Lamb (out Oct 14) is a peculiar film set on a remote Icelandic farm about a childless couple raising an unusual animal. I admire the film's "strangeness" and the way the characters think everything is normal... but I’m not sure audiences will walk out of this thinking they were challenged enough. Lacks a great finale. Grade: B.

A Fire Inside (out Oct 7) is an Australian made documentary that pays homage to volunteers of the Royal Fire Service and their efforts, both during and in the aftermath, of the fierce 2019-20 bushfire season. A few too many talking heads but still a nice tribute. Grade: B.

Love is Love is Love (out Oct 7) is a collection of three lifeless, pointless short stories that having nothing to offer. Grade: C-.

Riders of Justice (out Sep 30) is a Danish dark comedy about an army man, a computer hacker, and two mathematicians who take on a powerful gang after a suspicious train crash. This is a brilliant, original, funny, surprising movie that flips the action hero genre on its head. One of the year's best. Grade: A.

Skies of Lebanon (out Sep 30) is a nice but not particularly deep film about a Swiss woman who immigrates to Lebanon in the 1950s, starts a family, and then has to make tough decisions when war breaks out. Some cool visuals in the opening half-hour create a point of difference. Grade: B.

The Colony (out Sep 30) offers up a moderately interesting idea but can't turn it into an effective thriller-drama. The world has become uninhabitable, a small group have moved to a new planet, and now, one of them has returned to Earth to see what remains. Grade: B-.

Nitram (out Sep 30) is an Australian drama that delves into the life and mindset of Martin Bryant before he committed the worst mass shooting in modern Australian history in 1996. Others will disagree... but the delicate subject is well-handled by director Justin Kurzel (Snowtown) and I'm fine with the questions it asks of audiences. Judy Davis is the best of the cast (as Bryant's mother). Grade: B+.

Diana's Wedding (out Sep 23) is an odd Norwegian comedy that follows roughly 30 years in the life of a married couple. Plenty of ups, plenty of downs (as you might expect) but there's not a lot of insight on offer here. Grade: C+.

Persian Lessons (out Sep 23) is a World War II tale about a Jewish man who convinces a leading German officer than he's Persian to avoid a certain death. I wasn't convinced by everything that happens in this movie but warmed to the leading character (particularly in the second half). Grade: B.

The Alpinist (out Sep 23) taps into the success of Free Solo and is another interesting documentary about a gifted/crazy mountain climber, Marc-André Leclerc. It chronicles his insanely difficult climbs while also delving into his mindset. Grade: B.