It’s been a strange last four years for director Peter Berg. A helmer with wild swings of quality in his filmography, Berg hit career highlights with 2016’s “Patriots Day” and “Deepwater Horizon,” proving his ability to stick with dramatic study and mute his invasively impish sense of humor, slowing down his often chaotic stylistics. Such creative success was short-lived, with Berg returning to the land of excess with 2018’s “Mile 22,” a box office bomb that failed to launch an action franchise. Berg is back with “Spenser Confidential,” reuniting with star Mark Wahlberg to attempt another screen series, this time utilizing the well-worn pages of Robert B. Parker’s “Spenser” line of books for inspiration. The helmer comes up with a minor success in “Spenser Confidential,” which digs into the Boston attitude for a shallow but satisfying mystery/actioner, keeping Berg on task as he tries very carefully to create a feature that will inspire more features to come. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

For their latest production, Pixar Animation Studios turns to the world of “Dungeons & Dragons” to inspire screen adventure. It’s not a true homage to the classic role-playing game, but there’s enough of an influence to give “Onward” a charmingly nerdy vibe to go with the company’s formula of family and heart. Director Dan Scanlon (“Monsters University”) gets a little sneaky with his sentimentality, and that’s one of the many charms found in the feature, which has a way of being predictable, reliable Pixar entertainment before it makes a noticeable effort to do some things a little differently when it comes to character and message. There’s a rich animated realm to explore in “Onward,” which plays mirthfully with fantasy, delivering terrific character designs and broad voice work to bring an odd adventure to life. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

While the world anticipates the release of a new “Ghostbusters” sequel this summer, the comedy “Extra Ordinary” comes out of nowhere to actually deliver all kinds of supernatural happenings and consistently hilarious comedy. Co-writers/directors Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman present an Irish take on demonic problems, but instead of going wild with visual effects and sheer noise, the duo plays everything with a terrific dryness, enjoying the weirdness of the material instead of trying to emphasize all levels of quirk. “Extra Ordinary” isn’t a massive production, but it uses its moments well, creating a snowballing sense of the absurd while tending to the genre aspects of the story, finding a near-perfect balance of outrageousness and subtlety. It’s a special film with a large imagination, and Loughman and Ahern do whatever they can to protect the project’s stealthy charms. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Four years ago, director Gavin O’Connor and actor Ben Affleck tried to do something different with the thriller genre with “The Accountant.” The attempt was admirable but the execution was flawed. The pair reteams for “The Way Back,” which hopes to bring something different to the underdog sports movie, adding some grit to formula that’s typically about broad highs and lows. The partnership is more effective the second time around, and while Brad Ingelsby’s screenplay isn’t entirely concentrated on providing dramatic hospital corners, O’Connor endeavors to supply deep feeling to the proceedings, while Affleck delivers one of his very best performances, tasked with playing a profoundly depressed and angry man, while still working to keep the character open for inspection. “The Way Back” is no classic, but there’s power in small moments and performances, rising above cliché to provide a sincere study of burning introspection. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

While “Corpus Christi” is a study of faith as it takes many forms, it’s more surprising as a tale of survival, tracking the ways of a juvenile murderer as he experiences an awakening of sorts while perpetuating fraud on a small Polish town. Director Jan Komasa and screenwriter Mateusz Pacewicz don’t have an original idea with the feature, but they have distinct execution, endeavoring to inspect the evolution of a troubled teen as he’s immersed in a community that’s possibly more distorted than he is, finding purpose while trying to stay out of sight. “Corpus Christi” is unexpected in the way it looks at crime and punishment, taking great care to be mindful of character nuance and reaction, while the general misdirection of the movie is thrilling in a way, maintaining distance from cliché that’s right there for the taking, heading to a more profound sense of feeling instead. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Escape from Pretoria” is based on the true story of Tim Jenkin, who, in 1979, joined two other inmates on a mission to break out of a South African prison. The event occurred during a politically charged time in the country’s history, and the act itself was viewed as an ultimate statement of defiance during an era of violent divide. Co-writer/director Francis Annan isn’t afraid of exploring the tension of South Africa during a volatile decade, but he’s also attentive to thriller cinema, keeping “Escape from Pretoria” involving as portrait of corruption and gripping as a prison escape extravaganza, dealing with all sorts of near-misses and sweaty momentum, making the feature livelier than it initially appears. The effort is never preachy or throttled by unnecessary asides, going full charge as a nail-biting ride of impossible planning and luck, with Annan finding the thrills and chills in Jenkin’s tale of survival. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Michael Winterbottom has always held a great interest in highlighting troubled times, with economic disparity a popular topic of his pictures. With “Greed,” Winterbottom does away with any sort of subtlety, instead going for the throat with his vision of a billionaire celebrating his 60th birthday, with his grotesque life opened up for study as a decadent party is planned. The material has its comedic moments, but Winterbottom is aiming for a more sobering depiction of the haves and have nots, constructing a briskly paced overview of financial manipulation, workplace abuse, and the blind absurdity of privilege, reteaming with frequent collaborator Steve Coogan to assess the ruination of lives as the few retain everything while the many fight for survival. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

It’s somewhat surprising that there hasn’t been a plethora of movies and shows about the life and times of former Toronto mayor Rob Ford. The self-destructive man (who passed away in 2016) and his creepily abusive ways seem like a proper fit for an exploratory screenplay looking to understand how such an unstable man achieved incredible power, and remained there despite ample evidence of improprieties. “Run This Town” will have to do for now, with writer/director Ricky Tollman not interested in a bio-pic of Ford, instead using the controversies surrounding his abhorrent behavior to examine issues of race, privilege, employment, and sexual harassment. It’s a big bag of topics to sort through, and while Tollman puts the pedal to the metal in terms of cinematic style to keep the feature interesting, there’s a limit on how much “Run This Town” can actually process and remained a focused tale. The helmer doesn’t always succeed with his storytelling, but he’s made a lively endeavor about a profoundly disturbing situation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“The Banker” dramatizes the true story of Joe Morris and Bernard Garrett, two black men who challenged the white real estate and banking system during the 1950s and ‘60s, creating financial opportunities for those normally refused such chances to better their lives. It’s an interesting story, but it’s not an especially thrilling film, with co-writer/director George Nolfi (“The Adjustment Bureau,” “Birth of the Dragon”) perhaps the wrong person for the job. Instead of creating a riveting understanding of the central mission from Morris and Garrett, Nolfi generates a television movie account of the story, aiming for a softer, audience-friendly understanding of the challenges the men faced while trying to do the impossible. Thespian emphasis saves the picture, with the actors striving to make their scenes count while Nolfi works to dilute the material, robbing it of real power. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Certainly the topic of “Ghostbusters” and its unusual production history has been covered quite a bit through featurettes, magazine articles, and books, which have all delved into the minutiae of the creative labor required to manufacture one of the biggest film releases of 1984, and one of the most beloved movies of all time. Directors Anthony and Claire Bueno appear to recognize such an informational challenge, making very careful moves to help their documentary, “Cleanin’ Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters,” become something special for fans who’ve been handed almost everything over the last 36 years. Being a homegrown project for the duo, who’ve been carefully crafting the picture for the last 12 years, there are certain limitations in play when it comes to the full breadth of access to the world of “Ghostbusters,” but what’s here is often stunning, collecting interviews, evidence, and anecdotes to best celebrate the feature’s genesis. While there’s plenty here that’s familiar, there’s even more from the Buenos that reignites passion for “Ghostbusters” and the extraordinary effort to bring the picture to life. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Directors Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn don’t take it easy on their audience with “Ordinary Love.” It’s a tough sit, charting the progression of a breast cancer diagnosis shared between a loving couple who’ve already been through enough hell during their life together, newly attacked by a discovery that pulls them through the gears of the medical industry and the pushes the limits of their emotional health. With such a subject matter, D’Sa and Leyburn have a distinct creative challenge, tasked with making the odyssey compelling despite the inherent discomfort of it all. Mercifully, “Ordinary Love” is a thoughtful study of a relationship tested and reinforced, with screenwriter Owen McCafferty making sure to communicate the little moments of feeling without burying the whole thing in melodrama. It’s heartbreaking, but never calculating, paying close attention to character as it paints a larger portrait of health care and partnership. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Universal Pictures spent a lot of time and money trying to revisit their horror history, hoping to trigger a new wave of creature features with expensive productions such as “Dracula Untold” and, most recently, 2017’s “The Mummy.” Unable to make something significant happen at the box office, the studio now turns to Blumhouse Productions to produce a hit, leaning on their frugal nature and fright film formula to resurrect “The Invisible Man” for contemporary audiences. Made for roughly half of Tom Cruise’s salary for “The Mummy,” “The Invisible Man” isn’t big on visual effects or flashy set pieces. It’s a Blumhouse endeavor, and they really only do long walks in dark hallways and the occasional bit of unsavory business. And that’s what they provide with the new release, which goes the minimalist route, with writer/director Leigh Whannell keeping to mild psychological freak-outs as he aims to rework the titular menace for 2020. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Disappearance at Clifton Hill” supplies a lot of strange atmospheres for what’s trying to be a murder mystery. Co-writer/director Albert Shin appears to be inspired by “Twin Peaks,” aiming for border oddity with a collection of idiosyncratic characters and their unusual jobs. The production also takes inspiration from the world of true crime podcasts, embracing the slow showcase of twists and turns as a seemingly simple act of violence becomes a hundred different motivations and backstories. At the very least, “Disappearance at Clifton Hill” strives to be something, with Shin constructing a winding journey into a specialized situation of guilt, aiming to deliver a particular detective story that’s not entirely compelling, but has moments of inspiration, especially in casting and while setting a broadcast mood of sleuthing. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

While many fans of 1998’s “The Big Lebowski” want a sequel to the cult hit, they’re going to have to settle for “The Jesus Rolls,” which represents star John Turturro’s attempt to do something with his character from the Coen Brothers’ picture, revisiting the bowling ball-licking, convicted pedophile for a spin-off. The Coens don’t have anything to do with the new production, and there’s a good reason for that, with Turturro trading the Brothers’ clockwork filmmaking skills for an episodic, wandering endeavor that’s actually a remake of “Going Places,” a 1974 Bertrand Blier movie. Turturro is clearly having a blast with this chance to roll around in Euro cinema mood, chasing any and all whims, but his enthusiasm doesn’t translate into a fascinating feature. Instead of inspired whimsy, “The Jesus Rolls” is a mostly leaden affair that’s distanced from “The Big Lebowski” in style, humor, and personality. It’s indulgent work, intentionally so, and never as entertaining as Turturro believes. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com