The Correspondent (out Apr 17) is a strong drama based on the story of Australian journalist Peter Greste who was locked up in an Egyptian prison in December 2013. The performances are terrific and the production values are credible. Moves at a brisk pace and has a lot to say. Grade: A-.

Drop (out Apr 17) is a thriller about a single mum on a first date who receives AirDrop messages which threaten her family's welfare. The finale is clumsy but the lead-up is interesting. It’s a fresh approach on the whodunit genre as we watch our hero think through the situation, manage her stress levels, and outsmart her adversary. Grade: B.

The Penguin Lessons (out Apr 17) is a weird, awkwardly-told drama. Based on the true story of an English teacher who uses a pet penguin to inspire his students, it doesn't translate well for the big screen. A subplot involving a kidnapped girl is clumsily handled. Grade: C.

The Amateur (out Apr 10) is about a top-notch CIA cryptographer (Rami Malek) who, with zero experience, becomes a terrorist-hunting field operative when his wife his murdered. This is the kind of movie where characters, depending on what is needed to prolong the narrative, are either incredibly smart or incredibly dumb. Lacks credibility. Grade: C+.

Small Things Like These (out Apr 10) is set in Ireland, 1985 and is centred on a softly spoken man (Cillian Murphy) who faces a moral quandary when he learns of happenings inside a local Catholic convent. The film is a stirring character study and an important history lesson. Grade: A-.

The Count of Monte-Cristo (out Apr 10) is a 178-minute French epic based on Alexandre Dumas's iconic novel. The first hour is slow but it gets moving after that. An interesting revenge tale as we watch the hero (if you can call him that) give the quality villains what they deserved. Loved the music score of composer Jérôme Rebotier. Grade: B+.

The King of Kings (out Apr 10) is an animated feature chronicling the life of Jesus Christ - from birth through to resurrection. The voice cast are decent but, in terms of story, it's a ho-hum, by-the-bible narrative that isn't offering anything we haven't heard before. Grade: B-.

Death of a Unicorn (out Apr 10) is a comedy about an eclectic group who capture a cancer-curing unicorn. It tries to be both a nutty comedy and a family drama (a dad reconciling with his daughter) but it fails miserably in blending the two genres together. The jokes are weak and the Paul Rudd character is an immoral mess. Grade: C-.

A Minecraft Movie (out Apr 3) was more entertaining than I expected. The story is all over the place (it’s not really about much) but it works because of the well-selected cast, the fast-paced direction, the cool world, and the nutty sense of humour. Grade: B+.

Dog Man (out Apr 3) is a fast-paced animated feature about a police officer who is part man, part dog. It sounds perverse but the jokes on offer, appealing to a mix of kids and adults, are reminiscent of television shows such as The Simpsons and Family Guy. Fun to be had! Grade: B+.