Nomadland (out Dec 26) is centred on a 60-something-year-old widower (Frances McDormand) who, after losing her house and job in 2011, now travels around the United States in a simple van. Largely using non-professional actors, director Chloé Zhao pulls you into this world and makes you feel part of it. There's no huge character transformations or a “they all lived happily ever after” finale. It’s the kind of movie that asks you to observe and reflect. Grade: A-.

Superintelligence (out Dec 17) is centred on an ordinary woman who must prove to a powerful artificial intelligence device that the world is worth saving. It's light on laughs and the story is nonsensical and poorly developed. That said, I didn't mind the more poignant scenes between the two leads, Melissa McCarthy and Bobby Cannavale. Grade: C+.

The Croods: A New Age (out Dec 26) isn't selling any new messages but it's a serviceable sequel to the 2013 original. This time around the cave-dwelling family learn there's more to the world than they think (including bananas). Grade: B-.

Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles (out Dec 26) is the perfect documentary (it's just over 70 mins) for those who love desserts. An acclaimed Israeli-English chef teams up with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to recreate/reimagine desserts consumed by French royalty during the 17th and 18th century. It won't change the world but it delivers what it promises. Grade: B.

A Call to Spy (out Dec 26) brings to light the little known true story of two women, as part of a broader group, who served as valuable spies for the Allies in France during World War II. The dialogue is stiff but it's still a noteworthy drama that documents a small but important piece of history. Grade: B.

How to Be a Good Wife (out Dec 26) is set in 1960s France and is centred on a struggling school that teaches young women how to submissive housewives. It's like Foucault's Pendulum in the way it consistently swings between comedy and drama but on the whole, it's disappointing. The adults are absurd and the kids poorly developed. Grade: C+.

End of the Century (out Dec 26) is a disorientating drama set in Barcelona about a middle aged man who runs into a one-night-stand from 20 years ago. The alluring, dialogue-free scenes are the highlight. As for the rest... I wasn't sure it added up to much. Grade: B-.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (on Netflix from Dec 18) is a brilliant drama that takes place inside a Chicago recording studio on a hot summer afternoon in 1927. Based on the play of August Wilson (Fences), the film explores many topics (race, religion, money, music) but above all else, it’s a riveting tale of power. It’s easy to forget you’re looking at the likes of Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman (in his final role) given the way they embody their respective characters. Grade: A.

The Dry (out Jan 1) is a wonderful addition to Australian cinema. It's the story of an AFP officer returning to a small country town to look into a murder-suicide perpetrated by a close childhood friend. Eric Bana is terrific in the lead role (love his placid demeanour) and the film is loaded with memorable, distinctive supporting performances. Writer-director Robert Connolly, drawing from Jane Harper's award winning book, deserves praise for creating a credible whodunit. Grade: A-.

Dreamland (out Dec 17) is a slow, formulaic drama that never gets out of first gear. Set in Texas during the midst of the Great Depression, the story is centred on an unemployed young man (Finn Cole) who is seduced by an wanted outlaw (Margot Robbie) looking for a place to hide. These two characters have very limited arcs. Grade: C+.