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-.

The Apprentice (out Oct 10) is a moderately interesting release that provides a curious snapshot of Donald Trump's background and the corruption which permeated New York City in the 1970s and 1980s. Sebastian Stan does a decent job playing Trump (he doesn't overplay the role) but the more interesting character is lawyer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong) who becomes Trump's ruthless mentor. Grade: B.

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (out Oct 10) is a documentary that covers the life of the late actor - from stepping into the shoes of the caped hero... through to his life as quadriplegic. With access to insightful interviews and old home movie footage, this is interesting from start to finish. Grade: B+.

Ghostlight (out Oct 10) is a well-intentioned but contrived drama about a father dealing with grief who finds comfort after joining a small theatre group. Nice performances but the metaphors (Romeo & Juliet v. real life) are laid on thickly. Grade: B-.

Hellboy: The Crooked Man (out Oct 10) offers a violent, comedic reboot of the franchise. Set in a creepy, remote community which "has the stink", Hellboy becomes entangled in a mystery involving witches and other demonic beings. The story didn't win me over. Grade: C+.

Blink Twice (out Aug 22) takes a while to get to the punchline (slowish intro) but once it does, it’s an engaging thriller. It’s centred two women who befriend a reclusive billionaire and travel to his remote island for an alcohol-fuelled holiday. Grade: B+.

Joker: Folie à Deux (out Oct 3) is set two years after the events of 2019’s Joker and follows Arthur Fleck’s (Joaquin Phoenix) court room trial and his romantic relationship with an obsessed fan (Lady Gaga). Has some interesting ideas with a splash of creativity (musical numbers) but the narrative is light. Court room scenes drag, and lawyer scenes become repetitive. Grade: B-.

The Critic (out Oct 3) is a 1930s tale about an elderly theatre critic, famous for his barbs and insults, whose job is at risk following a change in newspaper management. Liked the first half but when it develops into a contrived thriller in the later stages, I was less convinced. 85-year-old Ian McKellen has fun in the title role. Grade: B-.

Megalopolis (out Sep 26) is from 85-year-old director Francis Ford Coppola and is a Shakespearean-style dark comedy about a man's vision for a futuristic New York City. The narration is frustrating, the storyline is disjointed, the CGI is average, and the dialogue is laughably stiff. Grade: C-.

A Difficult Year (out Sep 26) is a disappointing French comedy about two debt-laden friends who infiltrate an environmental activist group in pursuit of free food, drinks... and romance. It's an absurd storyline with weird subplots. I didn't like any of the characters. Grade: C.