Whina (out Nov 3) is a New Zealand drama which spans several decades and recounts the life of Dame Whina Cooper who helped fight for the rights of Māori people and the ability to retain their lands. There's a lot to unpack in two hours but the filmmakers give it a good crack. Grade: B+.

Bros (out Oct 27) is a romantic comedy (Billy Eichner) about a successful, middle-aged guy who isn't looking for a relationship... but stumbles into one unexpectedly. It's trying too hard to be funny in places but it's still an easy, light-hearted watch. Grade: B.

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (out Oct 27) is the 1957 tale of a poor London widower who comes into money and travels to Paris to buy her dream Christian Dior dress. One could easily think this was written by Hans Christian Anderson given it has the look and feel of a contrived fairy tale but that said, I’m a long-time fan of Lesley Manville and will admit to being won over by her charming, loveable performance. Grade: B.

The Woman King (out Oct 27) is set in 1823 and tells the true story of an all-female group of African warriors who helped protect their country from attack. I don’t think the battle scenes are well directed (too much editing, odd camera angles) but aside, this is a strong action drama. You understand what motivates the characters, you care about their fate, and your eyes are opened to a seldom publicised part of African history. Grade: B+.

Mia and Me: The Hero of Centopia (out Oct 27) is a simplistic, mediocre animated feature where a young girl must help defeat a villainous toad and protect her colourful kingdom. Grade: C+.

Black Adam is a dreadful Dwayne Johnson-led superhero flick where the abundant editing, visual effects, lightning bolts, and slow motion fail to mask the muddled, dreary storyline and the awful dialogue. Grade: C.

Barbarian (out Oct 20) is a terrific horror-thriller which shows there's more than one way to create effective scares. Some scenes tap into our apprehension of the unknown/supernatural while other moments offer a more realistic narrative delving into common fears and inherent suspicions of other people. It's the tale of young woman who finds a few things amiss her single-bedroom Airbnb. Grade: A-.

Decision to Leave (out Oct 20) is another winner to emanate from South Korea. It's the tale of a police detective who, while investigating the death of a 60-year-old man, falls in love with the lead suspect - the deceased man's younger wife. It’s a terrific screenplay filled with distinctive moments. Director Park Chan-wook enhances the material further with his skilled direction with emphasis on the cinematography and editing. Grade: A-.

Halloween Ends (out Oct 13) is the thirteenth and final film in the franchise (if you believe the studio) and while the execution is iffy in places (stiff romantic dialogue, convenient timings, unexplained supernatural gimmicks), the four-person writing team have taken enough chances in terms of tone and plot to significantly differentiate it from others in the series.  The ending is a killer too (sorry for the lame joke)!  Grade: B+.

The Night of the 12th (out Oct 13) is a French drama about police detectives investigating the murder of a young woman. In the same vein as David Fincher’s Zodiac, this is an interesting piece of cinema in that it focuses on the nitty-gritty of the case (inspecting the body, interviewing multiple suspects) and highlights just how difficult it will be to solve. Grade: A-.