Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (out Jul 30) features a stale storyline but director Christopher McQuarrie keeps us interested thanks to some wonderfully choreographed action sequences. Swedish born Rebecca Ferguson is the pick of the cast as an individual who seems to be playing all sides. A shame the film's keynote villain is so bland. He’s just another well-funded lunatic with a bunch of dumb henchman. Grade: B+.

Far From Men (out Jul 30) can be described as slow or patient (depending on your mood). Set in 1954 on the eve of the Algerian War, the film follows a withdrawn school teacher who is asked to transport a local man on trial for murder. A grim character study about difficult choices we sometimes must make. Grade: B.

The Gallows (out Jul 23) is another "found footage" horror flick that offers a few decent thrills but not much else. It's centered on a high school who is staging a play that many believe to be cursed. Grade: C.

13 Minutes (out Jul 23) tells the tale of a German man who tried to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1939. His plan was quite remarkable (even though it failed) but the film focuses more on his background and motivations. It's therefore not as exciting as you might think. Grade: B-.

Self/Less (out Jul 23) is an unevenly paced sci-fi thriller about a dying man who is given a new body... but he finds out it's been used before. The characters act stupidly and the screenplay rushes too quickly between its twists and turns. Face/Off did it much better. Grade: C+.

Mr Holmes (out Jul 23) isn’t really a whodunit tale (despite what the title may imply). It’s a sad, heart-warming drama about an old, prickly man in desperate need of a connection. Featuring a great performance from Ian McKellen, it culminates with a memorable punch line that has something to say about the value of fiction when compared to reality. Grade: A-.

Ant-Man (out Jul 16) is the latest Marvel superhero to make it to the big screen and, as the title suggests, follows a guy who can shrunk to the size of the ant (which comes in handy when fighting crime). I was underwhelmed by the film's villain and its familiar themes. Paul Rudd isn't too bad as the star. Grade: B-.

Paper Towns (out Jul 16) follows a high school teenager who goes in search of his "dream" girlfriend (despite the fact they never talk) after she mysteriously goes missing. These characters are shallow and moronic. If Paper Towns is representative of the youth of today, our species is truly doomed. Grade: C.

Women He's Undressed (out Jul 16) is a documentary that chronicles the life of Orry-Kelly - an Australian costume designer who make it big in Hollywood in the 1930s. His highs were very high. His lows were very low. A major part of the film’s allure is that you feel like you’re accompanying director Gillian Armstrong on this journey of discovery. An interesting individual. Grade: B+.

Ruben Guthrie (out Jul 16) is a dreadful Aussie film about an alcoholic advertising guru who takes a year off grog to win back his fiancé. Every character feels over-the-top with the exception of Ruben's bearded kayaking friend. It's a serious subject matter but this film is very hard to take seriously. Grade: C-.