Annette (out Aug 26) is as much an "experience" as it is a movie. I'll describe it as a dark, off-beat, musical fairy tale with Shakespearean-like qualities. Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard star as a celebrity couple who fall in love and raise an unusual daughter. From the music to the editing to the cinematography... the film succeeds because of French director Leos Carax. Grade: B+.

Reminiscence (out Aug 19) is a sci-fi thriller with interesting ideas and a creative setting... but it can't bring it all together into something credible and moving. Hugh Jackman stars as a "memory reader" who instantly falls in love with a woman and then investigates her subsequent disappearance. Thandiwe Newton the best of the cast. Grade: B-.

Respect (out Aug 19) is a long overdue biopic that covers a 20-year span in the career of iconic singer Aretha Franklin (played by Jennifer Hudson). I walked out of the cinema asking myself – did I learn anything new about Franklin? It skirts tricky issues (like her pregnancy as a 12-year-old) and spends too much time on feel-good elements like song development. Forest Whitaker is the pick of the cast as Franklin's controlling father. Grade: B-.

The Night House (out Aug 19) is a thriller with intrigue but it struggles to stick the landing. Rebecca Hall plays a woman trying to understand why her husband recently committed suicide. Grade: B-.

The Cave (out Aug 19) is a weak, poorly acted drama that tries to provide insight into the rescue of 13 young footballers from a flooded Thai cave in 2018. Grade: C+.

Free Guy (out Aug 12) is Pleasantville meets The Truman Show meets Wreck-It-Ralph. Ryan Reynolds is playing the same goofy klutz that he does in every other movie... but the script has a great sense of humour and, when you throw in Taika Waititi, there are plenty of laugh out loud moments. Grade: B+.

The Suicide Squad (out Aug 5) is as good as the 2016 original was bad. It's got creative violence, insane surprises, and a great sense of humour. It's taking a lot of chances for a $185m blockbuster (studios often play it safer) and credit belongs to writer-director James Gunn for bringing it all together. Grade: A-.

The Ice Road (out Aug 12) is an action-thriller about a struggling an American truck driver (Liam Neeson) who takes a lucrative but dangerous job of transporting mining equipment on frozen Canadian rivers. The first half is strong and realistic but the film then loses its way and degenerates into a non-sensical, cliché-laden mess filled cheesy villains and dumb motives. Grade: B-.

The Rose Maker (out Aug 5) is a French comedy about a struggling rose grower (Catherine Frot) who, with the help of some new employees, finds an unorthodox way to reinvigorate her business. It’s corny... it’s contrived... but if you’re looking for a simple feel-good tale to brighten up your mood, perhaps you’re the target audience for this. Grade: C+.

Jungle Cruise (out Jul 29) is an unadventurous family adventure about a scientist (Emily Blunt) who teams up with a steamboat captain (Dwayne Johnson) to travel along the Amazon and locate a magical tree. The characters love a chat but they come across as one-note, empty and uninteresting. Tension lacking also. Grade: C+.