Scarygirl (out Oct 26) is an Aussie animated feature (how rare) about villainous animals who kidnap a giant octopus, and the one-eyed (literally) daughter trying to save the day. The dialogue is stiff and it has a vibe of a simple TV cartoon. For youngsters, not adults. Grade: C+.

Killers of the Flower Moon (out Oct 19) is the latest from director Martin Scorsese and is a 206 minute epic about white settlers trying, through all means possible, to take control of valuable oil wells run by a Native American tribe. Interesting characters and sensational performances... but the pacing is slow. Wanted to see more of the Osage perspective. Grade: B+.

Nyad (out Oct 19) is far from perfect (just like its protagonist) but worth a look-see. It’s based on the true story of a 64-year-old woman who, in fulfilling a life-long dream, swam 177km from Cuba to the United States. A few subplots are clumsily handled (child abuse) but the up-and-down friendship between Diana Nyad and her loyal coach is brilliantly fleshed out by stars Annette Bening and Jodie Foster. Grade: B.

Oink (out Oct 19) is a stop-motion animated feature about a young Vegan girl and her pet pig. Make in The Netherlands and clocking in at just 72 minutes, this is super cute and offers both low-tone (poop jokes) and high-tone (dark stuff) humour. Grade: A-.

The Origin of Evil (out Oct 19) is a French drama-thriller about a poverty-stricken factory worker who reaches out to her estranged, wealthy father. It gets a bit too conveniently twisty in the later stages but Laure Calamy is terrific in the lead role. Grade: B.

The Crime is Mine (out Oct 12) is an off-the-rails French film which pays tribute to 1930s screwball comedies. It's centred on a struggling actress who, despite being innocent, pleads guilty to the murder of a renowned producer to help further her career. The script drags in places... but the finale is a winner and the cast create a fun energy. Grade: B-.

Lie with Me (out Oct 12) is a French film about a successful writer who visits his childhood town for the first time in 35 years and is flooded by a wave of old memories... and new learnings. The performances are superb and director Olivier Peyon finds the right balance of comedy, drama, and romance. Grade: A-.

Expendables 4 (out Oct 5) is a limp action piece with rushed, over-edited battle scenes and uninspired comedy. Not sure how much life this series has left in it. Grade: C+.

The Exorcist: Believer (out Oct 5) is a lacklustre horror-thriller about two demonically-possessed girls and their parents trying to help. I like it’s early approach as a more realistic, character-driven piece (Leslie Odom Jr is quite good) but the finale lacks spark. Grade: B-.

Shayda (out Oct 5) is Australia's entry for Best International Feature at next year’s Academy Awards and is a superb, thought-provoking piece of cinema. Inspired by the upbringing of writer-director Noora Niasari, the film is set in 1990s and is centred on an Iranian mother living in a women’s shelter in Melbourne. The cast are meticulous in imparting each character’s emotions onto the audience. Grade: A-.