Saturday Night (out Oct 31) recounts the chaotic 90 minutes in the lead up to the first episode of Saturday Night Live on 11 October 1975. It's too fast-paced and the script gets bogged down with uninteresting details (e.g. a character's surname) but there's enough in terms of laughs and history lessons to recommend a watch. Grade: B.

Venom: The Last Dance (out Oct 24) is a safe sequel where Venom must defeat a nasty alien intent on destroying him… and all human life.  There’s a few funny interactions between Eddie (Tom Hardy) and the “symbiote” who lies within but when it comes to the storyline as a whole, it lacks originality. Grade: B-.

A Different Man (out Oct 24) is a tiring drama about a guy with a disfigured face (Sebastian Stan) whose life is transformed after experimental surgery. The film unnecessarily hammers its themes home with a sledgehammer (very little nuance). Grade: C+.

Smile 2 (out Oct 17) is an improvement on the 2022 original. It’s about 20-minutes too long but still an affecting thriller about a troubled pop star experiencing hallucinations after being visited by a demonic being. Naomi Scott is superb in the lead role. Grade: B+.

Terrifier 3 (out Oct 10) is a horror sequel centred on a clown-turned-Santa Claus who butchers almost everyone he encounters. It’s a weak storyline but if you want to be shocked by disgusting, brutal, eye-closing violence, this is for you. Grade: B-.

Assassin's Plan (out Oct 24) is a drama-thriller about a top-notch hitman (Michael Keaton) battling a form of dementia who must do one final job to help his estranged family. Yeah, it's contrived but Keaton, who also serves as director, elevates the material with his gritty performance. Grade: B.

Lee (out Oct 24) is a dramatic biopic which tells the story of Lee Miller (played by Kate Winslet), a photojournalist who risked her life capturing the events of World War II. It plays out as you might expect and a few supporting characters don’t have a lot to do but in the same vein as Civil War earlier in the year, it’s a fitting tribute to the work of war photographers. Grade: B.

From Hilde, with Love (out Oct 17) is based on the true story of Hilde Coppi, a 30-something-year-old German woman who was arrested and imprisoned by the Nazis in 1942 for being part of the Soviet-sympathising “Red Orchestra” group. I don't think we get a complete picture of Coppi (needed more info in the flashback scenes) but the prison scenes are compelling. The friendship with a female security guard is the most interesting subplot. Grade: B-.

Like My Brother (out Oct 17) is an Australian documentary that follows a group of young Indigenous women from the Northern Territory's Tiwi Islands who want to be recruited by an AFLW team. It's a reminder about the power of sport to inspire and bring people together. Grade: B.

Memoir of a Snail (out Oct 17) is a stop motion animated feature from Oscar winning Aussie Adam Elliot (Harvie Krumpet). It's a VERY dark comedy about a young girl enduring a troubled life. For those with an offbeat sense of humour, Memoir of a Snail is to be admired for its nuttiness and randomness. One of the best Australian films this year. Grade: A-.