Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (out Nov 15) is a slooooow paced film that sets up future plot points in the franchise but doesn't create any immediate tension or meaningful drama. Jude Law is semi-intriguing as Albus Dumbledore and the visual effects are top-notch but I'm struggling to think of other positives. Grade: C+.

Shoplifters (out Nov 15) is a wonderful Japanese film that won the Palm D'or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. With a few curious twists, it's the tale of poor family who informally "adopt" a young girl who is need of assistance. Grade: A-.

Spitfire (out Nov 15) is a British documentary that will appeal to plane enthusiasts. It looks at the role played by the Spitfire designers and pilots during World War II. Grade: B.

The Old Man & The Gun (out Nov 15) is an amusing "truth is stranger than fiction" tale about an elderly man who robs a series of banks in the United States and continually gets away because of his charming, polite demeanour. Robert Redford has announced this will be his final on-screen performance and it's a nice way to bow out. Grade: B+.

Patrick (out Nov 8) is awful. I realise it's supposed to be lightweight family entertainment but every part of the story feels unrealistic and phony. It's the tale of a young, unmarried woman who reluctantly inherits her grandmother's dog and suddenly finds a new lease on life. Grade: C-.

The Girl in the Spider's Web (out Nov 8) is a sequel to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo with Claire Foy taking over the role previously held by Rooney Mara. There's some beautiful cinematography but the storyline is a mess. Too many twists, too many gaps and some very dull characters (such as Mikael Blomkvist). Grade: C.

Journey's End (out Nov 8) is a World War I drama about a group of British soldiers waiting anxiously in the trenches for an imminent German attack. I feel like we've seen this type of movie a few too many times but it still packs an emotional punch during the later stages. Grade: B-.

Suspiria (out Nov 8) is almost impossible to describe. It's a horror, thriller, mystery, mind trip, whatever from director Luca Guadagnino about an American dancer looking to make a name for herself at a German dance studio. It's a wild ride but I'll need time to fully process it. Grade: B.

Boy Erased (out Nov 8) is based on the true story of 19-year-old Garrard Conley who spent two weeks at a gay conversion facility in Tennessee in 2004 at the firm request of his religious parents. The inner workings of the facility and its “clients” will be an eye-opener to many and Lucas Hedges plays the lead character with great skill. Grade: B+.

Hunter Killer (out Nov 1) is an action-thriller involving the captain of a U.S. submarine who must make difficult decisions to avoid a full-blown war with Russia. It comes across as a very unrealistic scenario and the dialogue does little to help the film's credibility. Grade: C+.