The Drover's Wife (out May 5) is based on the 3,000 word Henry Lawson short story from 1892 and offers a tour de force lead performance from writer-director-star Leah Purcell. The supporting players/subplots lack complexity but this is Purcell's show and you understand her character in rich detail. Grade: B+.

Downton Abbey: A New Era (out Apr 28) has a LOT going on (perhaps too much so). The best storyline is the "film within a film" as the residents of Downton allow a movie to be made within its beautiful walls. It needed more tension (everyone is too polite and civil) but there are decent laughs headlined, of course, by the delightful Maggie Smith. Grade: B.

After Yang (out Apr 28) is set in the not-too-distant future and is the story of a family which includes a "techo-sapien" - an adult-sized, lifelike robot who offers fun and support to all. Like a cross between Ordinary People and Black Mirror, the film takes interesting ideas and weaves them together into something emotional and thought-provoking. Grade: B+.

Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (out Apr 28) is a Japanese film from Oscar nominated director Ryusuke Hamaguchi. It consists of three peculiar short stories (each about 40 minutes long) where characters converse about love and romance. Strange yet memorable. Grade: B+.

The Northman is based on the same tale which inspired William Shakespeare to write Hamlet.  It’s a 10^th Century Viking tale about a warrior with “hate running through his veins” who seeks revenge against the uncle who murdered his father.  Directed by Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse), this is grim, dark, gruesome, bloody, and interesting. Grade: B+.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (out Apr 21) features Nicolas Cage playing a warped, alternate version of himself (ala Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm). He comes an undercover agent and helps the CIA bring down a criminal arms dealer. I like the idea but the execution is poor. It's a goofy, over-the-top, singular idea stretched out over 107 minutes. Grade: C+.

Farewell, Mr Haffmann (out Apr 21) is a French movie set in the middle of World War II about a married couple hiding a Jewish man (the husband's former boss) in their basement. This feels like half a movie. The story has merit (noting we've seen this sort of stuff before) but it struggles to make us interested in these people. Grade: B-.

The Lost City (out Apr 14) is a comedy which stars Sandra Bullock as a depressed writer who is kidnapped, whisked away to a remote island, and "rescued" by male model she loathes (Channing Tatum). The jokes are repetitive and there's zero tension (the characters act like they aren't even in danger) but the supporting characters, headlined by a scene stealing Da'Vine Joy Randolph, provide just enough entertainment to compensate. Grade: B-.

The Good Boss (out Apr 14) is a Spanish farce about a successful company owner who, in trying to schmooze judges and win a major award, sticky-tapes over growing issues in his business and personal life. This is a winner. Most jokes hit the mark and a subdued, scheming Javier Bardem is terrific in the lead role. Grade: A-.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (out Apr 14) is one of the year’s best and most original feature films. It's like Sliding Doors on steroids. A storyline which is bat-shit crazy insane (characters existing in multiple universes) with a touching finale offering heartfelt joy and significant life lessons. A rich, wonderful, audacious project. Grade: A.