John Wick (out Oct 30) stars Keanu Reeves as a hit man lured out of retirement when attacked by a group of thugs. His motive is simple - revenge. The film is violent but it's also surprisingly comedic. The subdued Reeves is a great for the leading role and the chief villain (Michael Nyqvist) is also terrific. Grade: B+.

Kill The Messenger (out Oct 30) is based on actual events and follows a small-town journalist (Jeremy Renner) trying to uncover a CIA conspiracy. The film heightened my interest in the subject and provides an eye-opening look at the media's inner workings. As the adage goes - "never let the facts get in the way of a good story.” Grade: B+.

This Is Where I Leave You (out Oct 23) is the lighter version of August: Osage County in that it centres on a group of siblings forced to live under one roof for a few days following the death of their father. The conversations drag on too long and most of the jokes fall flat. A disappointing effort. Grade: C+.

Pride (out Oct 30) is set during the 1984 UK miners’ strike and follows a group of gay & lesbian activists who help raise funds for the miners to help further their own cause. This is as a warm-hearted, feel-good comedy that embraces its 1980s setting and highlights a small piece of forgotten history. Features a great ensemble cast. Grade: A-.

Fury (out Oct 23) is set in Germany 1945 and follows a tight-knit group of U.S. soldiers as they complete a series of missions (from within their trusty tank). A few parts feel over-dramatised, over-scripted but it's still a strong drama with Logan Lerman stealing the show in the later stages. Grade: B+.

Living Is Easy With Eyes Closed (out Oct 23) is a Spanish comedy/drama about three very different people who end up traveling together as part of a road trip. It's a little odd... in both a good and bad way. Grade: B.

Son Of Gun (out Oct 16) is a crime thriller about a teenager caught up in a daring prison break out. Things only escalate from there. It's a familiar tale with familiar subplots (e.g. a love interest threatens to unravel everything). Watchable... but lacking something to make it stand out. Grade: B-.

Whiplash (out Oct 23) is a terrific character study about a jazz drummer trying to succeed and his sadistic teacher who keeps pushing him beyond his physical and emotional limits. Winner of the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, this is a powerful film headlined by two passionate performances from Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons. Grade: A-.

Before I Go To Sleep (out Oct 16) is the story of a woman with amnesia. She wakes up each morning with no knowledge of the previous day. Why is she like this though? This is a curious thriller where she suspects that not all around her are being truthful. I wasn't fully convinced by the performances and didn't think there was enough material for 90 minutes... but a few twists and the broad nature of the mystery kept me interested. Grade: B.

A Walk Among the Tombstones (out Oct 16) is a standard but still moderately engaging thriller that stars Liam Neeson as a cop turned private detective who is investigating a murder. It's not an action fest like past Neeson films (Non-Stop, Taken) and that works in the film's favour. It's entertaining watching his character put the pieces of the puzzle together. Grade: B.