth of some other Wes Anderson flicks (can’t say I really cared about anyone here), but I enjoyed this for its eccentricity and bizarre humour. Grade: B+.

Chevalier (out Aug 3) is based on an 18th Century true story and stars Kelvin Harrison Jr as the first man of African descent to achieve acclaim as a composer. It's simplistic but still interesting. Loved the music. Grade: B.

Meg 2: The Trench is a sequel to the popular 2018 shark comedy.  It almost works.  The first hour is pointless and the direction is haphazard… but the comedy ramps up towards the end of the second act and the plot finally becomes stupid enough to earn laughs. Grade: C+.

The Miracle Club (out Aug 3) is a compassionate flick with a contrived screenplay. Set in 1960s Ireland, it's about four women with long-held secrets they need unburdening from. Elevating the material are the wonderful performances of the four leads – Laura Linney, Kathy Bates, Maggie Smith, and Agnes O’Casey. Grade: B-.

On the Wandering Paths (out Aug 3) is the fictional story of a French writer who, in need of physical and mental rejuvenation, goes on a 1,300km hike across rural France. The narration is overused and overwritten. A plot to device to keep details of his tragic past hidden is also an annoyance. Grade: C+.

Sisu (out Jul 27) is a Finnish action-comedy set in 1944 about a former soldier who, while fossicking for gold in the highlands of Finland, gorily slays a group of villainous Nazis. With as much blood and violence as a Tarantino flick, this is repetitive but also fun. Grade: B.