MaXXXine (out Jul 11) is the third instalment in Ti West's trilogy (after X and Pearl). It's not as tense/juicy as the first two movies and the ending is underwhelming... but there's enough to compensate. Mia Goth is solid but Aussie Elizabeth Debicki steals every scene she's in. Enjoyed the random, unexpected splashes of violence. Grade: B.

Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line (out Jul 4) is a documentary covering the 50+ year history of the iconic Australian band. The focus is largely on singer Peter Garrett and the group's political activism. It's the sort of movie which doesn't provide reams of new information... but does provide a concise articulation of the subject for current and future generations to enjoy. Grade: B.

Sunflower (out Jul 4) is an Australian coming-of-age tale centred on Leo, a teenage high schooler who realises that he’s gay but it’s quite sure who he should tell and confide in. We’ve seen this type of narrative done many times before but the strong performances and execution make this an emotional winner. Grade: B+.

The Bikeriders (out Jul 4) draws from a photo book and is a 1960s tale centred on a Chicago motorcycle club. Some elements don't work (e.g. Mike Faist's character) and the first two acts are sluggish... but it gets juicier towards the end. Liked the performances. Grade: B-.

A Quite Place: Day One (out Jun 27) is a prequel to the movies released in 2018 and 2021. It features more great production values (love the use of sound as always) but the script isn't as strong. Falls into the trap of having characters do unrealistic things (rescuing a cat) to create tension. Needed more drama. Grade: B.

The Mountain (out Jun 27) is a New Zealand comedy-drama from actor-turned-director Rachel House and it about an 11-year-old girl battling terminal cancer who sneaks out of hospital and goes on a mountain hiking expedition with two new friends. It's too simplistic but might provide a nice offering for families over the school holidays. Grade: B-.

A Silence (out Jun 27) is a disappointing French family drama that wants to be a silly “mystery” as opposed to an intricate tale exploring the seriousness of certain issues. The material leaves a lot of unanswered questions, and I didn’t know much more about the character’s mindset at the end as I did at the beginning. Grade: C.

Despicable Me 4 (out Jun 20) is decent. The films are feeling more "episodic" in nature (mini adventures with no meaningful character/world development) but I still like these films as family entertainment with fun characters, voices, and action scenes. Grade: B+.

The Convert (out Jun 20) is a New Zealand film centred on a British preacher (Guy Pearce) who emigrates to New Zealand in the early 19th Century and finds himself as mediator in a multi-faceted war. Slow in places but an interesting piece of history. Grade: B-.

Divertimento (out Jun 20) is a French biopic about Zahia Ziouani, a woman who overcame much adversity (and discrimination) in becoming an acclaimed classical music conductor. Over-dramatized in places but the film does a nice job capturing Ziouani’s talent, passion, and ambition. Grade: B.