Girls Trip (out Aug 31) is about four middle aged ladies get together for a fun, boozy weekend at a music festival in New Orleans. You can foresee certain events before they happen but this is still a raunchy, hilarious comedy with some great individual scenes. It’s the strength of the characters that provides the film with its biggest asset. Grade: B+.

Killing Ground (out Aug 24) is an effective Aussie thriller about a couple who go camping in remote bushland and meet some unsavory individuals. I'm not sure about the use of different timelines but this is still a creepy movie with a plausible scenario. Grade: B+.

The King's Choice (out Aug 24) is a Norwegian drama set during the early years of World War II. The King is approached by the German military and must make a decision with major ramifications. It's a touch too long but this is still another interesting real life tale that historians should enjoy. Grade: B+.

American Made (out Aug 24) stars Tom Cruise as a commercial airline pilot who is recruited by the CIA to take reconnaissance photos over Colombia. It's not long before he's involved in drugs, arms and people smuggling. It's repetitive during the middle stages but it's still an intriguing true story that is predominantly framed as a comedy. Grade: B.

47 Metres Down (out Aug 24) is the tale of two young women who go scuba diving in Mexico and find themselves trapped in a cage at the bottom of a sea floor while being circled by threatening sharks. The screenplay is contrived but the filmmakers still create tension by using the claustrophobic setting to great effect. Grade: B.

Maudie (out Aug 24) is based on the life of Canadian folk artist Maud Lewis. Rushing between events a little too quickly, it recounts her struggles with rheumatoid arthritis and the fractured relationship with her husband. It's less focused on her art which is also a disappointment. Grade: B-.

The Dark Tower (out Aug 17) is based on the Stephen King book series and follows a boy who travels to a parallel universe to help save the planet. I can't speak for the novels but this film was dull. It rushes between events, character development is slight, and Matthew McConaughey is a weak, confusing villain. Grade: C+.

Hampstead (out Aug 17) may be based on an actual events but this is a contrived story filled with superficial characters. It's the tale of a widow with financial difficulties (Diane Keaton) who befriends a homeless man (Brendan Gleeson) who lives nearby. Grade: C.

Annabelle: Creation (out Aug 10) is a tired horror-thriller that relies on familiar tricks and formulas and lacks originality. A group of girls find themselves terrorised by a creepy-looking doll with a mysterious past. Grade: C+.

Logan Lucky (out Aug 17) marks the return of Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh after 4 year absence. In the same vein as his Ocean's Eleven franchise, this is a fun heist flick about some not-so-smart guys who try to break into the bank vault at a major US speedway. While I wish the characters relied more on skill than luck, this is still entertaining. Grade: B+.