Detail adds excitement to Cold War-era thriller

Steven Spielberg’s “Bridge of Spies” is the real-life story of attorney James Donovan, who negotiated the release of captured American spy-plane pilot Gary Powers and American student Frederick Pryor from Soviet-controlled East Germany during the Cold War. Tom Hanks is excellent as the mild-mannered yet steely Donovan, and the details of the release, portrayed in a historically accurate way, prove far more gripping than the fake dramatics of past best-picture winner “Argo.”

I studied in Germany in the 1970s and especially enjoyed the film’s depiction of the dark mood of the divided city.

—Steven Mark

Intense ‘Spotlight’ reflects journalists’ grit, determination

Journalists are often shortchanged by filmmakers who feel their heroes need more than words to do battle. But in the gripping drama “Spotlight,” nominated for six Oscars including best picture, it’s the journalists who fight a battle for the ages as they dig into the sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests in Boston. Inspired by the true story of reporters and editors at The Boston Globe, the film never sensationalizes journalism, even when its main characters finally understand the gravity of what they uncovered in 2001.

The stellar cast is led by Michael Keaton, Liev Schreiber and Oscar nominees Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams. Tom McCarthy, nominated for his work as director and co-writer, accurately captures the nuances of newsroom culture, from tedious reporting to the desire to get the story first. “Spotlight” succeeds because it doesn’t glamorize reporters, choosing instead to underscore the impact of what they do every day. Available Tuesday on DVD/Blu-ray.

—Mike Gordon

‘The Big Short’ takes funny jab at Wall Street

You’ll laugh but you might also want to leap from your chair and storm Wall Street as you watch best-picture nominee “The Big Short.” It’s funny and off the wall while infused with righteous rage at the bankers’ greed and regulators’ incompetence. The film uses humor, star power and some unusual techniques to show how Big Money’s house of cards collapsed in 2007, precipitating the mortgage crisis and a nationwide recession.

Supporting-actor nominee Christian Bale and Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt all play against type as a motley crew of high-finance characters. But much of the credit should go to veteran comedy writer and director Adam McKay (“Anchorman”), who earned Oscar nominations for directing and as a co-writer of the adapted screenplay. Available March 15 on DVD/Blu-ray.

—Elizabeth Kieszkowski

Wild, fiery scenes glue you to your seat

Two words: Mad Max. Two more words: Tom Hardy. There was no more potent pairing on the movie screen in 2015 than George Miller’s post-apocalyptic loner and the brooding British actor who plays him in best-picture nominee “Mad Max: Fury Road.” But both Max and Charlize Theron’s Imperator Furiosa take a back seat to the pedal-to-the-metal action, much of which relies on gonzo stunt work and precise four-wheel choreography instead of green-screen trickery. The thrilling result: 10 Academy Award nominations and a rip-roaring feminist fable that grabs you by the throat and keeps you in its thrall for the entire two-hour spectacle. And, come on, a guitar that shoots flames? It was the most fun I had at the movies all year.

Although denied for “Max,” Hardy’s magnetic intensity earned him a supporting-actor nomination in another best-picture candidate, “The Revenant.”

—Christie Wilson

Stallone returns to glory in ‘Creed’

I have never been a Sylvester Stallone fan. I never watched “Rocky,” and if I did watch any of the sequels, I surely don’t remember them. I have seen other Stallone films, but for the most part he plays the same one-dimensional character in a different locale and with a different cast of characters to save or kill.

Then along came “Creed,” and I walked out of the theater raving about Stallone’s performance. He fits the role of an aging boxer perfectly and pulls off the few comedic lines and emotional scenes without going over the top. He gives Rocky Balboa genuine depth. Stallone earned an Oscar nod for best supporting actor, and I’m happy he won a Golden Globe. It’s been more than 40 years since Stallone won acclaim for the first “Rocky,” and his latest kudos are well deserved. Available March 1 on DVD/Blu-ray.

—Michelle Ramos