AfrAId (out Aug 29) is a thriller about a family who adopt a revolutionary AI device to manage their home. There's early intrigue but the film weakens in the final half. Underwhelming finale. Grade: B-.

Midas Man (out Aug 29) is an interesting biopic about Brian Epstein, the man who managed The Beatles despite having no prior experience. It's only scratching the surface in terms of narrative, but I liked the lead performance of Jacob Fortune-Lloyd and the lighter tone served by director Joe Stephenson. Grade: B+.

A Horse Named Winx (out Sep 5) is a documentary that provides a nice summary of a great chapter in Australian horse racing. In addition to the famed horse, the film has a strong focus on trainer Chris Waller and regular jockey Hugh Bowman. In terms of Winx's achievements, the filmmakers zero-in on the four Cox Plate runs and the 33-consecutive wins. Offers something for everyone. Grade: B.

Strange Darling (out Aug 22) is an effectively told thriller about a serial killer going in search of new victims. The unorthodox structure makes it very memorable! Superb performances too! Grade: A-.

Touch (out Aug 22) is a beautiful film and a widowed man who travels from Iceland to London to reconnect with a Japanese woman he met 50 years earlier. It's a credible romantic tale that touches the heart and offers a few laughs along the way. If all cinema was this good, this world would be a better place. Grade: A-.

Take My Hand (out Aug 22) is an Australian romantic drama loosely inspired by the life of the film's two creators. It stars Radha Mitchell as a middle-aged woman adjusting her life after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The dialogue is stiff, the tone is confusing, and the pace is messy... but it's still a well-intentioned eye-opener about MS impacts people and those around them. Grade: B-.

Alien: Romulus (out Aug 15) is a “standalone” sequel which takes place between the events of Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986). A group of enslaved youngsters flee a desolate planet but end up on a decommissioned space station swarming with aliens. They’re not the most interesting characters and the film gives off a seen-it-all-before vibe. Grade: C+.

Borderlands (out Aug 8) is an action-comedy based off a video game series created in 2009. An eclectic group find themselves looking for treasure on a war-torn planet. Aiming for a blend of Star Trek and Indiana Jones, the end result is underwhelming. Grade: C+.

Iris and the Men (out Aug 15) is a disappointing French comedy about a married businesswoman (Laure Calamy) who, unsatisfied by her husband, goes in search of men on dating apps for one-night stands. Perhaps I’m not the target audience but I struggled to find laughs given the contrived, over-the-top screenplay. Grade: C.

It Ends with Us (out Aug 8) is based on the best-selling book and is the story of a woman (Blake Lively) who returns to her childhood home in Boston, opens her dream flower shop, and falls in love with a handsome neurosurgeon. Old memories from the past and fresh events in the present threaten to derail her newfound happiness. The film has its flaws (too long, Lively’s character needed more depth) but the messages are important. Worth seeing and discussing. Grade: B.