Fall (out Sep 22) is a fictional thriller about two experienced climbers who scale a 600-metre television tower and then get stuck at the top after the rusty ladder breaks. The opening act (dumb backstory) and closing act (rushed, clumsy) didn't work for me but the middle act is terrific and, thanks to great cinematography and sound, director Scott Mann makes the most of the scenario. Grade: B.

The Curious Case of Dolphin Bay (out Sep 22) won't win awards for its acting but it's a watchable Australian-made family flick about teenagers going in search of a long-lost treasure. For kids more than adults. Grade: B-.

Moonage Daydream (out Sep 15) is a non-traditional documentary about captures the essence of the late David Bowie. I like this line from director Brett Morgen - “If you can put it in a book, I don’t want it in my films.” Void of narration and talking heads, Morgen provides audiences with a wild, uplifting “experience” through the mediums of sight and sound. Grade: A-.

DC League of Super-Pets (out Sep 15) is a cute animated feature about a group of animals who are called upon to support the more traditional human superheroes. The jokes are hit and miss but it's a good one for younger audiences. Grade: B.

Bodies Bodies Bodies (out Sep 15) is a thriller about a group of young friends who get together for a drug/alcohol fuelled catch up. When one of them is killed, the finger pointing begins. I liked the finale but the lead up isn't as convincing. Grade: B-.

Franklin (out Sep 8) is an Australian documentary with two key elements - one is a depiction of events in the early 1980s regarding attempts to block the government from building a dam on the Gordon River in Australia (an interesting history lesson), and the other is a current day story of a son honouring his late father (not quite as interesting). Grade: B.

The Quiet Girl (out Sep 8) is a simple, nice Irish drama about a young girl who is "palmed off" by her neglectful parents onto a pair of distant relatives for several months. There, she comes out of her shell and realises the value of true parental figures. Nice performances. Grade: B.

Flux Gourmet (out Sep 8) will entice those looking for something odd and peculiar... but not quite enough to sustain my interest here. It's the tale of eccentric performance artists trying to create artistic, musical sounds from food. Grade: B-.

After Ever Happy (out Sep 8) is the 4th movie in the franchise and is completely void of surprises and new ideas. There’s no meaningful arc to the two lead protagonists, the supporting cast offer next-to-nothing, and the storyline is likely to fade from memory within hours of leaving the cinema. Even the most passionate of After devotees must realise they’re being played with by this point. It’s tired, lazy filmmaking. Grade: C-.

Three Thousand Years of Longing (out Sep 1) is the tale of a renowned academic who, while on a business trip to Istanbul, discovers a genie in a bottle who will grant her three wishes. Taping into the same themes around storytelling we saw in Ang Lee's Life of Pi (a film I preferred), this new effort from Australian director George Miller is filled with colourful flair but is limited by its repetitive message. Grade: B.