War for the Planet of the Apes (out Jul 27) is another strong entry in this franchise. It is told entirely from the perspective of the apes and makes you cheer for them as opposed to the humans. It delves into the role of a leader and the strength it takes to forgive in the aftermath of an atrocity. Grade: B+.

A Monster Calls (out Jul 27) is based on the novel by British author Patrick Ness and is about 12-year-old boy trying to come to grips with his mother's terminal cancer. This is a beautiful coming-of-age drama with some wonderful visual imagery. It delves into the ways we deal with grief whilst also reminding us that there are many different perspectives when looking through the prism of life. Grade: A.

Kiki, Love to Love (out Jul 27) is a Spanish remake of The Little Death (an Aussie film released in 2014) and follows 5 couples with unusual sexual fetishes. If you've seen the original, there's almost no need to see this as it's a very close remake. I found is hard to be energised by the material given it is so familiar. Grade: B-.

The Space Between (out Jul 20) is a drama about a middle-aged Italian man who falls in love with an Australian woman whilst also dealing with a tragic event. There's a lot of interaction but I struggled to get inside the heads of these characters and therefore, didn't care all that much about their fate. Grade: C+.

Dunkirk (out Jul 20) is an intense, unrelenting drama that follows members of the British army, navy and air force as they try to escape the beaches of Dunkirk, France in May 1940. Great use of sound, music and time combined with a noticeable lack of dialogue. I was a sweaty mess by the end. Grade: A.

Paris Can Wait (out Jul 20) follows a married woman (Diane Lane) who goes on a road trip across France with a movie producer intent on seducing her. Those that have been to France might enjoy the look of the food and the scenic landscapes but for those after a character-driven drama, this comes up empty. Grade: C.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (out Jul 6) is a super fun reboot that, thankfully, isn't another origin story. Michael Keaton is great as the believable villain and Tom Holland is full of personality in the lead role. Grade: A-.

Baby Driver (out Jul 13) is about a quiet, mysterious young man who acts as a getaway driver for a group of criminals. I wasn’t fully sold by the ending but this is still a super fun action film from director Edgar Wright that uses music as its hook as opposed to over-the-top stunts and special effects. Grade: A-.

The Beguiled (out Jul 13) is set in 1864 during the midst of the American Civil War. An injured soldier is taken in a group of women running a seminary in rural Virginia. There are mind games aplenty here and the character interaction is terrific. Still, it's a little on the slow side in places. Grade: B+.

It Comes At Night (out Jul 6) is a superb thriller about a family who take refuge in the woods after a deadly virus engulfs the planet. This is about as realistic as it gets for the genre with the characters acting rationally and logically. This adds to the tension in a major way. Grade: A-.