The Nun II (out Sep 7) lacks a strong enough plot to maintain one’s attention for two hours. Still, the film is to be admired for the cinematography of Tristan Nyby (The Dark and the Wicked) and the editing of Gregory Plotkin (Get Out) who help create some great individual scenes (e.g. a windswept magazine rack). Grade: B-.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is the new frontrunner for worst movie of 2023.  Rushed subplots, haphazard editing, repetitive jokes, weird tonal shifts, and zero laughs.  Was there a script?  How did it all go so wrong?  Grade: C-.

Theatre Camp (out Sep 7) is a light, breezy watch. It's a Christopher Guest-inspired mockumentary centred on a summer camp for nerdish kids who love acting and musical theatre. The idiosyncrasies of the adult characters are overcooked and I wish we saw more focus on the kids (they're great) but there's still plenty of laughs on offer - some quick, throw-away gags and some requiring a longer set up (like the climax to the camp ending musical). Grade: B.

Everybody Loves Jeanne (out Sep 7) is an annoying French comedy about a financially strapped woman who puts her late mother's apartment on the market to help get her life back on track. Just because these characters are eccentric doesn't mean they're funny. Grade: C.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (out Sep 7) benefits from not being a slavish remake of the earlier films. It has a fresh visual footprint (looks like a painting), an energetic cast, and a workable screenplay (not perfect but good enough). Grade: B+.

The Equalizer 3 has a few too many non-sensical moments for my liking (even for an action-thriller) but as a simple film with a decent good guy (Denzel Washington) dishing it out to nasty bad guys to deserve a whooping (plus a few more violent acts), it works. Grade: B-.

Haunted Mansion (out Aug 31) is a reboot of the 2003 original and is a safe, formulaic, PG-rated comedy pitched at the family crowd. There’s enough here to satisfy younger audiences. For everyone else, there's a few decent gags but not enough to entertain for the full two hours. Grade: B-.

My Sailor, My Love (out Aug 31) has three great performances at its centre but there isn't enough character development to fully understand what's driving each of them. It's the story of an elderly man who, against the wishes of his daughter, forms a romantic connection with his new housekeeper. Grade: B.

Past Lives (out Aug 31) is a sensational romantic drama which highlights both the simplicity and complexity of the human condition. First-time writer-director Celine Song enhances the already great material with a brilliant cast, a beautiful film score, and the use of long, unedited takes during key conversations. One of the year's best. Grade: A.

Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story (out Aug 31) is a documentary about the iconic Australian music producer/promoter and is interesting from start to finish. It doesn’t shy away from Gudinski’s flaws, but it also celebrates his incredible contribution to the Australian music industry and the number of people who benefited. Many terrific behind-the-scenes stories are told. Grade: B+.