Siddharth (out Oct 9) is the tale of an Indian man who goes in search of his 12-year-old son who he believes has been abducted. The film highlights serious issues within India but it's far too padded (the man spends 10 minutes at one point trying to find a phone number). Not enough material for a full length feature. Grade: C+.

Advanced Style (out Oct 2) is a roughly assembled documentary that focuses on a group of elderly women in New York who are leaving their mark in the fashion world. There's not a lot of content here but it's hard not to like the people chosen to participate. Grade: B-.

Gone Girl (out Oct 2) is the story of a struggling bar owner from Missouri who has been accused of murdering his wife. The film is to be admired for its exploration of "trial by media" and the way in which it looks at the situation through different eyes (e.g. detectives, his friends, his lawyer, her parents). A shame the ending is so unconvincing. I know what message it was trying to sell. I just didn't buy it. Grade: B+.

Dracula Untold (out Oct 2) is yet another vampire movie (there have been so many in the past decade). This is an origin story set in the 15th Century that shows how the famed blood sucker came to be. I like the film's brisk pace (just 92 minutes) and its visual effects but there's almost no originality when it comes to the story. We've seen this before and sadly, I think we'll see it again. Grade: B-.

The Immigrant (out Sep 25) is the 1920s tale of a Polish woman who flees her home country and tries to make a new life in the United States. It's a little slow and a few moments feels over-dramatised but there's still a lot to like about this film - including the quality cast and beautiful cinematography. Grade: B.

The Equalizer (out Sep 25) stars the ageless Denzel Washington as some kind of crime fighting, corruption stopping hero who is void of emotion. The film starts promisingly (there's intrigue) but loses its way in the second half. You can't tell a story this goofy/ridiculous with such a serious tone. Grade: C+.

The Skeleton Twins (out Sep 25) is a dark comedy that draws on themes such as suicide, depression and child abuse. Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader star as two middle aged siblings struggling to find happiness. Wasn't convinced by the ending but enjoyed sharing the journey with these characters. Grade: B+.

The Little Death (out Sep 25) is like Love Actually in the sense that's a group of interwoven short stories that blend comedy and drama. The catch is that it's centred on sexual fetishes. It's taking chances and there's a great final sequence (involving a deaf man) but some of the darker moments don't work. The characters stop acting like “real people” and the humour doesn’t feel natural. Grade: B-.

The Boxtrolls (out Sep 18) is a stop-motion animated feature from the company who also made Coraline and ParaNorman. It may be too complex for very young children but it feels "fresher" and more original than other animated features we've seen of late. A young boy is taken in by a small community of trolls who then work together to stop a nasty villain. Grade: B+.

Sin City: A Dame To Kill For (out Sep 18) is similar to the original in that it is based on a comic book, weaves three short stories together, is shot in black and white, features a big cast, and is dominated by special effects. I loved the original but this time around, the narration is overdone and the stories aren’t as captivating. Powers Boothe my pick of the cast. Grade: B-.