Will’s Top 10 3-D

Blu-rays of

2011

10. Drive Angry 3D - The Nicolas Cage live-action flick was impressive with a third-dimension. Depth made highway and action scenes appear deep. Pop-out was a bit gimmicky with objects flying at you for no apparent reason. The movie wasn’t great but was definitely watchable. The visual transfer was very impressive in high def, plus the price on this disc always seems to drop and that’s when this flick becomes a no brainer to purchase.

9. The Smurfs 3D- I had no interest in watching this in 2D or 3D. Grew up a fan of the beloved 80’s cartoon series but Hollywood has damaged too many of my favorite childhood cartoons. Barely any Jokey Smurf, Hefty only has 1 line, no Johan and Peewee and no Christmas Carol special like the 2D combo set. The Smurfs was actually not that bad. It’s pretty entertaining, with a shout out to creator Peyo and a small tribute to the cartoon series during the end credits.

8.  Tron Legacy 3D - Tron is back, well sort of. Actually, Kevin Flynn is back but with his son Sam, now as the lead. Tron Legacy is a beautiful Blu-ray disc with great visual effects. Even though the whole movie isn’t in 3D, it’s still a spectacular film to watch in 3D.

7. Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Film Trilogy (UK) – A must own set for all marine life fans. You don’t receive 1 great 3D documentary, not 2, but 3 of them in 1 set. You’ll have fish, sharks, sea turtles and many other marine-life animals floating across your living room for an amazing experience. It’s a region free set and worth importing when you get a chance.

6. How to Train Your Dragon 3D - At first this was a hard 3D movie to get. You had to purchase a Samsung Starter kit, but now you can find this title at any BestBuy. What I thought was the animated movie of the year for 2010 has been under the radar for 3D adopters. Get your hands on this when you can.

5. Yogi Bear 3D – I know this isn’t a great movie but your children may like it. I know Yogi doesn’t look realistic and scenes with humans just appear so far off. Still I can’t knock how great this looks in 3D. There are some well added depth and slow-motion pop-outs. This is a great watch once, with the added dimension of 3D.

4. Arabia 3D and The Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D – IMAX and Image Entertainment 2 best documentary releases of 2011. I can’t even tell you which one is superior; they are so close running neck to neck needing a photo finish to decide the winner. One film is on land and the other in water. Both are very educational and not even that long to watch.

3. Tangled 3D – Disney is on top of their game right now with their 3D combo sets. They are also have the best post-converted and shot in 3D Blu-rays around. They may not have the #1 title on my list but they are #1 as a studio.

2. Meet the Robinsons 3D – This is my favorite Disney animated featured that’s a non-Pixar title. Meet the Robinsons is so underrated I think, because it deals with a child from poverty. I may be biased, because I enjoy the film so much, but this was a great 3D disc as well. Constant pop-out and depth added to an already great experience. Meet the Robinsons 3D is movie that I truly enjoyed.

1. Sammy’s Adventures: The Secret Passage 3D (Hong Kong Version) – In the UK it’s called A Turtle’s Tale-Sammy’s Adventures. The same movie with a different title, if you don’t have a region free player then the Hong Kong Version is the only way you can go. This was a tough find for me to get since I don’t have a region free player. Sammy’s Adventures is the best 3D release by far. You can pick your #1 choice for 2010 and Sammy will beat it. The plot is average but with 80% of the movie in your living room with the realistic water depth, I can only imagine what Finding Nemo would look like in 3D. I know Avatar 3D fans will be in denial or even refuse to believe me, but Sammy’s Adventures takes 3D on Blu-ray to a whole different level.

Honorable Mentions:

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides 3D, Bolt 3D, Toy Story trilogy 3D, Captain America: The First Avenger 3D, G-Force 3D, Lion King 3D, Kung Fu Panda 3D, Kung Fu Panda 2 3D and The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D

Top 10

10. The Conspirator – James McAvoy is the man. Actually Daniel Day-Lewis is the man, but he wasn’t in this movie.  Nevertheless, McAvoy gave an award-worthy performance as Civil War vet turned lawyer Frederick Aiken.  Aiken was assigned the daunting task of defending Mary Surratt, who allegedly housed assassin John Wilkes Booth.

9.  Thor – Director Kenneth Brannagh takes a swing at pop culture as he manned directing duties for the Marvel film about the Norse god of thunder.  Chris Hemsworth expertly plays Thor with great chemistry provided from supporting actors Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard and Anthony Hopkins.  This movie could have easily been overly hokey, but instead struck gold.

8.  Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol – The American ‘Bond’ is back as Tom Cruise leads the cast of Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner and the drop-dead gorgeous Paula Patton.  The movie featured an awesome chase, new spy toys, wicked FX and an arsenal of espionage.  I was hooked from start to finish.

7.  Kill the Irishman – A film about the late Cleveland mob boss Danny Greene proved to be a small but strong movie with a great cast.  Headlined by Ray Stevenson, Vincent D’Onofrio, Val Kilmer and the great Christopher Walken, this true story combined impressive acting with real life news footage and a relentless circle of vengeance.

6.  Transformers: Dark of the Moon – Michael Bay does it again and brings satisfying closure to the super budget trilogy.  There was a little more nonsense than there needed to be, but the final battle was Braveheart with robots.  Epic.  Absolutely epic.

5.  Drive - Who knew?  This movie didn’t get a whole lot of coverage and I almost let it slip from my 2011 viewing grasp.  Ryan Gosling plays a man of few words who is a stunt driver by day, getaway driver by night.  Walk softly and carry a big stick.  If you can’t find a big stick, drive a black Mustang like the devil’s chasing you.

4.  The Help – Incredible acting and an even more incredible story brought this film from obscurity in my mind to one of the most dramatic and best films of the year, as it focused on the mistreatment of black maids in the south by their white family employers in the 1950’s.  Watch for the small golden statues to grace this title.

3.  J. Edgar – Though some of the historical details were skewed in this film, it was truly fascinating and nothing short of an Oscar-worthy performance by Leonardo DiCaprio.  This bio-pic covered a lot of ground over the course of the late FBI Director’s career and personal life.

2.  Rise of the Planet of the Apes – After an initial viewing in a really bad movie theater, I wasn’t overly impressed.  After reviewing it with some clarity on a better screen and intelligible sound, I was to the moon over this film. James Franco stars in the best Planet of the Apes material from any decade.  The story, writing and directing just rocked, equating to one of the best films the summer had to offer.  Oh yeah, Andy Serkis was pretty freakin’ amazing too.

1.  X-Men: First Class – I’m not a huge X-Men fan but I’ll be damned if this movie didn’t kick some serious tail.  James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender were awesome in their roles as was the supporting cast around them.  The flow of the story didn’t waver, and as a result, kept me glued from start to finish.  X-Men had a lot of competition to contend with this year, but it never fell from my top spot after the moment I watched it.  Kudos to a Marvel film that actually took itself seriously.

Honorable Mention

The Muppets – I grew up with these guys.  When I found out the story was about the Muppets fading from the limelight and trying to get back together, I thought, “How apropo.”  It’s been more than a couple years since the last film (which I thoroughly enjoyed), so the timing was right for a new one.  Like Aaron mentioned in his top 10 list, the smile-inducing qualities of this movie were infectious.  The best part?  Hearing their theme song for the first time in years.  For me, it was 1981 in front of the TV all over again.  I loved it.

Crazy, Stupid, Love. – Romance comedies, or rom-coms as they’re annoyingly called, are typically not my thing.  This movie, however, took a couple on the verge of divorce, a player turned faithful and a smart ass kid with raging hormones and combined them for one very clever and fun film.  Sure Steve Carel is usually the same character.  Let’s be honest though.  The guy does one thing and does it extremely well.  Add Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling and Kevin Bacon and you got yourself a good movie.

Biggest Disappointment

Cowboys & Aliens - (runners-up include Captain America and War Horse) – The title ‘Biggest Disappointment’ doesn’t necessarily mean the movie was bad.  It just means it seriously fell below expectations.  Green Lantern was one of those films this year, though I didn’t have high hopes for that boring disaster to begin with.  With a tag team of Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford, however, I did expect Cowboys & Aliens to be a whole lot better than it was (especially with Jon Favreau as director).  The movie was uninspiring and lacked enough punch to be the blockbuster it could have been.

Worst Film of the Year

Arthur – (runners-up include Paul, Season of the Witch, and Priest) – I love Russell Brand.  I hate Arthur…proof that your favorite entertainers do not always have the King Midas touch.  This remake of the 1981 version (which starred Dudley Moore) did nothing to equal, let alone one-up, its predecessor.  The story focused around one very wealthy man-child who had everything done for him in life.  Things change when he finds true love.  Yay.  I had too much of a headache from the crap this movie unloaded to decipher what its downfall was; the directing, the story…it doesn’t matter.  The movie stunk (really badly) from start to finish.  How bad was it?  I’d rather watch Jonah Hex.

Special Mention – Documentaries:  Beats, Rhymes, & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest and Project Nim – Putting documentaries and films together on the same list is quite difficult, so I needed a separate place to mention two great docs.  I am a huge fan of the innovative hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest and the Michael Rapaport-directed documentary that covers the group’s past, present, and possible future was entertaining, insightful, and full of great beats (Trailer HERE).  Additionally, from the director of one of my favorite documentaries ever, Man on Wire, James Marsh made a new documentary this year that focused on the life of a chimpanzee named Nim.  Nim was the subject of an extended study involving sign language and living with humans, which was followed by a life of turmoil.  Project Nim is a deeply affecting documentary that goes over Nim’s story.  (Review HERE)

Another Special Mention:  Bellflower – Not a film that I am in love with, but I really admire it quite a bit and it was one of those that I kept thinking about after having watched it, then watched it again.  Made for $17,000 as a debut film, using a custom built muscle care (equipped with actual flamethrowers), and filmed on custom made cameras, Bellflower is a unique sort of love story with a hipster meets post-apocalyptic atmosphere, which I grew quite fond of. (Review HERE, Interview HERE)

And One Last Special Mention:  Take Shelter – I wanted to specifically point this film out as well, because while it did not make my top 10, I do think it contains the two best performances of the year from Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain.  This is the story of a man who may or may not be slowly going crazy, due to intense nightmares, and decides to devote a vast amount of time building an expansive tornado shelter under his backyard, to the alarm of his wife and young daughter.  Both lead actors do tremendous work in a film that I would love to see get more acclaim because of it.  (Review HERE)

And now for the top 10…

10.  The Muppets – I am kicking things off with the movie that had me smiling the most this year.  The Muppets gave me all the joy I wanted in a movie that featured these timeless characters.  Complete with wonderful songs, Muppets-style self aware humor, call backs, and tons of cameos, this was one of my most anticipated films of the fall and it completely delivered.  Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller managed to put together a script that lived up to the spirit of the Muppets.  Bringing on the Flight of the Conchord’s Bret McKenzie to collaborate on and write the songs, along with director James Bobin to add his Conchord-style visual sensibility only further helped to capture the fun and witty spirit of the film.  A purely enjoyable film that that brought me lots of happiness.

“Maniacal laugh!” (Review HERE)

9.  Another Earth – The first of the two existential, sci-fi dramas that I will have on this list.  While I thought the premise was interesting enough – what if a duplicate earth suddenly appeared, relatively close, in our universe? – I was really surprised as to how into this film I was.  This surprise was especially due to how the sci-fi nature of the premise is essentially pushed into the background for the majority of the film, as a more low-key drama emerges, based off of a tragedy, and becomes the film’s focus.  Made as a fairly independent feature, only to receive studio backing later on, this feature film from co-writers Mike Cahill (also the director) and Brit Marling (also the star) really got to me with its intriguing ideas and well handled tone.  It was certainly enough to make a lasting impression.

“What would we really like to see if we could stand outside ourselves and look at us?” (Review HERE)

8.  Hanna – I love talking about Hanna.  It has so many cool aspects to go into.  Saoirse Ronan is kick ass as a young girl, raised to be the perfect assassin, who discovers what the real world is like for the first time.  Eric Bana continues to show how badass he can be in action.  Joe Wright’s direction leads to some well shot sequences, many involving slick action.  The undercurrent of fairy tale-related imagery and characters added a neat thematic element as well.  And the awesome score by The Chemical Brothers made things all the better to enjoy.  Hanna was a cool little sleeper that hit during the early spring and I totally dug it.

“I just missed your heart” (Review HERE)

7.  Hugo – A film that I grow to love more and more every time I think about it.  Hugo is an affecting adventure/drama of sorts that involves the quest for a young, orphaned boy, who lives in a Paris railway station, to find out the secret behind a broken gift from his father.  In discovering more about this gift, the narrative segues into another fantastic story about the history and inventiveness of early cinema.  Martin Scorsese not only brought a popular children’s novel to life, he also managed to make one of the best directed films of the year, based on the technical accomplishments he achieves in areas like production design and the fact that his film is completely enhanced by his decision to film in 3D (which actually makes sense, when applied to the narrative) and make it the best 3D experience I have had in theaters.  I can’t emphasize enough how this movie should be seen in theaters, in 3D, as Scorsese made a film that literally serves as a tribute to cinema.

“So I figured, if the entire world was one big machine, I couldn’t be an extra part. I had to be here for some reason.” (Review HERE)

6.  Martha Marcy May Marlene – Along with Insidious (the best pure horror movie I saw this year), Martha Marcy May Marlene kept me incredibly tense throughout its running time.  It definitely helped that the film was exceedingly well acted, contained a story structure that managed to deliver just enough information through dialogue, and communicated so much more visually and through nuances within the characters and their interactions.  Superb editing is a specific area I hope this movie gets awards recognition for, given the deliberate flow of the film.  This is the darkly intriguing story of a girl who has escaped a cult and attempts to readjust back to normal life with family, crossed with flashbacks to her time in the cult.  It has a moody atmosphere, which perfectly establishes a sense of paranoia to match the viewer with the mind of Elizabeth Olsen’s Martha.  I easily joined the cult of this movie’s fandom.

“I know who I am. I am a teacher and a leader; you just never let me be that.” (Review HERE)

5.  Rango – Still probably the strangest movie on my list.  Rango is just as much a fun adventure movie about talking animals as it is a surreal western about a chameleon going through an identity crisis.  Director Gore Verbiniski and Johnny Depp reteamed (after ‘Pirates’ 1-3) to make this incredibly well-animated film that gave me a lot of sheer joy.  It is easily a film that can be off-putting to many, but I was completely taken by its weird charm.  The fact that a mainstream “kids” film could incorporate elements of westerns, existentialism, a Star Wars-like chase sequence, and a plot incredibly similar to Chinatown is kind of amazing and it left a great impression on me.  I am completely hoping For A Few Rangos More.

“Now, we ride!” (Review HERE)

4.  Midnight In Paris – I was completely taken by this year’s Woody Allen film.  Not only did he make one of my favorite films of the year, complete with a top-notch cast, wonderful photography, and a creatively fanciful story; Allen managed to make one of my favorite films that he has ever made.  I managed to see this film without knowing what the early twist of the story was (which I alert people of in my review) and was wonderfully surprised with a very arresting story that calls back to past Allen films like The Purple Rose of Cairo.  Headed up by Owen Wilson, the cast is wonderfully well-suited to this film, given the great script that they get to play out and the beautiful setting they get to occupy.  Similar to Martin Scorsese and Hugo, a director more advanced in their age does not mean they have no more ambition.

“What is it with this city? I need to write a letter to the Chamber of Commerce.” (Review HERE)

3.  Melancholia – The second existential, sci-fi drama on my list and the one that left me practically floored.  There were two things I was definitely not expecting to have done, film-wise, this year.  One was being caught up on all of the Twilight films, but that is for another discussion.  The other was not only seeing the latest feature from director Lars Von Trier, who always seems to be going for a sucker punch to your emotions, but completely embracing it and being fully taken by what it had to offer.  Melancholia offers a long study concerning the end of times, with a visually stunning opening prologue, a “part one” that deals the emotional drama (and sometimes hilarity) of a wedding, a “part two” that delves into the possibility of a rogue planet colliding with earth, and an ending that had me completely wrapped up in its dark, visual splendor.  And I wasn’t even depressed afterward, as I was too taken in by the beauty of Melancholia.

“Hold my hand.  Close your eyes.” (Review HERE)

2.  Attack the Block – A lot of people familiar with me may have been able to see this one coming, as I have been talking and posting incessantly about his movie ever since I saw it early in the summer.  Attack the Block is creative genre madness at its finest.  The story of a gang of South London teens taking on an invasion of nasty aliens is met with stylish direction, a clever and constantly humorous script, a sweet score from the electronic group Basement Jaxx, and sufficient thrills based around the fantastic and practical effects work in the design of the aliens.  At a quick-paced 88 minutes, Attack the Block is the movie I have watched the most this year and it continues to deliver each time.  And here’s a little bonus, believe.

“This is too much madness to explain in one text!” (Review HERE)

1.  Drive – Stylish, smart, and super cool, Drive is my real hero, my real number 1.  I was easily gripped by this film.  This was the incredibly familiar story of a part-time stunt driver/part-time wheelman (Ryan Gosling) taking matters into his own hands, when it came down to protecting a woman (Carey Mulligan), yet director Nicolas Winding Refn completely made it his own.  Certainly not resting on cruise control, Drive is a slick action drama with plenty of appeal.  Gosling’s intensity matched with the surprising intimidation factor of Albert Brooks.  The fantastic soundtrack and score by Cliff Martinez.  The thrilling and crazy-violent nature of some of this film’s key sequences.  The fact that this film has one of the best romantic narratives of the year.  Drive had all of this and kept me extremely satisfied throughout (and enough so to have me see it again the following day as well).  In a year full of great films, Drive managed to stick out to me as the one that deserved my top spot and I will be excited to receive the night-call to watch it again.

“…I don’t carry a gun.  I drive.” (Review HERE)

With the Top 10 out of the way, here are a batch of other notable films, disappointments, and a worst of the year list:

11-20 (Alphabetical):

13 Assassins, 50/50, The Artist, Insidious, I Saw the Devil, Kung Fu Panda 2, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Skin I Live In, The Tree of Life, Win Win

Honorable Mentions:

The Adventures of Tintin, Beginners, Bridesmaids, Contagion, Fast Five, Fright Night, I Love You Philip Morris, The Illusionist, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Red State, Submarine, Warrior, X-Men: First Class, and of course Captain America: The First Avenger

Films I Wish I Had Seen:

Being Elmo, Certified Copy, A Dangerous Method, Terri, Tyrannosaur, We Need to Talk about Kevin

Most Disappointing Films:

Cowboys and Aliens – There was so much potential and promise in this film.  Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig as leads; Jon Favreau directing; Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, and Brian Grazer producing; a ridiculously fun idea for a story; all of this and the movie was still a big bore.  As this was near the top of my most anticipated list, I was saddened to not enjoy it as much as I would have wanted. (Review HERE)

Drive Angry 3D – I was not as saddened by this movie as ‘Cowboys’, but I was still hoping for much more given the combination of the team behind the surprisingly entertaining My Bloody Valentine 3D and Nicolas “Rage” Cage.  Somehow, the movie titled “Drive Angry” did not feature nearly enough angry driving and had a fairly low-key Cage, when his wild-man nature was really needed.  At least William Fichtner was awesome in this film, but not much else was.  (Review HERE)

Top 10 Worst Films of 2011:

Luckily I was able to avoid a number of movies, including two terrible looking Adam Sandler films, whatever the hell Bucky Larson was, a movie about a married horse mother that was supposed to make us imagine how she does it, the arrival of a full-sequenced centipede, and Season of the Witch – starring Nic Cage’s hair.  Still, I found a number of pretty bad flicks to list out here:

10.  Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – As a person who really likes the first three ‘Pirates’ films, I was supremely disappointed with what ‘On Stranger Tides’ had to offer.  Lackluster and boring, everything that people were ironically expecting before the fun surprise that was the first ‘Pirates’ film, is exactly what we got in this fourth entry.  Deadly mermaids were not enough to save this one for me. (Review HERE)

9.  Sanctum – A film that could have been a decent B-movie, with a James Cameron stamp of approval, based on the use of 3D, turned out to be terrible due its clichéd disaster plot-like story and having the worst performance I have seen this year.  Mr. Fantastic himself, Ioan Gruffud, is so bad in this movie that I almost wanted to crawl into an underground cavern to escape him.  (Review HERE)

8.  No Strings Attached – Well it made me either more or less curious about watching Friends with Benefits…moving on (Review HERE)

7.  Straw Dogs – Pointless remake of a movie I don’t even care for that much, but was at least aware of its controversy and themes.  This remake might have been better received by me if it did not brand itself within the same guise as the Sam Peckinpah-directed predecessor, given that it practically reverses the original’s purpose, but no, it’s just a trashy story that builds to a violent climax, designed to appeal to audience desires.  Cyclops himself, James Marsden, might as well have said, “Gotcha suckers!” at the end.  (Review HERE)

6.  The Thing – I was on board with the idea of this film from the outset.  The fact that I heard good things about the practical effects usage early on was also promising.  The result?  A really stale story that had none of the foreboding paranoia that made John Carpenter’s The Thing so effective, along with laughably bad CGI effects.  Bonus points for having the laziest prequel/sequel title this side of I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.  (Review HERE)

5.  I Am Number Four – Hey, it’s Twilight with Aliens!  (Review HERE)

4.  Priest – During this movie, Paul Bettany rides alone on his futuristic motorcycle for days before arriving at his destination.  It is one of the more humorous montage scenes of the year.  And then there’s the rest of this fairly lame sci-fi/vampire/horror/action/western film to sit through, featuring verbal sparring between Bettany and Cam Gigandet, a wasted Karl Urban, and horrendously bad dialogue.  (Review HERE)

3.  Red Riding Hood – This movie is amazing according to my favorite review comment thread participant – HERE

2.  The Roommate – At least this movie didn’t call itself Single White Female.  Not being a remake is a plus, but being a really terrible rehash of a film, featuring a story that’s been done to death is not much better.  The only suspense here may come from deciding on the amount of time it takes before you turn the film off.  This is the film that featured a murdered kitten to shock audiences and also features Cam Gigandet in his second appearance on this list.

1.  Larry Crowne – Almost as insultingly nice as it is bad.  Despite being well-meaning, Larry Crowne, to me, is the biggest dud of the year.  Tom Hanks’ second theatrical feature he has directed pales in comparison to That Thing You Do and offers next to no entertainment value.  Instead, we get Hanks in his whitey tighties, That 70s Show’s Wilmer Valderama as the head of a scooter gang, Julia Roberts looking miserable, and the great Bryan Cranston somehow playing beneath himself, with dialogue that seems on par with lines from The Room.  Not even co-star George Takei’s, “Oh My’s” were enough to save this utterly sad film.  (Review HERE)

Not quite top 10 worst, but still pretty bad:

Apollo 18, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, Scream 4, Sucker Punch

And that should do it for me, with this year’s wrap up.  Have a Happy New Year Everyone! (here’s a hint for my most anticipated of 2012):

Matt’s Top Ten Films

of the Year and Awards

10. Horrible Bosses – Starting it off at number ten, we have Horrible Bosses. This is the fifth comedy to be included on this list. Don’t think this is a good movie? How about asking fellow writer Brian (review HERE), I’m sure they will have nothing but good stuff to say about it! While my bosses have been pretty chill, I would hate to work for these crazy nutjobs (except Jennifer Aniston).

9. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – If you have yet to watch Rise of the Planet of the Apes, you are missing out on some of the most brilliant special effects of all time. No extensive uses of CGI, no bullsh!t. Andy Serkis IS Caesar. Utilizing WETA’s spectacular motion capture technology (used on Avatar) to create an ape might result in the first person to win an oscar without actually appearing on screen. Caesar is home. Check out our theatrical movie reviews HERE and HERE and a most excellent Blu-ray recap HERE.

8. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol – Listen up Michael Bay, THIS is how you make a proper action flick. Not only is Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol a fantastic entry into the Mission: Impossible franchise, but it successfully outdoes it’s predecessors. Tom Cruise, who did his own stunts in this film, including climbing Burj Khalifa, the worlds tallest building, proves he has the balls to do anything. A powerhouse film. Check out our theatrical review HERE.

7. Cedar Rapids – Ever since I watched Cedar Rapids, I have not been able to get it out of my mind. Ed Helms is so harmlessly outstanding in this role that it makes the film near-perfect. I have watched this movie fifteen times and counting, and I’m never going to be sick of it. Read Aaron’s Blu-ray review HERE.

6. Super – When crime screams through the city, it’s up to the man with a wrench to shut the crime up. With the help of his sidekick, Boltie, the Crimson Bolt fights the corruption. Like Kick-Ass, this film takes the premise of ordinary becoming extraordinary, yet makes it way darker. James Gunn is one of the most twisted and brilliant directors out there. His movies are all great (Slither is in my top twenty of all time) and Super is a superb addition to my James Gunn collection. Read our theatrical review HERE.

5. X-Men: First Class – I’ll cut straight to the chase here; X-Men: First Class is my favorite Marvel film since Spider-Man 2. How does Matthew Vaughn follow up his megahit Kick-Ass? He reinvents a dying franchise using a wide variety of impressive effects. We have powerhouse performances here from James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, as well as a great ensemble cast. This movie is the bomb, yo! Read our Blu-ray review HERE.

4. Bridesmaids – Bridesmaids is comedy gold. This is in NO way a chick flick; and if it is, you mine as well call me a chick! Kristen Wiig is outrageously funny in a totally committed role, and Melissa McCarthy has certainly made a name for herself. Is there anything that Judd Apatow cannot do? Read my Blu-ray review HERE.

3. Red State – Red State seems to have audiences split apart. To fully enjoy the flick, you should probably be a Kevin Smith fanatic; otherwise, you may not understand what all of the hype is about. Red State is a frantically shot, well-acted thrill ride. Michael Parks and Melissa Leo are standouts here in Oscar-worthy performances. In my mind, Red State is a classic.

2. Drive – Nicolas Winding Refn not only crafted the perfect cast, he also managed to craft a P-E-R-F-E-C-T film. I don’t like throwing the term “masterpiece” around (although I do it a bunch), but when a film involves Ryan Gosling stomping a mans head in an elevator shaft playing to a killer soundtrack, the phrase is applicable. Read Aaron’s review HERE.

1. Attack the Block – Well, folks, here we are. My number one film of the year. Attack the Block came out of nowhere and completely blew me away. Not only that, but it manages to be one of the most entertaining horror-Sci-fi films of ALL-TIME. This is easily my favorite british film next to Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Attack the Block daftly blends horror and comedy into one fantastic film. Believe, bruvs. Thank you Aaron Neuwirth for letting me know about this film! Read his Blu-ray review HERE.

Honorable Mentions:

Hugo
50/50
The Muppets
Melancholia
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Rango
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
Source Code
The Last Circus
The Hangover Part II
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Ten Worst Films of the Year:

1. No Strings Attached
2. The Mechanic
3. Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son
4. Unknown
5. Jack and Jill
6. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
7. Green Lantern
8. Puncture
9. Breaking Dawn Part 1
10. Cowboys & Aliens

Best Film: Attack the Block

Best Director: Matthew Vaughn (X-Men: First Class)

Best Screenplay: Joe Cornish (Attack the Block)

Best Cinematography: Hugo

Best Actor: Ryan Gosling (Drive)

Best Actress: Kirsten Dunst (Melancholia)

Best Supporting Actor: Andy Serkis (ROTPOTA)

Best Supporting Actress: Chloe Grace Moretz (Hugo)

Best Visual Effects: Hugo

Most Pleasant Surprise: Attack the Block

Best Comedy: Bridesmaids

Biggest Twist: Source Code

Most Underrated Film: Super

Biggest Disappointment: Cowboys & Aliens

Best Soundtrack: Drive

So, what did you think? Did I surprise you? Did you expect this? Let me know in the comment section below. Here’s to a great year of film, and here’s to another great year of film in 2012!

Gerard’s Top 10 Films of

2011

10. The Adjustment Bureau – The Adjustment Bureau is on my list, because 2011 was a turbulent year for me on a personal level and the film was there as sort of a comforter. It’s a love story rolled up into science fiction with a twist. What really sealed the deal for me was the chemistry that Matt Damon and Emily Blunt had onscreen. It was electric! I can’t remember the last time I saw an onscreen couple that played off of each other like a real life couple would. It was great!  The Adjustment Bureau was a film that won me over with performances as opposed to what the subject matter was, but I enjoyed the film’s subject matter anyways. It all worked out.

9. Bellflower – “Lord Humungus cannot be defied.”  —Lord Humungus

8. Melancholia – It’s the end of the world and I feel…depressed as hell. Okay, not really, but only someone like Lars Von Trier could make a film about the end of the world and have it be good. I mean, the world ends in the opening scenes, so what else could the film possibly tell me? There’s so much stuff to digest here, but what makes it a good film is the talent involved behind the camera and in front of it. If you’re down for it, I would suggest watching Tree of Life and Melancholia as they deal with subject matter that sort of correlates with one another. One film is about the beginning of all things and the other film is about the end of all things.  Make a weekend out of it.

7. Warrior – Warrior is a bit of a stunner. Meaning that it came out of nowhere and made it on my list. I saw the promotional materials and really didn’t care for the film. It also had people that I liked in the film, but I still didn’t care. Enter the Blu-ray format. I watched it and was blown away by how great it was! I see several Oscar nominations for the film itself and actors involved. The best way to describe Warrior would be to say that it’s Rocky meets the MMA. That’s also simplifying it a bit, but if you’ve seen the endless promotional blitzes for the film then you’ll already know what the film is all about. It also reaffirms my faith in the Bane character who is being played by Tom Hardy. Hardy was a monster in Warrior, but keep an eye out for Nick Nolte.

6. Tree of Life – Terence Malick made his triumphant return to film in 2011 with his philosophical look at the beginning of the universe. It revolved around the actual creation of the universe, dinosaurs, and a family set in the 50′s, along with one character who seemed to be drifting through life in the present or near past. What did it all mean, or what was it all about? Tree of Life is one of those esoteric films that cannot be explained, because they go much deeper than than a simplistic meaning. Malick films are never simplistic. I will say that no matter who you talk to about Tree of Life, you will get a different answer every time.  It’s a phenomenal piece of filmmaking, though.

5. The Skin I Live In – Being an Almodovar novice, but actually knowing a lot about him and his themes and techniques, The Skin I Live In would be one of those thrill rides that kept me on the edge of my seat until the end. When the end hit, the rug was pulled from right from under me. Well, that’s sort of a lie. The rug was pulled from under me halfway through the film, but you understand. I expect that Antonio Banderas will get some recognition from the Academy, and I also hope that more people give the film a shot when it hits Blu-ray in the coming months. You will be talking about it for a while a afterwards, I assure you.

4. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo – Here’s the newest entry into my Top 10, because I just saw it this morning. I have a built in love for all of David Fincher’s work, and I kind of knew that The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo would be no different. I’ll also admit that I was a virgin going into the world of author Stieg Larsson. I own, but have not read the trilogy of novels, and I have not seen any of the Swedish language films. What I do want to emphasize on is that I believe Fincher has taken this dark material about a young girl who vanished forty years and made it his own. Fincher is one director who is style AND substance rolled up into one. I cannot wait for the next two films which he will film back-to-back.

3. Insidious – Up until the middle of this past summer, Insidious had the number one spot on my list, but ended up being dethroned by a couple of other films. Insidious is the story of a young boy who is being “haunted” by demonic forces and it’s up to his family to save him. Insidious was scary all around. I saw it in a packed house and what made it stand out was how the crowds reacted to it. You had some hardcore grown ass men screaming in their seats. Literally. It was funny to walk out of the theater and hear these “tough guys” mumbling to their friends or significant others things like ” naw man, I wasn’t scared,” or “naw, I wasn’t screaming, that wasn’t me.” It just goes to show you what kind of power a great horror film has over people.

2. The Devil’s Double – Me and some of my fellow Why So Blu crew members caught a screening of The Devil’s Double when we were all down covering Comic-Con in the summer time. I will say that the film did heat up the screen and stuck with me for a while after watching it. Dominic Cooper gave us a dual performance as one of Saddam Hussein’s sadistic sons and the man who would be drafted to be his body double. It was a performance for the ages, and I do hope he is not overlooked by the Academy. I don’t think the film was properly marketed, because it never opened in wide release and it quickly went away. The good news is that it is now available on Blu-ray and it is your duty to check it out for yourself.

1. Drive - I saw Drive the week after it opened and I was FLOORED, pardon the pun. It’s an art house film disguised as a mainstream film, and rightfully so, because it actually crossed over the barrier. Audiences embraced the film even if it was a bit unconventional and went against what they were normally into. Me, I was hooked on the film about a stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway driver. I also bought the soundtrack to the film, and even drove around my city a couple of nights a week like Ryan Gosling’s character in the film. It also helps that I live in L.A., so I know where all of the locations used in the film were. Here we are several months later and I am still thinking about the freakin’ film! It just shows what kind of power it has over certain film-goers, and it’s that kind of power that makes it my number 1 film of 2011.

Honorable Mentions:

I Saw The Devil, Limitless, The Lincoln Lawyer, Super, Hanna, Thor, X-Men: First Class, Crazy, Stupid, Love., Horrible Bosses, The Help, Killer Elite, Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows, The Ides of March, Immortals.

I need to make a quick little blurb of a statement before I begin.  Let the record show that I waited until seeing The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo before finalizing the below list.  I saw the new Sherlock, I suffered through the drab of the long Apple commercial, I mean Mission Impossible 4 and I nearly slept through 2 hours and 40 minutes of Dragon before conclusively arriving at the fact that this list was already complete a week ago.  LOL.  In defense of Dragon, I was excited for it…very much so.  But in retrospect, it’s nothing more than a frame-by-frame remake of the original Swedish film.  In my opinion, besides the fantastic James Bond-like beginning, Fincher did little to make this film his own.  That was disappointing.  So anyway…without further ado…here’s my “Top 10 Films of 2011”…otherwise known as the law today!

My Top 10…

10. The Hangover Part II – Here’s a film I recently just watched for the fourth time.  I’ll admit to not being the biggest fan of the film upon my first theatrical viewing, but subsequent ones have really warmed my heart.  Despite the repetitive plot as it relates to the first film, it’s hard not to fall for the lovable trio we have experienced so much with over the past two outings.  Again, the repetitive plot is what initially turned me off the first time, but if you can get past this and channel the energy of the mayhem that ensues throughout, then I really truly believe you can have fun with this.  I’m living proof of it.  And that’s why…I’m ecstatic that The Hangover Part II graces my Top 10 list of 2011.  It doesn’t touch the brilliance of the first film or awesomeness of a sequel like Empire Strikes Back, but it does one thing for me that very few things in life do…it makes me smile and laugh.  And for that reason alone, it’s worth its weight in gold (buy the Blu-ray here).  Here’s looking to their third and final outing in 2013!  Bring it!

9. Horrible Bosses – Come on!  How can you not like this one?  Just about everyone reading this list has had or currently holds a job.  And there’s no way you can tell me that you never had a “horrible boss,” can you?  I didn’t think so.  So with that being said, besides The Hangover sequel, this was the one comedy I was really looking forward to this year and despite a few flaws here and there, it delivered for me.  But I’m sorry… I STILL cannot feel sorry for the character being taken advantaged by Jennifer Aniston, but that’s just me.  However, I would wager that 99.9% of warm-blooded American males would agree with my aforementioned statement.  In fact, I know I could take that bet to the bank and cash it right now.  I’m that confident.  So there’s some good stuff in here, people.  Have you seen it yet?  If not, you owe it to yourself to pick it up here.  Check it out, yo!

8. Fright Night – Here’s one that I had zero expectations for and practically zero interest in ever wanting to see.  I’m not even sure if I turned a blind eye to the press screening or if there even was one, but whatevs…this was not one I wanted to check out.  Having never seen the original film, my decision to check this one out rested squarely upon fellow reviewer Aaron Neuwirth’s review here.  If he ranks a film high enough and the subject matter appeals to me, then I will give him the benefit of the doubt and check it out.  After all, that’s what friends are for, right?  His positive review ultimately helps the economy.  That’s an important aspect we the movie going public seldom think about.  We are all so wrapped up in instant gratification that we forget how important it is to support the movies we love during their theatrical presentations.  In the case of Fright Night, I just ate it up.  It had the right amount of teenage angst and quirkiness versus evil vampire lore to touch me where it counts.  I’m talking about my heart, folks.  Don’t get any wrong impressions.  This is a PG-13 rated post.

7. Colombiana – I wish I could rank this one higher, but alas…there are more deserving titles.  However, that’s not to undermine how much fun I had with this title.  I had a blast with it!  Like Fright Night above, I had absolutely no interest in EVER wanting to check this one out.  None whatsoever!  But it’s amazing what a Sunday afternoon of boredom makes someone do, coupled with a somewhat negative opinion of the film by reviewer Gregg Senko.  If he hates it, then generally I know I’m going to love it.  So what the heck!  I paid the price of admission and even got one of the strongest cups of coffee I have ever had and had a bombastically fun time with this title.  I’m not saying by any means that this is the best revenge title to ever grace the silver screen.  All I’m saying is that I had a good time with it and in my world and my laws I am governing here…that’s all that truly matters.  I have new found respect and love for the slender Zoe Saldana.  However, I do agree with Gregg.  The girl does need to eat just a little more.  If you want a fast paced, adrenaline-filled, over-the-top zany revenge film that probably takes itself a little too seriously, look no further than Colombiana.  And if you want to see Michael Vartan, then by golly…you’re in luck too!  Aaron Neuwirth’s in-depth review of the film can be found here.

6. X-Men: First Class – Wow!  I’m feeling like a broken record because I feel like I keep saying the same thing over and over in this list.  Continuing my streak of films that I had no intentions or desire to ever want to see is another one of those pesky X-Men films.  Let it be known that I’m not a fan of X-Men lore, nor am I a big fan of the previous four films, especially that abomination called Wolverine.  I did not see X-Men: First Class theatrically.  Instead, my first experience with it was in the privacy of my own home on the stupendous Blu-ray format.  I heard so much buzz about this film that I felt great joy overcome my strenuous body when the high expectations I had for the film were met on all levels.  For once…I agreed with Gregg Senko!  It’s the first time in my life where I was able to say I’m an X-Men fan and I couldn’t be happier that this gem is gracing my Top 10 list of 2011.  It deserves it.  I hope all Marvel films take a cue from this feature (I’m looking at you Avengers).  For more information, check out our movie review here and the Blu-ray review here.

5. Fast Five – I promise.  This is the last time I do this.  I swear.  I’m not a fan of the Fast and the Furious franchise.  The only film I truly admit to liking was the third one for some reason I cannot even comprehend to this day.  I hated the drudge of the fourth film.  Why I even went to check out Fast Five theatrically is still a mystery to me, but nevertheless I did.  And I was blown away!  Sure it’s over-the-top and non-sensical (I think I just invented this word), but this one had heart and a story I could follow.  It appealed to me.  It pulled on my heartstrings.  And that’s all it took to make this one of the finest films of 2011 on my Top 10 list as well as in my Blu-ray collection.  If you can have fun with movies and not over-analyze every little fault like how they could survive the death-defying plunge into the water during the opening train wreck scene, then I think it’s possible to really enjoy this one.  And for the first time in my life, I’m actually looking forward to the next entry in the franchise.  Yep.  You heard me right.  Rumor has it that both a sixth and a seventh installment will be filmed concurrently.  It’s a profitable franchise, yo!  Check out our full movie review here and Blu-ray review here.

4. Drive – My first real exposure to Drive was at Comic-Con this past July.  The clips they showed us sold me on it instantly.  I had no hesitation whatsoever as I tackled the press screening gleefully (that’s a word you may never see me use again).  And what a sight to see it was!  Ryan Gosling was the perfect choice in my opinion as the leading man here.  His performance, as well as the ancillary characters, was simply stellar.  The silence in this film is as “rad” as the soundtrack itself.  Yes, I said rad.  LOL.  I tell my one friend this all the time.  Sometimes you don’t need words.  Sometimes silence speaks louder than words.  Awkward and tension-filled moments thrive with beautifully orchestrated silence…when executed flawlessly of course.  And that’s where Drive’s brilliance shines.  Never mind the fact that a black Mustang GT like mine is given ample screen time with an adrenaline-fueled bang up car chase on the same level (IMO) as the classic Bullitt film, but instead it’s the use of non-verbal cues that propels this story into everyone’s Top 10 list (I hope) this year.  There’s a delicate balance of art film versus mainstream movie here and if I can speak from the heart (of course I can…it’s my rules) I think the production team captured each side of the coin beautifully.  This is one masterpiece that I hope does not get overlooked this coming awards season.  Check out our reviews here and here.

3. The Devil’s Double – Like Drive, my first exposure (this time theatrical) to The Devil’s Double was at Comic-Con this past July.  It was a long and exhaustive first day of the annual convention, but the evening climaxed with an exclusive press screening of this film.  I thought for sure I was going to fall asleep, but how the heck could I?  Dominic Cooper exceeded each and every one of my expectations in his dual role portrayal of Saddam’s son and lookalike body double.  You want to see an actor who deserves a nod this awards season?  Look no further than here.  The fact that Gregg Senko did not like it simply propels my loving feelings about this film even more.  I’m kidding Gregg.  Relax!  I have always been a big history buff when it comes to corrupt dictators and such, so this movie instantly struck an accord with me much like Three Kings did years ago.  I can’t stress enough how much I recommend a viewing of this if you have not already seen it.  For extra encouragement, much like the refreshing taste and pleasure of Double-Mint gum, check out our theatrical movie review here and the ever-popular dynamic Blu-ray review here.  Do it!

2. Insidious – What can I say about Insidious?  Wow!  I’m not even sure.  I was blown away by the sheer brilliance and subject matter of this film and quite honestly, I doubted anything would ever top it this year.  Of course, I was wrong since we are talking about Insidious in the number two spot, but you have to admit…I wasn’t that far off.  Insidious is brought to us by the brains (James Wan) behind the success of the Saw films, but that’s not how I found out about this gem.  I owe it all to fellow staff reviewer Gerard Iribe.  If not for him, I don’t think I would have known about this as intimately as I did before seeing it theatrically.  And how I loved both of the theatrical viewings/experiences I had of this film.  It’s always hilarious to see grown men shriek in terror.  LOL.  When you can do that as a filmmaker, you know you did something right.  With an unspeakable budget of under one million dollars, Insidious quickly went on to become one of the most profitable movies of the year proving once and for all big things can come in little packages.  Who needs a Hollywood big budget blockbuster when you have Insidious, the film solely responsible for making me a fan of Tiny Tim?  Check out Gerard’s Blu-ray review here and Aaron’s theatrical one here.

1. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – Alright.  I’m sorry.  I lied.  I said I was not going to do this anymore, but I forgot.  I never had any interest in this film.  ZERO!  It wasn’t until word of mouth about the trailer started to spread.  I heard how awesome it was.  I gave it a spin.  It wasn’t bad.  Then came Comic-Con 2011.  Lauren Winston and I were treated to exclusive footage shown to the Hall H crowd that magical Friday afternoon before Chillerama.  How could we look the other way?  We were both instantly hooked.  I was pumped more than ever for the August press screening, but you know what?  I still went into it with zero expectations despite my excitement.  During my first screening, I sat on the edge of my seat as I was taken on a holy diver of a CGI emotional rollercoaster much like I was in Cameron’s Avatar.  Like a beautiful woman, this film swept me off my feet.  I was instantly in love.  It was then I realized that despite my previous number one, Insidious, I had to dump her for this.  This movie pulls on your heartstrings and never ever lets go.  I mean what kind of human am I rooting on the apes to destroy mankind?  I know.  I’m a sick and love stricken human.  Hail Caesar!  You’re my number one.  Check out our theatrical movie reviews here and here and a most excellent Blu-ray recap here.

My Honorable Mention

Let the record indicate that there is one film this year that caught me off guard.  It gave me a little something I wasn’t expecting, but it just didn’t have enough punch to find a home amongst the titles populating my glorious Top 10 list.  However, it deserves mentioning.  And that ladies and gentlemen is why the following title earns the coveted Honorable Mention nod, according to the Holy Gospel of Brian.

Limitless – Limitless is one of these films that comes along and really catches you off guard.  When I first saw the theatrical trailer I was like this film has promise, but it looked stupid nonetheless.  Then came all the mostly positive reviews.  Then I heard how good the Blu-ray presentation was.  I had to see for myself.  I took a chance on it.  And I’m so glad I did!  If I could take one of these magical pills, you bet I would!  And that comes from a man who has never even touched a cigarette in his life.  Limitless is a magical tale that lifts you up and drops you down as you experience Bradley Cooper’s highs and lows while he is on the drug and off the drug.  Kudos to the artistic styles engaged throughout the film too.  If you have not checked this out yet, make sure you do after reading Aaron’s review here.

My Biggest Disappointments

This year I have not one, not two, but FOUR titles that fit into this category very nicely.  Actually, there are more, but for brevity sake, let’s stick with four.  LOL.  You ready for them?  No holds barred…

Captain America – Absolute Shite!   It feels like the Longest Act 1 in cinema history.  LOL.   I even gave this film two opportunities to win me over.   It failed both times.  What a bore.  I really have nothing good to say about this film.  The only part I liked was the do you fondue joke.  Other than that…YAWN!  My honest recommendation is to only watch this one when Nyquil doesn’t work.  You get what I’m dropping?  Move on.  Life is too short to waste on this.

Green Lantern – The first time I saw this one I didn’t think it was that bad, but everyone else was trashing it.  So I gave it a second spin when I had to review it not so long ago and yeah…I must have been on some kind of mind altering drug or something during my first theatrical viewing.   What the hell was I thinking?  I know. I wasn’t!  This movie had potential.  I’ll give it that.  However, for some reason, I think the production team was afraid to take this too intergalactic and unfortunately, that’s where the fun was to be had with this film…not on Earth.

Conan the Barbarian – Having never seen the two 1980 Arnold adventures, I was really looking forward to this modern day reinterpretation (a.k.a. a reboot) of the franchise.  The trailers looked bombad.  Gerard said it was awesome!  How could it not be?  Well this past weekend I found out the truth for myself while vacationing in Florida.  My friend and I gave this one a test drive.  If this movie has a plot, then my name is Moonblood White.  Garbage!  I feel ripped off having paid $2.99 for a digital copy.   Can I have my money back please?

The Human Centipede: Full Sequence – I urge you to stay away from this at all costs!  Despite how much I was looking forward to this one, there is absolutely no entertainment value to be had here.   ZERO. This is gratuitous violence and nothing else.   Want to know how it ends?   Here…let me help you save 90-minutes of your life that you will never get back again.   Highlight the white text within the following set of parentheses (it was all a GD dream).

So there you have it.  That’s it.  I wash my hands clean of 2011.  I look forward to reading all your comments of utter hate and stellar praise below.  Have at it!

Thanks!

Have a happy and safe New Year.  Don’t do anything stupid!

-BW

For my top ten I’ve decided to rate them based on a variety of reasons including: my affection for them, their audio/video quality, and what kind of special features were offered.  This year, since all of the movies on my list are fairly equal when all of the factors are added up, it came down to simply which movies that I love and will watch the most, which resulted in the following list which would make excellent holiday gifts:

10. Tron Legacy - Both TRON movies used cutting edge special effects to tell a real human story about technology and its place in our lives.  Kevin Flynn focused so much on his electronic world that he ended up trapped within it.  These movies serve as a cautionary tale but also work purely as entertainment.  Disney has once again released an incredible set with perfect picture and sound and fully restored TRON to the glory it deserved.  With every 3D release by them I wonder if that title will be the one to tip the scales enough to encourage people to buy a 3D TV and this one is no different.  If you are looking for an immersive experience, then this is the movie for you.  I highly recommend this set!  End of line.  Read my Blu-ray review here.  You can purchase it here.

9.  Buster Keaton – The Short Films Collection 1920-1923 - Authorized by the Buster Keaton estate and mastered in HD from 35mm archival film elements, The Short Films Collection gathers all of Keaton’s solo silent comedies in one monumental three-disc set.  Widely considered to be among Keaton’s finest work, the nineteen two-reel shorts are loaded with laughs, punctuated by breath-taking stunts, and bursting with raw creativity.  Over the course of this three-year period, Keaton evolved from a successful slapstick comedian into one of cinema’s most inventive visual stylists, and became an enduring icon of American popular culture and my favorite silent comedian.  (See my Blu-ray review here).  You can purchase it here.

8. The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection - I’m a huge fan of this series, especially of Basil Rathbone’s performance as Sherlock Holmes.  He was perfectly suited to the role and despite my unhappiness with the way Dr. Watson was portrayed by Nigel Bruce, they both had great chemistry together.  It’s just unfortunate that they made Watson such a bumbling old coot.   In any case, this set is a must own for any Sherlock Holmes fan!  These movies will never look or sound better than this so I highly recommend this purchase which you will not regret! It’s elementary! (See my Blu-ray review here).  You can purchase it here.

7. Band of Brothers/The Pacific Special Edition Gift Set - Considered two of the finest depictions of the sweeping panorama of World War II, the HBO Miniseries Band of Brothers and The Pacific are being offered, for the first time, in one ultimate collector’s edition – just in time for holiday gift giving.  Band of Brothers / The Pacific Special Edition Gift Set, is now available in this all-new premium packaging that includes both ten-episode miniseries, all the special features from previous editions, plus the exclusive never-before-seen documentary He Has Seen War featuring surviving veterans of Easy Company and the 1st Marine Division, whose stories are told in Band of Brothers and The Pacific.  (See my Blu-ray review here).  You can purchase it here.

6.  Thor – I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this movie since this was one of the few superhero comics that I didn’t read growing up and the whole idea of bringing in magic into the Marvel universe seemed pretty risky.  But then I started hearing some reassuring news – Kenneth Branagh was going to direct it and Chris Hemsworth who was so good in his brief role as James T. Kirk’s father in Star Trek was going to play the Norse God.  All of my fears were settled once I finally saw the movie and really enjoyed it.  Branagh found the perfect balance and tone for the movie and other than a rushed ending, it turned out great.  The Blu-ray was also a nice surprise with  a very nice picture and an audio mix that brings the thunder!  Read our Blu-ray review here.  You can purchase it here.

5.  Captain America - I was excited to see this and was very happy to be a part of the world premiere audience with Chris Evans introducing the film, along with my fellow reviewer Aaron during Comic-Con.  While my seat placement sucked and I didn’t get a free shirt or the Mondo poster, it was still a lot fun.  I don’t think any other movie has divided the Why So Blu staff more than this one since Aaron and I thought it was a lot of fun, while Brian and Gerard hated it.  Thanks to where I was sitting and because it was in 3D, the actors looked like cucumbers so I’m very happy to finally have this on Blu-ray so I can enjoy this movie properly!  Even though Chris Evans is Johnny Storm, he’s a great choice to play Captain America even though I still think that Ryan McPartlin from “Chuck” would have been the perfect choice.  I also loved seeing the movie’s version of Cap’s classic uniform in this movie, which I think looks a lot better that the Ultimate version in the upcoming Avengers.  You can read our Blu-ray review here.  You can purchase it here.

4.  Toy Story 2 - This is my favorite Toy Story movie so I am little biased in favor of it.  It’s full of action, adventure, humor, and a cold dose of reality that makes the sweeter stuff even sweeter.  The cast does another incredible job in their roles and combined with a fantastic script and direction, this movie really couldn’t lose.  Now that this has been packaged with a new 3D transfer that looks and sounds perfect, this movie is even better and can safely be categorized as a must own title.  Pick this movie up and you won’t be disappointed!  (See my Blu-ray review here).  You can purchase it here.

3.  The Incredibles - For a movie based in such a fantastic superhero environment as this, it was a smart move to make it as grounded as possible with a realistic family dynamic. They may be superheroes but they have the same worries, fights, issues, and loves as the rest of us.  For a family movie from Pixar, there’s a lot of adult themes included in this movie which adds another layer of enjoyment for parents to appreciate while their kids just enjoy the action and humor.  This stellar set offers brilliant video and audio quality and the extensive special features will keep you happy and busy for a long time.  This is a fantastic movie that the whole family will love! (See my Blu-ray review here).  You can purchase it here.

2.  The Lord of the Rings Extended Edition Set - There are many reasons why I love this trilogy, but one of them is the attention to detail and the little character touches like Aragorn wearing Baromir’s wrist guards to honor him.  Knowing Aragorn’s resistance to lead his people, the simple fact of him doing that and later wearing the full armor of his kingdom makes me happy.  I also loved the progression of the character’s relationships and it adds quite a bit emotional depth to the end of the movie.  Whether it’s Legolas and Gimli’s goodbyes to each other in the face of certain defeat, or Sam carrying Frodo up Mt. Doom after Frodo cannot go any further, or Gandalf trying to ease Pippen’s fears about dying,  all of them were performed masterfully by the cast and made even more touching by the history we’ve had with the characters.  Make sure you pick up the Extended Edition Box Set since not only are those versions better, but their audio, video, and extras are considerably better than the theatrical editions.  Read my Blu-ray reviews of theatrical versions of The Fellowship of the Ring here, The Two Towers here, and The Return of the King here.  As a bonus, you can find the trailer for the next amazing journey called The Hobbit right here.  You can purchase the extended set here.

1.  Star Wars: The Complete Saga – My all-encompassing love for the Star Wars universe is well known so it shouldn’t be a surprise that this is #1 on my list.  Not only is the greatest franchise finally on Blu-ray, but it was done well especially with Episodes III-VI (Revenge of the Sith thru Return of the Jedi).  I’m one of those people that has bought every single release of these films through time, starting with Beta, VHS, LaserDisc, more VHS releases, the first DVD release, the second DVD release (for the bonus original cut of the movies), and now this.  I know for a fact that there will be another Blu-ray release down the road for the 3D versions and I will be ready with my wallet in hand.  For as long as I can remember, I have loved these movies and they mean a lot to me.  The scores by John Williams are incredible, the movies introduced me to my still favorite actor Harrison Ford, and George Lucas kick-started my imagination.  While I didn’t like everything about the prequels, I still enjoyed them (see my thoughts here), but nothing can touch the original trilogy especially The Empire Strikes Back which is tied for my favorite movie of all time with Raiders of the Lost Ark.  These Blu-rays look and sound amazing, especially the reference quality surround mix.  Add in the deleted scenes from every movie we’ve waited forever to see and a bunch of other goodies and you have yourself the best Blu-ray release of 2011!  I highly recommend that you buy this set right away if you haven’t already.  You can purchase it here.

Here is more of my choices that I wish could have been in my top ten.  If you’d like to purchase any of them, feel free to click on their title.

Honorable Mention: X-Men: First Class,  Fast Five,  The Lion King, and The Big Lebowski.

Movies that probably would have made it on my list if I had seen the Blu-rays: The Jurassic Park Trilogy,  Citizen Kane, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, pretty much any Criterion Collection movie, and West Side Story.

TV: Twilight Zone,  Farscape: The Complete Series, Justified Season 2, and Robotech: The Complete Original Series

If you’d like to purchase any of my Top Ten movies please click on the links below!

10. Tie!  No, that’s not the name of the movie.  There’s actually a stalemate for the 10th position.  I just couldn’t bring myself to axe one of these from my list so it inadvertantly became a top 11.  Leave it up to me to complicate things.

I Spit on Your Grave – This film was a remake of the 1978 version based around an innocent female who faces horror beyond belief at the hands of her male attackers.  Revenge is the name of the game and this holy hell ride displays it in an unparalleled gripping  and graphic manner. I just wish it had more extras.

Platoon – What I feel is the second greatest movie covering the Vietnam conflict (Full Metal Jacket being my #1) came to Blu-ray in 2011.  This Oliver Stone classic with its notable cast made for an impressive transfer to 1080 and contained a heap of featurettes.

9.  Being Human: Season 1 – The series has been revamped in a Canadian/U.S. version (originally of British origin) for the Syfy Channel…and it rocks.  A vampire, a werewolf and a ghost are all roommates in the same house.  Sound silly?  Think again.  With an occasional bout of humor, this show delivers drama as its primary genre.  The disc extras are slim but the show is grand, doing exactly what True Blood isn’t; staying focused.

8. Rise of the Planet of the Apes - I have never been a big fan of this franchise, but director Rupert Wyatt brought us this incredible piece of work this year.  The movie refused to dabble in the realm of hokey that other films have become known for.  The Blu-ray comes with a digital copy, high def extras and one bad ass, emotionally-driven film.  Andy Serkis and the FX team outdid themselves.

7.  The Big Bang Theory: Season 4 – I’m still trying to figure out which one of these comic book-loving, sci-fi guys I am, but I know one of them is me…and the other cast may even have some parallels with a few of the staffers here on WSB.  Season 4 was arguably the best one yet while making an equally impressive transition to Blu-ray with some enjoyable special features.

6.  Dexter: Season 5 – Quite possibly the greatest show on television (IMO), Dexter kept up the hype in season 5.  It didn’t quite have the punch of season 4, but wasn’t far off either.  Michael C. Hall retains his title as America’s favorite dark passenger as Julia Stiles guest stars. I just wish there were better extras on these discs.

5.  African Cats – There are a ton of lion and cheetah documentaries out there.  Here is arguably the best one.  Samuel L. Jackson narrates this Disney creation which has some of the most stunning African wildlife imagery captured on film.  The pristine picture quality and clever credits only magnify the exemplary content.

4.  X-Men: First Class – Though the movie displayed a somewhat altered origin of the mutant super team, it was still portrayed impressively, contained a great cast and included a nice helping of decent extras.

3.  The Crow – This film was previously released via import Blu-ray, but it became official in the States in 2011 (stay clear of the Walmart version as it does not come with the digital copy).  The picture quality made for a great transfer to high def and the film remains as riveting for me today as it did when I was in high school.  R.I.P. Brandon Lee.

2.  Dances With Wolves – Long overdue on its release to Blu-ray, we receive the director’s cut featuring additional footage to an already amazing piece of work.  I’m not a fan of westerns, but this film is just too profound to not like.  Eat your heart out Avatar fans.  Here’s the real movie.

1.  Star Wars – Three words:  Christmas in September.  Ah, the changes.  Ah, the blaspheming.  Some of the “updates” are welcomed.  Some are tolerable.  Some didn’t need to be there.  Regardless, we have all drooled in anticipation over George Lucas’ brilliance to finally arrive on Blu-ray and now that it’s here, I feel like a kid again.  It did not disappoint (just remove that damn CGI song and dance in Jabba’s palace).

Honorable Mention

Irish dance made its way to Blu-ray for the first time in 2011 on not one, but two different titles.  The first was the documentary titled Jig.  However, I’m not paying $35 for a one-disc Blu-ray feature, so I never did get a chance to see that.  Either way, the age-old art form wasn’t going to escape this article.  Mr. Flatley, take it away…

Lord of the Dance – The most successful touring production of all time comes to Blu-ray in the form of the at-home version of LOTD in 3D that was in theaters during the week of St. Patrick’s Day (though the Blu-ray is not 3D…thankfully).  Michael Flatley is a little older, but the lad’s still got some kick left in his step.  Hell, if I’ll be able to dance half as well at age 52 as he does, I will be ecstatic.  The only thing keeping this Blu-ray from making the list was its omission of multiple numbers from the actual live show.

Special Mention for TV Series Blu-rays:  Justified: The Complete First Season, Louie: The Complete First Season (Review HERE), Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (Review HERE), The Walking Dead: Season 1 – Special Edition

10. Kung Fu Panda 2 – A wonderful sequel to an already great first film.  This new adventure features Po and the gang taking on the malevolent Lord Shen and his newfound weaponry for the sake of saving kung fu.  As this was both stunning in terms of its story and in its action and animation, the Blu-ray for the film does amazing justice to the film.  Fantastic picture and audio quality highlight both the brightly colored animation and show off the wonderful action choreography on the small screen, accompanied by the great score and kung fu sound design.  Add to that a plethora of extras that detail both the production of the film, while also providing additional fun features for younger audiences, and all new stories for everyone to enjoy.  A very impressive package that will help you find inner piece.

“Tell those musicians to start playing action music, because it is on!” (Order HERE)

9.  Criterion Tie: Blow Out, Broadcast News, The Killing, Kiss Me Deadly – Once again, it is always tough to narrow down between the many great Blu-ray releases from The Criterion Collection, so I feel I have no choice but to narrow it down to a few of my favorites.  Criterion always delivers and the movies I have chosen are all fantastic.  Their Blu-rays are all designed to look and sound great, while also informing the viewer of the film’s history with brand new special features on the disc and the little booklets always included in the package.  The picks I have listed include a comedy, two classic film noirs, and a De Palma thriller, all the variety one would need to really enjoy what Criterion has to offer.

“I think we have the kind of friendship where if I were the devil, you’d be the only one I would tell.” (Order HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE)

8.  The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy – Extended Editions – I am not the biggest ‘Ringer’; I have not even read the books.  However, I do admire the acclaimed motion picture trilogy that is The Lord of the Rings and the work that Peter Jackson and his entire team had put into these films.  I had not seen all of the ‘Extended Edition’ versions of these films up until this year, where I got to experience the Blu-rays in action, projected onto a movie theater screen.  Even regardless of my opinions on each of the films (they get better as the progress for me), these films look and sound great.  Along with the wonderful cinematography, the fantastic effects work by WETA still holds true and the audio presentation is there to match.  All of the special features previously available on the DVD versions are here as well; unfortunately all in SD, but it is still an all-encompassing look at the creation of these films.  A great package for anyone desiring a near definitive Lord of the Rings set.

“All our hopes now lie with two little hobbits, somewhere in the wilderness.” (Order HERE)

7.  The Big Lebowski – Another release of The Big Lebowski is always a time to celebrate.  With the number of releases of The Big Lebowski that have come out so far, we may never get a definitive one, but at least it is now available on Blu-ray.  It helps that the film is among my top films of all time, because it is not as fantastic a video and audio presentation as some of the other films on this list, but it is very good and the disc even manages to pack in all of the old special features and a few new ones.  Honestly, I would rather just stop talking about the Blu-ray and just quote this constantly hilarious film, but I will make a shout out to all the other Coen Brother films, which are now almost all available on Blu-ray.  The Coen’s have always had a keen eye when it comes to cinematography, and ‘Lebowski’ is no exception, as it is a very good looking film to watch on Blu-ray, let alone a great one to hear all of the memorable quotes in wonderful lossless DTS-HD.  Far out man.

“That rug really tied the room together.” (Review HERE and Order HERE)

6.  X-Men: First Class – I am still very pleased with how this all managed to come together.  Despite the rushed production schedule (and I still believe another few months could have made this film near flawless), X-Men: First Class was a very exciting film matched with great direction from Matthew Vaughn, an impressive handling on the source material, and of course the secret weapon that is Michael Fassbender.  The Blu-ray that this film is available on is also quite exciting, as it boasts stellar sound and video, along with a terrific documentary that goes over the making of the film.  Given that I tend to check out the extras on superhero movies almost immediately when they come out, I was quite happy to feel so involved with the making of this film, based on the quality of the extras.  First Class certainly passes the test.

“Listen to me very carefully, my friend:  Killing will not bring you peace.” (Review HERE and Order HERE)

5.  The Social Network – One of the best films from last year (review HERE) will now receive a bit more praise this year due to its fantastic Blu-ray presentation.  Director David Fincher’s films have continued to receive wonderful treatment when it comes to their home releases (with the exception of The Game), and The Social Network is no different.  It is a fantastic looking film, with a fantastic score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross and this is all very well captured on Blu-ray.  Add to that a lengthy documentary that goes over the production of the film, additional behind the scenes footage, and two commentary tracks, and this is everything you would want out of a film that was already great.  Click “Like” on this Blu-ray.

“I’m talking about taking the entire social experience of college and putting it online.” (Order HERE)

4.  The Incredibles – My favorite Pixar film (well it’s tied with two others, but I’ve watched this one the most) finally came to Blu-ray this year and it is, of course, incredible.  Pixar always delivers wonderful looking films that continue to look great at home and this Blu-ray provides a fantastic audio and video presentation.  This is great for a film that has so much going on in terms of the action/adventure plotting of the film and the wonderful music and sound effects that carry on throughout.  Further supporting the quality of this Blu-ray, the entire assortment of great special features previously available are seen on this disc (in HD!), as well as a few new ones, including a very entertaining retrospective for the film.  The Incredibles is as a great a film as always and finally having it in a superior format to view the film in is super.

“No matter how many times you save the world, it always manages to get back in jeopardy again.” (Review HERE and Order HERE)

3.  Evil Dead 2 (25^th Anniversary Edition) – Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy is my favorite horror franchise and Evil Dead 2 is one of my favorite films of all time.  Anyone familiar with this series is aware of the many many releases that these films seem to get, but decide to buy anyway.  Well now we have the 25^th Anniversary of Evil Dead 2 and it is awesome.  This film probably looks about the best it ever will on Blu-ray, which is still quite good, given the low budget nature of this series.  Additionally, there is a brand new, fantastic feature length documentary that goes over everything about the film.  It’s a very well made extra that is enough for me to buy on its own, if that were an option to begin with.  There are also several other new special features, along with the extras previously available on the other releases.  Evil Dead 2 is a wonderful, off-the-wall, horror comedy camp classic and I am glad I have what is hopefully the definitive version of this film in my possession.

“Groovy” (Order HERE)

2.  Pulp Fiction/Jackie Brown – No, I can’t separate these.  I love both of these films too much to have one out rank the other in my eyes.  Regardless, what puts these two films near the top of the list (beyond the fact that they are near the top of my list for all time favorite films) is the fact that they boast two of the best video transfers I have ever seen on Blu-ray.  Notably along with North by Northwest, of all films, these are the movies that completely show me what Blu-ray is all about in terms of making the picture look absolutely fantastic.  The audio is of course very good as well, but the picture truly stuck out to me and it is great to see that Tarantino put a lot of care into making these films come out right.  Given how much of a film nerd he is, I am sure his heavy involvement (his seal of approval is on the box) did really help the final product.  There are also a few new extra features along with all the old ones available on the disc.  So yes, it is a Tarantino tie for my number 2 spot, with only one logical choice remaining to take the crown…

“It’s like a wax museum with a pulse.” (Reviews HERE and HERE and Order HERE and HERE)

1.  Star Wars: The Complete Saga – I cannot say that this was a “without question” decision, but after thinking about it, it only seemed logical.  This is Star Wars on Blu-ray we’re talking about!  It is the biggest film franchise of all time and bitch about the prequels others may do all they like, I am a lifelong Star Wars fan.  Getting all (yes, all) of these films on Blu-ray is something fans have been clamoring for since Blu-ray’s inception and September, 2011, was the time we were all rewarded with a high def presentation of the Star Wars saga.  It was a bit curious/annoying to see that the first two prequels did not boast the best video quality in comparison to the original trilogy, but they still look pretty damn good (and the originals look great), but the audio on all of them is quite fantastic.  Add to that a giant assortment of extra features that covers every chapter, along with a lot of additional bonus extras that detail all sorts of Star Wars related material and you have a pretty expansive Blu-ray package.  The force was with this one for sure.

“I suggest a new strategy, R2. Let the Wookiee win.” (Order HERE)

Honorable Mentions: Beats, Rhymes, & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest, Black Swan (Review HERE), Bridesmaids (Review HERE), Citizen Kane, Do the Right Thing, Fast Five (Review HERE), Insidious (Review HERE), Jurassic Park Trilogy, The Lion King (Review HERE), Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Review HERE), Super 8 (Review HERE), Taxi Driver, Tree of Life, Tron: Legacy (Review HERE), True Grit (Review HERE)

Matt’s Top 10

Blu-rays of

2011!

10. Tron Legacy – I was not all too impressed seeing this the first time, but I warmed up to it eventually, and consider it a solidly entertaining, special effects laden film. The Blu-ray looks rad.

9. Super – The most underrated film of the year. A freaking masterpiece in my mind. James Gunn is simply a genius, and so is this movie.

8. Jackie Brown – Tarantino’s most underrated film hit Blu-ray recently, and the video/audio blew me away. Oh yeah, the film is pretty good too.

7. Rise of the Planet of the Apes - What’s that over there? Oh it’s just my jaw dropping from watching ROTPA. Caesar found his home… in my BR player.

6. Attack the Block – Well, bruvs. This is my favorite film of the year. The Blu-ray is no exception. A great transfer, with a solid amount of special features. Trust.

5. Bridesmaids – The best ensemble cast of the year contribute to one of the best looking Blu-ray’s of ALL TIME! A personal favorite of mine, and who could resist Rose Byrne?!

4. The Big Lebowski – Did you think I’d forget about this, man? Did you think I was out of my element, dude? I was just as excited as anyone to see The Dude (Jeff Bridges) on the Blu screen, man.

3. West Side Story – An absolute classic. One of my favorite musicals of all time features a phenomenal transfer and has spectacular special features.

2. Star Wars: The Complete Saga – No explanation necessary.

1. Pulp Fiction – “Oh I’m sorry did I break your concentration?! Zed’s dead baby, Zed’s dead. I shot marvin in the face. Dorks, they look like a couple of dorks.” My all-time favorite film, now on Blu-ray. Fine with me!

Honorable Mentions: The Hangover Part II, Paul, Batman: Year One, X-Men: First Class, Super 8

10. Julia’s Eyes (UK Import) – My first film in the top 10 list is something you have probably never heard of. It’s a Spanish film produced by Guillermo Del Toro called Julia’s Eyes (Los Ojos De Julia). It’s the story of a woman who is on the verge of going blind due to an inherited ocular disease. It all goes down hill when she is being stalked by an “unseen” intruder who toys with her at her most vulnerable state. The viewer is literally in the dark throughout the film and it’s that level of terror that the viewer is put it through that elevates the film above the normal slasher genre. You are forced to empathize with the character, because as she starts to go blind, so does the audience. That’s where the real terror begins. Julia’s Eyes is not currently available in the states, so if you’re region free then please take advantage of this great thriller on Blu-ray.

9. The Silent House (UK Import) – The Silent House or La Casa Muda as it’s known outside of America makes the list not because the Blu-ray is Earth shattering spectacular. It’s on the list, because the film is Earth shattering spectacular. The film was made for only $6,000 dollars, shot with one camera, and all done in one long single take. The results are fantastic! American filmmakers need to take note from world filmmakers, because they can use a lesson in creativity. The Blu-ray is currently not available stateside, but the DVD is available and I believe it’s available for streaming depending on who your service provider is. If you’re region free then do yourself a favor and import this bad boy now!  

8. John Carpenter’s The Ward – 2011 marked the triumphant return of the Master of Horror John Carpenter. After a few false starts the fans finally got some true John Carpenter greatness with the release of The Ward. It was originally slated to be released in the spring over in the UK on Blu-ray, but a pressing blunder canceled those plans, so we were forced to wait until a Fall release here in the states. Needless to say it was all worth it. John Carpenter’s The Ward marked the master’s return to film in ten long years. Justice has been served.

7. A Serbian Film (UK Import) – Here’s one of the most controversial films to be released this year on the Blu-ray format. It’s a metaphor of a film that will shock, repulse, and disgust the average viewer, but I’m not your average viewer. I give A Serbian Film props for telling the story it wanted to tell and not giving a crap about the consequences. People forget that film is art and that all forms of art are subjective. That’s what art is all about. If someone doesn’t like it, because it offends their delicate sensibilities then they can turn away or not watch it altogether. I chose the UK import of A Serbian Film, because it’s got a full DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless surround track that the U.S. version doesn’t have. It also has an introduction by the director and an extended scene. A Serbian Film is one of those films that needs to be seen to be believed.

6. Dazed and Confused (Criterion Collection) – I can only imagine what it was like growing up in the mid 1970′s and going to high school in that time period. The bad hair and clothing. The one or two upsides would’ve been the women and the music. Dazed and Confused is Richard Linklater’s tale of kids graduating high school with no place to go. The film gets the superb Criterion Collection treatment – no expense was spared in restoring the film to its former majestic glory. Not only that, but you get an awesome collector’s book and full blown DTS-HD MA 5.1 to boot;  the tunes have never sounded this good. It’s a pretty great film in its own right, but this Criterion Collection Blu-ray is where it’s at.  I’m getting nostalgic just thinking about it.

5. Lord of the Rings – Extended Editions – After several years of wishing and waiting one of the most epic trilogies of all time was finally released on Blu-ray and was received by a mixed bag of people. I won’t go into the whole non-issue of the infamous green tint nonsense, but will say that the wait was worth it. With The Hobbit being filmed as we speak, it was only fitting that this trilogy of champions finally be released in high definition. The Lord of the Rings on Blu-ray feature near reference picture and offer reference lossless sound for all three films. It’s the definitive way to enjoy Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth adventures. Accept no substitutions.

4. Once Upon A Time In The West – The baddest of the bad and the lowest of the low duke it out in Sergio Leone’s classic western about a man with no name who has come to seek vengeance no matter the cost. Once Upon A Time In The West is a CLASSIC western film that is borderline perfect. The Blu-ray actually gets it perfect with all of the stuff that was packed into the disc. You get two versions of the film, a PG-13 and Unrated cuts, along with several audio commentaries by film historians and several from a few great directors like John Carpenter, Alex Cox, and John Milius. Charlie Bronson is the ultimate badass in Once Upon A Time In The West and the Blu-ray lives up to that character.

3. Pulp Fiction - I’ve had one of the many region free imports of Pulp Fiction on Blu-ray for a while now. This version is on my list if only for justice. The Blu-ray Gods answered the calls of the faithful and granted the U.S. an official Blu-ray with all the trimmings that were originally on the special DVD and ported them over to this high definition release. Not only  that, but they added brand new special features exclusive to the Blu-ray. I’m happy that Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece was granted the honor of said extras. The video and audio are also incredible. You wanna know what else is incredible? The price. It’s still only $10. Seriously?

2. Taxi Driver – Earlier this year I got the chance to finally experience Taxi Driver on the big screen in a beautiful restored edition and a couple of weeks later was able to get my hands on the shiny new Blu-ray version. It was like watching it back on the big screen again. The film was meticulously restored to Martin Scorsese’s specifications and loaded up with a ton of extras which included the now legendary audio commentaries by Martin Scorsese and writer Paul Schrader taken from the old Criterion Collection special edition on laser disc. It’s what the fans had been clamoring for all these long years. Well, it did not disappoint. Taxi Driver is a masterpiece and the Blu-ray cements itself as one of the best releases of 2011.

1. The Last Circus – And to finally wrap up my top 10 Blu-ray list of 2011 we have The Last Circus which is a very disturbing tale about clowns that wield machetes, automatic weapons, and the extremely gorgeous women who love them. It’s a modern-retro masterpiece that has gained cult status since it’s extremely limited stateside release in the summer and the Blu-ray release a few weeks ago. I blind bought the film and fell in love with the madness. I’ve probably watched the film at least five times since I got the Blu-ray. I’ve always found something new with each viewing. I will no doubt continue to champion the film and show it to as many people as I can, so here’s hoping that it plays on the big screen at some point, because if I had known about it sooner I would have totally seen it then. The Last Circus is my favorite Blu-ray of 2011.

Honorable Mentions: Tron Legacy, Buster Keaton: The Short Films, Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom, Chillerama, Zombie, Thor, X-Men: First Class, Jackie Brown, Scarface, Das Boot, Rango, Sucker Punch, True Grit, The Fighter.

And that’s a wrap! Another year of Blu-ray magic gone by. Time flies when you’re having fun, but we’re looking forward to the bountiful slate of releases scheduled for the 2012 new year!

My TOP 10′s!

10. Shakira: En Vivo Desde Paris – How can I say no to seeing my favorite Columbian superstar shaking her assets in 1080p?  The answer is simple.  I can’t!  She narrowly beat out my beloved Nirvana: Live at the Paramount from appearing on this list, but I think we all know why.  No further explanation is necessary.  This one is for the Shakira fans out there.  Enjoy!

9. The Crow – Like The Lion King below, this movie makes my list because this is one of my all-time favorites (I still remember where I was and who I was with when I saw this one theatrically back in the day) and it has never looked or sounded better than it does on the Blu-ray format.   Even after all these years the film and the soundtrack that brilliantly captures the essence of the 90′s still holds up and sounds fresh.   Gotta love it!

8. Fast Five – Fast cars.  Adrenaline rushes.  Wild rides.  Eye candy.  A decent story.  A brilliant Blu-ray transfer.  Bombastic!  I could go on and on.  Tell me when to stop!  — See our exclusive Blu-ray review right here –

7. The Lion King – This one makes my list simply because it’s my favorite Disney movie ever made (my man card is on the table) and it’s finally home on the Blu-ray format.  — See our exclusive Blu-ray review right here –

6. Pulp Fiction – Oh God!  Anyone wanting to know what good dialogue in a screenplay sounds like?  Search no further!  You have arrived at your destination.  This Tarantino masterpiece has never looked or sounded better.  It’s true love at first sight.  — See our exclusive Blu-ray review right here –

5. Spartacus: Gods of the Arena - I honestly think this Starz series is going to make my list every year with the ingenious writing team this crew has assembled.  OMG!  You have not seen anything until you have seen Spartacus on the Blu-ray format.  Its premium cable done right! — See my exclusive Blu-ray review right here –

4. I Spit on Your Grave (2010) – Surprise. Surprise.  Behold the single Blu-ray title that got the most mileage in my players this year.  I simply adore this film and its associated Blu-ray transfer.  It’s a MUST-OWN for all fans of the revenge genre.  — See our exclusive Blu-ray review right here –

3. TRON: Legacy – The film has its many faults.  Yes.  But this Blu-ray transfer is exceptional.  The techno soundtrack is out of this world.   If you have not seen this one, give it a test drive one day.  I hope you like what you hear and/or see.  — See our exclusive Blu-ray review right here –

2. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – What’s ferocious, beastly and heartwarming at the same time?   Yep.  You guessed it.  Rise of the Planet of the Apes can take over my Blu-ray player anytime they want.  I accept my subordinate position in society.  Hail Caesar! — Check out my exclusive Blu-ray review here –

1. Star Wars: The Complete Saga – Need I say more?  I waited my whole life for these!  God bless Blu-ray and George Lucas (just keep him away from further messing up the Indiana Jones lore).

Honorable Mentions

I feel like I have listed a lot of titles below, but I can’t help it.  A recap of the best of from 2011 just wouldn’t feel complete if I didn’t at least mention the below golden nuggets.  And here they are!

Chillerama – This one is not going to win any notable awards, but I just had so much fun with this one that I welcomed it with open arms to the Blu-ray format.  I watched it too many times than I should probably admit. Prepare to be offended!  – See our exclusive Blu-ray review right here –

The Hills Have Eyes (2006) – Finally!  Finally this horror remake done right has been released on Blu-ray.  I have bee grinning ever since from ear-to-ear.

Nirvana: Live at the Paramount - Just like I said about Hills above, my boys are finally home on the Blu-ray format and I have to be thankful for whatever I can get.  With that being said.   I love it!  — See my exclusive Blu-ray review right here –

The Island – I consider this one of the most underrated films ever made.   Bay’s masterpiece has finally been made available on Blu-ray in the US!  — See our exclusive Blu-ray review right here –

Thor – Initially I panned this film, but I decided to give it a second chance on the Blu-ray format and I reluctantly fell in love with it.  What say you?  Good god!  It looks great!  — See our exclusive Blu-ray review right here –

The Ward – If it weren’t for Gerard’s persistence, I would have never known about this gem.   What a shame this Carpenter flick didn’t garner any real attention in the U.S.  The twist, although done before, is still amazing.  And by the way…so is Amber Heard.  — See our exclusive Blu-ray review right here –

Scarface – Say hello to my last Blu-ray title.  It may not be the prettiest looking Blu-ray, but it’s a classic and it’s finally available on the glorious format I cherish!  — Although I don’t agree with Sean Ferguson on this one, please see our exclusive Blu-ray review right here –

Feel free to agree or disagree with me in the comment fields below.   I have thick skin.   I can take it.  That means you, Aaron.  And I just read today that tigers are striped under their fur too.  Guess what?  I’m also a Tiger!

Until next year…

Drive – September 16^th

The story of a Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a wheelman.  It sounds like a B-movie, but certainly has a lot of A-grade talent involved.  Ryan Gosling headlines an awesome cast that includes Ron Perlman and Albert Brooks as the villains.  This flick is from director Nicholas Winding Refn, who managed to snag the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival this past year, and given that I already dig his directorial style, I can’t wait to see what he brings to his first American film.

Moneyball – September 23^rd

I have been following the production of this film for a while it seems.  It was at one time going to be directed by Steven Soderbergh, but has now been put into the hands of Capote director Bennett Miller.  Based on the true story of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane, who took a new approach to creating a great baseball team, the film boasts a number of talented individuals, including stars Brad Pitt, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Jonah Hill in a dramatic turn.  Given that it is also scripted by Steve Zallion and Aaron Sorkin, this seems like a pretty solid home run on the way.

50/50 – September 30^th

This upcoming dramedy about a young man who gets cancer has pulled in tons of great buzz already.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen star in this film that promises to deliver both laughs and possibly tears, as they deal with the dilemma of a cancer diagnosis.  Based on the true story of screenwriter Will Reiser’s own personal fight against cancer, this is another film that may seem like it might go too far with its sentimentality, but seems to be winning everyone over thus far.

Immortals – November 11^th

I have previously written a bit about this film in my coverage of its Comic Con panel, located HERE.  Now I will basically re-emphasize the fact that I am quite excited about this film.  In the midst of more serious fare, Immortals looks to be like a big blast of Greek Myth action fun.  With that said, regardless of how serious the material ends up being taken, the visual eye of director Tarsem is certainly the main reason as to why I want to see this film in action.  Having already gotten a taste of the footage this film will have to offer, I am quite excited to see how this epic stylized action/adventure will turn out.

The Artist – November 23^rd

As of now, I know next to nothing about this film, but upon watching the trailer, I became instantly excited.  A black and white silent film may not sound like something that can wow today’s audiences, but the impression I got from just a bit of footage was a very enjoyable one.  The film is set between 1927 and 1931 in Hollywood, and involves the switch over from silent films to talkies.  I am very intrigued by what this film has to offer and hope to see it succeed in handling this very old fashioned approach to filmmaking.

The Muppets – November 23^rd

As you can see thus far, I have not ranked these choices, but The Muppets would be near the top of the list.  Again, I have previously had a chance to write a bit about this film during Disney’s D23 Expo (seen HERE), but suffice it to say that The Muppets looks like it could be one of the most enjoyable films this year.  It will be the return of some of the most lovable characters ever created, along with an assortment of big star cameos, and the presence of stars Amy Adams and Jason Segel who also co-wrote the film.  The flick just looks like a ton of fun that should likely be welcomed by people all over.

A Dangerous Method – November 23^rd

One of my favorite actor/director combinations has become Viggo Mortensen and David Cronenberg, based on just the two films they have made together (A History of Violence and Eastern Promises).  Now the two have re-teamed once again, and decided to bring along Keira Knightley and Michael Fassbender.  This time Cronenberg is dealing with how the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud gave birth to psychoanalysis.  I am sure that true to form, Cronenberg will still manage to find a way to create a graphic depiction of reality and still make it feel utterly watchable.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – December 9^th

England benefits from getting to see this film much earlier than we do.  An all star British cast, led by Gary Oldman, brings this bestselling novel to life.  Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a spy thriller set during the Cold War, with a retired MI6 agent tasked with uncovering a Soviet agent.  Along with the fantastic cast, the film is from director Tomas Alfredson, the man responsible for the fantastic Swedish vampire film Let the Right One In.  All the right elements seem to be combining in the right kind of ways to build up to one very smart and stylish take on the old fashion espionage thriller.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – December 21^st

While I am already quite the fan of the original Swedish film version of this bestselling novel, in Fincher I trust.  Director David Fincher is at the helm of a film that certainly has a story right up his alley, given his past work on films like Se7en and Zodiac.  The film, for those unfamiliar, is about the work by a journalist (Daniel Craig) to solve a very old missing persons case, with the help of a young computer hacker (Rooney Mara).  This is all material perfectly suited to Fincher’s style and while it is very dark material (especially for a Christmas-time release), I am sure it will no doubt be plenty entertaining, along with brilliantly made.  The added plus is reuniting Fincher with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who composed the Oscar-winning score for The Social Network.

The Adventures of Tin Tin:  The Secret of the Unicorn/ War Horse – December 23^rd/28^th

Finally, we have the one-two punch that is Steven Spielberg’s end of the year releases.  First you have the 3D motion capture adventure film that is Tintin, which I have covered during Comic Con HERE, and then, less than a week later, you have the war drma War Horse.  Spielberg has proven many times that he works incredibly well under the pressure of two releases in one year – Jurassic Park/Schindler’s List, Minority Report/Catch Me if You Can, and this looks like another ambitious outing for him.  Tintin is certainly the more exciting of the two films, as it definitely breaks The Beard away from his comfort zone, but I would like to think that his handle on heartfelt dramas has not been lost on him either.  It’s exciting times for fans of one of the most celebrated directors of all time.

And that will do it.  Along with an additional list of notable releases below, this is another exciting movie season, with plenty of upcoming features to look forward to.  Feel free to comment below with other thoughts or picks that I may have missed or not even considered.

Other Notable Releases On My Radar

Contagion – September 9^th – Already reviewed HERE
Warrior – September 9^th – Already reviewed HERE
The Ides of March - October 7^th
Real Steel – October 7^th
The Thing – October 14^th
Paranormal Activity 3 – October 21^st
In Time – October 28^th
The Rum Diary – October 28^th
Anonymous – October 28^th
J. Edgar – November 9^th
Hugo – November 23^rd
Piranha 3DD – November 23^rd
The Descendents –November 18^th
The Sitter – December 9^th
Young Adult – December 16^th
Sherlock Holmes 2 – December 16^th
Mission Impossible:  Ghost Protocol – December 21^st
We Bought A Zoo – December 23^rd

Brian’s Picks

1.  RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES – In my opinion, no movie this summer has come close to the emotional stakes raised in this blockbuster.   Much like the qualities of Avatar, Apes sucks you in and before you know it you’re invested in the story, not trying to nitpick the CGI.  I have not felt this level of satisfaction, on an emotional level, with a movie since How to Train Your Dragon, point in case.

2.  FRIGHT NIGHT - Never having seen the original, I knew not what to expect here.  But what I got was a rootin tootin good ole time…in 3-D!  Yes, I said 3-D!  This is actually the first movie of the year, besides some rare moments in Transformers, that I even recommend the extra priced ticket purchase in the 3-D format.  And even better…Collin Farrell is back, baby!  It’s a fun, no frills thrill ride.

3.  HORRIBLE BOSSES – For reasons left unsaid, I love this film.  Having worked in the corporate world my whole life, it’s refreshing to see a film that extends and goes beyond the antics of the original office comedy, Office Space.   Jennifer Aniston, although growing older every day, just looks amazing in this and every cast member is just downright entertaining and equally exhilarating.   Now, while I won’t endorse the lengths taken in this film to “exterminate” their bosses, I will say this…I’ll agree to look the other way, because in my opinion, this was the funniest movie of the year…sorry Hangover II.

Gregg’s Picks

1.  X-MEN: FIRST CLASS – I love comics, but I’ve never been a huge X-Men fan.  I always had this air of indifference toward the mutant super team.  Still, the previous X-Men films were enjoyable (save for the third one).  Enter First Class.  This film just blows away the trilogy.  It was well cast, well written, well directed, and lead by the superior acting talents of James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender.  In my opinion, this is the best Marvel movie to date.  Shame on you if you missed it in the theater.

2.  THE HELP - Oscar bound.  The 1960′s tale of the treatment of black maids in the Deep South was a potent film to say the least.  It was by far and away the best-acted movie of the year thus far and contained aspects of humor and love amidst a dramatic backdrop.  Simply put, The Help overflowed with emotion and attachment.  Chick flick my a**.  This was a great movie for anyone, plain and simple.

3.  TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON – I could’ve done without some of the unnecessary cheese and parts of a lagging first half.  However, the build-up and final stand in Chicago was so absolutely epic that any negativity in the first half of the film was soon forgotten. When we played with Transformers as kids, this was the massive scale battle we envisioned. Plus, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley not only served as a great Megan Fox replacement, but she was also quite easy on the eyes.

Mary’s Picks

1. FRIGHT NIGHT – There is nothing like a cool, seductive vampire to brighten the night.  Colin Farrell was it for me this summer (Sorry Edward Cullen).  Fright Night was fun, entertaining, and had a few twists along the way.  Great cast overall.  Very good performances by everyone.

2. INSIDIOUS – I love horror movies and haunted houses, but to find out “It’s not the house that is haunted, it’s your son,” is a real nightmare come true.  This physiological thriller that had some terrifying moments one of my favorites this summer.

3. PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES – I loved “On Stranger Tides” and I love Captain Jack!  It was fun, adventurous, and made me laugh.  It was easy on the mind, not everything has to be so deep and complicated. I was able to let go and sail away in search of the fountain of youth.  If you are looking for a fun summer family movie “On Stranger Tides” is your ticket to adventure.

Gerard’s Picks

1.  THE DEVIL’S DOUBLE – What’s to be said that hasn’t already been said? The concept of evil so singularly personified in the stand out (and hopefully Oscar nominated dual performance) of Dominic Cooper who up until then was a virtual unknown in cinema. He played the psychotic son of Saddam Hussein with such viciousness that it was too real at times. He also played Latif with torturous despair. Latif and the people of Iraq were the real victims of this regime.

2.  X-MEN: FIRST CLASS – I was ready to write this mutant entry off, because I hated Wolverine and Last Stand was very mediocre. Good thing I didn’t. Matthew Vaughn was brought on board and my fears were quickly squashed. Here is a person that, for all intents and purposes, understands the source material and knows what he and his collaborators have to do with it: Not make it stupid. They succeeded with equal parts style and equal parts substance. Standout performances include: Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, and James McAvoy.

3. TREE OF LIFE - Malick be thy name. Some people love his films and some people REALLY hate his films. I fall into the first category. Whether you care about his narrative or subject matter, watching Tree of Life makes you think and ponder the world around you. It also makes you question how insignificant you really are in the grand scheme of things. You really have no say in the matter. The only thing you really have control over in this life is your own mind.

Aaron’s Picks

1.  ATTACK THE BLOCK – Similar to 2010’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World in more ways than one, this was the movie I fell in love with this summer.  It’s a small budgeted film from overseas that happens to be about an alien invasion.  What makes this film better than any other giant-scaled sci-fi alien thriller that has come out in recent months however is that Attack the Block has an incredibly unique voice, fresh and clever writing, great use of practical effects, good characters, thrills and humor, along with a sweet soundtrack by Basement Jaxx.  Producer Edgar Wright and more importantly writer/director Joe Cornish made a wonderful little flick that will easily become a cult classic.

2.  MIDNIGHT IN PARIS – I can always appreciate a really enjoyable Woody Allen movie.  Something I did not see coming was how much I ended up enjoying this one, as it was enough for me to consider this easily in my top 10 of Woody Allen’s films, if not higher.  ‘Midnight’ features a large cast, headed by Owen Wilson, who shines in the “Woody Allen” role, in a film that has a very charming feel, even as it transcends into its fantastical story line, which evokes past Allen film’s like The Purple Rose of Cairo, but still manages to feel incredibly fresh and very entertaining.  Maybe not the biggest laugh out loud comedy of the summer, but easily one of the most endearing.

3.  RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES – While the top two picks were easy, choosing between a lot of solid blockbusters that came out this summer was a bit more difficult.  Still, I have decided to stick with the film that no one seemed too keen on leading up to its release.  Rise of the Planet of the Apes seems like one of the biggest surprises of the summer, but I was on board early on and glad to have been.  The work done by Andy Serkis and WETA to create the character of Caesar was fantastic and the film managed to be a step above average in its storytelling.  The human stuff may be a bit weak, but once the film puts Caesar front and center, the film fires on all cylinders and even manages to stick the landing with an exciting action climax.

And there you have it.  Summer 2011 has now come to a close, with many of these flicks either available or coming to Blu-ray very soon.  Not all of us were able to catch as many summer movies as some of the others, but it was still fun to pool a bunch of our thoughts together and maybe get some more feedback below.  Now it is time to gear up for the Fall movie season, which has a lot of promise as well, which I will be covering in another “most anticipated” article in the near future.

15.  Priest – May 13^th

This movie seems to have been a long time in coming, given its postponements for 3D conversion, but it will finally hit, and although it has not stirred a whole lot of excitement, I do see potential and a cool-looking Karl Urban.  (Note:  this film edged out Pirates)

14.  Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark – August 26^th

A straight up, R-rated horror film, co-written and produced by Guillermo del Toro.  While a remake, I trust that del Toro’s fingerprints will help this film measure up to something effectively scary.

13.  Kung Fu Panda 2 – May 27^th

In a rare situation, I actually don’t have a Pixar film (sorry Cars 2) listed as a most anticipated film.  However, I am excited for another Kung Fu Panda, simply because of the surprising quality of the first film.  I just hope DreamWorks doesn’t Shrek it up.

12.  Hangover Part II – May 26^th

The Wolf Pack is back in this sequel to the comedy surprise of 2009.  The trailer seems to promise a lot of the same in a different location, but as long as they bring the funny, I think plenty will be satisfied with another go around with these guys.

11.  Bridesmaids – May 13^th

Another comedy from the Judd Apatow-produced comedy farm.  This time, however, a cast of funny women are at the forefront, with a script co-written by SNL (very) funny lady Kristen Wiig.  I’ve heard pretty great things about this movie so far, despite its low-brow marketing.

10.  Bad Teacher – June 24^th

Several R-rated comedies in a row here; Bad Teacher looks to be pretty hilarious as well.  Basically a riff on something like Bad Santa, this film has Cameron Diaz (not seeming annoying for a change) starring as a foul-mouthed, money-hungry teacher and looks to be a lot of fun.  Also featuring Jason Segel, Justin Timberlake and a lot of other familiar faces, this cast should be able to bring the funny.  Add to that a script by two writers from The Office and direction by Jake Kasdon (Walk Hard and even better – Zero Effect), and there is a lot of potential for another great comedy of the summer.

9.  Green Lantern – June 17^th

And now for the superhero flicks…Green Lantern is the kind of film that lots of comic fans probably want to be anticipating more than they do.  On one hand it is a live action Green Lantern movie with a lot of good talent involved, including director Martin Campbell (Casino Royal, GoldenEye); however, on the other hand we have so far seen footage that has been somewhat underwhelming.  Ryan Reynolds may make a decent Hal Jordon if he doesn’t rely too much on his comedic shtick, but the CG still looks pretty weak, given the scope of the film.  Still, things may change and this could end up being a very entertaining flick.  I like to be optimistic about these things.

8.  Tie – Thor – May 6^th

Judging by the initial trailer and footage that I have seen, this movie could be a huge mess; however, all of the talent involved still has me very interested in the results.  Marvel’s Norse God superhero movie has potential to be a pretty great mix of action and over-the-top campiness.  Kenneth Branagh, known for his work as a Shakespearian actor/director, has for some reason decided to direct this film and adding to that you have Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Idris Elba, Stellan Skarsgard, Ray Stevenson, and Rene Russo, among many others billed in the cast.  Sure the heavy lifting is on the shoulders of basically an unknown (Chris Hemsworth), but if all the gods speak in very godly accents, I will be satisfied.  International praise is so far very promising as well.

8.  Tie – Captain America:  The First Avenger – July 22^nd

While not as radically different as a movie about Thor, finally seeing a big blockbuster period film about Captain America will be interesting as well.  Sure he is just a super strong boy scout, but he is a super strong boy scout with an awesome shield!  Chris Evans may not have been who I would have imagined to take on this role, but I am curious to see how he pulls this one off. With a lot more footage finally hitting the scene, I have taken a liking to the style director Joe “The Rocketeer” Johnston is going for.  Plus Red Skull looks awesome.  Hopefully, Marvel will be able to make both of these superhero flicks work well in order to create the good faith needed for one of the comic events of 2012 – The Avengers.

7.  Rise of the Planet of the Apes – August 5^th

Despite knowing about this film, I had very little invested into it initially.  Given that the last entry into this franchise was the messy remake starring Mark Wahlberg and directed by a studio-confined Tim Burton, I wasn’t sure what else the franchise could offer.  I will gladly eat my words on that, however, given that I really enjoyed the recent trailer debut, along with the wealth of new information released about this film.  Starring James Franco (ok, so that’s a strange way to continue), this film serves as an origin story as to how the world became overrun by intelligent apes.  To me, this implies a pretty dark story, as the world is essentially going to end and a new order is going to take the place of human control.  The work by Weta Digital will most likely also continue to impress as well.  Until this movie comes out, however, I do have plans to finish Donkey Kong Country on the Wii, as a precautionary measure of course.

6.  X-Men:  First Class – June 3^rd

Another X-Men film, but this time it has the added bonus of Kick Ass director Matthew Vaughn and the frequently awesome Michael Fassbender as Magneto, amongst the cast of many other talented folk.  Set in the Cold War era, this film is another origin story, setting in motion the events of future by delving into the past relationship between Prof. Charles “Chucky” Xavier and E-Rock “Magnet Hands” Lensherr, as the two form the Xavier School for the Gifted and deal with the early emergence of mutant kind in the world.  A large portion of comic geeks have not been as thrilled with the X-Men on film since X2: X-Men United, so hopefully this newest entry (which also has Bryan Singer back as a producer) will really change all of that.  While not much has been seen beyond the teaser trailer thus far, the talent involved and the story being told are intriguing enough to have me really looking forward to this superpowered flick.

5.  Transformers:  The Dark of the Moon – July 1^st

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no.”  What can I say?  It’s hard not to get excited for the time leading up to Michael Bay’s “Giant Freaking Robot” movies.  While Revenge of the Fallen dropped the ball on the good faith many had after the first film, I can only hope that things will be back on track, given that there is no writer’s strike in the way of crafting a halfway decent script this time around. “Bumblebee!”  Returning to the franchise are Shia LeBeouf, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese, and John Tutorro along with all the other humans we don’t really care about.  What matters, of course, is that we get to see plenty of robot smashing action (shot in 3D *mild applause*) and enjoy the crazy pyrotechnics involved, while possibly learning some more secrets that hopefully involve the hidden connection between Transformers and Pink Floyd.  And maybe, just maybe – we’ll get to hear a new Linkin Park song mixed into the score of the film.  In all seriousness though, the trailer just has me gasping at how Bay was able to sneak in a crazy alien invasion movie that looks to be all kinds of epic, come this Independence Day.  “Optimus!”

4.  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows:  Part 2 – July 15^th

While I have not been a devoted reader of the books, I have been following this film series, and from what was presented in Part 1, I am excited to see how this whole saga ends.  While not the best (hell yeah Azkaban), the last film certainly places well as probably the best made film of the series, so I am excited to see that aspect mixed with the all out war that is going to happen between good and evil.  Given the solid effects work, cinematography, and the fact that half of England stars in this film, I am no doubt sure that a lot of greatness will be delivered.  And if I’m lucky, I’ll get to see some sweet quidditch action (probably not) and Haggrid’s beard in 3D (probably yes!).  Even if I don’t though, this has literally been ten years in the making and if anything has been promised, it is that there will be one hell of an epic conclusion.  Basically what I’m trying to say is – no one spoil what the hell is going to happen!

3.  The Tree of Life – May 27^th

Switching gears completely, The Tree of Life is the latest film from the decidedly non-prolific director Terrence Malick (The Thin Red Line, Badlands, The New World).  While Malick has recently gone from making a film every few decades to only just shy of a decade, he has still gone on to make some of the most well regarded films of his time.  His latest feature appears to be a drama starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, and Jessica Chastain, but also seems to be incorporating surreal and sci-fi elements into it as well.  Regardless of this plot, which has been shrouded in secrecy, the talent involved and the beautiful trailer, fitting of Malick’s style as a filmmaker, has me heavily anticipating this feature film.  Amidst all of the heavy hitting blockbusters, this is certainly one of the most intriguing, which is why it is placed very high on my list.

2.  Cowboys and Aliens – July 29^th

And getting right back into special effects heavy affair, we now have Cowboys and Aliens, which is a premise (based off of a comic) that just seems so natural and fitting, I am not sure why it took so long to be produced.  A heavy hitting set of producers also seems to have the same feelings as I do, given that Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, and Steven Spielberg are all involved in the project.  Adding to this, you have Iron Man director Jon Favreau stepping up to helm the project, which features a fantastic cast that includes Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, and Sam Rockwell.  What’s the story?  Craig and Ford are cowboys in the old west and they have to battle aliens.  Done.  Still, this has entertainment written all over it, with a wild genre mix that looks like it could lead to being one of the more entertaining films of the summer.

1.  Super 8 – June 10^th

Finally, the number one spot belongs to Super 8.  The incredibly super secret film from producer Steven Spielberg (third time he’s been mentioned on this list) and director J.J. Abrams (Star Trek, Lost, busiest producer in showbiz) has easily established itself in my top spot due to just how great a job has been done at playing show and tell with it.  While the full length trailer has the feel of a retro blast, you know almost nothing about the story.  Rather than go for big stars, this is a film that has a few familiar faces, but really stars kids and is more of a love letter to the Amblin age of Spielberg.  Think E.T., Close Encounters, and even The Goonies.  The sense of wonder involved in just the burst of images and video that has been seen so far has been enough to have this film jump to the top of my list.  Best of all, it comes out fairly early in the summer and I can’t wait.

Other Notable Releases On My Radar:

Pirates of the Caribbean:  On Stranger Tides – May 20^th

Cars 2 – June 24^th

Horrible Bosses – July 8^th

Crazy Stupid Love – July 29^th

30 Minutes or Less – August 12^th

Fright Night – August 19^th

Conan – August 19^th

Apollo 18 – August 26^th

and

Mr. Popper’s Penguins – June 17^th (Yeah, I put this here too.  I read the book when I was young, gimme a break)

So these are the flicks that I’m looking out for this summer.  The order almost means nothing (beyond the top 3), because really, this is a crowded summer full of a lot of potential fun.  Anyone else should feel free to comment as well and put up your own list of what you are most looking forward to.  And for a little more fun, add some guesses as to what movie will be the biggest summer movie this year at the box office.

Just for fun, here’s a breakdown on my thoughts, in retrospect, on my anticipated films for the spring:

10.  Drive Angry – Too slow and not enough anger.

9.  Water for Elephants – Decent adaptation.

8.  Source Code – Fine concept, solid direction, but only decent in my eyes.

7.  Rango – Currently my favorite film of the year.

6.  Paul – A fun comedy that didn’t quite make the jump from good to great.

5.  Sucker Punch – To the balls.

4.  Fast Five – A great action precursor to the actual summer.

3.  Your Highness – I had a lot of fun, most audiences were unsurprisingly split.

2.  Battle: Los Angeles – Decent expectations rewarded with mediocrity.

1.  Red State – A really solid thriller that won’t be seen by many due to unpredicted plans from Kevin Smith

Surprises: Insidious and Hanna

10.  Drive Angry 3D – February 25^th

C’mon now, this movie looks amazing.  Nic Cage stars as a vengeful father who has escaped Hell to find the men that have killed his daughter.  A mix of racing action with some supernatural twists, this could be one amazing cheese-fest.  One could almost suggest Gone in 60 Seconds meets Ghost Rider, but in a good way.  Directed by the man behind My Bloody Valentine 3D, this film is also shot in 3D and looks all the better for it.  It’s going to be a crazy, over-the-top mess and I bet I will enjoy all of it.

9.  Water for Elephants – April 22^nd

Based on a popular novel, this film intrigues me for a number of reasons.  Firstly, director Francis Lawrence has attempted sci-fi a couple times with Constantine and I Am Legend, but seems to be going for something new this time.  As I have problems with both of those films, I still think he has talent visually and am excited to see what he can do in this period drama.  The other reason for my anticipation is that I get a strong Big Fish feel from the trailer, and that is a very good thing in my opinion, so I am hoping to enjoy this film quite a bit.  The story is simple enough:  A veterinary student abandons his studies after his parents are killed and joins a traveling circus as their vet; and the film also stars Christoph Walz, among others.  Count me in.

8.  Source Code – April 1^st

This is director Duncan Jones’ follow up to his fantastic 2009, debut film, Moon.  This time, Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he’s part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.  While the trailer may have given this time/reality-bending film a conventional sort of look, I am hoping to be drawn into whatever it is that this film tries to create.  It has an intriguing enough premise, a good supporting cast as well, and could be enough to get Jones the chance to write another original story that could be turned into a major release.

7.  Rango – March 4^th

There are some weird movies on this list, but Rango may be one of the weirdest.  Johnny Depp stars in an animated comedy directed by Pirates director Gore Verbinski.  This computer animated, Nickelodeon film centers around a chameleon who aspires to be a swashbuckling hero and finds himself in a Western town plagued by bandits and is forced to literally play the role in order to protect it.  It is strange, but intriguing, with some nice animation and character designs, and the trailers continue to convince me to want to see this flick.

6.  Paul – March 18^th

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) have written a sci-fi comedy about to British comic book geeks traveling across America and encountering an alien (voiced by Seth Rogen) outside of Area 51.  The first three words of that last sentence already had me.  Boasting a stellar supporting cast as well, which includes Jason Batemen, Sigourney Weaver, Kristen Wiig, Jane Lynch, Bill Hader, and many others, this film is primed to make me laugh very, very hard.

5.  Sucker Punch – March 25^th

Zack Snyder returns to live action filmmaking after a brief stint directing that CG Owl movie, Legends of the Australians Speaking in G’Hooleese of Owls and the Lightening Thief.  However, after adapting 300 and Watchmen, this time around, Snyder is creating something entirely original.  The story involves several young girls attempting to break out of a mental institution, using their imaginations to create an alternate reality that can help them learn how.  Basically, using their minds serves as an excuse for Snyder to put a lot of cool looking shit all over the place and film it in his trademark slo-mo-speedup style.  And hey, I’m all for it, if he pulls it off, the man has actually not let me down yet.

4.  Fast Five – April 29^th

Yes, Fast Five beats out Sucker Punch for a simple reason – there is less risk involved in knowing how much I will enjoy this movie.  I have had a strange weakness for these ridiculous movies in the Fast and Furious franchise.  Be it the car racing action, the terrible dialogue, Paul Walker “acting”, or the motivation to make each title more ridiculous than the last, I really enjoy watching these movies.  Added to that is the fact that almost every character from the previous films is returning for this one and they have even gone and brought in Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in on the fun as well.  Vin Diesel and The Rock in the same movie!  I call that solid gold entertainment. (Anticipated review quote: “solid gold crap”)

3.  Your Highness – April 8^th

From the director of Pineapple Express and the writers behind the hilarious HBO series Eastbound & Down, comes this very funny looking medieval film that seems to be going for an R-rated comedy take on films like Beastmaster or Excalibur.  The film stars James Franco and Kenny “F-ing” Powers himself, Danny McBride, alongside Natalie Portman and Zooey Deschanel.  It involves a quest to find a lost princess, battles with dragons and other creatures, as well as facing off against foul-mouthed sorcerers and others in a fantastical world.  I was sold on this concept pretty quickly after seeing this red-band trailer.

2.  Battle:  Los Angeles – Marth 11^th

While last year’s Skyline may have left a pretty bad taste in many people’s mouths (#8 on my worst of 2010 list), I have a whole lot more faith and anticipation riding on Battle:  Los Angeles.  Along with the very cool trailers, I have seen footage of this film at last year’s San Diego Comic Con, and there are plenty of great looking things about this movie.  Basically a mix of Black Hawk Down and Independence Day, with a little Call of Duty thrown in there, the film seems to be following a platoon, headed by Harvey Dent himself, Aaron Eckhart, as they fight off an alien invasion of Los Angeles.  While the film doesn’t need to be perfect, I can at least hope for some fun and better results than the stupefying feature that was the previous alien invasion movie event.  However, if what I have seen is any indication of the final results, it should be exciting, tense, and very satisfying.

1.  Red State – March

As much as I still love to listen to Kevin Smith talk on all his various podcasts and just in general (the dude is very funny to me), after Cop Out (granted he did not write it, only directed), I was starting to think that a new “Kevin Smith movie” was meaning less and less to me.  Then the teaser trailer for this flick hit.  Red State is Smith’s attempt at a horror movie, and he has done so in the cheap and gritty way.  Having been talking about it for years, he has finally gone and got it made.  Judging by some of the images that have come about, the casting, and said teaser, let alone the amount of enthusiasm he has about doing something completely different, I am incredibly curious to see what Smith can pull off here.  From what I can tell, it looks like he is channeling the hardcore 70s horror flicks that were made in equally cheap and gritty ways.  I can only hope he pulls this off well.  (Note:  The March date for this release is the only one that is not quite solid, as Smith does not even have a distributor for the film yet, until he finds one at Sundance)

Others:

The Adjustment Bureau, Apollo 18, Hanna, The Mechanic

So that is what has me pumped and ready for the spring.  Sure, there are plenty of other films I will probably see, let alone a lot more films that will not see wide release, but these more notable flicks are the ones I think should be looked out for, and I can only hope they deliver.

10 – DAYBREAKERS – Unique, interesting take on the vampire story.  No “Teams” here! 

9 – LET ME IN – Another vampire flick, this one has a whole new take on bullying. 

8 – WINTER’S BONE – This one caught me by surprise.  Tough and harsh. 

7 – THE GHOST WRITER – Overlooked thriller starring Ewan McGregor.  Directed by Roman Polanski.  ’Nuff said. 

6 – 127 HOURS – Can one man carry a movie and keep us interested?  You betcha! 

5 – TRUE GRIT – Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin are fun to watch, but Hailee Steinfeld steals this movie. 

4 – THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES – Foreign thriller which kept me interested throughout. 

3 – THE SOCIAL NETWORK – The first scene in the restaurant grabs you, and then you are hooked. 

2 – TOY STORY 3 – Yes, I know I am 48 years old…Problem? 

1 – INCEPTION – Even when you’ve figured it all out, you haven’t figured it all out!  Fun! 

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10. Daybreakers – In what can be a mash up of two of my very favorite films around: Gattaca and Blade 2; Daybreakers satisfied my vampire tooth this year by being fun, smart, and actually having a very decent story.  Daybreakers used very minimal CGI and relied heavily on traditional special effects make-ups provided by Weta Workshop.  The film stars Ethan Hawke, Sam Neil, and Willem Dafoe.  Daybreakers was on the shelf for almost two years and that’s never a good sign for a film.  I later found out that the reason why it was shelved for that long was due to Ethan Hawke’s character’s name of…wait for it…EDWARD.  That’s right, folks.  And you all know which other hero “vampire” has the same name, right?  I scoff in your general direction.  I hate when politics and poor marketing skills get involved in the distribution of film.  Daybreakers deserves justice and everyone should check it out.

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9. Shutter Island - Martin Scorsese directing horror?  I’m in!  Teaming up once again with one of his favorite actors: Leonardo DiCaprio.  The duo teamed up to bring us a psychological brain tease of a film.  The special effects and cinematography were top notch and evoked a sense of dread in every frame.  It’s ironic, though, I have Shutter Island on my list, but have not gotten around to getting the blu-ray disc yet.  I better get on that!

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8. Tron: Legacy – Was there any doubt that this sequel to 1982′s Tron would not have a story as cutting edge as its visuals?  No, so why fight it.  Embrace the visuals and embrace Daft Punk’s music score.  In fact, Tron: Legacy can be considered this year’s Avatar. I have no problem with that label.  I’m almost certain that the blu-ray for Tron: Legacy will be on my top 10 blu-ray list next year.

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7. Predators – Leave it to my favorite Mexican director Robert Rodriguez to come in and take my favorite alien hunter and fix the wrong that was committed in previous franchise entries.  Sure, the film will not win any awards for best thespians, but it sure is a lot of fun!  That’s all that matters.

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6. The Book of Eli – I’ve come to the realization that The Book of Eli is about as close to a live action Fallout 3 film we are ever going to get.  I can accept that.  From some of the similar story arcs, to some of the very exact shots of rockets flying through the air, The Hughes Brothers deliver big on action, story, and entertainment.  The cast rocks, and it’s a bloody good time.

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5. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps – Being an Oliver Stone fan, I can see how some of his audiences will always be mixed, but this sequel to his classic Wall Street is up there in terms of following through with some familiar characters and their stories.  Twenty two years later, greed never looked so good.

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4. Machete – “They f##### with the wrong Mexican!”  On that alone Machete deserves to be on my list for the best films of the year.  Once again, the hardest working Mexican director in Hollywood, Robert Rodriguez; brings us Machete. In Danny Trejo’s first leading role, and with an all star cast, Machete delivers the goods.

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3. The Social Network – Who wouldn’t have been interested in seeing the inner workings of the uber geek that created Facebook?  Who wouldn’t have wanted to see David Fincher’s latest film?  What could have been a disaster in the hands of lesser talent, The Social Network presented a cut-throat world of deals, back-stabbings, money, excess, all in a very entertaining and not boring way.

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2. The American – One of the most polarizing films of the year, The American, was either loved or hated by the general public.  I’m in the first group.  The film can be described as a “slow burn” film.  You will spend lots of time with a solitary character who may or may not speak much or do much.  You will also take in some breathtaking scenery.  The American is a very esoteric view in the life of an assassin, and I totally appreciated that particular point of view.

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1. Inception – After the first half hour of the film, I’d already made up my mind that Inception would be my top film of 2010.  Christopher Nolan can do no wrong, in my opinion.  All of his films dare the audience to actually think.  Some people don’t want to think while watching a film and that’s pretty sad.  I’m glad Christopher Nolan is around to create thought provoking entertainment.  He gets it.

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*As was previously mentioned, I have not seen every film that was released in theaters in 2010.  Some of the these films include: Black Swan, and True Grit. Here’s hoping that 2011 keeps it going with more quality entertainment.

Special Mention:  Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare – I may be tipping my hand early on with this one, but the work done on this downloadable content for Red Dead Redemption is so well put together that it deserves to have special mention made about it.  Taking the already brilliant game design of ‘Red Dead’ and applying that to a brand new story, which is about a 6-hour long experience was a nice excuse to continue playing an already great game.  But to up the ante even more, Rockstar decided to develop a zombie-themed story expansion, which made it amazing and right up my alley.  Hilarious, fun, and fairly involving, this is why DLC exists, to deliver awesome twists on already proven concepts, without betraying the original spirit of the game.  It is a great feeling to get some Red Dead headshots. 

10.  Shank – I can understand the arguments made regarding there being not much to this 2D, side-scrolling beat-em-up, but the game has so much style and fun with its story, art style, weapon variety, and M-rated violence.  As far as downloadable games go, this is a nice little package.  Featuring a story that is all about paying homage to a Robert-Rodriguez type flick, the character you inhabit in this game is out for revenge and equipped with pistols, a chainsaw, a katana, and a shotgun, among other weapons. These weapons can be switched between instantly and the mayhem you cause can become fun combos, as you shoot and dice your way through enemies, akin to something like Devil May Cry or this year’s Bayonetta.  The game even manages to fit in 2-player co-op, which has levels that serve as a prequel to the main single-player story.  It’s over-the-top, violent, funny, and a blast to play through…literally. 

9.  Modnation Racers – May, 2010, was a busy month for racing games.  Along with Modnation:  Split/Second and Blur both came out around the same time.  As a result, all three games ended up not doing as well as they could have, despite all receiving solid critical regard.  Modnation was the game I was rooting for the most.  It is essentially using the formula of Little Big Planet and bringing it to the world of Mario Kart.  Thus, you have a very cartoony, but very addictive cart racing game that looks great and has plenty to offer in terms of customization.  The only problem is how bad the load times are.  Once you get going in a race, it’s tons of fun, but the time in between really kills the flow of your gaming experience.  Thanks to a downloadable patch, this has been improved upon, but still a small issue.  That being said, everything concerning the actual gameplay and how easy it is to pick up and go is a lot of fun. 

8.  Bioshock 2 – The sequel to the critically hailed 2007 hit.  This game did not really reinvent anything that the first had to offer, but it improved off of a lot of little things and managed to delve further into the world of Rapture.  Just like the first game, I was compelled to play it do to how much I liked being in this world and experiencing the horrors of its retro design gone to hell.  The addition of multiplayer was an interesting one.  It may not have had the addictive qualities of a game like Call of Duty, but it certainly managed to work quite well at delivering a fun competitive experience.  I am glad that the next game, Bioshock Infinite, is moving away from the world of Rapture, but taking this second trip was very much worth it.  Taking on the persona of a Big Daddy and fighting a bunch of crazy splicers was certainly a challenge under the sea of dreams. 

7.  Rock Band 3 – I honestly don’t know how to rank Rock Band 3.  It’s the one game that I’ll be playing the most, when all is said and done, because that core gameplay is not going to change, and more and more songs will continue to be added to its already ginormous playlist.  Be it with friends, or online, or by myself, I love the experience of rocking out on my plastic instruments, belting out songs as I strum the Fender Stratocaster.  This newest entry only ups the ante by giving you even more creative freedom and making the overall experience an easier process to play through.  In addition, having a keyboard now in play will lead to many more song varieties to be added.  A room full of people playing and harmonizing to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody is a very good thing.  While last year’s Beatles Rock Band managed to apply a unique feel to the Rock Band formula, this game is a true sequel that brought some much needed elements to an already very fun game. 

6.  Mafia II – At this point in the list, I think it is a good idea to point out that most of these games all delivered on having very well written and involving stories.  With top games from last year, such as Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Batman: Arkham Asylum, I have very much been drawn to games that delivered on having fantastic stories and characters, in addition to being a games that are fun to play.  Mafia II is a great example of this.  It takes a fairly simple gameplay format and sets it in an open world; however, instead of giving you a huge variety of submissions to play through, the path of the game is very linear, with rare opportunities to stray from the game’s main story.  As a result, you have a game that on lasts a good 15 hours, as opposed to 50+, but I was so drawn into the story, characters, and overall atmosphere of this game, that it hardly bothered me.  I don’t tend to play one game, straight through, in a short amount of time very often, but this was a game I burned through, because of how much I wanted to see where its narrative would take me.  Add to that the great amount of work, visually, which the game delivered on to portray a world set in the 1940s and 50s, along with strong voice-over work, and plenty of Tommy-gun fights, and you have a pretty sweet gaming experience that could make Marlon, Al, James, and Robert proud. 

5.  Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood – The exciting thing to point out about this game, is that it may be Assassin’s Creed 2.5, but that is a completely awesome thing.  Curiously, the only thing that the build up to this game was highlighting was the fact that it had multiplayer.  Besides the fact that the multiplayer is awesome (which I will get to), this game has a whole 15 hour single-player story mode, which is fantastic.  The plot may not progress much (leave that to Assassin’s Creed 3), but the tweaks to the combat and other new additions are all very welcome.  Given that the game’s design is to make you feel like the ultimate bad ass assassin, having a new feature, where you can call upon assassins to help you out in battle and send them on their own missions only works to emphasize your grandiose nature further.  Who needs difficulty, when you can simply feel satisfied with leaping across buildings and delivering swift death to various historical figures, as you travel around a beautifully recreated, 15^th century Rome.  Then you have the multiplayer, which is essentially the coolest version of Clue you can play, as you have various modes requiring you to find out who is trying to kill you, as you attempt to locate your own assigned target.  This is a well crafted gaming experience, delivering plenty of bang for your buck. 

4.  Enslaved: Odyssey to the West – This game will continue to get all the love in the world from me, because as much as these other blockbuster games deliver on what they set out to do, Enslaved emerged practically from nowhere and delivered a pretty great experience, which is unfortunately not being taken advantage of by enough buyers.  This is a platforming, action-adventure game, taking a few notes from Uncharted, but playing out in a simpler fashion.  However, while the gameplay may be fairly straightforward, it is how this game is constructed that makes me love it.  The story is an adaptation of the ancient Chinese story Journey to the West, written by screenwriter Alex Garland (28 Days Later, Sunshine).  The lead character, Monkey, is voiced by Andy Serkis (Gollum, King Kong), who also did his own motion capture performance and directed all of the cutscenes.  As a result, the work done to create a great story, set in a beautifully realized future dystopian society, along with how well handled the characters are, led to a fantastic game that I did not want to stop playing.  I did say the gameplay is straightforward, but the design of this world (the depiction of the future features an America full of overgrown plant life, which is a nice change in pace over more gray wastelands) and the effort put into the motion performances and vocal work of the characters are all highlights that I will continue to emphasize.  It also is still fun to play.  I initially downloaded the demo, and a twist in the opening level of this game had me hooked immediately.  I am glad I stuck with it, as it gave me exactly what I wanted out of it. 

3.  Heavy Rain – Perhaps the most innovative game of the year, Heavy Rain definitely delivered one of the most ambitious and visceral gaming experiences I have ever had a chance to get my hands on.  Poke holes and have fun with the story and voice acting all you want (I certainly do; “Jaaasooon”), but the way this game has been constructed is pretty fantastic.  Modeled on the plot of a crime thriller akin to Se7en or Silence of the Lambs, this game puts you in the shoes of four different characters, all looking to stop a menace known as the “Origami Killer”, who kidnaps and murders children.  Whether you are in the role of the father hoping to find his son before it is too late or of the detective putting everything together, it is up to you to stay ahead of the curve.  Differing from traditional gameplay, the experience here requires the player to interact with the environment and other characters using a system of quick time events that lead to various discoveries in the story and fast-paced action sequences.  Depending on the choices the players make, the game can literally shift the narrative, leading up to a variety of different scenarios and endings.  The look and mood of the game is matched with intense gameplay sequences, as players are literally tasked with keeping their characters alive or making heavy moral decisions.  It is unique, engaging, dark, and a wonderfully artful experience, as the cinematic quality of this game stands to bring the medium to a new level. 

2.  God of War III – Now a unique experience is all well and good, but the “if it aint broke don’t fix it, just make it more awesome and epic” strategy, which the God of War team used to create this final chapter in the series, unquestionably did just that.  I have long been a fan of this series, with its easily accessible control mechanics, over-the-top violent tone, fun revenge story rooted in Greek mythology, and of course the anti-hero of the tale, Kratos, whose drive is set on killing all of the Gods of Olympus.  Fans of this game series finally got to sink their teeth into an entry made for the PS3, and this game certainly delivers on all fronts.  One of the best looking games on the console, God of War has stunning animations throughout, only to be matched with a smooth-framerate and enough power from the console to let you battle tons of enemies on screen at one time, while literally on the back of a Titan, which the game is sure to remind you of, as the camera frequently zooms way out, emphasizing the sense of scale this game is delivering on.  This was another game I was craving more time in the day to play all the way through in order to have a fully satisfying experience.  The addictive gameplay and gleefully over-the-top bloodshed that this game delivers on was certainly one of the most satisfying gaming experiences I had this year.  Special mention must also go out to the fact that this game delivered on having all of the best boss battles of the year, including the knock-down, drag-out brawl that was Kratos vs. his half brother Hercules, voiced by none other than Kevin Sorbo.  “By the gods.” 

1.  Red Dead Redemption – In 2004, Rockstar released Red Dead Revolver on the Playstation 2.  It was a third-person action shooter, set in the realms of a western.  While that game was not without its share of problems, I loved it; played it repeatedly; and would continue to play it for years (as well as the multiplayer, which some friends and I have a certain affinity for).  In 2010, Rockstar revisited this game and gave it a huge overhaul in design, in order to match the potential that a game like this has for next-gen gaming consoles.  As a result, the experience of playing Red Dead Redemption, the amount of fun I had, the amount of work that clearly went into crafting this world, the characters you play as and engage with, and the story so wonderfully written, all paid off to deliver what was an easy choice for me as my game of the year.  An open world experience set in the world of a western that is not just Grand Theft Auto on horseback.  Of all the elements I can praise about this game, which includes the amount of fun I have getting into shootouts, the beauty this game has to offer from its wild west design to the sight of a sunset on the horizon, the addictive multiplayer, and the amazing score, I think it all comes down to how much I respect the main character, John Marston, and the way the story functions around him.  While indeed fun and at many times very funny, the game never winks at the audience, the story is presented as a mature one, where you follow a man, sorry for his past deeds, looking to make up for his sins and earn back his family.  Some may find the pacing of this game slow in its beginnings, but it is all wholly appropriate in order to develop these (fully realized) characters and settings.  The script for this game is incredibly well written, and while certainly a long game to play all the way through, the final “missions” of this game are fully worth it, as the investment placed in these characters reaches a natural conclusion, which is very well handled.  I reckon that this is not only my favorite game of the year, but one of the ones that makes me proud to be a gamer. 

Game of the Year – Red Dead Redemption 

Honorable Mentions: 

3D Dot Game Heroes, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, Def Jam Rapstar, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, Darksiders 

Other Games Worth Noting: 

Donkey Kong Country (Wii), GoldenEye 007 (Wii), Angry Birds (iPhone), Cut the Rope (iPhone), Infinite Blade (iPhone), Dance Central (Xbox 360 – Kinect) 

Games I am Looking Forward to in 2011: 

Dead Space 2, Infamous 2, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, Batman: Arkham City, Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, Resistance 3, Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Portal 2, L.A. Noire 

If you would like to purchase any of the games listed, click on one of the links below:

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10. The Expendables - Considering that this initial release is just for the general audience who really “needs it” (Stallone is currently working on a director’s cut), The Expendables is a drop kick to the senses.  The Blu-ray has amazing reference sound, near reference video, and a 90-minute documentary on the making of the whole bloody thing.  Stallone knows what the film geeks want and he dishes this release with a nice helping of special features.

9. Carlos (aka Carlos the Jackal) – Carlos The Jackal is a UK import of the French film of the same name.  Edgar Ramirez stars as the famed assassin-terrorist-mastermind of some of the most daring crimes ever carried out in history.  Shot all over the world and in multiple languages, Carlos The Jackal is a great film which shows the inner workings of a master criminal and what makes him tick.  The blu-ray is presented in a 3 disc blu-ray set which contains the theatrical cut that ran for about 2hrs 30min, and the special “mini-series” version that clocked in at almost five hours.  If you have a region free blu-ray player you owe it to yourself to track down Carlos The Jackal.

8. Che – Criterion Collection, be thy name!  The Criterion Collection never ceases to amaze me.  They put out all the stops when they dedicate themselves to film art.  Che is one story made into two films.  In addition to the great storytelling, acting, production, etc., Criterion Collection has blessed us with so many special features on this Blu-ray set that I would need a separate page to list them all!  They even have a documentary on the RED camera which was used to shoot Che. I’m stuffed. *burps*

7. The Thin Red Line – War is not beautiful, but this blu-ray certainly is!  Again, Criterion Collection have blessed us with this reference disc of Terrence Malick’s war vision.  If film were food then The Thin Red Line would be a seven course meal. You will have your knife and fork in hand ready to devour this Blu-ray presentation.  Bon Appettit!

6. Inception – What’s left to say about this masterpiece in film and film making?  Not much, but this blu-ray hits all the right spots.  The supplemental features a-plenty, and the picture and sound quality are amazing! Depending what territory you purchased it from, certain editions come in mini briefcases with their very own totem.  I approve.

5. Avatar (Collector’s Edition) – Some may be shocked as to why this isn’t number one.  Well, that’s because there are tons of films that came out on blu-ray this year and it was pretty hard to narrow it down.  Avatar has been covered to death, so I decided to bump it down.  This does not mean the Blu-ray sucks, because it certainly does not suck.  Avatar (Collector’s Edition) is what Blu-ray is all about.

4. Apocalypse Now – It gets extremely cliched when you hear about people saying what certain films meant to them, because most of the time they say the same exact thing.  I dare you or anyone out there to have the same experience when you finish watching Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece Apocalypse Now. Lionsgate spared no expense and brought the definitive version(s) of the film.  I’ve always preferred the Redux version.  I’ve watched the Redux version twice since it was released on blu-ray and to say that the film isn’t haunting would be a great disservice to the craft.  I’m still thinking about “the horror.”

3. Solomon Kane – Here’s another film that the makers or powers that be have done justice for.  Solomon Kane was not released stateside, so it was all up to the UK distributors to make the wrong things right.  And they did.  Solomon Kane has gorgeous video and a thunderous and epic soundtrack that I was absolutely floored when I popped this disc in for the first time.  It kicks some serious ass!  If you’re region free, you know what to do.

2. Alien Anthology – The ultimate set for an ultimate series of science fiction-horror films sent Blu-ray aficionados scurrying around like face-huggers.  You even had the paranoid ones that were quick to complain when James Cameron made a particular comment that was taken out of context.  The Alien Anthology hit and for the most part, was reference and near reference in quality and supplements.  People spent weeks devouring every special feature on the many discs included.  I purchased the UK edition which was way cheaper than the U.S. version.  No regrets whatsoever, and it deserves the number two spot on my list.

1. Cronos – Simplicity at its finest.  Some films don’t need two hundred million dollar budgets or fancy computer generated special effects for them to be great.  Guillermo del Toro’s Cronos is that film.  To complete the trifecta (this top ten list has 3 Criterions) Criterion Collection has restored Guillermo del Toro’s first film with painstaking tender-loving-care.  The final disc is a marvel to behold, but it’s the supplement package that joins the primary film content that puts this particular blu-ray to the top of the heap.  “Welcome to Bleak House” is Guillermo del Toro’s second home that was purchased just to house his vast collection of toys, artwork, books, production offices, etc.  Literally, it’s a “man cave” that serves no other purpose than to be a shrine for lots of cool stuff.  I want one!

Honorable Mentions: Saving Private Ryan, Psycho, The Wolfman, Grindhouse, Iron Man 2, The A-Team, Predators, Sherlock Holmes, Daybreakers, Mesrine, Lucky Luke, Metropolis: Reconstructed, and so many, many more!

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See you next year!!!!

#10 Piranha 3D - Call it total cheese, call it bad, call it fun.  I thoroughly enjoyed this movie from start to finish.  It kicked off on the right foot by paying homage to Jaws with a cameo of Richard Dreyfuss as he singingly mumbled the lyrics, “Show me the way to go home.”  The 3D visuals were enticing and Jerry O’Connell gave an Oscar-worthy dirtbag-of-the-year performance.  Okay, maybe it’s not worth a gold statue, but he was convincing to say the least.  Elizabeth Shue is still hot, Ving Rhames is still a badass, Christopher Lloyd is still funny and hellooooo Kelly Brook.  I must’ve fallen in love half a dozen times in this film.  It was pure fun from start to finish with a great twist at the end.

#9  Hot Tub Time Machine – When this film came out, I was at my local comic book store where a customer was arguing the validity of it.  It’s about a hot tub…that’s a time machine.  Unless this guy knew about some invention I didn’t know existed, then I don’t think there was any validity to this film.  I love the 80′s and I love a good comedy.  Mash ‘em up and throw a little Chevy Chase cameo in there and you’ve got yourself one funny film.  Better than last year’s The Hangover?  I think not, but still, John Cusack and company did a good job in bringing the laughs.

#8 True Grit – Remaking a film that starred John Wayne is no easy task.  Yet the Coen brothers achieved this in admirable fashion in their rendition that was dotted with humor, drama, and some incredible acting.  I never thought I’d see the day where two of my favorite actors, Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon, would share the screen.  Scratch that off the wish list.  It’s reality now.  The movie had a slow part here and there, but overall, it was a grand piece of work.  And how can I talk about this without mentioning that outstanding performance by Hailee Steinfeld?  Whoever found her should get a medal…right after Hailee gets one for her acting.  Maybe not a medal, but an award that rhymes with “shmoss-ker.”  What a way to close out the 2010 movie-watching year. 

#7 Let Me In – I was in on the discussion panel for this film at this year’s Comic-Con and felt rather indifferent afterward.  There was nothing really there to light my fire.  I knew it was a remake of the foreign film, Let the Right One In, where a young boy finds friendship from an unlikely girl who is a vampire.  Many people get turned off when they hear that supernatural term.  For vampire haters, fear not.  This is not a vampire movie, but a movie about true friendship that has a vampire in it.  I can’t speak for the Swedish counterpart, but Matt Reeves’ version was fantastic.

#6 Predators – Thank you, Mr. Rodriguez, for bringing quality back to my favorite movie monster.  After that AVP: Requiem debacle, the Yautjas needed some serious rescuing at the box office.  Predators may not have had the financial income muscle that the original Predator did, but that’s all right.  Robert Rodriguez showed us Predators fighting Predators for the first time and even gave us a rogue sect of the race.  Between some great action and Topher Grace’s timely humor, I had a hunting-good time with Adrien Brody and crew in Predators.

#5 Iron Man 2 – Oh God, I can almost see the Avengers on the horizon.  Yes, I will proudly claim the title of “Geek.”  Jon Favreau once again brought us a fun romp through the pages of Marvel as Tony Stark returned in the scarlet and gold armor.  Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow continue to exercise their playful chemistry while the addition of Don Cheadle, Mickey Rourke, and Scarlett Johansson only added more pop and bang to the action and the story.  The final battle was a little weak, but hey, watching the Black Widow utilize her Lucha libre style of fighting to take down baddies in rapid succession was worth the ticket price alone.  Oh yeah, War Machine was cool too .  Nothing says “wicked” like a shoulder-mounted minigun. 

#4 How to Train Your Dragon – This movie held the top spot on my for quite a while.  As time has gone on, I have, for whatever unknown reason, enjoyed computer-animated films less and less.  Toy Story 3 had a beautiful story, but I just wasn’t digging it.  Up, though it wasn’t a 2010 release, bored me to tears.  Then there’s How to Train Your Dragon.  Maybe it’s the fact that film’s star reptile bares behavioral traits uncannily similar to my cat Rocky and my late dog Maggie.  Perhaps that was the aspect that clicked for me.  I absolutely loved this film and even got a little choked up along the way.  Call me a softy.  The story won me over and the beautiful environments and animation didn’t hurt either.

#3 Get Him to the Greek – My first exposure to Russell Brand.  Some say he didn’t have to really act in this film as that was really just his own zany personality coming through.  Whatever the case, I laughed so damn hard in this movie that I had tears running down my face.  Jonah Hill played a record company go-for who was tasked with reving the career of rock star Aldous Snow (Russell Brand) by escorting him from London to the famous Greek Theater in Los Angeles for a career-lifting performance.  Drugs, booze and women interfere with the journey as record exec P.Diddy jumps in to make sure the job gets done. 

#2 Step Up 3D – The story was okay, although nothing new.  A talented guy chases his love while trying to save the family property.  You can pretty much guess what happens in the end.  Nevertheless, I was entertained by it and it effectively made you root for the good guys.  What truly won me over was the amazing use of 3D, and I don’t even care for this technology, but more importantly, the dancing.  Pure adrenaline.  I sat there trying to pull what moves I could from the film hoping to use them at a later date, simply awe-inspired by the action in front of me.  I wanted to be up there on that screen doing at least a fraction of that choreography.  So-so acting, simple story, grand visuals, incredible dancing.  Mix all that together and the entertainment value was through the roof for me.

#1 The A-Team - I’ve found the more I get my hopes up for a movie, the more I’m let down when I first see it.  That was NOT the case with The A-Team.  It was one of my favorite shows as a kid and the casting could not have been much better for the film; especially in the case of District 9′s Sharlto Copley as the mildly derranged Captain Murdock.  The movie easily combined aspects of wit, action, personality, and even a dose of drama in this wildly addictive ride.  Liam Neeson did well playing Hannibal, the team’s leader.  Bradley Cooper was arguably the second best cast as pretty boy ‘Face’, while UFC star Rampage Jackson filled the big shoes of Mr. T in the role of B.A. Baracus.  And of course it never hurts to throw Jessica Biel into a film.  I sure as heck wasn’t complaining.      

Honorable Mention

RED – Why this film bombed at the box office, I have no idea.  It certainly wasn’t due to the lack of star power as the film showed off Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Karl Urban, Mary-Louise Parker, and Brian Cox.  It was an over-the-top action/comedy where the dialogue succeeded, the shootouts were fun, and the chemistry blended like pizza and beer.  I went back and forth up to the last minute trying to decide if this was good enough to make the 10-spot or not.  It was there, then I took it off and put Piranha 3D back and repeated the process again.  In the end, Red was a great time and just missed the cut of the top 10.  It’s still worth a Blu-ray buy though.

Biggest Disappointment

The Wolfman – This doesn’t necessarily mean the film in this category was bad.  It just means it wasn’t all that I had hoped for…by a longshot.  Take Tron: Legacy for instance.  I was disappointed with it, but it’s not a bad movie.  Black Swan could be filed in the same manner though I didn’t like that movie at all.  The one that takes the cake here is one Benicio Del Toro fronted a lot of his own money for; The Wolfman, and despite my intro for this category, this movie was indeed bad.  It had some incredibly impressive makeup artists on the set and their work showed quite visibly on screen.  Unfortunately, that was one of the only saving graces for this boring trek through full moon landscapes.  Not even the acting greatness of Sir Anthony Hopkins could save this.  The story trodded along at a sloth’s pace and some awful CGI didn’t help either.  I had hoped for so much more.  I enjoyed the imagery collage that was used both here and in the better known version starring Lon Chaney Jr. from 1941.  Still, that didn’t amount to any significant positive as this movie didn’t come close to making the grade.  Watch the trailer.  It’s better than the full film. 

Worst Film of the Year

Jonah Hex – No brainer.  As I sit here writing this final piece to my last “Best of 2010″ article, I’m trying to gather my wits and every bit of impressive grammar I ever gained in English classes over the years.  Shall my description be a poetic delivery of eloquence, slightly shadowed by the negativity this film hath wrought?  No.  This movie sucked.  It was so bad that I can’t believe somebody thought the end product was good enough to release to the citizens of planet earth.  If you don’t know who Jonah Hex is, he’s a Confederate soldier whose family was killed and he was left for dead.  Through some ancient Indian spirits, he now gains the ability to get shot twice as much as the average person before dying a second time or whatever.  John Malkovich and Megan Fox starred behind headliner Josh Brolin and I can’t believe anybody accepted this script unless it grossly changed from the original version.  I was hoping a nuclear blast would have settled the outcome of this movie, but since it takes place during the 1860′s, that wasn’t an option.  Stick with the comic books of Jonah Hex.  They are actually good.

Aaron’s Top 10 Favorite Films of 2010

It’s the end of 2010, and with that I have a list of my favorite movies.  The following list contains all of the films that I felt defined what I seek out in most films; namely that they have elements of entertainment, intrigue, or master craftsmanship when it comes to the filmmaking.  Some may only have a few of these aspects covered, others may have all three bases dominated.  Given my lengthy honorable mention section, there were certainly a good number of films that I had to choose from, but this list, I feel, represents the best of what 2010 had to offer theatrically:

10.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – The first film of a trilogy, adapted from a book series that became mega popular over the course of this year.  This film was a strong entry as far as crime thrillers go; made great by the breakout performance by Noomi Rapace, who played the titular “girl with the dragon tattoo” of the series.  While the remaining entries in the series came with diminishing returns, this was the dark and very well made film to see.  With David Fincher currently filming the American remake (due next Christmas), it will be interesting to see how that film matches up with this great one.

“I’ve never done this before.  Hold still or it’ll get messy.”

9.  127 Hours – Director Danny Boyle managed to follow up his Oscar winning Slumdog Millionare with a great story about triumph.  Boyle managed to combine his kinetic style with a story that mostly takes place in one location and made it one of the tensest experiences of the year.  This film is wonderfully well made with a pretty fantastic lead performance by James Franco.  While it may be a tough watch for some (especially “the scene”), this was certainly a film I was glad to see.  The feats accomplished by Aron Rolston outweigh the graphic display of his plight.

“All you have to remember is that everything will be okay.”  (Theatrical Review)

8.  Kick Ass – It is impressive that this film managed to live up to its title in so many ways.  Adapted from the Mark Millar comic, this was the little film that could, as it was independently financed, but still managed to wow audiences with its slick action sequences; most notably the violent ones involving 12-year-old Chloe Moretz as Hit-Girl.  Add to that a fun story about a high school kid attempting to become a superhero and the wild card that is Nic Cage and you have a pretty fantastic comic book movie.

“Tool up honey bunny.  It’s time to get bad guys.”  (Blu-ray Review)

7.  The Kids are All Right – With all the big spectacle films that came out over the summer, I really fell in love with this film as well.  It has great performances from Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, and Mark Ruffalo, who are all well equipped to match the roles they’ve been given.  The film is very funny, with the all the right kind of dialogue that is sharp, witty, and perfectly suited to the story.  All of these great elements lend themselves to a film that will easily earn repeat visits for me.

“To an unconventional family.”  (Theatrical Review)

6.  True Grit – All of the ingredients were in the right place for this one.  A Coen brother’s western, starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin, which features all of the elements that make their films so enjoyable.  The film has great, funny, quirky and authentic dialogue and plenty of dark humor to match the western violence.  Definitely adding to this film’s greatness is its accessibility to audiences.  That is not a factor you can really associate to many Coen films, but True Grit certainly delivers a very satisfying viewing experience.

“Fill your hands, you son of a bitch!”  (Theatrical Review)

5.  Toy Story 3 – I have said this many times, but when Toy Story 3 came out, after Wall-E and Up, I was expecting a fun comedy starring some old friends.  This aspect was certainly delivered to me, but I did not expect the roller coaster of emotions that the entire film would put me through, as the story beats led to various moments of cleverness, suspense, and past reflection.  Any movie that can make me laugh very hard and also worry about the safety of Mr. Potato Head is one that deserves high recognition.  Pixar scores a hit again, here’s hoping they pull off Cars 2.

“You’ve got a play date with destiny.”  (Blu-ray Review)

4.  Black Swan – I love the idea that I was able to fall in love with the concept of Natalie Portman going insane.  This movie certainly gave me that, delivering on its seemingly simple premise, which basically functions as a twisted take on Swan Lake.  The end result is a terrifically terrifying ballet drama.  Director Darren Aronofsky certainly delivered on establishing a mood and a creating a film that was very much a visual feast when it came to delving into Portman’s psyche.  The final act of this film, in particular, is a tour-de-force.  Add to that Portman delivering one of the best performances of the year, and you have a film that easily belongs high on my list.

“What happened to my sweet girl?”  (Theatrical Review)

3.  Inception – Now we enter that top tier of 2010 films that I really love, starting with this Christopher Nolan directed, mind-bending, summer blockbuster.  What many were first thinking would be a nice cool down for Nolan, in between Batman films, turned out to be a grand-scale sci-fi/action epic, with a large and very talented ensemble cast, and a plethora of amazingly filmed sequences.  Between the spinning hotel hallway fight and Ellen Page’s character literally bending the world backwards, I found much to love in this film, and it all starts with Hans Zimmer’s booming score.  Bwarrrrrr!

“The dream is collapsing.”  (Theatrical Review)

2.  The Social Network – Here’s another film that was absorbing and action packed…with dialogue, heyo! David Fincher once again delivers a fantastically made film that may not have screamed “Fincher” when first bringing up the subject of “Facebook:  The Movie”, but upon viewing the film, certainly fits very well into his filmography.  Masterfully crafted, the obvious benefit to a movie like this is having a screenplay written by Aaron Sorkin, who manages to cram this film with great dialogue, all functioning to tell a story about ambition, friendship, and betrayal.  This is a film that works as a drama, a sly comedy, and a solid reflection on a generation still in progress.

“If you guys were the inventors of Facebook, you would have invented Facebook.”  (Theatrical Review)

1.  Scott Pilgrim vs. the World – Anyone who knows me or has been reading up on what I have to say should have probably seen this coming.  I have seen this film more times in theaters than any other film this year, let alone the past few years (although Inglourious Basterds was close).  I have done everything I can to get the word out on this epic epic of epicness.  Based on an equally brilliant comic, director Edgar Wright has made one of the ultimate hybrid films, which is essentially a romantic comedy but manages to be both:  hilarious and full of some pretty kick ass action sequences.  Add to that Wright’s ingenious visual style, which perfectly fits the tone of the film, as it heavily references video games and the indie rock music scene, and you have a film that seemed to literally be after my own heart.  In a year that ended up being full of lots of good films to choose from, this was the one that managed to be both one of the best made films of the year and the film I had the most fun watching.

“We are Sex Bob-Omb and we are here to make you think about death and get sad and stuff.”  (Theatrical Review)

Honorable Mentions:

The King’s Speech, The Fighter, Animal Kingdom, The Good The Bad and The Weird, The Ghost Writer, A Prophet, Splice, Shutter Island, The Town, Micmacs, Cyrus, Buried, Let Me In, Hereafter, Restrepo, Exit Through the Gift Shop, McGruber, and of course Piranha 3D

Top 10 Worst Films of 2010

With all of the films I did like this year, there were plenty of duds that came out as well.  I do not like to relish in how bad a film was, and most of these were not the kind of “so bad it’s funny” movie that I can appreciate; however, it is worth noting these select 10 flicks that I felt were the worst 2010 had to offer:

10.  Grown Ups – Adam Sandler manages to get his a bunch of his (mostly) funny friends together and make the most expensive set of (unfunny) home movies ever.

9.  Cop Out – I hate to single out this film, but it really does suck.  I am looking forward to seeing a film that is both directed and (more importantly) written by Kevin Smith soon, because this buddy cop comedy with Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan was severely devoid of humor it could have used.

8.  Skyline – This is an example of why Cloverfield is a very good movie.  (Theatrical Review)

7.  (tie) Saw 3D:  The Final Chapter / Chain Letter – I hope this is the final nail the damn Saw coffin.  As for Chain Letter, didn’t hear of it? Don’t worry about it.  (Theatrical Review – Saw)  (Theatrical Review – Chain Letter)

6.  A Nightmare on Elm Street – With a signature villain and an infinite amount of ideas to work with, as the film’s premise relies on a villain stalking his prey in the world of the dream, this film decides to hold way back at being in any way creative, and instead decides to continue killing bland teenage characters in steamy warehouses.

5.  The Tourist – Lots of talented people working together to make one, big nothing of a movie.  Just a big, boring dud, through and through.  (Theatrical Review)

4.  Jonah Hex – Josh Brolin battles against that wily John Malcovich and his deadly Dragonballs.  One thing is for sure, Megan Fox plays a convincing whore.  (Theatrical Review)

3.  She’s Out of My League – Oh man did I hate this movie.  As much as this seemed to be the year of Jay Baruchel, this “comedy” was not one of his highlights.  And now I recall the scene where Baruchel’s friend helps him to shave his scrotum. Har har har.

2.  The Last Airbender – Enough people are going to have this as their number 1, so I’ll hold back a bit for something else.  That being said, any kind of comeback people may have been hoping for from Shyamalan, when he decided to tackle a big budget studio adventure/fantasy film, was instantly ruined after witnessing this disaster.  I keep telling myself, this series has nowhere to go, but up…?  (Theatrical Review)

1.  My Soul to Take – As much as I hate Airbender, that film could not match the confounding mess of a film that is Wes Craven’s My Soul to Take.  A complete waste of time for everyone involved, this is a film that was absolutely ridiculous from start to finish in the worst kind of ways. Nothing seems to make sense, it’s a strangely constructed PG-13 horror movie from a man who used to know how to make horror movies, and finally, to add insult to injury, it’s in “3D”.  There is absolutely nothing in this film that I can view in a positive manner in any capacity, and that is why it earns its spot as the worst movie of the year.  (Theatrical Review)

So there you have it.  That is my countdown for the year of 2010 regarding the best and worst flicks of the year.  I have talked at length about the reasoning for many of these choices, but suffice it to say:  I know what I like and I know what I don’t like.  I am very much looking forward to 2011.  There are a lot of upcoming releases I am very much excited about.  While I may not be writing a top 10 list regarding these upcoming releases, the picture below may be a good indication of what I really want to see…

10.  Vengeance Trilogy – This set consists of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, and Lady Vengeance.  A trilogy of films only linked by the theme of revenge, this series written and directed by Park Chan-Wook is one of my favorite recent collections of films.  Oldboy, in particular, is one of my favorite films in general.  All dark tales with a great visual aesthetic, and now I can watch all of them on glorious Blu-ray discs.  All of them look and sound great, not to mention the bevy of special features that are available for each film.  The spiffy tin box that houses these three films is quite nice as well.

“Laugh, and the world laughs with you.  Weep, and you weep alone.”

9.  Se7en – This is a film that I was really craving to have on Blu-ray.  David Fincher’s 1995 crime thriller is layered with thick atmosphere, which is perfectly suited for viewing under the best visual circumstances possible.  Add to that a ton of features that may have already been on the DVD, but still work to inform the viewer about nearly the entire production of this film, and you have a disc that people would easily want to take advantage of this format for.

“What’s in the box!?” (Blu-ray Review)

8.  The Evil Dead – Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy is amongst my favorite trilogies of all time, let alone one that I revisit much more frequently than others.  Now I can watch the original (along with the others) on Blu-ray, which is a great way for me to further observe the low budget zaniness of this trilogy in action.  Seeing and hearing moments such as the infamous “Pencil scene” in even grosser detail will be a great joy for me and my friends to behold during my annual “Halloween Evil Dead Marathon”.  Packed with some new bonus materials as well, this may be the umpteenth release of The Evil Dead, but I was certainly willing to go out and pick it up.

“Join us.” (Blu-ray Review)

7.  Iron Man 2 – While general audiences seemed to be divided on this film overall, I was a big fan.  There may have been less action (for whatever reason, despite looking good when if happened) and too much time spent on teasing The Avengers movie, but this still worked for me as a great ensemble comedy w/superheroes and featured a lot of cool scenes.  True to form, Marvel delivers on giving the fans what they would want, with a Blu-ray that looks and sounds amazing, and is also packed with additional features going over every aspect of the making of this film.  Shoot to thrill with this disc.

“I’ve successfully privatized world peace.”

6.  Moon – One of my favorite films from 2009, the debut feature film from director Duncan Jones was a great, low budget, sci-fi flick, and had a pretty fantastic performance from star Sam Rockwell.  The best part about this – Sony decided to load the Blu-ray with extra materials and make sure the look and sound of this film is great to experience at home.  Given that the film was made on a $5 million budget, the practical effects certainly lend themselves well to the format, as I watch the moon dirt kick up onto the screen and listen to the various moon mobiles move along the surface.  I hope many discover this little gem of a film on Blu-ray.

“Gerty, is there someone else in this room?”

5. Grindhouse – With this deluxe double feature release from directors Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, it really only means we’re that much closer to finally getting Kill Bill:  the Whole Bloody Affair on Blu-ray as well.  That being said, finally having the whole cut of Grindhouse (including the fake trailers) available for home viewing is great.  Even better is the fact that the disc is loaded with plenty of new special features, including extended trailers and a new cooking school segment from Rodriguez; nice! Oh, and everything looks and sounds super freaking great as well.

“I never miss.”

4.  (tie) Criterion Blu-rays:  Paths of Glory, M, Cronos, The Darjeeling Limited, Seven Samurai – It is a bit of a cheat, but Criterion Blu-rays, as a whole, take this spot on the list for a simple reason:  Criterion always delivers.  The flicks listed are the ones I have purchased, and they are all fantastic movies.  Add to that the amount of time that Criterion puts into all their releases, and you have a strong list of films that all get the best treatment possible, as they are designed to look and sound great, while also delivering on informing the viewer of the film’s history with the various little booklets always included and a nice collection of extras on the disc.

“We haven’t located us yet.”

3.  The Back to the Future Trilogy – The Back to the Future trilogy is one of the most accessible trilogies to sit down and watch.  These movies are all enjoyable to sit through and are certainly suited well for Blu-ray.  Watching these films in a crystal clear presentation, it’s great to see how well they hold up.  The first film, in particular, is literally a perfect example of having a high concept idea deliver on being a great time-traveling, comedy-adventure film for all to enjoy.  With these films now available on a pretty fantastic set of Blu-rays, I can only hope future generations are able to continue to experience the fun involved with these films.

“1.21 Gigawatts!”

2.  Aliens Anthology – There may only be two perfect films in this set, but that still means that you will get two perfect films.  The first two Alien movies are examples of classic cinema.  What is neat about the quadrilogy is how every film has a different director putting their stamp on it.  Now I can continue to experience these films in glorious high definition, as well as delve into the ridiculous amount of hours available to me in the form of special features, particularly the now uncut documentary regarding the production of Alien 3.  Plus, Ripley rules…you bitch!

“Game over man, game over.” (Blu-ray Review)

1.  Avatar: Extended Collector’s Edition – What makes this my number one Blu-ray (regardless of now negligible the rankings of this list are) is how well the work involved in the production of this film was communicated to me.  I’ve already acknowledged in plenty of other forums how much I do enjoy this film.  I am still not sure why a familiar story supposedly equals a bad story, but what I do know, is how time and newly invented technology equals awesome results.  The documentary on the making of Avatar is the true star of this Blu-ray set, as I was easily won over by this film even more, by seeing the sheer amount of work that James Cameron and his crew did during the making of this film.  The fact that the film looks and sounds great and that the disc boasts three different cuts of the film is also a nice touch.  One of the best examples for why Blu-ray is the format that I prefer to watch the movies I own on.

“That is one big, damn tree.” (Blu-ray Review)

Honorable Mentions:

Apocalypse Now, Saving Private Ryan, Psycho, The Man with No Name Trilogy, The Exorcist, Spartacus:  Blood and Sand, The Brothers Bloom, The Other Guys, Get Him to the Greek, Fantasia/Fantasia 2000

If you’d like to purchase any of these fine movies please click one of the links below:

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#10 The Last of the Mohicans – “Tomorrow we head west to Ken-tuh-kee.”  And this year Daniel Day Lewis and The Last of the Mohicans headed to Blu-ray.  The film didn’t look perfect in high def, but it was definitely above average.  With an amazing soundtrack that rang true through my speakers and a great story, this film managed to hang in there and maintain a spot in my top ten.   

#9 Spartacus: Blood & Sand – HBO and Showtime have put out some incredible shows, but don’t count out the underdog.  The Starz Network brought us the jaw-dropping (and sometimes head-lopping) spectacle known as Spartacus: Blood & Sand.  Steve Deknight and crew showed us one of the best shows on television, and with Andy Whitfield departing, it will be curious to see how the show handles itself in the next season.   

#8 Stanley Cup 2010 Champions Chicago Blackhawks – I’ve been a Blackhawks fan since 1992 and the last time I got to see one of my favorite teams win their respective championship was in 1985 when the Bears won the Super Bowl.  It’s 25 years later and as Patrick Kane slipped that overtime goal past the Flyers’ goalie in Game 6 of the Finals, you can bet I wanted to preserve that moment forever.  Capturing their playoff run, Stanley Cup title and player interviews, this Blu-ray disc delivers those moments time and again.   

#7 The Blind Side – What was one of my favorite films of 2009, made it to Blu-ray in 2010.  The story is a timeless one of motivation and reiterates the age old message that anything is possible.  From the most unlikely of places come some of the most capable individuals.  This film was arguably the benchmark of Sandra Bullock’s acting career and showed us the acting chops of Quinton Aaron and country star Tim McGraw as well.   

#6 This Is It – It was the tour to be that never was.  In a revival of his career, King of Pop icon Michael Jackson prepared for a European tour that was to be big, flashy, and overachieving.  Unfortunately, Jackson passed away before the first show ever took place.  Compiling rehearsal footage and backstage discussions, this disc has brought together some of the greatest pop culture music of our time for the last time.   

#5 The Hurt Locker – Had I seen this movie in the theater in 2009, it would have dethroned the Transformers sequel as my #1 film of the year.  Such is life when you’re funding your own research; you can’t see ‘em all.  Director Kathryn Bigelow brought us a film of unparalleled tension as the story focused on a rare type of soldier; the Explosive Ordnance Disposal expert.  With tensions still running high in the Middle East today, this film brought those events to our living rooms in an astounding manner.   

#4 The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - Okay, this one is kind of cheating because it’s obviously three films…so sue me.  Consider it a three-way tie for fourth place.  Peter Jackson’s outstanding film portrayal of J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpieces could not have been any better.  Fans have been anticipating the Blu-ray release of Frodo’s adventures for a while now and 2010 satisfied their hunger.    

 #3 Glee: Season 1 – Usually I miss some of the more talked about TV shows because they’re on premium cable channels I don’t have.  In the case of Glee, I just wasn’t that motivated.  On a whim, I took a crack at reviewing the inaugural season of Fox’s musical drama/comedy.  I was blown away.  The humor was decent, but nothing special.  However, it was the music and talent that drew me in and never let go.  The series’ story played out very well, the song choices were brilliant, and the chemistry of the characters clicked like gears in a factory.   

#2 The Thomas Crown Affair - Of all the Blu-rays I watched this year, this one had the most surprising quality.  For a non-action film, the surround sound was very impressive and the disc had good visuals to boot.  Heck, for any type of film, the sound in this movie was impressive.  I loved this movie in the theater 11 years ago, loved it on DVD as it was the first one I ever bought, and now I’m enjoying it in 1080p.  Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo executed some great chemistry in this suave and debonaire crime-laced love story.   

#1 Saving Private Ryan – I first saw this at the theater with my dad in 1998.  Never, not even the original Star Wars, has a film’s opening sequence had the unrelenting grip on my attention like Saving Private Ryan.  As the American grunts approached the German occupied shores of Normandy, there was this unmistakable sense of impending doom in the air.  No matter how many times I watch this, I get that same feeling.  Now that it’s on Blu-ray, that sense of atmosphere as well as that in the rest of the film, is amplified.  Several discs seemed to have audio issues and were eventually recalled, but for once, I was not the one having an issue with technology.  The walls still rattle from rifle shots and the discharge of live ordnance while the gritty environments are accurately presented onscreen.   Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks created a masterpiece here and now that it’s on Blu-ray, I couldn’t be happier. 

 So there you are, folks.  My favorite 2010 Blu-ray releases.  I was going to include an “Honorable Mention” section, but I just had far too many.  It started out with Ninja Assassin and Outlander, but then I remembered Predators, Iron Man 2, season 3 of The Big Bang Theory, and A-Team.  After that point, I realized I had enough for a whole other list so I figured I had better stop while I was ahead.  This year was a little more difficult than 2009 as far as creating this list went.  Plus, just as it’s difficult to see every movie in the theater, so is it to see every film released on Blu-ray.  There’s always a margin of difference, but with more than a few writers here on Why So Blu, the differing opinions in the lists are a great thing, if not interesting.  

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I want to make it clear that this order may not necessarily reflect the order that I would rate my love for the movies.   Instead, I decided to rate them based on a variety of reasons including: my affection for them, their audio/video quality, and what kind of special features that were offered.  Adding up all of those factors resulted in the following list:

Top Ten Blu-rays of 2010 that I’ve Seen

10.  The Goonies 25th Anniversary Box Set – One of my favorite movies of the 80s and I was very excited to get this on Blu-ray.  Although the audio/visual qualities were an improvement over the previous DVD release, they weren’t as good as I had hoped but that was made up by a bunch of cool extras.  A reproduction of the Empire Magazine that covered the reunion of the cast and a game are just some of the goodies in this box set.  Goonies never say die!

You can read my review of this here.

9.  Sherlock Holmes – As a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes and Robert Downey Jr.  in general, this movie didn’t have to work too hard to win me over.  Not only is this true to the characters, this updated take on Holmes and Watson benefits from the great casting of Downey Jr. and Law.  With Guy Ritchie’s inventive take on Holmes’ thought processes and his atmospheric look at London, this movie is fantastic and it looks and sounds great on Blu-ray.  My only complaint is that there should have been more extras.

You can read my review of the movie here.

8. Star Wars – The Clone Wars Season 2 – Most people that read this site regularly know that I am a huge fan of Star Wars.  I love all of them including the prequels (yes there’s good stuff in them) and also all of the recent animated versions as well.   The Clone Wars is the latest CGI effort from Lucasfilm that takes place between Episode II and III and it’s a great show.  The first season had some questionable episodes, but Season 2 is light-years better than the first one.  Now on Blu-ray and looking and sounding as good as it should and without the annoying pop-ups from TV!  I just wish there had been more extras.  The Star Wars movies are coming up next and I can’t wait!

7. The World at War – The World at War is without question, the definitive historical documentary account of World War II.  The scope and breadth of this documentary series is unparalleled as it covers events from 1933 through the war’s end in 1945.   After a costly and painstaking restoration effort, this is the wonderful result.  This is a must own for any history buffs.  The series looks better that it ever has and probably ever will again.  This is my favorite historical documentary series.

You can read my review of this series here.

6.   Beauty and the Beast – This is one of Disney’s biggest hits and was also the first animated movie to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.  The Blu-ray looks and sounds amazing and there’s a lot of good extras on the disc as well.  This timeless tale spawned Broadway musicals, multiple records, and helped open a new chapter in the Disney Renaissance.

You can read my review of this movie here.

5.  Saving Private Ryan – Easily the most realistic and harrowing depiction of war ever made, this masterpiece by Steven Spielberg is even more spectacular on Blu-ray.  The attack on Omaha Beach is breathtaking and the explosive sonic experience this disc offers is worth the cost of the movie alone.  This is the movie that kick-started a nation into remembering and honoring those that served during WWII and the Blu-ray is simply amazing.

You can read Gregg’s review of this movie here.

4.  The Lord of the Rings Trilogy – This trilogy would most likely would have been at the top of my list but the lack of serious extras and the extended editions dropped it down a few pegs on the list.  Without a doubt, the Lord of the Rings trilogy is some of the finest movie making ever put to film.  Armed with an incredible cast and the perfect director in Peter Jackson, these movies took ambition to a new level and made fantasy movies respectable in society and with the Academy Awards.  Next year the top spot will most likely be a fight between the Star Wars movies and The Lord of the Rings Extended Edition Trilogy for the #1 spot.

You can read my reviews for the three movies here, here, and here.

3.  The Toy Story Trilogy – There’s no question that Pixar puts out first rate movies and Blu-ray releases and this trilogy is one of them.  All three of these movies are fun for the whole family and contain more heart and character development than almost any other Hollywood release.  By the third movie, we’ve grown so attached and invested in these characters that it can break your heart when they are put in jeopardy.  The Blu-rays are perfection as far as audio and visuals go like most of the releases from Disney/Pixar.  They’ve set the standard for CGI animated movies.

You can read my review of Toy Story 3 here.

2.  Deadwood – The Complete Series – Through Deadwood, creator David Milch wanted to explore how a lawless community becomes a civilized society.   The way that he explores that concept is both original and admirable.   Using a heightened, colorful language that is both coarse and intellectual, Milch exposes the West as it really was without a Hollywood sheen.  The cast is perfectly cast especially Ian McShane as the evil and erudite Al Swearengen and Timothy Olyphant as the hot-headed but fair Seth Bullock.  This is a great set and I loved the extras.

You can read my review of this set here.

1.  The Sound of Music – It was a tough call on the last five of my list but not only is this a fantastic movie, it’s also a perfect example of how to restore a film for high definition.  This movie’s audio and video were restored frame by frame and this movie looks and sounds  better than it ever has.  In addition, the abundance of extras provided for this release needs some special mention as well.  This Blu-ray received a perfect rating from me and the amount of care and attention that 20th Century Fox lavished on this movie has earned my admiration and helped earn its place as the #1 Blu-ray on my list for this year.

You can ready my review for this here.

Blu-rays  I Haven’t Seen Yet (And Probably Would Have Been On My List)

1. The Back to the Future Trilogy
2. The Alien Anthology Set
3. The Twilight Zone Seasons 1 &2
4. Inception
5. Rocky Anthology Set

If you’d like to purchase any of these fine movies please click below:

]]> http://whysoblu.com/seans-top-10-blu-rays-of-2010/feed/ 10 http://whysoblu.com/brians-top-10-blu-rays-of-2010/ http://whysoblu.com/brians-top-10-blu-rays-of-2010/#comments Wed, 22 Dec 2010 05:01:53 +0000 Brian White http://whysoblu.com/?p=16643 The calendar year of 2010 in the world of Blu-ray was a pretty easy one to judge, at least In my opinion.  But when I dwell on what 2011 holds in store, I’m nearly having an aneurysm thinking about all the competition such as the “Holy Grail”of Star Wars films and Tron: Legacy, just to name a few.  That’s going to be one hell of a year for Blu-ray.  So anyway, it’s still 2010 so I will stop digressing and getting ahead of myself. When I sat down to decide what I feel are the ten best Blu-ray films of 2010, I had three main criteria points in mind (in this order): the quality of the film (how much I enjoyed it), the audio and video package (as a whole) and the supplemental features (weighing quantity vs. quality).  So with all those consideration points in mind, below is what I came up with.  Please feel free to agree and/or disagree all you want (in the comment field below).  That’s why it is called “my” list.  I can do whatever I please.

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10. Alien Anthology – What would a Top 10 Blu-ray list of 2010 be without one of the most anticipated box sets in Blu-ray history?  I know.  It wouldn’t be much of a list at all.  Although I don’t admit to being the biggest fan of the Alien franchise, I can appreciate them for what they are…a groundbreaking science-fiction series in the world of filmmaking.  Fans of the franchise will surely not be disappointed with this Blu-ray box set.  There’s enough to keep you busy here for weeks or in my case, maybe even a whole month (Blu-ray review).

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9. Frozen – This one definitely could not be left off this list.  Much like Jaws made people afraid of the water, Frozen makes me want nothing to do with skiing or ski lifts ever again.  It was an effective thriller, IMO, that renders you rigidly cold in panic throughout.  Once again, in my opinion, it contains one of the harshest leg break scenes to watch ever in cinematic history.  And the special features are to die for here.  As I said time and time again…ALL aspiring filmmakers need to watch the extras on Frozen (Blu-ray review).  Adam Green may not have proved himself worthy in Hollywood yet, but in my book, he’s a real class act and a rising star to watch in future years.  Long live Victor Crowley!

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8. The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy – Long before Fox’s Alien box set was ever announced, I believe this was the most anticipated Blu-ray release of the year.  I know Warner Brothers pissed a lot of people off by not releasing the Extended Editions, but coming from someone who doesn’t care about them and has never seen them before, I am perfectly happy with this Blu-ray box set.  If this is as good as the LOTR movies are ever going to look in HD, then paint a permanent smile on this face.  And just an FYI…if you bought the single disc releases that were made available this fall, then you did not get the Digital Copies.  Just thought I would rub that in…because I am nice like that (Blu-ray reviews here, here and here).

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7. Kick-Ass – What’s more fun than Chloe Moretz swearing and kicking a$$ in every which direction?  Well honestly, there’s not much I can think of.  One of my favorite films of the year lives and thrives in glorious 1080p on this 2-disc Blu-ray set.  I would say, so far, this is my second most viewed Blu-ray of the year.  It really doesn’t get any better than this.  Every swear word, every punch, every kick, every laugh your a$$ moment is brilliantly captured and rendered in this Blu-ray presentation.  This one is for us…the comic book geeks of the world.  Live it, embrace it and love it (Blu-ray review)!

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6. Spartacus: Blood and Sand The Complete First Season – Wow!  I don’t even know if this would be much of a list if it wasn’t for the inclusion of one of the hottest shows to take the premium cable world by storm this past year.  Obviously, I’m talking about Spartacus: Blood and Sand.    It was one hell of a year for the show, filled with many highs and lows.  The lows being the tragedy of Andy Whitfield’s cancer diagnosis, struggle with and ultimately its ugly return, forcing him to leave the show (very tragic news indeed).  Will the series be able recover and ascend to greater heights without their fearless leader?  Only time will tell, but as the producers once pointed out, this show was made for the Blu-ray format and I could not agree more with that statement (Blu-ray review).

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5. Back to the Future Trilogy – What would this list be without one of my favorite childhood classics on the Blu-ray format?  Back to the Future, in my opinion, is one of the greatest movies ever made (on my Top 10 list of films ever).  I sat there in ecstasy as I watched the Blu-ray presentation over a month ago.  The second and third films are “meh,” as far as I’m concerned, but since you have to buy the trilogy to get this classic…I’m all over this.  Thanks so much Universal for the outstanding restoration of this 1985 classic.  I’m forever in your Blu-ray debt.

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4.  Moulin Rouge – The hills are alive with the sound of music in my life ever since this Blu-ray became part of my collection this year.  This is probably my most anticipated and most watched Blu-ray of 2010.  I will never get sick of it.  Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and the ravishing Nicole Kidman leave me breathless (I do realize how * this sounds) with every subsequent viewing.  Moulin Rouge has always been an orgy of sight and sound and now that it’s finally on the Blu-ray format, it’s even better!  And with a supplemental package that will keep fans busy forever (old and new features), you really can’t afford not to have this one in your home video collection (Blu-ray review).  That’s my best sales pitch.  Now go buy it!

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3.  Inception -  You did not think I would leave my #1 film of the year off my Blu-ray list, did you?  Right behind Moulin Rouge, I would honestly call Inception my second most anticipated film on Blu-ray this year.  Needless to say, Nolan blew all my expectations away with his blockbuster summer heist film and I could not wait to get my greedy hands all over this title.  And thanks to Warner Brothers, I was able to get a sneak peek before anyone else.  Membership definitely has its privileges.  You want to see one of this summer’s biggest films on the Blu-ray format, then look no further than Inception (Blu-ray review).  Pick it up on Amazon today!  Hurry!  Time is of the essence.

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2. Toy Story 3 – Here’s a film I never had any intention of seeing this year.  I truly wanted nothing to do with it, but after countless people continued to rave about the animated feature relentlessly, I knew, as a film critic, I had to at least give it an unbiased chance.  So honestly, my first viewing of Toy Story 3 was on the Blu-ray format and I was literally blown away, and so was my wife.  And she hates animated features.  Well anyway, not only did my viewing result in ranking the film significantly high on my list of Top 2010 films, but it also landed it at #2 here.  Not bad for a film I wanted nothing to do with, huh?  The audio and video of this film is simply spot on perfect and the story…well how much more heartwarming can you get?  This is a MUST-OWN release (Blu-ray review)!

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1. Avatar Extended Collector’s Edition – If it were not for this later Blu-ray release, then the April theatrical only one would have sufficed as number one on my list simply because of the Blu-ray’s stunning video and exceptional audio.  Now let’s get past all the “Dancing with Blue Smurfs” jokes and admit one thing…nothing looks more beautiful on Blu-ray than Avatar (IMO).  This particular 3-disc edition, released last month, not only includes 3 different versions of the film, but also some of the coolest making of footage I have ever seen.  I gained a whole new appreciation of James Cameron and this movie after one viewing of “Capturing Avatar.”  The amount of work and man-hours that went into the making of this film is completely insane.  Hands down, this is the Blu-ray experience of the year for me (Blu-ray review).

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Honorable Mention…

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – Despite my not liking this film nearly as much as our movie reviewer Aaron Neuwirth does (that’s an understatement), I have to give this Blu-ray the respect it deserves.  The audio/video presentation of this Blu-ray disc is just out of this world amazing.  With an a$$-kicking soundtrack and visuals that are exuberantly too good to be true, Scott Pilgrim is a force to be reckoned with on the Blu-ray format.  And let’s not forget that supplemental package on this guy (Blu-ray review).  Wow!  This is a reference disc through and out.

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If you like what you see above, you know what to do!

]]> http://whysoblu.com/brians-top-10-blu-rays-of-2010/feed/ 13 http://whysoblu.com/brians-top-10-films-of-2010/ http://whysoblu.com/brians-top-10-films-of-2010/#comments Fri, 17 Dec 2010 05:24:25 +0000 Brian White http://whysoblu.com/?p=16440 The calendar year of 2010 started off a little rough, in my opinion, for the world of movies.  It was a little too rough, if you don’t mind me saying.  Anyway, it was not until the month of March that I saw the first film I deemed worthy of even talking about, Shutter Island.  Needless to say, by April I really had my reservations about this year.  I was let down by Iron Man 2 and a few others I had high hopes for, but I knew (although I could not prove it at the time) that Mr. Nolan was about to conjure up something really special in Inception, so I kept my head held high in eager anticipation of being proved wrong about this lackluster calendar year.  Was I disappointed? Well, unlike the smörgåsbord of choices I had in 2009, 2010 finished up with a bang in the later half of the year.  So here I am today, opening up and exposing both my heart and soul in willingness to share with you, my Top 10 favorite films of 2010.  Feel free to agree, disagree and/or leave me comments of hate below.  I welcome it all (and yes, that is me as the Joker in the above left photo).

Disclaimer:  As Sean Ferguson has pointed out time and time again.  Yes, my tastes cater and gravitate more towards action, horror, thriller and comedy films.  I’m not going to pretend to be artistic or anything else.  I don’t follow and live/die by what the critics say.  I march to the beat of my own drum and all I care about is being immensely entertained for 90+ minutes.  If a film manages to do that, then I’m prone to label it a success.

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10. Tron Legacy

Whether you like it or not, this film is simply an orgy of sight and sound.  Sure there are more lulls than I would ordinarily care for (homage to Gregg), but all is forgiven with one of the best techno soundtracks to grace the silver screen since 1999′s Fight Club (sorry…I hold FC up on a high pedestal).  Honestly, the  soundtrack made this film for me (theatrical movie review).

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9. Predators

It’s Robert Rodriguez’s vision, baby!  And it’s Predators!  What’s not to love about that?  But seriously, despite my initial worries, Predators was just what the doctor ordered.  It was everything that the previous two AVP entries were not…it was actually good!   Throw in a cast of misfits, reminiscent of last year’s A Perfect Getaway, and of course everyone’s favorite hunters, the Predators, and you are in for one hell of a hair raising camping trip.  Only this camping trip is out of this world (Blu-ray review)!

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8.  A-Team

Remember the 80′s television show?  So do I!  But why was I so against this film from its inception?  I have no idea.  Much like 2007′s The Transformers, I was scared to death that this beloved franchise from my childhood would be massacred (well Transformers did that the second time around, but I’m over it…or am I?…I miss you Megan).  I wanted nothing to do with this film.  Nothing at all!  Then I saw the trailer!  I said hey, this actually looks like it could be good.  Could it?  I’m going to boldly go where no man has gone before (at least I don’t think so) when I declare that this is the action movie of the year, IMO (theatrical movie review)  Enjoy this one!

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7.  The Town

Despite my love/hate relationship with Ben Affleck, it only took one viewing of this film’s theatrical trailer for me to know that I was going to be enthralled by this movie.  Those bank robbing masks gave me Point Break goosebumps all over my body.  And hey, the movie wasn’t half bad either?  I’m kidding you…it was awesome!  There are a few little tweaks I would have made to the ending, but overall, not a bad directorial outing by Mr. Affleck.  I’m looking forward to checking out the Extended Cut on Blu-ray (theatrical movie review).

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6.  Let Me In

Personally, I don’t care what the critics say.  But yes, at first I was really concerned upon hearing the news that a US remake was being made and feared that it would ultimately butcher the original Swedish masterpiece, Let the Right One In.  However, as soon as I learned that the young child prodigy Chloe Moretz was attached to the lead role, all my fears were instantly relinquished.  Although this film could never top the shocking moments found within the Swedish original, I believe it did a great job of paying homage to it, while at the same time making it its own in several respects.  It’s a slow, but hauntingly good time (theatrical movie review).

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5.  Kick-Ass

Admittedly, I was very harsh upon my first reaction when seeing the press screening of this film.  Like usual, my expectations were so high for this film that I truly did not think I even gave it a chance the first time I seen it.  Thank God I had the wisdom to revisit it theatrically a few days later.  Needless to say, I fell in love with the superhero gang.  What’s not to love about kids parading around the city fighting crime and corruption as masked superhero vigilantes?  Don’t tell me you never thought about doing this as a kid.  This is a movie, admittedly so, for comic book geek in all of us.  It’s just a shame that it lost its 2009 Comic-Con buzz before opening to less spectacular numbers this past April.  But whatcha going to do?  I would rather see a “kick ass” under performing Rated-R movie any day over a pretentious rated PG-13 slop like AVP.  Plus, you throw in the arse-kicking Chloe Moretz and Big Daddy Nicolas Cage…how do you not come out ahead (Blu-ray review)?

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4.  Toy Story 3

For a film I wanted nothing to ever do with, this admittedly finished pretty high on my list of Top 10 Films of 2010, don’t you think?  This animated feature has everything to offer a movie goer.  It has spunk, it has spirit and most importantly, it has heart.  I did not catch this in the theater, but I was blown away by only one viewing on the Blu-ray format.  This film, like my #2 below, transcends the ages and is recommended for families everywhere to enjoy (Blu-ray review).

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3.  Shutter Island

Before even seeing this I was enthralled by the film’s trailer and entertained by my co-worker’s stories of how much she enjoyed the previously crafted novel.  So I guess you could say I was looking forward to this, but man, this was not the movie I thought I signed up to see.  All I cared about was whether or not it wouldn’t be another Beach.  Well it mattered little as I thoroughly enjoyed this flick nonetheless.  The film reminds me a lot of the 1999 classic Fight Club.  Why?  Because after a second helping, you can’t “help’ but see things differently.  It’s a brilliant psychological masterpiece, IMO (theatrical movie review)!

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2. How To Train Your Dragon

I’m not the biggest fan of animation movies and nor was I looking forward to seeing this feature, but I swear to God, I was so engrossed in the story that somewhere around mid-film I think I totally forgot that I was even watching a cartoon presentation.  It was that good!  I never thought any movie would top this triumphant coming of age film (theatrical movie review), but I was pleasantly surprised by a one Mr. Nolan.  He did it again!  Let’s find out how…

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1. Inception

In July of 2010, I finally understood what Harry Knowles refers to as mind f#@$%d when I saw this film at a press screening weeks before leaving for Comic-Con.  Much like Avatar last year, I was mesmerized by what I saw onscreen and linear time was not even a consideration anymore in my life as I sat there clinging to the edge of my theater seat.  I was blown away by how Christopher Nolan managed to simultaneously go four dream layers deep and structurally tie it all in for one hell of a successfully executed ending (Blu-ray review).  This ladies and gentlemen, with no fluff added, is my favorite film of the year!

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Honorable Mentions…

• The Other Guys – This is one of my favorite PG-13 rated comedies of all-time.  Will Ferrell is back baby and Mark Wahlberg is the perfect partner in crime…err…I mean in law enforcement (Blu-ray review).
• Piranha 3D – Is it even legal to have this much fun at the movies?  Wow!  I was pleasantly surprised here (theatrical movie review).  Beaches, sun, bikinis, killer fish, bikinis…what’s not to love here?  LOL.
• The Human Centipede – Creepy…creepy…creepy.  I loved every minute here…except for the end (Blu-ray review).  This one definitely gets the villain of the year award, IMO (Blu-ray review).
• Burlesque – And last but certainly not least, say what you will. Make fun of me.  Call it Showgirls 2 or Glitter 2.  Have your fun at my expense.  BUT…I STILL love this “very typical” coming of age story for its simplicity, its beauty, its song/dance numbers, its cast and most importantly…its sexiness (theatrical movie review).  I want to see more of you Christina.  Don’t disappear on me!  And in the words of Gerard Iribe…Stanley Tucci is da bomb, yo!
• Splice – Splice manages to get a nod from me solely for its shock value.  There’s one scene, in particular, that managed to disturb me more than anything else I seen throughout the entire runtime of The Human Centipede.  Kudos!  Jim Kulko knows what I’m talking about (Blu-ray review).

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Wish I Would Have Seen Before Writing This…

• Black Swan – This looks weird, but strangely delicious in a dark, disturbing and sexy kind of way (theatrical movie review).
• The Fighter – I’m a sucker for these “ra,ra!” sport films (theatrical movie review).
• True Grit – Even though I’m not a fan of westerns, I do want to see what all the buzz is about here (theatrical movie review).

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My 2 Biggest Disappointments of the Year…

• Jonah Hex – And yes, I am not proud to say that I am an owner of this on the Blu-ray format.  However, I bought this for two main reasons: I could not resist the temptress that is Megan Fox and whenever I am writing a screenplay from now on and I need a refresher of how not to do things in a movie, I can simply refer to this Blu-ray.  Makes sense, right?  I just really want to know one thing.  What were they thinking when they made this (theatrical movie review)?   This is the film that probably will be the nail in the coffin for Mrs. Fox’s career.  Here’s to hoping she never loses her good looks, or she’s going to be in trouble.  Oh wait, she has Brian Austin Green to lean on!  He’s successful, right?
• Saw 3D – What a horrible way to execute an ending to an otherwise brilliant franchise.  Sure the franchise grew a bit stale as it aged, but they always seemed to reign you back in every time (at least they did with me).  But this…it was an abomination to all things Saw stood for.  The 3D effect managed to cheapen everything (special effects and all).  All I can say is R.I.P. Saw.  R.I.P.  Lionsgate is lucky that I’m a collector as there is no other way they could get me to purchase this P.O.S. Film on Blu-ray (theatrical movie review).

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10. Lawnmower

Photo: Cappi Thompson/Getty Images

Ahhh, the lawnmower. The classic contraption that uses a revolving blade to chop up everything in its path made it on this list based solely on its use in Dead Alive/Brain Dead. Not only does it do the job to a tee, the end scene in the film might just be the goriest of all time. There aren’t too many classic horror movie moments that feature this grass-grooming tool taking fools down in dramatic fashion, but leave it to Peter Jackson to create the goriest scene of all time with such a simple suburban tool.

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9. A Stake

Source: American Zoetrope

This isn’t just a list for villain’s weapons. It’s nice to know that the good guys get to cause some havoc too. We all know that most horror movies showcase the killing power of a seemingly unstoppable force, but as most vampire movies have displayed, heroes can cause some carnage as well. Horror badasses like Freddy and Jason have been killed all sorts of crazy different ways, but to kill a vampire, you gotta play by the book.

A crucifix and some holy water will keep them at a distance for a bit, but to really do the job right, you need the classic of all classics. Staking vampires has been going on since the 18th century, y’all. People in western Europe used to literally stake corpses because of vampire superstitions and motion pictures eventually helped take this classic vampire-killing technique with a pointed piece of wood to a whole new level. Anthony Hopkins’ stake work in Bram Stoker’s Dracula is always a nice one to revisit.

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To check out the rest of the gory “Top 10″ list click the link below:

http://www.spike.com/blog/top-10-greatest/100196

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10. MacGruber/The Other Guys/Get Him to the Greek

Three big comedies here, all of them filled with some very funny moments.  None of them, I would say, quite cracked the realms of classic comedy territory, although I can still say that I plan to watch them all again.  MacGruber was possibly the most disappointing in terms of how well it did, given the positive response it received critically.  The Other Guys was a nice bounce back for Ferrell after 2009’s Land of the Lost.  And Get Him to the Greek managed to both fill my Apatow quota and provide me with some great songs from Russell Brand’s Aldus Snow character.

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9. Predators

This was a pleasing call-back to the original 1987 action/horror classic.  Boasting a large cast and Robert Rodriguez’s producing/story credit, this film managed to be a nice slice of genre fun.  It wasn’t perfect (Lawrence Fishburne basically stopped the movie dead), but it had a nice R-rating, plenty of references to the original, and enough cool moments to keep me happy.

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8. The A-Team

Much of my summer seemed to revolve around The A-Team.  This movie just looked like a lot of silly fun, and it turned out to be just that.  Director Joe Carnahan (Narc, Smoking Aces) managed to add another solid film to his canon.  The film’s cast:  Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copley, and “Rampage” Jackson were all great together as the titular A-Team, making the film frequently funny, while staging some of the most ridiculous action scenarios of the year.  If The Losers was a fun B-movie, this was a fun B-Plus movie.

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7. The Karate Kid

This film may get the “Biggest Surprise” of the summer as well.  I was not alone in being very much in the opposite corner against the remake of The Karate Kid, but I ate my words whole-heartedly, as it turned about to be a very well handled film.  It certainly helps that the films success was due to a combination of China’s cooperation and Will Smith’s power standing in the world, as the film does a great job of using a solid formula, staying true to the spirit of the original, and having some wonderful cinematography.  The film was way too long at 2 hours and 20 minutes, but it was certainly very enjoyable throughout.

*

6. Iron Man 2

I really would have liked to put this film higher on the list.  As many have noticed, the first sequels of a majority of superhero flicks tend to outdo their predecessors, but unfortunately, Iron Man 2 was no Spider-Man 2 or The Dark Knight.  Even with a ridiculously talented cast that included Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson, and Samuel L. Jackson, the movie still didn’t quite live up to what it could have been.  That being said, it is still very entertaining (I would go as far to say that it at least matched the first film).  The action is great, Tony Stark is still the man, and it certainly paves the way for The Avengers.

*

5. Splice

Things got really weird here, as Splice turned out to be both a great body-horror movie and possibly the best dark comedy of the summer.  Paying homage to David Cronenberg’s The Fly, among other films, director Vincenzo Natali (Cube) managed to make a film that was original, disturbing, and disturbingly funny at many times throughout the film.  Certainly not for everyone, but this was a delightfully different kind of movie to enjoy.

*

4. Piranha 3-D

Speaking of films that are disturbing, disturbingly funny, and not for everyone – Piranha 3-D was pretty much the most over-the-top film released, that could still be considered amazing.  I’m not sure if anyone’s noticed, but this list has featured mostly flicks that call back to the 80s, and Piranha certainly fits the bill of 80s-style, campy goodness.  Featuring ridiculous amounts of boobs and gore, this is a complete hilarious horror throwback feature that knows exactly what kind of film it is, and instead of apologizing for it, the films spits a 3-D, bloodied and bitten off penis at you.

*

3. Toy Story 3

While most of the other films are fairly interchangeable on the list, these final three were the clear winners of the summer.  Starting with Toy Story 3, this was a film that I was expecting to just be a lot of fun, after experiencing some more emotionally heavy features from Pixar in the previous years; however, despite the great amount of warmth and humor coming from seeing these characters back in action again, the film still managed to hit some solid dramatic and thrilling beats towards its end, once again solidifying Pixar as master storytellers.

*

2. Inception

Here we have the film anticipated by everyone, director Christopher Nolan’s Sci-Fi/Action follow up The Dark Knight.  What more can I say beyond the fact that this was a brilliant film.  Original, exciting, complex, but never too cerebral to leave you in the dust, Inception managed to be everything I could have hoped for.  The action was great, the visual effects were mind-blowing, and the story and concept were wonderfully intriguing.  The fantastic cast certainly helped the proceedings, as everyone fell right in line with the awesome film stemming from Nolan’s mind.  Its massive success only helps in paving the way for more original films to head our way more frequently.

*

1. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

Of course, big fun action, dreamy films are nice, but then the comic epic of epic epicness came out in the form of Scott Pilgrim.  I’m pretty sure anyone who knows me could have seen this coming, but that’s not going to stop me from heaving unabashed love for this film on top of its lukewarm success, box office-wise.  It’s a shame, because here is a film from director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz), who is at the top of his game, working with an immensely talented, young cast, adapting a comic full of great wit, humor, action, and references; and delivering all of that into an extremely well made theatrical feature.  It’s a great romantic comedy, it’s a great action film, and it’s a great comic book movie.  My favorite film of the summer and it will certainly stand high on my list come the end of the year.

*

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My Top 5 Worst Films of the Summer

I think we all know where this list is going, but here’s a batch of some of the bad films I had to sit through during the summer.  While I know there were other films that may have been worse than some the ones listed here, I fortunately didn’t make the choice to see everything.

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5. The Last Exorcism

To be fair, I don’t think this film is that bad, it’s really hear just to pad out the list, but I was still not thrilled by this handheld, horror flick.  It wasn’t scary (either during the flick or after the fact), there wasn’t much excuse made for the documentary crew to keep filming when it did (and this thing had a score for some reason), and the ending was pretty terrible.

*

4. Shrek Forever After

I really hope this is the final nail in the coffin for the Shrek franchise.  Talk about beating a dead Ogre, the series has just lost all its charm at this point. Some Donkey and Puss one-liners here or there are alright, but nothing stands out to make this film memorable.

*

3. Grown Ups

Some how, Adam Sandler’s SNL comedy version of The Expendables failed to deliver the one thing that you would hope a film full of funny people could pull off – comedy.  I wouldn’t have guessed that the best lines would come from David Spade or that I’d feel sorry for Rob Schneider, but some how this film managed to pull that off.  I like me a fun Adam Sandler comedy, but this just felt like one pretty lazy effort from him and the boys.  I’m sure they had fun making it, but I didn’t have fun hearing the 27^th “Kevin James is fat joke” or watching Chris Rock waste his talent here.

*

2. Jonah Hex

Of course, now we have the heavy hitters.  Starting with Jonah Hex, which was amazingly bad.  I really like Josh Brolin, but man did he saddle up to the wrong starring role this time around.  He has to muster his way through some ugly make-up and cowboy one-liners, while this poorly constructed film makes sure to tell us whether or not Megan Fox could play a convincing whore.  I would have been way more curious to see what the original Nevaldine/Taylor directed version would have looked like, but instead, I got to see this mess of a film.  Of course that mess was no match for…

*

1. The Last Airbender

Oh boy, I have already written 1000+ plus words on this vacuum of suck, but no I have to provide a few more.  Somehow, Shyamalan managed to top The Happening and, this time, take the hopes of children with him.  Working as writer/director/producer, Shyamalan has made it easy for everyone to blame him as the main reason for why this movie just flat-out sucked.  To think this is supposed to be the first part of a trilogy, I can only hope that this series can’t get any worse…

*

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My Top 5 Independent/Limited Release Films of the Summer

Despite the big blockbuster-styled films not all achieving greatness this summer, I did managed to see a number of smaller films over the summer, and many of them were very good.

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5. Winter’s Bone

Already pegged with a lot of Oscar buzz, Winter’s Bone was a terrific drama, infused with some noir sensibilities.  The performances are fantastic and its setting in the Ozarks was the perfect container for this great mystery.

*

4. Cyrus

A fantastic, smaller scaled comedy with John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill, and Marisa Tomei.  Humorous and awkward, this film was a different sort of love triangle that benefited from strong performances and very subtle work done to keep it all effectively well made.

*

3. Micmacs

Every time I see a film from director Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amelie, The City of Lost Chirldren) I am memorized by the amount of imagination he is able to put onto screen.  His films are always quirky and fun, all in the right sort of ways, and they benefit further from having well constructed stories and a mix of intriguing sorts of characters.  This film was no different, applying a sort of Yojimbo quality to his French, comedic/revenge story.

*

2. Animal Kingdom

Another fine film.  Animal Kingdom is a great crime drama, based around a family in Melbourne, Australia.  The film is deliberate in its pace and construction, features great performances, and unfolds its story in all the right ways to make it both interesting and thrilling.  This film needs to spread wider and be seen by more people.

*

1. The Kids Are All Right

I really love this film.  It’s sharply funny, well made, and greatly acted.  Julianne Moore, Annette Benning, and Mark Ruffalo are all in top form here.  The story functions in a great way to be both very funny but also hit the dramatic beats quite well.  There are no false moments here and everything comes together in just the right way.  Sure to be one of my favorite by the end of the year as well.

*

Hollywood has finally discovered that superhero comic books make pretty good movies. But instead of exploring the thousands of characters created for comic books over the last hundred years, Hollywood is content to crank out sequel after reboot of the same old characters doing the same old things. How about giving some other spandex-clad heroes a chance?

By Geoff Shakespeare

10. Luke Cage

Source: Marvel Comics

When he made his debut back in the seventies in Marvel Comics, Luke Cage was just about the most embarrassing comic book character ever created. A black, streetwise hero obviously created by people who had never met a black person or walked on a street, Powerman (as he was then boringly known) was borderline offensive, had a terrible yellow costume, and generally stunk up the joint with real-life “ghetto” expressions like “Sweet Christmas!” until he was quietly shuffled off to the side of the Marvel Universe with all the other also-rans.

Rescued from the comic closet of shame by modern creators like Brian Michael Bendis, Luke Cage has become just about the coolest hero on the block. His basic story is the same. He’s a streetwise superstrong tough guy with unbreakable skin- but gone are the awful pseudo-ebonics and the Dolomite stereotypes. The guy doesn’t even wear spandex anymore! Arguably the most popular superhero not to wear a costume, a movie featuring him would avoid the inherent silliness of a grown man wearing tights to fight crime and focus on the inherent silliness of a grown man fighting crime in regular clothes.

9. Spider-Woman

Source: Marvel Comics

Just like Luke Cage, Spider-Woman was a seventies hero pulled from the loser bin and pressed back into crime-fighting service. Originally just Spiderman with boobs (albeit nice ones), Spider-Woman has morphed into a superpowered sci-fi superspy who plays all the angles, gets in bed with everyone, and double and triplecrosses good guys and bad guys alike. With boobs. Since Sam Raimi’s trio of Spider-Man films basically lead the current wave of mega-grossing comic book movies, the Spider brand is a household name. Rather than the recently announced reboot of Spider-Man, why not try something a little more feminine? Isn’t it about time we see how being poisoned by a radioactive spider and developing amazing abilities feels like for a woman? Add to that Spider-Woman’s cooler powers, way cooler costume, and total lack of Spider-Man’s teen angst, and a movie featuring her is a no-brainer. With boobs.

8. Black Panther

Source: Marvel Comics

One of the first black superheroes in mainstream comics, Black Panther is the superhuman leader of a technologically advanced African kingdom who fights crime between cabinet meetings and public appearances. Besides the fact that he just looks cool, Black Panther could add some much needed diversity to the superhero movie world. Instead of rich, bored white billionaires like Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne putting on cool costumes and battling evil, a Black Panther movie would feature a rich, bored, black billionaire putting on a cool costume and fighting crime. Wesley Snipes has talked for years about making a Black Panther movie, but in between not paying his taxes, getting arrested, and another Marvel character (Blade), he’s never found the time to do the Black Panther justice. The character is currently appearing in an animated series on BET played by Djimon Hounsou. When that flames out, maybe Hollywood will give him another try. Lord knows Wesley Snipes could use the work.

7. Lobo

Source: DC Comics

For the most part, Hollywood has stuck with the heroic types when it comes to comic book movies. Your Supermans, your Batmans. The good guys. But there are a lot of great anti-heroes in the funny books as well. It’s not like there haven’t been a ton of movies about heroes with shaky morals. Hollywood has a long history of churning out great flicks with kill-hungry leading characters. People love Dirty Harry, Charles Bronson, Snake Plissken, and the like. And who doesn’t secretly root for Jason to slice those jerky campers in theFriday The 13th movies? Enter the biggest anti-hero of all time. Lobo.

Lobo’s story is pretty simple. He’s an unstoppable, heavily armed alien bounty hunter with an insatiable thirst for wanton destruction, hard alcohol, and ladies of ill repute. And that’s it. His comics usually feature him going after an equally evil S.O.B. and causing all kinds of nasty havoc in the process. He looks like a cross between a Hell’s Angel and a vampire, and he has more guns than a Michigan militiaman. Maybe that’s the problem. He’s too crazy and evil to be a leading character. But make him the villain in the next Supermanmovie and we guarantee a hit. Even if it flops at least he’ll be better than Kevin Spacey. Was anybody everreally afraid of K-Pax beating the Man of Steel?

6. Plastic Man

Source: DC Comics

This is the character that CGI was made for. With the power to change into any shape or object he can imagine, Plastic Man is just waiting to stretch and contort his stuff on the big screen. The character is also famous for being a bit of a goof who cracks wise just as much as he fights crime. From his original appearances in the ’30s until the modern day, Plastic Man has been one of the comic book world’s best funnymen. A superhero movie about a lovable nut who can change into wild and crazy shapes might be a nice change from all the “grim and gritty” ultraviolence of the modern superhero movie.

A big screen version of the character would have been a perfect role for Jim Carrey, if he hadn’t gone all “serious.” There have been rumors floating around for a few years that the sometimes awesome/sometimes awful Wachowskis were interested in making a Plastic Man flick and even wrote a screenplay. Unfortunately, they want Keanu Reeves to play the lead role. Dudes, he’s supposed to be made of plastic, not wood.

5. Power Girl

Source: DC Comics

A female superhero with the same powers as Superman, Power Girl isn’t all that original. She’s got all the standard powers. She’s superstrong, nearly invulnerable, and can fly faster than a speeding something or other. Taken at face value, Power Girl doesn’t seem to have enough going on to even warrant her own Saturday morning cartoon, let alone a big screen summer movie. Lucky for her, nobody’s looking at her face.

Yes, fortunately for Power Girl and slobbering perverts everywhere, there are two big reasons a movie featuring her would be a huge success. We don’t want to sound like pigs here, but Power Girl is the most stacked superheroine in comics. And that’s saying something considering the only woman in the comics who isn’t at least a Double D is Peter Parker’s little old Aunt May. Some of you may be thinking sure, she’s got big hooters, but you can’t fill the theaters with jugs alone. First of all, shame on you, and second of all, Power Girl has a lot more going on than just her twins. In the right creative hands, she could be a role model for women everywhere. A strong, powerful hero who saves the world while celebrating her beauty and sexuality in a healthy, positive way.

Okay, that sounds a little creepy, but don’t worry. They’ll get it right. It’s not like Hollywood has ever gone cheap and exploitive.

4. The Creeper

Source: DC Comics

The Creeper has never been an A-list character, but now more than ever he’s a hero for our times. By day, he’s a reactionary TV pundit known for making outlandish claims and incendiary comments. By night he’s a crazy freak who jumps from roof to roof fighting crime in a fright wig.  Not only do you get all the lovable psychopathology of a character like the Joker, but his alter ego is basically a thinner, more muscular Glenn Beck. Who coincidentally also makes his living being a charming mental case. As The Dark Knight has shown, people are into watching a crazy dude act crazy as long as he gets some good zingers in. And as Glenn Beck has shown, people love watching guys in ties make bizarre claims about current events.

A Creeper movie could combine the Joker’s anarchic charm with some good ol’ fashioned reactionary fear-mongering. Finally, the Left and the Right would have a movie they could both cheer for! A Creeper movie might be the very thing we need to heal our fractured nation. Or, it could just be a really fun movie to see baked. Either way is cool.

3. Metamorpho

Source: DC Comics

Another shape-changer, but this one can take on the properties of any element. Metamorpho looks great and has powers that would look awesome onscreen. Imagine a guy who can turn any part of his body into any shape made of any element known to man. Hell, the porno possibilities alone boggle the mind. But a Metamorpho movie doesn’t just have to be a CGI wank job. Metamorpho has one other thing going for him. Unlike just about every other superhero out there, Metamorpho’s a regular schlub like the rest of us. Metamorpho is the working man’s superhero. It’s about time we had a superpowered crimefighter we could relate to. Enough of the lonely billionaires with tortured souls and kick-ass underground hideouts. It’s about time we had a superhero who knows the difference between kielbasa and bratwurst. A hero who’d rather use his hideout to throw Super Bowl parties than as a place to hang out with his preteen “ward.”

Metamorpho may be an impossible being capable of fundamentally altering his very physical composition and transcending human existence on a whim, but he’s still a guy. And that’s just what we need in the superhero movie world.

2. Green Arrow and Black Canary

Source: DC Comics

In most comic book movies, women are usually relegated to being the sexy bait that the villain uses to lure the hero into his badly designed, easy-to-escape deathtrap. Sure, they’ll chuck in a love scene here or there to keep the girlfriends happy, but none has had the stones to make a superhero movie where the romance is the story. That’s where Green Arrow and Black Canary come in. A world class archer with a bag of trick arrows and a sexy martial artist who has a sonic scream, Green Arrow and Black Canary have all the toughness of your regular superheroes, but with a nice love story to bring in the ladies. Think Mr. and Mrs. Smith crossed with X-Men. You get all the pulse-pounding action of a superhero movie combined with all the heart-racing romance of a chick flick. Throw in a sexy guy as Green Arrow and a sexier girl as Black Canary and the rest writes itself.

Almost every movie in the top 10 these days is either a comic book movie or a romantic comedy anyways. Put the two together and just try to keep the public out of the cineplex.

1. The Doom Patrol

Source: DC Comics

Like the X-Men, but weirder, The Doom Patrol is a classic superhero team, with all the action and drama that goes along with it. Made up of the tough-as-nails, regular Joe, Robotman, pretty, stretchy former model Elasti-Girl, the surprisingly upbeat Negative Man, and their wheelchair-bound, Professor-X-with-a-beard leader the Chief, the Doom Patrol is a superhero team made for the movies. With their sexy outsider’s angst and impossible powers, they’re custom designed to appeal to every moody, power-fantasy-tripping teenager on the planet. Plus, they have some of the most unique enemies in the history of comics. Their chief villains were a talking French mercenary gorilla, a brain in a jar, and a dude called the Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man.

Still not convinced? Consider this. A Doom Patrol movie would feature scenes of a super-powered robot with a human brain fighting a superintelligent talking monkey with a machine gun. If you wouldn’t step over your own grandmother to be first in line to see that, then you have no business calling yourself a lover of the cinematic arts.

Since December of last year, I’ve worked diligently to cover a lot of Predator ground and read every Predator comic book out there that I could get my hands on.  Well, let me put an asterisk by that.  I decided not to include any Aliens vs. Predator stories here for the simple reason that there is enough content under the AVP titles for another top ten list.  The cosmic hunters have faced a barrage of other worthy opponents over the years in the pages of Predator vs. Magnus: Robot Fighter (not too shabby) to Superman vs. Predator (disappointing).  So what stories made the list and what takes the cake as numero uno?  Without further delay, I give you The Top 10 Predator Comics of All Time:

#10:  Tarzan vs. Predator: At The Earth’s Core – Truly an engrossing comic book read, Tarzan vs. Predator was one of the best stories that contained the Predator race.  In the end, however, I cannot bring myself to put this one higher on the list purely on the reason that this is not necessarily a Predator story.  It’s a Tarzan story that happened to have Predators in it.  A more accurate title would be Tarzan vs. The Lizard People That Hypnotize Everyone.  Again, this read comes highly recommended but the Predators become such secondary players in this game of cat and mouse that they ultimately end up in the backseat.  If you took the Predator relation out of the equation, the writing and plot of this story exceeds most of what is on the list you are about to read, thus warranting a higher placement.

#9:  Hell Come A Walkin’ – Focusing on a pivotal point in American history, this story takes place during the War Between the States.  Deadlocked in a standoff, a small group of Confederates trade shots with an equally sized band of Yanks.  While the soldiers speak of war stories amongst their respective sides, a Predator is attracted to the conflict and starts picking off members of the warring factions, one by one.

#8:  Cold War – Serving as a sequel to Concrete Jungle, we once again follow the gritty path of Detective Schaefer as he continues to search for information on what happened to his brother.  This time, he ends up leading a team of Americans in the frigid tundra of Siberia and comes in contact with a band of not-so-merry Ruskies.  When the female Russian commander begins to question her own allegiances, she turns to Schaefer to stop the Predator threat from killing even more of her countrymen.  The art is dated and the storytelling gets a little tedious at times, but its overall content is enough to secure its place on the list.

#7:  Xenogenesis – With its vivid coloring and smooth lines, Xenogenesis paired its art with a story of deceit, honor, and greed.  Set in a future of enhanced soldiers, even the humans’ best technology is still of little concern to the Predators’ superior toys.  Admiral John Dancer of the Royal Navy directs a super task force known as Spearhead, but where his intentions lie are questioned by those he’s in charge of.  Armed to the teeth and possessing cat-like agility, the team has been studying the tactics and behavior of Predators for years in hopes of dominating the spear-bearing beasts.

#6:  Batman vs. Predator III – Though the first sequel may have not made this list, its follow-up did. BVPIII threw Robin into the fray along with long-standing super villain, Mr. Freeze.  While it may seem like a hokey collage at first glance, rest assured that the story was sturdy and smartly assembled.  With the Predators reaching Bruce Wayne’s last nerve, he intends to drive home the point that the alien hunters are not to return again to Batman’s stomping grounds.

#5:  Nemesis – From India to Her Majesty’s United Kingdom, a dreaded Yautjas soon lays claim to London as its new hunting ground.  Set in the late summer of 1896, we follow the dark journey of Captain Edward Soames as his steps over cobblestone road bring his keen mind to discover one clue after another.  It all relates to the grim reaper tallying a body count in the capital of England. With a little help from a secret society, Soames aims to lure out the mystery that’s been killing his comrades.

#4:  Captive – Albeit a short read, this story wastes no time in getting straight to the point.  At some moment in the not so distant future, an enviro-dome facility manned by humans, some rather cyborg-esque, monitor the behavior of a captured Predator.  The blood hits the fan when an overzealous man-in-charge sends in the troops to pick up what he thinks is the lifeless body of his alien prisoner.  Predators aren’t all brawn.  They’re resourceful bastards as well.

#3:  Batman vs. Predator – The best crossover of the lot, Batman faces one of his most worthy opponents of all time.  The Caped Crusader nearly encounters death as an alien hunter begins his hunting jaunt with some of Gotham’s most notorious criminals and champions and later moves on to more challenging prey that included one very wealthy vigilante.  With a little technological prowess of his own, Batman intends to level the playing field.  This title was so successful it went on to produce two sequels.

#2:  Bad Blood – Who said paintball isn’t lethal?  In one of the highest toe tag tallies in the genre, Bad Blood put a twist on things as it introduced a rogue Predator that did not adhere to the same tribal standards maintained by his brethren.  The blood-thirsty outlaw turns out to be a serial killer of his own race and crash-lands in the New Jersey Pine Barrens.  Chased by other Predators and the CIA, the rogue enters a mass game of paintball and proceeds to lay waste to one competitor after another.

#1:  Concrete Jungle – Although sometimes obnoxiously colored, Concrete Jungle brought forth a very solid story as it tied in NYPD Detective Schaefer to his brother Dutch and the almighty Predator race.  Yup, that’s right, the same Dutch that Schwarzenegger played over twenty years ago.  In Concrete Jungle, we get a little backstory on the aftermath of the first Predator movie and Detective Schaefer’s struggle to find the whereabouts of Dutch while coming face to face with the race hunting the city he was sworn to protect. The writing, courtesy of Mark Verheiden, was simply riveting as readers are taken from the streets of New York City to the jungles of South America in what turned out to be one of the more lengthy Predator stories told.

Honorable Mentions:

1718 – This very brief but entertaining tale offered background on the black powder pistol handed to Danny Glover at the end of Predator 2.  The gun was engraved with the year ‘1718’ and the name ‘Rafael Andolini’.  Writer Henry Gillroy penned the script for this early 18th century story that shows a Predator hunting down a band of mutiny-bound sea farers.

Predator vs. Judge Dredd – While Judge Dredd is no longer one of the more popular characters in the DC universe, he did contribute to an entertaining 3-part series against his thermal vision foe.  Assassinating judges from afar and out of sight, the Predator claimed trophy after trophy until one roughed-up and very unhappy Dredd catches up to the hunter.

…And there you have it.  With another movie on the horizon slated for this July (Predators) and another round of Predator titles from Dark Horse creeping into store shelves around the globe, it is obvious that the content and want for Predator is endless.   Perhaps this list will be due for a revision in the future based on that upcoming material, but for now, I recommend any of the four Predator Omnibus collections to harness the spirit of the invisible hunter from beyond.

Make sure to pick up the below titles and get your Predator on!

 8.  Dog Soldiers (2000)

Neil Marshall (The Descent), made an impressive debut with this enjoyable action orientated spin on the sub-genre.  It’s safe to assume he was going for the Werewolf equivalent of James Cameron’s Aliens, as a squad of soldiers battle it out with rogue wolf creatures in the Scottish highlands.  Unfortunately, the film doesn’t quite reach those heights, mostly due to its ambition falling short of its budget that seems to consist of the same three goofy werewolf costumes and repetitive marshland locations.  Luckily Marshall is saddled with a bucket load of enthusiasm, a handful of solid character actors (Kevin Mckidd, Sean Pertwee) and some crafty action/gore scenes.  Plus, he deserves some bonus points for breathing fresh life into the underused genre and although the result can be quite silly, it’s also a fistful of fun!

7.  Silver Bullet (1985)

Nowadays, any movie headlining celebrity burnouts Gary Busey and Corey Haim would sit on the bottom shelf of your rental store because of its less than stellar quality.  But back in 1985, before cocaine zapped all their brain cells, Haim was a talented kid actor and Busey a charismatic supporting man, together they stared in this enjoyable Stephen King scripted Werewolf pic.  Haim is solid as the young boy who witness’ a brutal murder at the hands of a werewolf, but Busey steals the show as his wacky Uncle and only adult ally against the creature.  The rest of the supporting cast is also worthy with Lawrence Tierney, Everett Mcgill and even John Locke himself: Terry O’Quinn, all chewing up the scenery.  The film itself takes the interesting angle of playing more like a murder mystery as Haim and Co. try to find which town culprit turns beastly on full moons, before he becomes the next victim.  Sadly, the film has been overlooked over the years, but with its sharp and surprisingly warm script by King and several tense, frightening set-pieces its not one not to be missed, plus its got a stunner of an opening (surprise decapitation!).

6.  The Wolf Man (1941)

Although Werewolf of London preceded it, The Wolfman was the smash hit that clearly cemented the furry dude’s place amongst his fellow Universal Icons like Dracula and Frankenstein.  Lon Chaney Jr. takes the title role and fairs well, doing his best to create a sympathetic figure, although he’s upstaged by the charismatic Claude Rains as his physically mismatched father (also look out for Bela Lugosi in a bit part as a creepy gypsy).  The film itself is solid 40’s fun; George Waggner’s direction is fairly workman-like but is saved by Curt Siodmak delicious screenplay that showcased a psychological depth unusual to most B-pictures and is coupled with settings and scenarios that dripped with dark atmosphere.  In terms of a classic monster film there have been better, but still it stands as a landmark from its make-up to its fog-shrouded forests to its tragic conclusion.  This is the one that started it all and is the place where everyone should begin.

5.  The Company of Wolves (1984)

A full 10 years before director Neil Jordan would tackle vampires in stellar style with Interview with a Vampire, he took on the Werewolf with similar skill in this bizarre yet fascinating piece.  Played as the fever dream of a teen experiencing her first menstruation, the film is understandably surreal and sexually charged yet that’s also its main strength, as it opts to avoid cheap scares and instead plays familiar fairy tale scenarios (Red Riding Hood in particular) with blunt Freudian undertones.  The Werewolf creature is played symbolically as a threatening yet strangely attractive figure and the sexual thematic of his mythology are explored deeper here than in most films.  Now although it has its shocking moments and a terrific Werewolf transformation sequence, this is not a Horror film in the traditional sense, so if Wolf carnage is what you want, you’ll sadly be disappointed.  But if you’re open minded and in the mood for a smart, subversive journey intertwined with the Werewolf mythos except no substitutes.

4.  Curse of the Werewolf (1961)

Surprisingly Curse is Hammer Horror Studio’s sole foray into the Werewolf legend, its fitting then that they made their one shot count as it happily resulted in one of their best and most heartfelt films.  Choosing not to remake the 1941 Universal classic (as they did with several other titles), the story tackles young Spanish noble Leon (Oliver Reed) who’s grown into a upstanding man despite a dark, troubled past that only his adopted parents are aware of. Yet when problems of the heart arise, his primitive side returns and the proverbial poop hit the fan in the form of a crazed Werewolf.  Assured Hammer Vet Terence Fisher handles the direction gracefully and surprisingly holds back on the studios 1960’s mandate of overly bloodying and sexing up the material, in this case not a bad thing, as the film plays more like a subtle character drama with Wolf costumes.  That said, out of all the films to tackle the subject, none have been more successful at portraying the Werewolf as the tragic monster seen here.  The charismatic Reed is simply excellent as the well-meaning man struggling with his own nature and as the film races to its conclusion you’ll be hard pressed not to have your emotions put through the ringer as the inevitable plays out.  Classy, compelling and heart breaking and in my opinion a must watch (although if you like your horror shallow and gory, give it a miss!)

3.  Ginger Snaps (2000)

An inventive twist on the typically male dominate mythos of the werewolf, Ginger Snaps spins the puberty parallel from the female perspective as the relationship of gothed out teen sisters Ginger (Katherine Isabelle) and Brigitte (Emily Perkins) is pushed to the breaking point when the former is bitten by a rabid wolf and she starts experiencing bizarre ‘changes’.  Ginger Snaps is a horror movie with a smart head on its shoulders, spinning a sharp satire on teenage growing pains and is ably carried by the combined chemistry from its two leads (Isabelle, Perkins).  Its no slouch when it comes to the horror department either, displaying gore and scares when necessary and a gnarly wolf beast to boot. Its always surprised me that director John Fawcett and the attractive Isabelle didn’t go on to greater things afterwards (both are stuck in TV hell), but it stands if this clever little movie is the only worthwhile credit in their filmography, its no small feat.  Check it out for a fun, scary good time (NOTE: was followed by two entertaining though lesser sequels Ginger Snaps: Unleashed and Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning)

2.  An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Director John Landis, the king of comedy, surprised several viewers when he switched genres and released this werewolf shocker that has subsequently gone down as a classic in the Lycanthrope category.  The film is a unique experience filled with Landis’ penchant for enjoyable characters and absurd humor yet coupled with sudden and brutal violence, a doomed protagonist and an extremely downbeat ending.  To his credit, Landis was able to pull off the films madcap tone resulting in one of the finest horror/comedies (although he resents that categorization), it also lovingly pays knowing homage to the monster classics of yesteryears while exceeding them in its own right.  Special mention should be made of the fantastic work by lead man David Naughton (where did he go?), undead comic side kick Griffin Dunne and Jenny Agutters boobies.  And of course, FX genius Rick Baker whose Werewolf transformation sequence has become stuff of the legend and is still as powerful almost 30 years on.  In terms of werewolf movies this is about as good as it gets, rivaled only by….

1.  The Howling (1981)

It was glaringly obvious when naive reporter Karen White (Dee Wallace) is attacked by a serial killer/werewolf in a grimy porn theatre that the sub-genre had entered the modern area.  And there lies the strength of director Joe Dante’s awesome meld of 40’s monster movies and 70’s exploitation cinema, it’s a exciting, raunchy and satirical spin on the underused creature with an appeal that holds up today.  Admittedly, the film has dated slightly, but for a Genre Hound like myself, the early 80’s cheese factor only adds a layer of nostalgia that makes it more fun, while the film helps by never taking itself too serious.  Add to that Dante’s trademark for great cameo’s (Roger Corman, Dick Miller) and subtle black humor and you have quite a unique film experience.  In my opinion, this film is neck and neck in terms of greatness with An American Werewolf in London, but the one aspect that helps surpass it is the Werewolves themselves.  For sure, Baker’s work on the latter is brilliant, but here Rob Bottin’s wolf’s are terrifying and awesome at once, not to mention the Transformation sequence is superior in its vicious beauty.  Overall, one of the best uses of the sub-genre that deserves to be seen, plus the ending packs a hell of a punch line! 

1. THE EXPENDABLES

CAST: check below…

DIRECTOR: Sylvester Stallone

WHY? I’ll let the cast list do the talking: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Randy Couture, Steve Austin, Danny Trejo in the same movie…TOGETHER!…Blowing stuff up.  If you’re of the male population and that doesn’t get you excited, I suggest you check your pulse…or your testosterone level…or just go and rent Remains of the Day again because this movie wasn’t made for you.

2. PREDATORS

CAST: Adrian Brody, Danny Trejo, Laurence Fishburne

DIRECTOR: Nimrod Antal

WHY? Alright, alright, I know the general public and even several die hard fans have completely lost faith in this franchise since the AVP films, which lets face it, were the cinematic equivalent of two smelly turds.  But I for one am a true believer.  The original Predator is a film that I could describe as near perfect and has sorely been missing a worthwhile follow up since its release (Predator 2 was decent fun, but weak compared to its predecessor) and producer/co-writer/supervisor Robert Rodriguez has promised that this sequel will strive to deliver just that.  The premise (a group of Earth’s baddest bad-asses are transported to a hostile alien planet to battle it out with a squad of Predators) is painfully simple, but filled with potential for awesomeness.  Not to mention the cast has filled out quite nicely and the films stated reliance on practical effects is a big plus for this kind of picture.  While Director Nimrod Antal (“Vacancy”) is hardly A-list, I do believe he’s hungry and talented enough to deliver the goods.  Being realistic it could go either way, but I have a healthy dose of faith in Rodriguez.  After all, he adapted one of my all time favorite comic books (Sin City) into a five-star classic so I’m sure he can oversee a fun monster flick with a butt load of ballistic action.  Fingers are crossed.

3. PIRHANA 3-D

CAST: Ving Rhames, Richard Dreyfuss, Elisabeth Shue

DIRECTOR: Alexandre Aja

WHY? Director Aja was heralded in early 2000’s as the next big thing for horror cinema with his excellent debut Haute Tension. Since then his films have been decent yet sadly avoided the heights of his early promise, their usual flaw that the goofy premises were played too seriously.  This project, a remake basically in name and concept only of Joe Dante’s 1978 tongue-in-cheek Jaws spoof, has the potential to be one of Aja’s better projects as he trades in the grim and somber tone of his former films for an emphasis on fun, splatter and boobs.  I’m always a fan of simple Horror if done appropriately silly and coupled with a skilled Director balancing the tone.  This film appears to have all those ingredients plus who could turn down piranha wrecking havoc in 3-D?  Well probably most people, but not me, that’s for damn sure!

4. MACHETE

CAST: Danny Trejo, Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba

DIRECTOR: Robert Rodriguez,

WHY? Danny Trejo is MACHETE!  Anyone who wasn’t drooling to see this flick after witnessing the mock trailer accompanying Grindhouse either needs to check their contact prescription or was in the wrong bloody cinema.  Sure it didn’t look like it was going to win any Oscars, but if bloody, raunchy exploitation cinema was your thing, Machete looked like it was going to deliver on all fronts, after fans pleaded for two years straight, Rodriguez finally gave in and decided to expand it into its own feature.  Now I’m sure most of you think I’ve got a serious Rodriguez fetish considering this is his second mention on my list and you wouldn’t be far off.  Sure, I can admit he’s hardly perfect.  His carrier has had its fair shares of ups and downs, but he’s rarely stumbled with grimy, tongue-in-cheek genre material like this baby (the only exception…Once Upon a Time in Mexico) and with hard man Trejo retaining the lead role and being joined by a supporting cast that varies from A-list (Robert De Niro!) to C-list (Steven Seagal!) things are looking sweet.  I can’t wait to find out what happens when peeps F**k with the wrong Mexican!  Bring it on!

5. SHUTTER ISLAND

CAST: Leonardo Dicaprio, Mark Ruffalo

DIRECTOR: Martin Scorsese

WHY? When saluted “Greatest Living American Director” Martin Scorsese makes a new film its always time for film buffs and general audiences to take notice, even when the man’s material is miscast (Kundun) or messy (Gangs of New York) his films always make for an interesting watch, be it for his guarantied handle on style or assured skill with actors.  Shutters Island catches the man on a recent high after his long deserved Best Director Oscar for his sharpest film in a decade (The Departed).  It also promises to be his first straight Genre film since 1993’s Cape Fear, which was a great example of a skilled master having a blast cranking out a fun and dark Horror/Thriller without the heavy baggage delivering a message.  Add to that the source material by solid novelist Dennis Lehane and the fourth collaboration with his Scorsese muse Leonardo Dicaprio, its safe to say that things are looking slick with the promise of a classy, quality movie that will delver some serious scares and doesn’t play it stupid.

6. IRON MAN 2

CAST: Robert Downey JR, Mickey Rourke

DIRECTOR: Jon Favreau

WHY? I’ve been hard pressed to find someone who walked out of the cinema after Iron Man without a big grin plastered across his or her face.  It was pure unadulterated fun with a solid character arc and resulted in one of the best films out its sub-genre to boot.  Sure it had flaws, as most superhero origin stories do, but luckily the central performance from Downey Jr. glossed over its cracks and surprisingly slick direction from Favereau cemented his rise from tubby sidekick to a bonifide A-list helmer.  Well, now comes time for part two (the only major comic book sequel this year) and if we’re judging the Genre franchises by their installments, the second ones tend to stand as the strongest.  It’s simple math; once no. 1 establishes the ground rules and the hero’s powers, part 2 can hit the ground running and bring home the bacon (e.g. X-Men 2, Spiderman 2, The Dark Knight). Now considering the level of success the first flick achieved both creatively and financially, I have the distinct feeling it will result in something glorious.  Plus the addition of Don Cheadle as War Machine and Mickey Rourke as a bad-ass Russian villain only further confirms my institution that it will kick major ass.

7. SPLICE

CAST: Vincenzo Natali

DIRECTOR: Adrian Brody, Sarah Polley

WHY? Director Natali is hardly a household name, but without a doubt he’s a director with a soft spot in the heart of many a geek like myself, mostly due to his first feature Cube.  In my opinion it was one of the strongest debuts of last the 15 years (along with Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko) with Natali delivering a tense sci-fi thriller that excelled well beyond its low budget by being cleverly inventive.  Since then things have been fairly quiet, he directed the luke-warm Cypher and did some TV work and documentaries.  Well Splice has the possibility to kill the silence surrounding him, as he tackles another simple yet devilishly smart premise (two scientists create a new species through genetics) that hints at heading towards territory that echoes early Cronenberg.  Other bonuses are the deliciously leftfield choices of lead actors (Brody, Polley) and the creature effects and designs done by my personal favorites KNB FX.  Ultimately, I doubt the film will achieve massive mainstream or even sleeper success, but hopefully it can at least result in a compelling, original film that will tear up the Cult scene and prove Cube was no fluke.

8. INCEPTION

CAST: Leonardo Dicaprio, Ellen Paige

DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan

WHY? All eyes are on Nolan nowadays to make the third Batman.  Sure I’d be jazzed if he’d confirm it as his next, but on the other hand my favorite out his filmography wasn’t last years’ The Dark Knight but The Prestige, the film he made in between Bat flicks.  It was an original, twisted, mindf**k that packed an odd emotional weight and demanded repeat viewings.  The idea that he’s returning to another original premise with an A-list cast and an enormous budget is enticing enough.  The fact that the whole thing has been shrouded in ‘Iron Curtain’ like secrecy makes it almost unbearable.   From what little we’ve seen (the recent teaser trailer), the conception borders on out of this world stunning, bringing up the assumption that I’m not the only sitting on the edge of his seat, waiting to uncovers it mysteries.

9. TRUE GRIT

CAST: Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon,

DIRECTORS: The Coen Brothers

WHY? I’m a dedicated fan boy of the Coen brothers and for a solid 20 year period they produced non-stop quality work (yes I’m even counting Intolerable Cruelty) to the extent I even began to question if they originated from planet Earth, as it seemed everything they touched turned out flawless.  Then they made The Ladykillers, a film where their usual strengths (eccentric characters, off-kilter dialogue) came out as awkward and irritating.  To complain about one sole movie in a vast filmography is no doubt petty, but it did put my theory to rest, the brothers were only human after all.  Naturally they’ve bounced back with good work since yet this recently announced project is the most excited I’ve been about a film of theirs for years.  It stands as their first take on the Western Genre and the combination seems like a match in heaven.  Whenever they’ve dabbled with the setting (Blood Simple, No Country of Old Men) it has resulted in their best outings, yet this time they won’t be misplacing Film Noir thematics and instead will exploit the Genre in all it glory.  Another plus is it’s an adaptation of Charles Portis excellent rough-edged novel and Jeff Bridges is taking on the role that won John Wayne a damn Oscar (in the former 1969 version) as the eye patched, brass balled Marshall ‘Rooster’.  Bridges is always awesome especially when coupled with the Coen’s and he’s joined by an able support of Matt Damon and Josh Brolin.  The film hasn’t begun filming and is due for a release in December, but in my opinion, it couldn’t arrive soon enough.

10. THE WARD

CAST: Amber Heard, Danielle Panabaker

DIRECTOR: John Carpenter

WHY? Anyone familiar with this column can attest I’m a complete John Carpenter whore.  You could almost consider it a bizarre illness, for example I’ll watch a lame movie he made, say Escape From L.A. and during its runtime I’m aware its complete ass, but for some reason I can’t help but dig it.  Well The Ward is his first feature project to grace the cinema screens since 2001 when he suffered a creative burnout, and I’ll be honest, the movie could be about a group of old women sitting around and discussing War and Peace for three hours and I would still go bats**t for it.  Fortunately, from what I’ve read, the premise sounds like a sizzler; a girl (Amber Heard) is sentenced to an isolation ward of a psychiatric clinic, but soon discovers that something evil is haunting its corridors.  The idea is simplistic, yet in his capable hands, has a good opportunity to be a balls-out scare fest and a hopeful return to his former glory.  But as said before, I’ll love this film no matter what; so don’t take my word for it.

11. THE WOLFMAN

CAST: Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Hugo Weaving

DIRECTOR: Joe Johnston

WHY? A good Werewolf movie is a rare beast.  In fact, I could count all the great ones on both hands (and that’s not even using all my fingers!).  So when news arrived that Universal was dusting off the old 1941 classic for a Big Budget remake you could count me excited.  Then sudden news put a damper on my parade; visionary auteur Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo) dropped out last minute and was replaced with hit-and-miss director Joe Johnston.  But in the end, its not enough to deter my excitement because the pros kick the cons in the bollocks; Del Toro is the titular monster, the supporting cast is A-list (Hopkins, Weaving), the script is by Andrew Kevin Walker, the practical effects are by Rick Baker, the plot retains the originals period setting and best of all its Rated R for gruesome violence!  Overall, all the element are in place, but we’ll have to see if the rumored studio interference has mauled it beyond recognition or if it’ll stand as one of the great Wolf Man flicks.  I’ll be first in line to find out.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

A-Team, Bitch Slap, Brooklyn’s Finest, Cop Out, Clash of the Titans, The Green Zone, The Hot Tub Time Machine, Kick-Ass, Legion, Priest, Prince of Persia, Robin Hood, The Rum Diary, Scott Pilgrim VS The World, The Social Network, Unstoppable, Your Highness

Brian White

For my below top ten list of 2009 Blu-ray releases I used the following formula to weed my personal collection down to 15 top choices.  First off, I pretty much went by the quality of the film itself and how much I either enjoyed it or was moved by it.  There were not a lot of great films in 2009, but the inclusion of certain catalog titles on the Blu-ray format added to the peer pressure I was feeling.  Next, being the Blu-ray connoisseur and critic that I am I further extracted the titles down by comparing not only the technical aspects of the release such as the video/audio presentations, but also the supplemental package values that each disc potentially exhibited to consumer conscious shoppers.  And then came the very painful decision making process on eliminating the extra five titles to trim my list down to a slim ten.  It was not an easy decision to make by any means, but nevertheless here we go… 

10. King Kong (2005) – How could you not pay attention to this big furry fellow in glorious 1080P?  The A/V feat of mammoth proportions was a great kickoff for Blu-ray in 2009!  My online review of the Blu-ray release can be found here.

9. Star Trek – Beam me up Scotty to the Blu-ray format where I became an instant fan of Spike TV’s 2009 Scream Awards movie of the year.  Shhh…I am only a closet Trekkie. 

8. Braveheart – There’s no denying this catalog title’s Blu-ray presence this year.  William Wallace and gang have never looked finer in their Scottish kilts.   Be careful how closely you watch or you just may see a few jewels in 1080P that you did not were not expecting to.

7. Quantum of Solace – I love this film!  The second installment in my favorite 007 lineup is back with a vengeance.  That’s right folks…Bond is back…bigger, badder and meaner than ever.  James is dressed to kill and out for revenge on this gorgeous looking Blu-ray transfer.  For the complete Blu-ray story check out my online review here.

6. Slumdog Millionaire – I can’t tell you how upset I was when this movie took the Oscar last year.  That is until I saw this touching tale of hope, unbridled love and desire on the Blu-ray format.  The movie pulls at your heartstrings and never lets you go as you see every drop of sweat under the Indian sun.  Check out my full Blu-ray review over here.

5. Crank: High Voltage – How could the filmmakers ever pull off a worthy sequel to one of Blu-ray’s finest premier titles?  Well, that’s easy!  You use the same formula and push the boundaries of modern day filmmaking and over-the-top stunts even further.  Because of the high-def source material, this film naturally translates well onto the Blu-ray format.  My electrifying full Blu-ray review can be found here.

4. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra – Easily one of the best Blu-ray transfers of 2009.  I may be biased because it stars my beloved Sienna Miller as the seemingly evil Baroness, but wow does this film ever deliver a thunderous action punch in your Blu-ray player.  Although the supplemental package is not up to snuff here, I believe the action packed nostalgic thrill ride alone is enough to warrant the bang for your buck.  Check out the full review I wrote over here.

3. District 9 – If this touching tale of how humans mistreat the alien race living in the slums of District 9 does not move you, then perhaps the stellar A/V presentation of this Blu-ray will have you screaming for more!  District 9 is easily one of the best films from 2009 and now it can be found on the best format possible for your repeated viewing pleasure.  That’s a win-win situation in my book! 

2. Sin City  – Jessica Alba in 1080P!  What more can I say?  OK…I get the picture.  There’s obviously more to the Sin City Blu-ray release other than Jessica Alba, but you can’t argue she’s not a bonus perk of this disc.  Never has a graphic novel been more true to its source material than the production of Sin City, available now for the first time on Blu-ray.  The inky blacks and smudges of vibrant color are nothing short of an orgasm waiting to happen for your eyes.  

1. Fight Club: 10^th Anniversary Edition – One of my favorite films ever made has now found its permanent home on the Blu-ray format and the catalog title has never looked and sounded better.  The very impressive Blu-ray transfer Fox put out had me falling in love all over again with this modern day cult classic.  If you are a fan of the film, throw out your DVD now and pick the Blu-ray up today.  You will not regret it!  I promise.  My full Blu-ray review of the film can be found here. 

Gregg Senko

From cartoons to documentaries to a few classics, 2009 witnessed the release of some great productions on Blu-ray.  My #10-ranking was a toss-up as the aerial footage-only documentary Home was slightly edged out.  If you get a chance, I highly recommend that film, narrated by actress Glenn Close, which focuses on our planet’s physical makeup and the affects of humans have on it.  Nevertheless, this is a well-varied list, all worthy of additions to any home library.

10.  Fanboys – A lighthearted, fun ride filled with laughs, true friendship and Star Wars.

9.    An American in Paris – Musicals aren’t typically my thing, but Gene Kelly’s brilliance on the streets of France in fully restored high def is awesomely entertaining.  My full Blu-ray review can be found here.

8.    G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra – Hasbro’s military in full live action looks and sounds great.  The battles are simply eye-popping.  Now if only the movie had acting. 

7.    The Hangover – The year’s best comedy made for a beautiful transfer to 1080p.

6.    Discovery Channel Shark Week: The Great Bites Collection – The only thing longer than the title is the amount of footage.  The underwater shots of nature’s most intriguing fish look amazing and the education is something for the whole family.

5.    Hulk vs. – Two great animated films where the green gamma behemoth takes on Wolverine in one fight fest and Thor and Asgard in the other.  Check out my Blu-ray review here.

4.    Wonder Woman – This animated origin-telling tale covers all you need to know about DC’s most heralded heroine.  It’s comedic, dramatic and filled with action.   Lasso up the Blu-ray review over here.

3.    The Kite Runner – The best-selling novel of life in Afghanistan makes for an impressive transition to film and Blu-ray.  Find out why I think so highly of this Blu-ray over here.

2.    Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – My favorite film of 2009 brings the action home with the grand visuals and audio that can only be found on Blu-ray (unless of course you have your own IMAX theater).  Roll out!

1.    Braveheart – Aye lad, the only thing that can topple some car-changing bots are a band of woad-smeared, sword-wielding, kilt-wearing Scots.  This 1995 epic made a grand entrance on Blu-ray in 2009 and certainly did not disappoint.  It’s ironic that Irish bagpipes dominated the music of a Scottish film, nevertheless, the Uillean (pronounced ill-inn) pipes have never sounded better in surround sound. 

Adam Ambro

In no particular order, below is my top ten of 2009.

 The Man Who Fell To Earth

-The insert essay inside the Blu-ray says it all:

“Science-fiction drama, western, love story, metaphysical mystery, satire of modern American-The Man Who Fell to Earth is the most beguiling of the films that…established Nicolas Roeg as a mainstream heir to such 1960s experimentalists as Alain Resnais, Jean-Luc Godard, and Chris Maker.” -Loving the Alien by Graham Fuller

 

The Seventh Seal 

-Another classic film, with every scene centered around death, is beautifully transferred for a new generation.  The cat and mouse game played between Death and the protagonist playing a game of chess has been parodied in films such as Bill & Ted, and more recently (500) Days of Summer, but the original source material is of course the best.

 

An American in Paris

-Gene Kelly had fun, and it was never more apparent than in this classic musical.  The music of Ira Gershwin serves as the pulse of this magical tale of love and fear.  And Kelly’s cinematic brilliance is showcase as he convinced the studio to allow the final twenty minutes of the film to be completely silent, and the narrative told through his dance.  Sometimes, words are completely unnecessary. 

 

 Gone With The Wind

-Another classic from 1939, (the greatest year in cinema) one would not think that a movie seventy years old could look as if it were made today.  But even with a running time of four hours, this romantic, fun, dramatic film is still as powerful today as it was so many years ago.

  

 Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete

-A sequel to one of the greatest video games was never released as a video game, but instead as an animated movie.  This film is so much fun.  Over-the-top action speeds this piece along, and a true fan of the game will not be disappointed with the final product.

 

 Casablanca

-One of the most iconic films was released with one of the most iconic Blu-ray box sets.  Inserts, special features, miniature movie posters are all just icing on this glorious cake.  While the movie clocks just under two hours, the bonus features on this masterful disc will have you astonished at the enchantment of Casablanca for days on end.

 

 Inglourious Basterds

-My personal favorite film of ’09 is just as “glourious” on Blu-ray as it was in theaters.  The transfer is glamorous, from the beautiful Diane Kruger, to the (spoiler alert) beautiful demise of Adolf Hitler.  The film plays like a rubber band, slowly being pulled until it finally snaps with the brilliantly absurd ending.  This is a must own.

 

 District 9

-A complete surprise to many, this film is easily one of the greatest sci-fi films to be released within the past twenty years.  The film is a tour de force of former-producer-turned-actor Sharlto Copley, whose frantic search for a cure to his alien infection soon becomes bigger than himself, and his transformation culminates as the savior of another species.

 

 Pierrot Le Fou

-Jean Luc-Godard.  The French New Wave.  Jean-Paul Belmondo.  Anna Karina.  Robbery.  Passion.  Lust.  Love.  Death.  Simply put, this film is absolutely phenomenal.  A true work of art, a stream of consciousness piece in the vein of the American Beat writers of the 1950s. 

 

The General

-My personal favorite Blu-ray release of 2009.  Buster Keaton proves that even after 85 years, the quality and enjoyment of his films are better than most current releases today.  A 12 minute introduction by Orson Welles is the only worthy special feature on this disc, but once viewed, it can easily be seen why Keaton was the greatest actor of the silent era.

From all of us here at Why So Blu, thank you for your support in 2009!  We look forward to kicking even more a#$ in 2010!  Have a great New Years!

Become our Fan today!

10. Jennifer’s Body

Let’s be honest here.  The only reason people flocked to the cinema for this was because of the film’s sexy vehicle Megan Fox.  Do you think the majority of the people came to see Diablo Cody’s follow-up to Juno?  No.  I am willing to bet that the bulk of the viewing audience was split amongst two reasons for even being there.  First, you have your fans that were there solely for the sex appeal of Megan Fox, probably hoping to get a glimpse of more skin or any other kind of slip thanks to the leaked online photos that were taken of her during the filming of the movie.  If you don’t know what I am talking about, then just do a quick Google search.  You’ll find your pirate treasure.  Second, I feel strongly in my assumption that probably half the viewing audience was there just to see if Miss Fox could even act at all or if her 15 minutes of fame had expired.  Let’s face it.  Her role in Michael Bay’s Transformers franchise is not that avant-garde.  Heck, Michael Bay is even on record as saying he just wanted Megan to look sexy in his film.  He could care less about her acting abilities.  So I believe that people were truly eager to see what Megan Fox could do on the silver screen without the help of giant alien robots masking her potential acting inabilities.  Would she sink or would she ultimately swim? 

Thankfully, Megan did not drown, but that’s only in part to her character’s simple role.  In contrast, how much different was her character Jennifer from that of her character as Mikaela in Bay’s Transformers?  Besides the flesh eating, the answer is quite simple in the fact that there essentially wasn’t much of a resounding difference at all between the two roles.  They both utilized bimbo-like stereotypical female roles whose only essential requirement was that of mass sex appeal to the viewing audiences.  I am not going to throw Megan under the bus and say she is not hot, but she’s not all that either.  I probably would have preferred to see a young actress like Odette Yustman, who has some proven acting endowments and a comparable sexual appeal to Megan’s, thrown into this picture as the leading lady.  Nonetheless, it’s the film that speaks here.  After all, that’s why you’re reading this.  Yes, the fanboys get Megan Fox in many different sexual footings, but I ultimately had fun with this movie.  It was a little mixture of the quirkiness that made Juno fun with a hint of cult following that forever notarized the brand of The Lost Boys.  It definitely was not the best of 2009, but it was good enough to secure the final spot on my Top 10 list as I look forward with anticipation to checking out Megan’s body…ummm I mean Jennifer’s Body on the Blu-ray format.  This film, in a nutshell, is either one you are going to love or you are going to hate.  I don’t believe there is any middle ground or room for discussion here.  I am glad to have this one in my repertoire as a guilty pleasure, but if you don’t believe me feel free to research the many critics who reviewed this film and I think you will find the same 50/50 result.  But before we move on, I have to give kudos to the film’s killer soundtrack that rocked my car’s stereo for months now.  Talk about a great blind buy!

9.  Crank: High Voltage

What would life be without Chev Chelios?  I know.  Boring!  The Crank franchise is another one of those aforementioned titles that you are either going to love or you are going to flat out hate (that’s you Gregg).  If murder, mayhem, chaos, non-stop zany action, outrageous sexual scenarios and film footage that is so razor sharp that you can get an abrasive rash from it is not your cup of proverbial tea, then obviously Crank is not for you.  Wow!  That was a mouthful.  But for everyone else out there who just can’t get enough of the 105 mph thrill ride crazy antics of actor Jason Statham, Crank: High Voltage is a worthy sequel to its equally over-the-top predecessor.  I was very skeptical about how they were going to pull this one off considering the state of Jason’s character in the first film, but my fears were quickly relinquished within the film’s first 5 minutes.  I was instantly transported (no pun intended) again into the chaos I fell in love with in the first film.  The ending is a little iffy, but I said that for the first film, so we will see how they rebound again in the third Crank film.  Bravo!

8.  I Love You, Man

I don’t know what it was about the film’s trailer, but its marketing must have been really effective as it made me want to see the movie despite there being no star attraction for me other than comedic Paul Rudd.  Initial critical reviews were kind to the film and I rationally decided why not.  I took the plunge and I loved everything about it except for some reason, Rashida Jones.  But who cares about Rashida, let’s talk about Jason Segel.  I never really gave him a second look in Knocked Up, but in I Love You, Man, Jason is off the hook.  His hilarious antics and warm interactions with Rudd’s character really made this an effective heart felt comedy minimally rooted in the raunchy spirit of an Apatow production, but never going overboard.  And then on the 8^th day God created SNL’s Andy Samberg.  This dude was hysterical!  I instantly became a fan.  Did I also mention that the film’s production went green?   Well I did now!  Although I do have to admit that I am figuratively speaking of the cameo by the Incredible Hulk, Mr. Lou Ferrigno.  If curiosity has the best of you, then check out the interview we did with him this past summer here.  Fans of the legendary rock band Rush also have something to rejoice about.  You’ll see and hear what I mean soon enough if you heed the following free advice.  If you have not checked this film out yet, then I highly recommend making it a Blockbuster night.

7.   Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

What better movie ingredients can you have than Lycans (werewolves to the lay person), vampires and a smoking hot Rhona Mitra?  If you are seeking my opinion, then honestly the answer is simply not much.  Not even Orville Reddenbacher can top that lineup.  I admit to initially being hesitant about seeing this newest chapter in the Underworld trilogy quite simply because of the fact that my beloved Kate Beckinsale would not be appearing in the film.  I kept asking myself what is Underworld without Kate Beckinsale?  My response was always a simple one-word answer that I hinted at before, nothing.  Well my opinion quickly changed once I witnessed the impeccable action performance of Rhona Mitra in 2008’s Doomsday.  I then knew I would be giving this film a chance come 2009.  I was still reluctant to check it out on opening night, but my insecurity did not stop me from an afternoon viewing prior to the Steeler’s Super Bowl victory later that day.  I love underdog Rocky-like tales and Underworld: Rise of the Lycans takes no prisoners as the Lycans are led by the rebellious leadership of one man/Lycan who is both brave enough to stand up to the superior race, the vampires, and also dumb enough to fall in love with the head vampire’s daughter.  Now that’s what I call poetry in motion.

6.  Drag Me To Hell

Here’s an interesting one.  I had little interest in wanting anything to do with this.  Not being a fan of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead pictures I instantly dismissed this upon seeing the first theatrical trailer.  It was not until the overwhelming positive buzz came sweeping through the nation like a tsunami did I think I should probably give this film a try.  So I dragged my wife and some friends out to see this against their will.  My wife and I not only loved this flick, but we were darn near crying during some scenes at the rare comedic horror element the now genius Sam Raimi had injected within the film.  Sure you have your gross out moments and your predictable scares, but you have one thing that most of today’s horror/slasher films do not have in it, F-U-N.  If nothing else, this film definitely put Sam Raimi back on the map after the brutal bashing he took for his unpopular take on the third Spider-Man film.  I’m still confused on why I think that one was the best of the three, but that’s a story for a completely different day.  If you thought Sam lost his touch with the latest adventure of Peter Parker, then you need to second guess yourself and give this one a test drive. 

5.  Taken

A father’s love for his daughter is most commonly noted as one of nature’s strongest bonds.  So what happens when a former CIA agent’s daughter is kidnapped and marketed for international prostitution?  All hell breaks loose!  I thought long and hard about whether I wanted to include this film on my Top 10 list.  It’s not because the film isn’t extraordinary by any means, but because the film was actually released the year prior internationally before landing in American cinemas this year.  I remember seeing this film playing in Mexico during my vacationing there in December of 2008.  It was not until a couple co-workers highly recommended this movie that I made the logical decision to go check it out.  These are the action films I like.  This is what an action film should be like.  Sprinkle a dash of Jason Bourne and stir with a splash of Steven Segal and you have one of 2009’s greatest action heroes.  Instead of drowning in corny stunts, elementary dialogue and silly humor we are all witnesses to an onslaught of revenge tactics one man deploys to get back his only daughter.  Liam Neeson stops at nothing, beating down door after door and relentlessly slaying anyone that either gets in his way or is involved in the slightest with the kidnapping of his daughter.  This one ranks high on my list of all-time revenge movie plots. 

4.  G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

All right, here’s where I feel my believability factor and popularity might suffer a bit.  I just can’t help it and I am not ashamed to admit it.  I had fun this summer with G.I. Joe.  Much like I was with 2007’s Transformers, I was very apprehensive about them bringing my childhood sandbox to life on the big screen.  It was not the perfect movie by any means, but it was the perfect movie for me.  The fun factor, seemingly unbelievable technology and off-the-wall action sequences are what made this my perfect late summer escape from the non-existent Cleveland heat.  G.I. Joe never took itself too seriously and it never claimed to be something it was not (i.e. an Oscar award-winning movie).  It accomplished what it sought out to be right from the start, a summer blockbuster worthy of another chapter yet to be told.  I just hope in some way, fashion or form I get another dose of Sienna Miller’s Baroness.  She was the perfect combination of sexy fine and evil/villainous.  Fans of the product line will have to be a little forgiving with the way some back stories of the G.I. Joe lore are changed, but other than that just prepare to check your brain in at the door and have a romping good time with this one.

3.  District 9

Wow!  Did this movie ever have promise.  It took Comic-Con by storm this past July.  The Peter Jackson infused project seemed to be a winner even before its debut in the theaters.  I am sure most of the hype was stirred up by Harry Knowles over at Aint It Cool News, but for the most part, the film did deliver a grand epic of a story and a strong message about the inhuman treatment that mankind is intolerably capable of.  I may have not initially been mind blown like Harry, but I was not disappointed either.  I guess I wanted the ending to be so much more than it was that I ultimately disappointed myself.  I recently had the opportunity to revisit this one again on Blu-ray, before writing this list.  I tend to like things more the second time anyway.  And guess what folks?  I was mind blown.  I have no idea what I was thinking the first time I saw this.  Feel free to call me a hypocrite and throw the proverbial tomatoes at me.  I take back every nitpick I made against the film.  I was literally moved by this tale the second time around and I felt such a strong emotional connection with those aliens that I have not experienced in a movie since my inaugural viewing of Blood Diamond several years ago.  Bring on District 10, for I cannot wait for more!  It will be three years before we know it.  Will Christopher make good on his promise?  I sure hope so!

2.  Avatar

What can one really say about this movie that has not been said already in the past two weeks?  The motion picture is strong, visually stunning and overall amazing.  The story is not particularly original, but it’s the way it is told and the way your emotions are stirred into caring about how the Na’vi people are being mistreated by the humans.  You can turn your head away as much as you want, but there’s no denying that after seeing this film you realize some strong messages that are purported throughout.  It’s very hard not to see these.  And to think I almost stayed away from this film.  My curiosity got the best of me as I very much wanted to see what all the hype was about this movie and I admit to being a technology whore.  It was being shown in 3D after all.  What a perfect chance to see the new Real 3D technology and to witness, if anything, any improvements it might bestow upon Hollywood filmmaking.  I think fellow reviewer Bob Ignizio said it best when he asserted that the 3D option was not a gimmick and that this film is a good story nonetheless.  If you have a heart and you can allow yourself to slip into the Pandora universe for a good chunk of time, then you will find yourself lost in the world of Avatar much like I did.  You will have no care in the world other than primarily making sure the Na’vi people’s rights are upheld and protected from the evil human race.  Until the ending credits roll, be prepared for a rousing magical carpet ride.  I cannot wait to view this one again on the Blu-ray format!  I just hope the next one isn’t 14 years in the making away.

1.  The Hangover

The Hangover came out at a perfect time in my life.  I was combating a lot of problems during the month of July and The Hangover was my perfect antidote to get me through the roughest of days.  Every time I was feeling down and out I would hit up the theater for another treatment of The Hangover.  I always walked out with a glistening (because you know my teeth are so white) wide smile upon my face.  You can’t ask for anything better than that.  The Hangover was the perfect combination of comedic genius, laughter and mayhem action all bundled into one cohesive screenplay.  There’s that word again…”perfect.”  Are you starting to see a theme going on here?  You should!  In essence, The Hangover was the P-E-R-F-E-C-T movie of the year, in my opinion.  It’s just what the doctor ordered.  And besides, it had to be “perfect” for me to keep revisiting it over and over again as many times as I did during its theatrical run.  I take great pride in considering myself personally responsible for making it the highest grossing R-comedy of all time.  Since owning it on the Blu-ray format for a little over two weeks I have watched this movie a record nine times already and I am preparing for an eventual return visit or two by week’s end.  Make no mistake, when you just can’t get enough of a movie, you know you found a good thing.  Here’s raising my glass in anticipation to the gang’s next mishap journey coming in 2011.  May it be filled with more of the same crazy scenarios, memorable gut busting moments and insatiable laughter.  Cheers!

Honorable Mention 

Star Trek

Despite being a hardcore Star Wars fan (go ahead and say it…you can call me a nerd), throughout my entire life, and have never seen a single episode of the original TV series, or a film from the franchise for that matter, I thoroughly enjoyed the JJ Abrams project.  The action scenes were off the hook, but the time traveling was quite confusing for new fans of the franchise.  I understand why they went there and the nods to the original series, but I have to admit that the time traveling debacles bumped it down a bit on my list.

Saw VI

It’s no secret that I am fan of the legendary, but not completely stale yet, Saw franchise.  The sixth movie, in my opinion, was a welcome addition to the most profitable horror franchise (see my review here).  However, gruesome scenes of torture and gore, prevent even me from watching them too frequently, but come Halloween season I can always be found dusting off my Saw Blu-ray collection.  Honestly, I have grown so used to visiting the theater the third weekend of every October that I could not imagine a Halloween season without a Saw movie.  Thankfully for me, Saw VII is not only slated for next October, but it will be in 3D!  Can you imagine a Saw film presented in 3D?  I wanna play a game!

Wish I Would Have Seen

Zombieland

Law Abiding Citizen

Ninja Assassin

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

BIGGEST Disappointment

9

I am not going to pretend and claim that I can say it any better than fellow reviewer Gregg proclaimed in his post yesterday.  The animated film 9 was by far one of the biggest disappointments and most over-hyped films of 2009.  Granted, there are a couple others that come to mind, but none more disappointing than 9.  You know when you look at your watch multiple times during your initial viewing that you are in trouble.  I should have known by the third time I glanced at my watch during the movie’s runtime that I was in terrible danger of being utterly disappointed and that it was not going to get any better than it already was.  In fact, the only thing the movie has going for it is it’s short duration.  I have never been so let down in recent memory by a film that looked so promising, majestic and powerful in its theatrical trailers.  You got to give kudos to the marketing department behind this film’s release.  It packed a lot of suckers in to the theater to witness this on 09-09-09.  And worse of all I’m guilty of falling for this marketing ploy and being forever shamed.

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#10  Law Abiding Citizen

The all-star pairing of Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx was a brilliant tag team in this edge-of-your-seat thriller.  Butler played a man who lost his wife and daughter to a pair of scum bag murderers.  Foxx played a Philadelphia prosecutor who was fixed on his prosecution ratio more so than making the bad guys pay their full dues in the justice system.  Butler’s character keeps the authorities buzzing in frustrated confusion as his crimes against those employed in the justice system continue while he remains in prison.  The movie delivered a ton of wow’s and some great hero/anti-hero chemistry between the two leads. 

#9 Paranormal Activity

For a film that cost a pittance to make, it did all it could with a few bucks and ran wild in theaters across the country.  For those that waved their hands in disgust saying, “I’m not seeing that.  It’s Blair Witch all over again,” shame on you.  For someone who is not a fan of horror films, this movie earned two thumbs up from this reviewer.  While slow to progress at times, Paranormal Activity brought us a final 30 minutes of film time that was nothing less than a holy $#*% ride.  I give director Oren Peli all kinds of credit for keeping movie-goers’ eyes and ears glued to this film for doing so much with so little.  The anticipation experienced in waiting from scene to scene was something I had not encountered in a film for a loooong time. 

#8  The Proposal

No, this film is not on my list because I love Sandra Bullock.  It was just a really fun romantic comedy that brought us some great rivalry between Bullock and co-star Ryan Reynolds.  Bullock’s character, Margaret Tate, is about to face deportation to Canada for not completing the proper immigration procedures after residing in the U.S. for some time.  In an instant, she hatches a plan of marriage to her go-for employee, U.S. citizen Andrew Paxton (Reynolds).  The two play a charade back and forth in order to deceive and convince Paxton’s family and the U.S. Government that their relationship is real.  Albeit a Hollywood ending, The Proposal was one of two films this year that provided me with a smile for nearly its complete runtime. 

#7  Zombieland

The previews looked good, but how would the entire film be?  Remember when I just said two films in 2009 put a smile on my face?  This was the other one.  Zombieland‘s comedic romp through the streets of an infected USA was an absolute blast.  The characters were well developed, Woody Harrelson was great as the shotgun-toting Tallahassee, and the video-game like editing (at times) made this a unique and fun movie.  Throw in a little Bill Murray for good measure and you can’t go wrong! 

#6  Ninja Assassin

What is it with males and their undying fascination with ninjas?  Personally I think it’s their mythology and the fact that we often haven’t been able to separate fact from fiction of the ninjitsu persona.  Starring Asian pop star Rain, Ninja Assassin was but a blip on the radar of many a movie watcher in late 2009.  I thoroughly enjoyed this film that actually had some proficient acting and a decent story as we follow the path of one ninja who has broken from the clan of his evil brethren.  There’s no shortage of airborne shuriken, amputations and black-shrouded, kitana-wielding acrobats in this action film.  Through the first 15 minutes or so, I thought I was in for a very long 2 hours.  The movie picked it up in a hurry though and brought an entertaining story.  I am eagerly awaiting the Blu-ray release of this bad boy. 

#5 Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

The Underworld franchise is one of my favorites.  When I heard a new Underworld movie was in the works minus Kate Beckinsale, I was a bit disappointed.  However, I still made it a point to head out in the blustery winds of February and catch this vampire and werewolf free-for-all.  For the inundated, this movie is a prequel to the previously released Underworld films, showing how the lycan Lucian (Michael Sheen) came to be while developing the forbidden romance between he and the vampire Sonja (Rhona Mitra).  The movie hits its climax with an all out mass battle of werewolves and fang-sporting bloodsuckers as few are spared in this medieval conflict of supernatural species. 

#4  G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

How could a movie filled with bad acting be so high on my list?  Easy!  I got to relive my childhood on the big screen.  With the you’re-no-thespian abilities of Channing Tatum and Sienna Miller, G.I. Joe brought what was simply a good old, shoot-em-up action film that I returned to see multiple times.  I thoroughly enjoyed seeing characters such as Snake Eyes, Destro and General Hawk being brought to life in front of the camera, as well as the Joe and Cobra vehicles that were always two steps ahead of the traditional military.  The tag-line placements throughout the film were well done, the Paris chase was riveting and the ninjitsu duel between Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow was just awesome.  Heck,  even the closing battle, though Death Star-esque, was exciting to see in the original, underwater environment. 

#3  The Blind Side

Who’s Michael Oher?  A couple months back my answer was “Ya got me!”  Today, however, I have been educated on the gentleman and his adoptive family.  Starring Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw and Quinton Aaron, this film tells the true story of how Leigh Anne Touhy (Bullock) and husband Sean (McGraw), take in a seemingly homeless and socially reclusive Michael Oher.  Oher had a mother but had not spoken to her in years.  Who knew where his father was and being the God-fearing Christian folk they were, the Touhy’s took in Michael one cold, rainy night as he walked a path to nowhere.  Introducing the big man to the sport of football, Oher took a liking to the game and grew into a standout player on the field and in the classroom.  If you aren’t familiar with this man, go see the movie because I’m not going to give the ending away here.  The Blind Side gets my vote as the most beautiful film of the year. 

#2  The Hangover

I love a good comedy.  The problem is they are so few and far between at times that I have trouble thinking of a good one that was recently released.  All hail the arrival of The Hangover.  When I saw the trailer for this film, my very first thought was “Looks like I’m passing on that one.”  When I saw it for the first time in theaters, I found myself laughing out loud repeatedly in this wildly brash, witty, offensive, side-splitting comedy.  When I saw it for the second time in theaters, I had the same reaction.  The team chemistry of Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Justin Bartha is complemented by the comedic presence of Zach Galifianakis, whose stupid innocence is so convincing that his character’s laugh-inducing ability is increased ten fold.  The outlandish antics of the four and the bad luck that follows is delivered with perfect timing in this mad race to find Doug (Bartha) and get him home to his wedding in time.

#1  Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

After experiencing a disappointing Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull some time back, I vowed never to attend a midnight showing again.  Then a co-worker convinced me to tag along for the 12am showing of this year’s Transformers sequel.  The first film was outstanding and banked truckloads of cash for a movie that contained cutting edge effects, a solid story and some good comedic overtones.  How did Revenge of the Fallen match up?  It wasn’t the full powerhouse that it’s predecessor was, yet it came close, bringing fans what they’d been seeking in the robot sentient follow-up; an all-out war between the Autobots and Decepticons.  This was no street fight like the first film.  This was Rock’em Sock’em robots on an even grander scale.  The film’s special effects were still as strong as before and the comedy, though sometimes cheaply delivered, was still cleverly blue-collar. 

I did want to take a minute and address the critics of characters Skids and Mudflap.  Some said they were the Jar Jar Binks of Transformers.  Okay, I can kind of see where you’re coming from there, though the green and orange bots weren’t anywhere close to the level of annoyance that Jar Jar was in The Phantom Menace.  What got me were those that said the characters were racist.  You have got to be kidding me you overly liberal, politically correct, cry babies.  I take the train through the inner city to work each day and hear the ‘n-word’ passed around like free samples at the grocery store.  Do not look at these fictional characters and say they are racist and do not feel the need to be offended for someone else.  To those critics, please go back to your cave you socially ignorant imbeciles. 

And now, back to our show!  In the end, Revenge of the Fallen was my summer blockbuster that, believe it or not, held a variety of aspects that were more than just flying fists and bullets.  The final highlight of the film was the adrenaline-pumping fight between Optimus Prime and his arch nemeses; Megatron and The Fallen.  This juiced-up battle was full of rage and destruction and from the moment that Optimus jetted off toward the top dogs of the Decepticons, I did not blink, depriving my pupils of some much needed moisture.  As the movie came to a close and Linkin Park filled the air with another rocking tune, I knew my film of the year had arrived.   

Honorable Mention

Inglorious Basterds

Tarantino’s latest work just missed the mark on making my top ten of the year.  A fictional take on occurrences in World War II, Brad Pitt leads a band of merry Jews on the hunt for some not so merry Nazis.  The film features some great acting, especially from the likes of Christoph Waltz as the elegantly evil Colonel Hans Landa.  Pitt’s Tennessee delivery of “Bonjourno” had to be the best-timed comedic piece in the film.  Who ever thought a little bit of Italian could command so many laughs in the theater?  If you knew Lieutenant Aldo Raine, you’d know why this is just plain funny.  Some scenes will put a rock in your gut as the undercover agent is about to be had while others will leave you chuckling at the screen.  I’m not much of a Tarantino fan, but this film was one smart piece of work.

Up in the Air

George Clooney stars as Ryan Bingham, a sort reverse head-hunter for companies.  Instead of hiring people, it’s his job to go out and fire them for employers too cowardly to execute the deed themselves.  The movie takes on multiple, very real aspects of the job.  There’s the emotional toll of firing people and effectively seeing their occupational lives come to a screeching halt.  There’s also the variable of relationships on the road and grooming an understudy on the job who’s ready to steal your thunder.  You won’t find a Hollywood ending in this great piece of work directed by Jason Reitman.

Biggest Disappointments

9

Though there were several disappointing films in 2009, I had three standouts that topped my list.  The first was the animated film 9.  This movie was utter garbage as its only perk was some beautiful animation.  Other than that it was a boring production that became the world’s longest chase scene.  “Oh god, 5 just got captured!  Let’s get him!  Oh no!  Now 6 is in jail!”  Holy crap!  Am I back in math class??  Someone wrap a baseball bat around my head because I can’t take this nonsense any longer!

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Next on the list is Wolverine.  I love his character and Hugh Jackman is awesome in the role.  Yet somehow director Gavin Hood managed to destroy this movie.  If you’re not into comic books, chances are you enjoyed this work.  If are into the comic genre and you understand Wolverine’s history, you most likely thought this movie was rubbish.  I have four significant complaints. 

One, the romantic chemistry between Logan and girlfriend Kayla was almost non-existent.  We were close to approaching Anakin and Padmé unbelievability.  Two, actor Taylor Kitsch was a horrible Gambit.  Nice Cajun accent, lad.  Where did it go?  It left and came back and left again.  Three, we’ve got the special effects.  Wolverine’s blades looked more realistic in the X-Men trilogy than they did here.  A CGI Patrick Stewart?  Ridiculously fake.  The collapsing nuclear plant?  Bad.  Finally, there’s the coupe de grace.  Deadpool.  In the comics, Deadpool has one biologically enhanced ability; accelerated healing.  Suddenly in this film he can shoot lasers from his eyes, teleport at will and generate Baraka-like blades from his arms.  Even in the realm of fiction, I could not suspend disbelief for this long.  This movie was garbage.

Avatar

Lock and load, people.  Get ready to fire your volleys at me because this movie was a big bore.  How so?  It was unoriginal and drawn out in story.  Whether you like it or dislike it is purely opinion.  However, to say this movie borrower heavily elsewhere is fact.  This film was Dances With Wolves in space.  I love Dance With Wolves, but I’m not big on Avatar which was more eye candy than anything else.  Cool battle, decent acting, ingenious environment, but it featured a story that, for the most part, has been done before.  Oh how quickly we forget. 

10. Public Enemies

Alright Michael Mann is treading familiar ground here.  His classic flick Heat is fairly similar, but this time instead of casting the top actors of last generation (De Niro, Pacino) he uses the best of this generation (Johnny Depp, Christian Bale), gives the plot historical relevance (the true story of John Dillinger) and conducts a series of awesome Tommy Gun shoot-outs.  Though the pace was too relenting to really resonate the first viewing, I took this one out for a second spin and no doubt got completely wrapped up in its classy awesomeness.  Mann is the man indeed!

9. The Hangover

Mike Tyson singing Phil Collins.  A naked Asian guy jumping out the car trunk.  Zach Galifianakis stealing almost every scene.   Do I need go on?  Sure it’s not going to win any Oscars, but I don’t think I’ve laughed harder this year.  If you missed it, you missed out.

8. Funny People

King of the ‘bromance’ and savoir of the modern comedy Judd Aptow took a break from producing 12 billion movies a year to direct this bittersweet twist on his own early experiences in the comedy industry.  Surprisingly this film contains a depth missing from most laugh fests focusing more on the ‘bitter’ than the ‘sweet’ and standing as his most mature and solid work.  Also, Adam Sandler proves once again that coupled with the right director, he can deliver a top notch dramatic performance, but in true Aptow fashion its all the supporting cast and bit players that steal the show.  A fun and involving comedy that uniquely provokes thought instead of making you feel stupider.

7. Martyrs 

While I can’t claim this to be a favorite (hell I don’t think I ever have the desire to ever watch it again), I’m hard pressed to name a film that has gotten a stronger reaction from me this year.  Surprisingly there’s plenty of food for thought underneath its blunt surface, it walks an odd line of being the cinematic equivalent of a punch in the face and a philosophical meditation on faith and existence.  Also it has one of the most unique plot structures I’ve witnessed, you’ll truly have to hold tightly as it twists and turns.  Not the best of ‘Gallic horror wave’ (that honor is held by Inside) and I genuinely felt nauseated throughout its entire running time, denying this film a place on the list and the impression it left on me would be a crime itself.  A reaction is better than no reaction at all and this flick takes that honor…and then some.

6. Avatar

I consider myself a die-hard James Cameron fan, so patiently waiting for him to deliver the goods for nearly 12 years was no easy feat, and then again that’s a lot of expectation to pay off too.  While I admit it didn’t completely succeed (what the hell could?) Avatar is an epic, enthralling and enjoyable adventure.  Not since I was a little tyke watching Jurassic Park did I become completely lost in the world a film created, but Avatar did just that.  Without a doubt, the plot feels overly familiar and flatly simple, but if there was one film that you absolutely had to see in the cinemas; this was your huckleberry…awesome stuff indeed.  Well done Mr. Cameron.

5. Zombieland

I had zero expectation going into this one; first time director, so-so cast and yet another addition to the tired zombie trend.  Don’t get me wrong, I think zombies are awesome but I’ll be the first to admit they are getting played out and this one gave no hint of bringing anything new to the table.  Well, I’ll eat those words because this film is God d#mn awesome!  It points out all the tired clichés and successfully flips them on their heads, creating a fresh experience that channels the inventiveness of the equally awesome video game Dead Rising, add to that a sharp and witty script, slick visuals, spot-on black humor and the best use of Woody Harrelson in years and you’ve got yourself a winner.  Oh yeah and Bill Murray is in it too, but to tell you what happens to him would be ruining it.  Go grab some beers and find out for yourself!

4. The Hurt Locker

After an unexplained hiatus, personal favorite Kathryn Bigalow returned to cinema with both guns blazing, delivering a tense, forward yet thoughtful war film that stands as one of the best of the genre.  Thankfully the film avoids imposing a political agenda on the current conflict and presents the situation as direct as possible, skillfully delivering tense set-piece after set-piece.   The result is a unique rollercoaster ride as exhilarating as it is devastating yet somehow we feel that’s Bigalow’s whole point; as horrible and unnecessary as war is, its also terribly exciting and strangely addictive to some men, while most audiences won’t relate they can at least try to understand.

3. Star Trek

Who would have thought Star Trek could emerge out of its niche ghetto and became cool once again?  Well J.J Abrams did what several felt impossible and did just that.  He shook the franchise up while treading a careful line by making it feel fresh and sexy enough to entice new viewers while paying respect and satisfying the devoted fans.  Its not perfect, but aside from a few convenient plot twists and the misuse of a “Beastie Boys” track you’ll just be nit-picking if you’ve got complaints.  No doubt the best Blockbusters of 2009, now that the crew is assembled, bring on the second installment!

2. Drag Me To Hell

After the disappointment of Spiderman 3, Sam Raimi got all old school on our #sses and proved he can still flawlessly deliver a thrill ride like no other.  In true Raimi form, the film excels at being scary, funny, exciting, gross and all out entertaining.  A must see for fans of the man and even if your not, check it out, you’ll likely to become one.

1. District 9

Neil Bloomkampf rose from the ashes of the failed Halo movie and knocked out this quick and dirty sleeper hit.  A fresh and unique spin on a familiar premise, District 9‘s bizarre racism allegory uniquely echoed the Sci-Fi’s genres literature roots instead of the usual big budget spectacle its counterparts shallowly strives for.  What results is a film that is sharply clever and relevant to hot topic issues, but makes for an exhilarating, emotional and awesome experience to boot, which to me is what cinema should be all about.  I’ve never seen anything like it and can’t wait to see what Bloomkampf gets up to next, and if it involves a pimp #ss finale with Mech Warriors like this one, you can bet your bottom dollar it’ll chart my Top 10 again.  Its official, whoever pulled the plug on the Halo movie, should kick himself in the face repeatedly. 

We hope to be doing a lot more of this in 2010, but in the meantime  please give your full undivided attention to video game reviewers Sam Bushman and Dan Morrison of WhySoBlu.com as they give you the low down on their ‘Top 10′ favorite moments in gaming for the year 2009.   Check out the You Tube hosted videos embedded below for a raw behind the scenes look at Dan and Sam delivering the video goods. 

Part 1 of 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLBsheqEAgA

Part 2 of 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CDtxjpEzXc

Check out the official whysoblutube’s channel here.

#5  Captain Clegg and the Night Creatures

I came across these guys (and girl) at a Rob Zombie concert in late November (see my previous article) and they absolutely caught my attention.  This rockabilly group from Texas sports a steel pedal guitar, drums, bass and the Captain on his flashy King guitar.  Their lyrics are humorously macabre and cover anything from redneck vixens in outer space to two-headed teenage transplants.  That’s right, gather the family round for these guys!  Okay, maybe keep the little ones out of it, but these guys fulfill a perfect Halloween mood and even if you’re a bit off kilter upstairs, you’ll still be able to enjoy the music throughout the year.  Unique lyrics aside, Captain Clegg and the Night Creatures are a treat to see and hear live and deliver a sound that a studio album cannot come close to relaying.  

Visit Captain Clegg on the web.

#4 The Answer

These lads from Belfast opened for ACDC on the ’08-’09 tour and many a jaw hit the floor when their first note hit the air.  The Answer plays determined and loud on the live stage while their lead singer  occasionally bears a musical aura reminiscent of Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant.  It’s not very often that an opening act keeps the audience’s undivided attention, but after seeing these guys open twice, I can say that people got to their seats early to catch this band in action.  They do not disappoint, rocking out tune after tune, pouring everything they’ve got into their set.  Sure, we all came for ACDC, but at the same rate, who the heck wanted The Answer to leave the stage?!  With so many music genres out there today, it seems like the area of just plain old rock n’ roll is dwindling.  Have no fear as The Answer fulfills this increasingly deprived pocket of audible art with a truckload of energy that leave audiences clamoring for more.

Visit The Answer on the web.

#3 Acoustic Alchemy

Let’s tone it down a bit and take a walk down smooth jazz boulevard.  Low and behold, I discovered this duo on what I call the ‘statue channel.’  You know, those music-only cable channels that show still images while flashing obscure facts across the screen about the artist.  Think of it as poor man’s Pop-Up Video, but I digress.  Originally fronted by the acoustic guitar expertise of Simon James and Nick Webb, Acoustic Alchemy has delivered a plethora of magnificent influences, all blended into a fusion of incredibly relaxing, mood-setting music.  Their array of musical accents is so widespread that I wouldn’t know where to begin, yet album after album, this tag-team effort releases recordings of pure magic.  Though the faces of today’s Acoustic Alchemy are different from what founded the group nearly 30 years ago, they continue to harmonize the musical essence of Oriental, Latino, American and reggae sounds into one musical masterpiece after another.

 Visit Acoustic Alchemy on the web.

#2  Robert Randolph & the Family Band

Up until 2005, I had come across very few opening acts that I enjoyed.  It was just one boring, unappealing band after another.  Could someone please light a fire under these so-called artists?  I must have found the cure for insomnia time and again.  Then came June 15, 2005.  I was attending a Dave Matthews Band concert and the opening act was the lengthy-named Robert Randolph & the Family Band (RR&TFB).  What was the first thing I did?  I judged a book by its cover and thought, “With a name that long, they’re probably just another poor attempt at entertainment.”  Yes, that was my ridiculous reasoning back then and boy did that group prove me wrong.  Labeled as a funk/soul band, fearless leader Robert Randolph paves the way on his steel pedal guitar that is played with such undeniable energy, you can’t help but get up and move to the relentless beat.  The band follows suit with such a smile-inducing style and sound that carries the speed of a V8, it’s impossible to not tap your foot at the very least.  With a wicked cover of Billie Jean that sunny June day and a slew of their album-toting arsenal readied for our ears, these guys left quite an impression on me.  RR&TFB deliver a fast-paced, fun ride with their sometimes instrumental, sometimes vocal music whose (arguably) mascot tune is that of the 13-minute jam-it-out-and-get-crazy-wit-yo-bad-self tune, Ted’s Jam.  You want to do a backflip when you arrive at the office Monday morning?  Listen to these guys on the way to work.  It’s more energy than a can of Red Bull and licking a 9-volt will ever give you.

 Visit Robert Randolph on the web.

#1  Seven Nations

It was sometime around 1999 as my dad and I watched CNN, only to have the last few minutes of the slow news hour be filled with the oddball story of a rock band with a bagpiper.  “Oh wonderful,” I sarcastically thought to myself, “This outta be good.”  To my surprise, the band called Seven Nations sounded decent and the bagpipes fit perfectly into their Celtic (that’s pronounced kell-tick) rock foundation.  Fast forward to July of that year where I was attending the Cleveland Irish Festival.  Ironically enough, Seven Nations (or 7N for short) was there that day where I immediately made it a point to snag a front row seat.  When lead singer Kirk McLeod, piper Scott Long and the rest of the crew finished, I was absolutely blown away.  If there was one standout memory of that performance, it was that you’d be hard pressed to find the Highland instrument played so furious anywhere else.

Delivering a breath of fresh air in the music industry, Seven Nations is a crowd magnet, fan favorite and just an outstanding band making use of the fiddle, bagpipes and occasional tin whistle along with the traditional lead guitar, bass guitar and drums, creating an audible electricity in the air.  McLeod’s smooth vocals front the meaningful delivery of their large library of songs such as the popular ballad Twelve to the punk-inspired Last Call to the more traditional rock-sounding Time as the Enemy.  This band, like any on this five-strong list, thrive under the lights and sound best up close and in person.  How much do I appreciate the work of McLeod and company?  Enough to make me take up the pipes a decade ago.  I’m not saying their music is going to make you run out and buy a set of bagpipes or a fiddle, but the energy they leave in their wake and the quality of their music is inescapable. 

Visit Seven Nations on the web.

Regardless of my feelings towards Twilight, it did encourage me to reflect on the several types of fanged peeps that have graced the cinemas over the decades, from the emo high schoolers of present, to the Kung-Fu Ninja’s of Vampire Hunter D, even further back to the rat-like Count Orlock in Nosferatu.  It made me realize just how many awesome Vampires flicks there were, although they have the most diverse and tinkered with mythologies out of all the classic Horror Icons.  With such a wide variety of choices, I decided it would be a blast to jot them down in a ‘TOP’ list for the site.

I had to delete some titles (Vampry, Lifeforce, Capitan Kronos), for although they were great flicks, they didn’t completely meet the vampire criteria and I excluded other fan favorites (Fright Night, Underworld) because I thought they sucked, sorry!  Please feel free to disagree or add your favorites below in the comments…

16. Dracula (1931)/ Horror of Dracula (1958)

It’s a tie!  That’s correct, two of the most famous ‘classical’ takes on Bram Stoker’s novel are in my personal opinion; equal.  Why?  Well, both are remarkably similar adaptations that share the same amount of flaws, neither working worse or better than the other.  The fact they still remain as equally important to this day is all thanks to the timeless performances of Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee as Count Dracula.

In 1931’s Dracula, Lugosi brought to the role an exotic sex appeal that has remained synonymous with the part since; his presence is captivatingly charismatic with his stare hypnotic and his accent seductively foreign.  Lugosi successfully commanded the screen whenever he was on it and it’s little surprise he shot to success overnight after its release.

On the other hand, Christopher Lee in the 1958 Hammer remake was a man of few words. Tall, dark and handsome, he was an appealing force of nature that was seductively primitive; his face filled with emphatic melancholy could change a split second later to viciously fierce.

But then asides from the main performances, what remains?  Both of the film’s plots stand as flat and tame as each other’s (for nowadays at least), though the Hammer version does have the upper hand with the superior supporting cast (Peter Cushing, Michael Gough) and production design beating the classic appeal of the Lugosi version by a slight margin.  The film directors; Tod Browning and Terence Fisher (respectably) were both solid genre filmmakers yet with these films played it safe, sticking close to the text and letting the gothic sets and main actors carry it.  Ironically, both would achieve their biggest commercial successes with these adaptations, although in my opinion, they would deliver far more interesting and artistically challenging films later in their careers (Freaks, Devil Rides Out).  Overall, the movies are recommended as landmark ‘Vampire’ classics that no doubt deserve a spot on the list, but aside from the titular performances and nostalgic appeal, they’re hardly as appealing as some would make you believe.

15. 30 Days of Night (2007)

This adaptation of Steve Niles grim comic book resonates as one of the freshest take on vampires in decades.  Bringing them back to the essentials, they are played as vicious, nihilistic eating machines.  Their eyes black, their teeth jagged, this flick was able to make them frightening once again and Danny Huston performance as their ‘ring leader’ is harrowing.  Asides from that, there’s some decent fun to be had from its gripping high-concept premise (Vampires attack an isolated Alaskan town when the sky black-outs for a month), to a handful of memorable sequences (decapitation!) and Director David Slades slick visual style.  It results in one of the better vampire flicks in a good while, worth checking out on a dark night.

14. Innocent Blood (1992)

Director John Landis focused his talent for comedy, scares and all round general chaos at the Vampires sub-genre with this underrated 90’s gem.  Anne Parillaud plays the sympathetic vamp that only eats ‘bad people’; mainly Italian Mobsters.  This leads to complications when she fails to finish her last victim off and the entire underworld goes batsh#t.  There’s solid support from Anthony LaPagia as an undercover cop.  But Robert Loggia steals all the scenes and one-liners as the resurrected mob boss with a low patience threshold.  The movie lacks serious scares, but makes up for it with a penchant for spot-on black humor and creative bloodletting.  Innocent Blood is an unfairly overlooked flick that makes for an enjoyable double-bill with Landis’ classic An American Werewolf in London.

13. John Carpenter’s Vampires (1998)

I’m a sucker for Carpenter.  Even his crappy movies (Ghosts of Mars) have a place in my heart, but fortunately this movie stands as one of his decent later efforts.  Pitting bad#ss vampire hunter James Woods against vicious ‘Master’ Jan Valek (Thomas Ian Griffin) across the dusty setting of the Tex-Mex dessert, the film echoes cowboy mythos more then classic gothic but that’s part of the fun and it makes for a fast, gory ride hampered only by an anti-climatic ending (Carpenter ran out of money).  Regardless, it’s always easy to overlook a film’s flaws when the pace is this relentless and a smoking hot Sheryl Lee plays an infected, barely clothed hooker.  It’s good genre entertainment.

12. Blade (1998)

I pondered if this one should make the list because although Blade has vampires galore, it’s more about slaying them then…well letting them do their thing.  But in the end, this flick too awesome to resist.  Admittedly I enjoyed Blade 2 more (only by a little), but its plot did veer off into ‘fantasy land’ whilst this one at least attempts to ground the vampire mythology; depicting them as an underground Mafia-like organization that wear Armani and are sinisterly well organized.  The film might not be as pimp as it was in the pre-Matrix days, but it still packs a wallop of a good time with Snipes at his peak, some good R-rated kung-fu action and a worthy villain (Stephen Dorff).  Viewed best back-to-back with its sequel (although by all means avoid the third like the plague), this was the antidote to all the vampires getting interviewed with Snipes kicking their #sses and taking no names.

11. Lost Boys (1987)

Who could grow up in the 80’s and not think The Lost Boys was the bomb?  The movie took the clever route of appealing to teen audiences and marketing Vamps as sexy, renegade youths that dressed like extras from a  ‘Duran, Duran’ clip.  The young audiences ate it up (sounds familiar?); luckily the resulting film lives up to the hype and is a good deal of nostalgic fun.  The transition of turning into a vamp is played symbolically as adolescent ‘growing pains,’ but director Joel Schumacher avoids a meditation on the mythology and prefers to deliver a slick, funny and sexy 90 minutes.  Solid leads Jason Patric and Jack Bauer, sorry…I mean Kiefer Sutherland, are the conflicting vampire teens while the ‘Two Corey’s’ (before they discovered cocaine) are awesome as comic book nerds turned novice heroes.  It’s dated since its hay-day but Lost Boys still stands as one of the most fun vampire flicks around… “Cryyy Little Sister!!”

10. Nosferatu (1922)

The first (although illegal) adaptation of the Dracula storyline depicted the character unforgettably in the form of actor Max Schreck’s Count Orlok; an ominous, rat-faced presence that still haunts to this day.  Its unfortunate then, that as classic and innovating as the film remains, when the monster is off-screen it tends to falter; the hammy performances are an annoyance and Bram Stokers story has been adapted much better since.  It seems a harsh criticism on a 1920’s silent movie, but it’s not a flaw shared by other classics of that era, a handful of them (Cabinet of Dr Caligari, Metropolis) still managing to pack a punch today.  That aside, the film carries a strange sort of beauty; the sets and visuals represent ‘German Expressionism’ at its peak, whilst the films legacy has powerfully lived on; inspiring great performances from Klaus Kinski in the 1979 remake and William Dafoe in the bizarre Shadow of the Vampire. If you want to know your Vampires this is vital stuff.

9. Near Dark (1987)

It’s always been a question of debate between Horror fans, which is better The Lost Boys or Near Dark?  In 1987, when both films were released simultaneously, Lost Boys easily outshone the latter as it claimed the Box-Office, letting this worthy entry drift into obscurity.  Though, over the years, Near Dark ’s cult following and critical respect has easily out shined Boys.  As you can tell from my ranking I feel Lost Boys was fun, but Near Dark is the better film.  It tackles similar themes in a more mature manner and plays a unique spin on the sub-genre; depicting the rag tag band of vampires as on-the-run outlaws in the west.  The group is made up of half the cast of Aliens (Bill Paxton, Lance Henrikson, Jeanette Goldstein), with all of them in top form, never has being ‘bad’ seemed so appealingly good.  With that being said, I’ve always found it a shame how new recruit (and protagonist) Adrian Passar takes the moral high ground at the conclusion instead of continuing his adventures with them and there lies the major flaw; its all wrapped up all too neatly.  Still you’ll be hard pressed to find a film that explores the sub-genre in a more unique, elegant and brutal manner.  The Bar Massacre scene has become something of a classic and Bill Paxton is the bomb.  So pop this one in, and to quote the man himself, “Fasten your f#cking seatbelts!”

8. Martin (1977)

‘Zombie King’ George Romero turned his attention to vampires in his usual subversive manner with this bizarre effort.  Our main character Martin (John Amplas) is an introverted and confused teenager who finds comfort in sedating young women and drinking their blood.  The question remains; is he a vampire or just sick in the head?  His ‘old testament’ relative (Lincoln Maazel) thinks the former and their mutual hatred for one another leads to the films devastating conclusion.

Martin makes for a unique piece of work; its tone drifting between reality and fantasy, twisting the mythology at interesting angles while being anchored by a haunting central performance from Amplas (what happened to this guy?).  What we have here is a little seen gem, not as effective as Romero’s Dead movies, but just as special in its own way.

7. Cronos (1993)

Guillermo Del Toro made an impressive debut with this dark fairytale spin on vampire lore.  An old antique storeowner (Fredrico Luppi) gets bitten by a mysterious scarab-like artifact, soon after, he begins to take on traits familiar to vampires, yet he refuses to turn to the dark side until a sickly tycoon threatens his family, forcing him to embrace his new found ‘gift’ and protect those he loves.

You can always count on Del Toro to find the sweet and whimsical in a pitch-black premise, deciding to focus on the gentle relationship between Luppi and his young granddaughter and how his transformation benefits them instead of turning him into a monster.  The horror elements are played up with Del Toro’s usual love and fascination for the supernatural, taking the stance of delicate fantasy instead of typical scare fest.  He also proves he had a strong eye for visuals and designs, even this early in his career.  Although it doesn’t stand as the best out of his Spanish language films (Pan’s Labyrinth, Devil’s Backbone) or play well as a traditional ‘vampire’ yarn, Cronos is an appealing and unique spin on a familiar plot that is pure pleasure to watch unfold as well as stunning to look at.  Oh yeah, and its also got Ron Perlman in it, which always makes anything better in my book.

6. Brides of Dracula (1960)

No Vampire list would be complete without an entry from Hammer’s Dracula series and this is already the second installment I’ve included on the list.  Six out of nine installments had Christopher Lee’s looming presence captivating in his iconic role even when the films got considerable silly in the 70’s (Satanic Rites of Dracula had the Count living it up in swinging 70’s London!).  Ironically, my pick for favorite is a rare entry that doesn’t feature Lee and although I admit it misses him, it still ends up being the most enjoyable installment out the franchise.  Peter Cushing reprises his role as Van Helsing in his usual classy manner and the film features the characters most effective moment as he desperately performs DIY surgery on his vampire wound to prevent himself from turning (hint: it involves a hot poker!)  Besides that, the film represents Hammer at its peak; lavish sets, solid cast, sexy women baring cleavage and a showstopper of a finale as Cushing battle Baron Meinster (David Peel) in a burning barn.  If you’re only going to see one Hammer Dracula flick make sure it’s this one!

5. From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

Quentin Tarantino (as writer) and Robert Rodriguez (as director) collaborated for the first time on this wacky hybrid of a Crime/Horror flick by way of Brain Dead.  Their proposition of smashing genres together results in one of the most entertaining entries in the sub-genre, as fast-talking criminals the Gecko Brothers (George Clooney and Tarantino) collide with the hungry vampires residents at the all-night bar ‘The Titty Twister’.  The duo’s take on vamps is refreshingly twisted; the creatures coming across like a combo of energized cannibals with Evil Dead‘ s Deadites, than the usual snobby euro trash.  Add to that Tarantino’s gift for sharp dialogue, amusingly creative gore and a game cast varying from the A-list (Clooney, Harvey Keitel) to regular Grindhouse Icons (Fred Williamson, Tom Savini).  It may not be the most sophisticated effort, but name me one that’s more fun?  It’s a bloody good time from beginning to end.

4. The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)

Back in the 60’s when Hammer Horror flicks where all the rage, Roman Polanski directed this sweet-natured spoof of the studio’s output, ironically it resulted in one of the better ‘vampire’ flicks of that decade.  Polanski takes the central role as one half of a bumbling duo (with Jack MacGowran) of novice vampire killers in the snowy, isolated setting of Transylvania.  When a local girl (Sharon Tate) goes missing, fingers point to the residential Vampires as responsible and the hunters reluctantly set off to rescue her and slay them some undead!  What carries out is an enjoyable romp that pokes fun at the genre without being condescending, and despite the light-hearted tone manages to excel with its horror aspects; the film is genuinely frightening, boosting a handful of tense scenes as well as an effective cast of vampires.  Conclusively, it never fails to impress when a film drifts flawlessly between suspense, slapstick and scares, but Polanski pulls it off.  The film also marked the end of his most joyful period as a director; soon after this film his personal life took a dark turn and understandably so did the tone of his films.

3. Interview With The Vampire (1994)

Adapted from Anne Rice’s successful novel, this movie charged itself with the unique task of tackling the Vampire mythology from…well, the vampires point of view, as our undead protagonist Louis (Brad Pitt) shares decades worth of stories with a tape recorder and an increasingly jumpy interviewer (Christian Slater).  Pitt solidly carries the film, but is upstaged by cast against type Tom Cruise as his egotistical mentor and Kristin Dunst as a 12-year-old vampire condemned to be forever young.  Dunst displayed a maturity and gift for acting that has strangely alludes her as the years pass.  Reaction to the film has also always confused me as it polarized audiences back in ‘94; horror fans felt it was too sulky and pondering to satisfy and mainstream audiences felt it too dark and vicious to connect.  I guess I fell in the middle ground and still feel it’s a highly underrated flick with a refreshing take on the mythos.  It makes for a dark, involving journey through a vampires life time, firmly held together by Neil Jordan’s capable skills as director and his eye for creating haunting yet beautiful images (the ashen corpses of sun burnt vampires come to mind), he’s also clever enough to occasional lighten the tone with a sharp streak of black humor.  Understandably, the film is charged with humanizing these horror icons and I can’t disagree, but in terms of Vampire films, you’ll be hard pressed to find one that has approached the sub-genre with the same amount of class, depth and care as this one.  Don’t be so quick to dismiss it as ‘faggy’; you’re just robbing yourself.

2. Let the Right One In (2008)

Last year’s realtivly budgeted Swedish vampire film snuck up and stole many a reviewers heart, but not just as finest Horror film of the year, but as the finest film…in general!  And there lies its strength; it’s a heart-warming ‘coming-of-age’ drama disguised as a horror flick although it successfully works as both.  The lonely and troubled kid Oskar (Kare Hedebrant) finds friendship as the mysterious Eli (Lena Leandersson) moves in next door.  As they grow closer its revealed she’s a vampire with a need for blood, but will Oskar help her survive by providing victims or will he cower from the girl he’s beginning to fall for?

As mentioned before, the film excels in prioritizing the human drama in name of cheap scares usually expected.  The two young leads are completely believable, helping ground the film as the supernatural elements are introduced and though the film’s plot turns are as bleak as the icy cold setting, the story remains sweet and hopeful, creating a surprisingly uplifting experience.  As a horror fan it’s always a pleasure when the genre is treated with as much maturity and respect as here.  Make sure you watch it before Hollywood bastardizes it with their upcoming remake!

1. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

Most will argue with my top choice here, but personally Francis Ford Coppola’s OTT take on Stoker’s novel is the definitive and most complete version made yet.  The film stands above other adaptations by finally pushing the sexual and violent nature of the story while cleverly choosing to play it as a tragic love story between Dracula (Gary Oldman) and Mina (Winona Ryder) instead of letting the boring everyman Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves) take the lead as most adaptations have resorted to.  On top of that, the cast is almost uniformly impressive; Oldman takes a role that’s been famously cemented belonging to others for more than three decades and completely makes it his own, managing to succeed were others failed and capturing all diverse aspects of the character; part mysterious seducer, part vicious monster, part tragic figure.  Ably joined by Anthony Hopkins, with his amusingly blunt take on Van Helsing and Ryder as his long lost love.  Add to that that the film is beautifully crafted with every frame filled with minute care and detail, expert make-up and creature effects and stunning cinematography.  Regardless of the lowbrow quality of the genre this film, at times, it borders on becoming a respectable piece of art.

While admittedly the film does have its flaws (Keanu Reeves wooden plank of a performance), and many have criticized its wacky style and story elements (werewolf sex!), but in terms of ‘Dracula’ adaptations it excels in being romantic, scary, sexy and beautiful.  With that said, I don’t think I need anything more from a Vampire film to consider it the best out of the rest.  So there you have it!

1. BIOSHOCK

Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadilio

GAME:

Anyone who’s had the fortune of playing 2007’s “Bioshock” will tell you it’s ripe for the cinema screen.  Set in the 1940’s in an undersea former utopia; Rapture, the streets are filled with lunatics, ghosts and sorcerers. The game stands as one of the most unique and beautiful games of all time.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY:

In 2008 word got out that the game scored a film deal with Director Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy) and A-list screenwriter John Logan (Gladiator) developing the project.  This news had many fan boys getting giddy, especially since Verbinski had an amazing visual style that could do Rapture justice on the big screen.

Then a story broke that Verbinski had to step back to producing duties due to scheduling conflicts.  The capable skills of Juan Carlos Fresnadilio are now attached as Director.

DIRECTOR VERDICT:

I personally loved both of Fresnadilio former films (Intacto and 28 Weeks Later), but am slightly sore Verbinski won’t be the man calling the shots.  He made for a perfect match with the material.

Regardless, Fresnadilio is no slouch as a director; Intacto proved he could take a bizarre premise and make it fun and involving, 28 Weeks showed he could change up his pallet and deliver a worthy companion piece to Boyle’s original.  Here’s hoping he can step up his visual game and capture Rapture in all its glory, I think he will.

CHANCE TO SUCEED: 8/10

2. CASTLEVANIA

Director: James Wan

GAME:

I was never too familiar with the series as a kid asides from “Super Castlevania.”  The premise had always intrigued me though; our hero Simon Belmont armed solely with his trademark whip and a healthy dose of muscles hunts down Dracula in his castles filled with traps and other creatures of the night.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY:

For what seemed like ages, Paul Anderson (Resident Evil) had been attached as a writer/director to this adaptation.  A script was leaked online and made several fans scream sacrilege due to liberties taken in plot; the major one being Belmont wielding a sword instead of a whip.

Anderson then stepped back to producing duties courting Sylvan White (Stomp the Yard) to direct.  Thankfully he resigned and Dracula was able to resist the urge to pull some fly moves out in his yard.

Recently news broke at the last E3 that James Wan had signed on as writer/director to the project.

DIRECTOR VERDICT:

I for one am extremely excited about Wan’s attachment even though I’ve never enjoyed the Saw series he’s responsible for unleashing on the world.  In my eyes, he redeemed himself in 2007 when he released a duo of films that kicked my ass; Death Sentence and Dead Silence.  Both of those flicks displayed he had matured as a director, tossing out the headache-inducing editing and fast motion and replacing it with a slick handle on style, drama and suspense.  I think he’d be perfect for the project, displaying in Silence he could do Gothic Horror and of course watching Saw the man knows his booby traps.  Oh yeah, and word on the grapevine is that the latest draft has Belmont wielding his whip, good to know!

CHANCE TO SUCCEED: 8/10

3. DEAD SPACE

Director: DJ Caruso

GAME:

Surprisingly I still haven’t played last year’s “Dead Space” yet, even though I’m a major horror gamer and it’s been received as the best one since “Resident Evil 4” (no small feat).  While the story borders on cliché (you are a lone survivor forced to survive on a spaceship infested with disgusting aliens), the game supposedly built on its worn out plot and delivered a tense and involving experience with some of the most disturbing aliens since…well, Aliens.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY:

The game received a massive public boost with a tie-in comic, animé film and recent prequel game, yet unfortunately it only made a small splash on consoles.

Luckily the critics loved it and the good word of mouth convinced producer’s to snatch up the film rights with director DJ Caruso stepping into the director’s chair.

DIRECTOR VERDICT:

Caruso has had a varied career, he made an impression with his debut; the underrated Film Noir The Salton Sea, then he dwindled away on hack projects until the sleeper success of Disturbia followed by the big budget Eagle Eye. 

Although I was hardly crazy about either of those films, there’s no denying he has a firm handle on tension and big action pieces.  He will have to prove though that he can take it to the next level with Sci-Fi Horror.

I think it has a solid chance to succeed just as long as he doesn’t cast Shia LaBeouf as the lead!

CHANCES OF SUCCESS: 6/10

4. GEARS OF WAR

Director: Len Wiseman

GAME:

Epic’s “Gears of War” blew s**t up and helped bring the XBOX 360 much exclusive success prior to ‘Halo 3’.  The plot followed a group of hard-as-nail soldiers in a future war fought against an ugly alien threat.  Not the freshest plot but no doubt cinematic, the game was a hoot with a memorable, insanely buffed cast of characters and an innovating game play system.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY:

Soon after its success, producers snatched ‘Gears’ up with top-notch screenwriter Stuart Beattie (30 Days of Night) developing a draft in close collaboration with Epic.

Once director Len Wiseman was brought in, the script was scraped and Chris Morgan (Wanted) is currently adapting the latest with a greater emphasis on the epic nature of the story.

DIRECTOR VERDICT:

Len Wiseman has gained a small group of haters for being married to Kate Beckinsale (bastard!), but we’re not judging his merit due to his personal life. 

He had decent success with his two Underworld films (the first I hated, the second I enjoyed) and then landed the job of Live Free or Die Hard or as any reasonable person would call it; Die Hard 4.

I’m not a gigantic fan of his, but do think he’s a solid choice to bring ‘Gears’ to the screen; he’s got experience making action flicks with fantasy elements and has a firm grip with over the top action set-pieces, something that felt out of place in the Die Hard film but would be at home in the Gears universe. Give the man a solid screenplay and I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

CHANCES OF SUCCESS: 6/10

5. GOD OF WAR

Director: Brett Ratner

GAME:

‘God’ is an epic, gory and enthralling retelling of Greek mythology.

Our anti-hero; Kratos is one of baddest mofo’s around, former Spartan now Champion of the Gods, hell bent on seeking revenge on Ares, the God of War and the being responsible for the death of his family.

The first two games feature some of the best story telling I’ve experienced in gaming, so there’s little doubt this could make for cinematic gold nuggets.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY:

As said before, ‘Gods’ has one of the best storylines around so it’s of little surprise that producers smelled potential for something special.  They hired respected scribe David Self (Road to Perdition) to pen the script and it’s been reported that it’s a solid and faithful adaptation.  The next for the developers was to seek out a director with the chops to deliver, settling on…Brett Ratner?

DIRECTOR VERDICT:

Wow.  I bet a lot of you fan boys are scratching your heads:

Brett Ratner? Gods of War? NOOOOOOOOO!

Ratner, without a doubt, isn’t the most popular fellow when it comes to us fellow geeks, but I am one of the few that doesn’t think he’s a bad filmmaker although he’s definitely one that lacks passion.

Best known for his Rush Hour comedies, his two biggest flicks (and reason for fan boy hate) are X-Men 3 and Red Dragon.  I admit I enjoyed those films, but feel they definitely didn’t reach the heights of greatness they could have.  Also, Ratner quite blatantly copied the styles of Bryan Singer and Jonathan Demme respectably, not straying too far from what was already established, but not making it anything special either.  On the Pros side, this could mean a close adaptation to the game, but on the Cons side, it would make for one that doesn’t kick your ass with awesomeness.  No doubt almost everyone would rather have someone else in charge, I’m still hoping for the best and at least an R-rating.

CHANCES OF SUCCESS: 4/10

6. KANE & LYNCH

Director: Simon Crane

GAME:

I didn’t have a chance to play this one either, but I can’t deny the premise didn’t intrigue me, two death row inmates; Kane, an ex-bounty hunter, Lynch, a schizophrenic psycopath, team together to break out of prison and rescue the former’s daughter.

Sounds like a blast and a half, unfortunately the game received several lame reviews, though even the bad ones gave props to the games cinematic appeal, meaning this one has box-office potential written all over it.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY:

“Kane & Lynch” has gone down as the first game to land a movie deal even before it was released!  Producers bought the rights and sought out Bruce Willis.  Willis read the script and signed up, claiming supposedly it’s the best action script he’s ever read!

Director Jieho Lee (The Air I Breathe) was attached for a moment but soon lost interest, delegating veteran Stunt and Second-Unit Director Simon Crane to take over, with the film on the fast track to shoot early next year.

DIRECTOR VERDICT:

Well, there’s not much to assess Crane’s filmography on considering he’s never directed before, yet there’s no denying he’s had his fair share of experience on high budget flicks pulling stunt duties for heavy-hitters like Cameron and Spielberg, so it’d be safe to assume at least the action will be satisfactory.

Coupled with a cool concept, a supposedly top-notch script and Bruce ‘the man’ Willis, this one definitely has more pros then cons.  Still, Crane’s unproven; it could be crap.  I’ll be anxious to find out.

CHANCES OF SUCCESS:  5/10

7. PRINCE OF PERSIA: SANDS OF TIME

Director: Mike Newell

GAME:

The Prince of Persia series is understandably held high in the gaming community.  From its humble beginnings on the Atari to last years next-gen installment, the series has been around for a near two decades and has always been synonymous with quality.  It’s safe to assume judging from the title this flick will focus solely on the 2003 reboot; “Sands of Time”, a game that is regarded as the best in the series.

It was an epic, exciting adventure set in a fantasy land.  The platform aspects were innovating (although combat was crude), the story’s twists and turns intriguing and the love story surprisingly involving, lending itself as solid material for the celluloid screen.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY:

Riding high on the success of the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, Uber-producer Jerry Bruckheimer figured if he could turn a theme park ride into a blockbusting franchise, he sure as hell could do the same for a video game. 

Internet punching bag Michael Bay was rumored to be attached but then it was announced veteran Mike Newell would be taking the directorial reigns.

DIRECTOR VERDICT:

Mike Newell fits the perfect definition of a ‘journey man’ director as he travels through genre with no specific style or interest, with his fair share of hits (Donnie Brasco) as misses (Mona Lisa Smile).  Yet his effort on the fourth Harry Potter movie The Goblet of Fire, stands as the most enjoyable out the franchise in my opinion.  It had an impressive handle on the fantasy, action and adventure elements; three things that would go hand in hand with a “Prince of Persia” adaptation.  Add to that Bruckheimer backing him up with his large bank account and this could be the one that finally does it games-to-film justice.  Lets hope!

CHANCES OF SUCCESS: 7/10

8. WARCRAFT

Director: Sam Raimi

GAME:

To call “Warcraft” a game is an understatement, it’s a frigging phenomena. What started as series of solid RPG’S blew up when its fourth installment “World of Warcraft” was released as an MMO (internet based gaming), taking over the scene by storm.  It has won countless awards for its fantasy world of dwarves and sorcerers, and inspired several books and comics.  I admit the whole “Warcraft” scene is not my cup of tea, but even I can’t look passed that it would make for a pimp ass movie.

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY:

Funnily enough, the “Warcraft” scene has met with much backlash recently, a major factor is its addictiveness for some.  It’s been spoofed on South Park and become so serious some states have even opened up therapy clinics to treat the addiction.  Regardless, the producers weren’t deterred, certain that potential success lies in this mystical universe.  The franchise has several storylines so they could pick and choose as they pleased, and a few months back, attached the very talented Sam Raimi to helm.

DIRECTOR VERDICT:

I’m hardly familiar with the “Warcraft” universe and its several storylines but I can’t deny that the match of the material with Sam Raimi’s deft touch has the potential to be something very special indeed.

Raimi busted on the scene with several quirky genre efforts, then moved up the A-list when he took on the Spiderman franchise and turned it into a blockbusting juggernaut.  The first two films were met with lots of fanfare, although the third entry was regarded as a somewhat disappointment, though this year’s Drag Me To Hell put Raimi back on track.  I’ve always felt that Raimi had a similar career trajectory as Peter Jackson (both rose from low-budget horror/comedies, matured with more serious material, then hit the A-list with big time franchises) and I feel this has the potential to be his Lord of the Rings.

CHANCES OF SUCCESS: 9/10

Yet once in a good while, a sequel will hold up as satisfying and in some rare cases, even superior to its original.  I thought it would be fun to explore some of those rare occurrences in a Top 5 list, though keep in mind I only listed sequels that I felt superior to the original, making me exclude some personal favourites (Hellraiser 2, Exorcist III, Halloween 2, the list goes on…) cause although they were surprisingly awesome, they weren’t able to beat out their originator.

Hope you enjoy the discussion below and feel free to disagree in the comments…

5) A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: DREAM   WARRIORS

ORIGINAL:

Wes Cravens 1984 A Nightmare on Elm Street stood out as imaginative and frightening to the extent of urinating in your pants.  Much of that credit goes to its villain, the crispy pederast Freddy Kruger; a supernatural figure that haunted teenager’s dreams and murdered them with chilling glee.  The film struck Box-Office gold and did for going to sleep what Jaws did for the open water (or if you’re a real wuss; swimming pools).

SUPERIOR WHY:

Alright, alright, I hear the Freddy fans screaming; why not New Nightmare?  And then the ‘Movie Buffs’ screaming; why superior?

Firstly, New Nightmare was a cool idea that never paid off and secondly, like Aliens, this installment outshines its originator in the long run by stepping up the ante and taking the thrill ride route.  Yes, the first Nightmare is the overall better film, but on repeat viewings it just isn’t scary anymore.  Dream Warriors on the other hand, has never lacked for entertainment and took things from the original set-up (the Dream World) and pushed them in exciting and innovating ways its predecessor couldn’t have dreamed of (sorry…couldn’t resist the pun).  Add to that a group of young teenagers you actually care about, a clever script by Craven and the talented Frank Darabont, the return of Heather Langenkamp and John Saxon and the best Freddy make-up out of the franchise and you have something very special indeed.

No doubt the original is a classic but in terms of fun there’s no beating this installment and therefore in my personal opinion it’s the superior.

4) BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN

ORIGINAL:

Riding on the coat tails of Universal’s success with Dracula, the studio head’s quickly green-lit Mary Shelly’s landmark story Frankenstein and gave reign to the able hands of director James Whale.  What resulted is a film to call ‘classic’ is a slight understatement.  Countessly spoofed and homaged over the decades, its easy to forget how timeless and haunting the film remains due to its strengths; its slick ‘expressionistic’ look, its simple but strong moral thematic and of course Boris Karloff’s famous take on the iconic monster.

SUPERIOR WHY?

Due to the break through success of the first film, Universal saw a welcome opportunity to “sequel-ize” Frankenstein even though Karloff’s monster had died dramatically in a flaming castle at tits conclusion.  Not deterred, the filmmakers pulled a move for Bride of Frankenstein repeated later by countless horror sequels; the monster somehow survived!  What follows is a film that several fancy pants scholars will agree is superior to the original, the major factor being the clout Whale had gained since the first.

In the original we were given slight hints at his off-beat filmmaking, yet in Bride, he was given complete creative control; the style is full blown gothic, the black humour and sexual innuendo more apparent and although the bizarreness of the plot almost spiral out of control, Whale never cheapens the moral and tragic elements of the story.  On top of that you have a scenery chewing supporting cast trying their best to out do each other and Karloff’s turn even more memorable (“Friend!”).  Bride doesn’t quite kick the crap out its predecessor (in fact they feel like two halves of a whole), but there’s no looking past it’s the closet to Whales’ intended vision and therefore superior.

3) DAWN OF THE DEAD

ORIGINAL:

George Romero’s grimy and cynical Night of the Living Dead shocked audiences back in 1968, though not all due to the visceral bloodshed on screen.  The flick dealt with hot potato topics like racism and human morality, creating something that was equally thought provoking, as it was horrifying.  Conclusively it proved that all horror flicks didn’t have to be shallow to scare.  Oh yeah, it also single-handedly created something called ‘Zombies.’  Maybe you heard of them?

WHY SUPERIOR?

During the late 70’s when mass consumerism reared its ugly head, Romero felt the need for the dead to roam the earth once again…  This time around the satire was sharper, the budget was bigger and the effects by FX Guru Tom Savini have become something of horror lore.   Romero used a simple premise (a group of survivors holed up in a shopping mall and their attempts to ignore the zombie horrors outside) and hit home a message about society, blinding them with materialism that becomes more relevant as the years go by.  But don’t misjudge all the deep ‘messages,’ this is a zombie flick after all!  And in those terms, it still remains relatively unbeatable with the awesome carnage not letting up from the tense opening where a SWAT team raids an infected apartment block, to the gruesome finale featuring our Heroes VS a sadistic Motorcycle Gang VS pissed off Zombies.

In terms of bloodshed, not to mention substance, its epic shadow has been cast over all those that followed.  This is the Citizen Kane of zombie films; Night of the Living Dead was just the warm up.

2) EVIL DEAD 2

ORIGINAL:

Director Sam Raimi bursted onto the scene with 1984’s Evil Dead.  Solely armed with a shoestring budget, him and his crew made up for the lack of funds by being scary, creative and completely outrageous (Tree Rape?), resulting in a film that made a big profit and is saluted as something of a Cult Classic.

SUPERIOR WHY?

After Raimi stumbled with his expensive sophomore effort Crimewave, he decided to play it safe and “sequel-ize” his former success, yet this time it would be playing something closer to his heart.  Admittedly a bigger fan of Three Stooges than Texas Chainsaw Massacre, he took the original’s simple premise, placed his tongue firmly in cheek, turned the Gore dial up to 11 and threw everything but the kitchen sink at his leading man Bruce Campbell.  What resulted was a completely fresh and unique experience, a film that was as laugh-out-loud hilarious as it was stomach churning.  Several have tried to achieve its bizarre blend of horror and comedy yet most have failed miserably (Shaun of the Dead and Brain Dead came close though).

Overall its superiority over the original couldn’t be any more apparent; Evil Dead is a rough-edged shocker, Evil Dead 2 is just plain awesome.  There’s no greater combo than watching this flick with your buddies, a cold crate and the right mindset.

1) ALIENS

ORIGINAL:

In 1979, Ridley Scott took a silly B-movie premise  (a gooey alien haunts a space ship) and produced one of the most terrifying and strangely beautiful Horror films to date.  It’s a testament to the film that it still stands as a classic, 30 years later, and has lost little of its impact.

SUPERIOR WHY?

Scott’s original was always going to be a hard act to follow; yet James Cameron eagerly stepped to the plate and knocked this one out the park.  His secret you ask?  He didn’t waste time by repeating the original, tossing out its slow burn suspense and injecting it with pure adrenaline; he upped the ante in the plot (instead of a sole alien you get hundreds, instead of space truckers you get bad ass space marines), revealed more about the creatures (Alien Queen!) and most importantly didn’t neglect the heart of the series: reluctant heroine Ripley (Sigourney Weaver).  Toss in Cameron’s flawless gift for creating genre characters you give a damn about, and his slick handle with building tension then paying it off, you’ll be hard pressed to find everything that equals it; sequel or not. 

No doubt the first installment is a classic, yet over repeat viewings, once you know where the Alien is going to jump out the film loses some its creepy power.  That’s a flaw the sequel does not carry because it strives for pure entertainment and succeeds handsomely.

It’s my overall theory that success lies with the talent behind the camera.  Directors like Chris Nolan, Jon Favreau and Bryan Singer all rose from up-and-comers to A-list by respecting source material and delivering the goods for the fans and the general audience with comic book movies.  On the other hand, Tim Story and Jonathan Hensleigh aren’t doing much at all.

My point proven, it’s a shame that Hollywood hasn’t taken the same approach for the generally dismal Game-to-Film adaptation circuit.  I’ve been a video game fan since the golden days of the NES and have to say I’ve only been satisfied with one adaptation (Silent Hill) in a period that’s almost spanned two decades.

This list consists of a look at some prime examples of films that had all the potential to soar, but unfortunately coupled with miscast directors fell flatly.  I excluded obvious director choices (what film wouldn’t be awesome done by Cameron or Jackson?) as well as Street Fighter 2 because they made an awesome Manga from that back in the 90’s.  I don’t expect all of you will agree, but I think you’ll defiantly enjoy…

1. MAX PAYNE

THE GAME:

 In my opinion there hasn’t been a larger missed opportunity than with Max Payne.  Whilst the game was hardly sex-on-tap, it was extremely fun, introduced bullet time to gaming and uniquely combined film elements from Film Noir, John Woo and Gothic horror, smashing them together in a unique package that screamed film adaptation.

WHAT WENT WRONG:

I will give hack director John Moore credit where it’s due.  He was able to capture the visual look of the game to a tee.  Unfortunately, that’s were the compliments end because what we’re left with is a shallow experience following a by-the-numbers plot, Mark Wahberg showing up to collect his pay check and an action movie that doesn’t really have any action.  The movie is a celluloid equivalent of a ‘cock tease,’ which, lets face it; is never a good thing.

WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN:

While the obvious choice would’ve been John Woo or the Wachowski brothers (not to mention their association with video games), I’m going to go for the underdog vote and shoe-in; Wayne Kramer.  If you’re asking who, then do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Running Scared.  The film comes off as a better adaptation of Max Payne than the resulting film; mixing slow-mo bloodshed with hard-hitting Noir undertones, the film even made Paul Walker look like a badass (no, I don’t smoke crack). Sure it didn’t have the Gothic visual look to match the game, but if Moore could pull it off, so could Brett Ratner.

2. RESIDENT EVIL

THE GAME:

While Resident Evil was hardly the first ‘Survival Horror’ game, it definitely was the first to make most of gamers scream like little bitches (the dog jumping through the window; need I say more?).  It also took a simple, cliché premise and put the player through a roller coaster ride that equalled (at least for the time) the best that the horror world had to offer on the celluloid screen.

WHAT WENT WRONG:

While the box office might argue with me on this (they’re filming Part 4 as we speak) there’s no denying that Paul Anderson’s adaptation is extremely flawed, overly complicated and conclusively a crap zombie movie.  Milla Jovovich kicking an undead dog in the air does not make for an exciting horror film.  Admitedly, if the film didn’t bear the title Resident Evil, I might not be as harsh, but unfortunately its relentless effort to swerve away from what made the game effective is both disappointing and unnecessary.

WHAT SHOUD’VE BEEN:

I’m going to go for the obvious choice on this one, the godfather of Zombies; George A Romero.

Some of you might be scratching your heads with my decision after seeing the horrendous Diary of the Dead, but it is well-known knowledge that Romero was originally hired to write and direct the movie back in the late 90’s.  Unfortunately, he was fired after handing in his first draft.  Anyone who’s read that draft (its online), or saw the TV commercials he directed for the “Resident Evil 2” game, will agree that he was the right man for a solid adaptation that would’ve kicked you squarely in the balls.

3. TOMB RAIDER

THE GAME:

While I’ll admit I’m not overly familiar with the Tomb Raider games, it was always clear to me what they set out to do; provide the gaming community with fun globe-trotting adventures in the style of Indiana Jones, but instead of your hero being the gruff every-man, it would be in the guise of Lara Croft; a sexy, double gun wielding babe with a giant rack.  Indiana Jones with tits, what could go wrong?

WHAT WENT WRONG:

While I’ll admit that casting of Jolie as Croft was ingenious.  She was able to display as much charisma as a wooden plank, not to mention the resulting two films lacked one important element; they just weren’t any fun.  Simon West and Jan De Bont both failed at delivering anything satisfying.  They were dull, by the numbers and sported a bunch of lame CGI that would feel at home with Asylum’s back-catalogue.  These films should’ve been epic, sexy and oh, what did I say…FUN.

WHAT SHOULD’VE BEEN:

While Stephen Sommers would’ve been an obvious choice after the success of The Mummy, his subsequent films make me retract that decision.  Pondering it, the main man for the job would have to be Joss Whedon.  Whilst I wasn’t one for the Buffy phenomenon, there’s no denying he has the ability to create three dimensional action heroines that don’t come off as pretty caricatures.  Also, anyone who’s seen Firefly knows he delivers rollicking adventure that make even hardened viewers giddy.

4. DOOM

THE GAME:

Doom, at the time, was one of those rare games that put you in a crap-in-your-pants situation; stranded on a space station overtaken by demons straight out of Hell’s inferno, then put enough firepower in your hands to flip them the birdie and send them straight to…well, Hell.  The premise echoed Aliens by way of Hellraiser.  The transition to film was only furthered signified by the release of Doom 3 which still stands, to use crude terms, as one of the most pimp-ass games around.

WHAT WENT WRONG:

While the film is not god-awful and has a few stands out scenes (the POV sequence will always have a place in my heart), there’s no denying it was overall mediocre.  I think part of the reason is the general lack of passion put into it.  Go-to hack director Bartoviak proves again that he was a better cinematographer than director.  The scares are obvious, performances so-so (besides The Rock cooking it up OTT) and action generally underwhelming.  Not even to mention the unnecessary plot twist where the demons are genetic experiments all done by the evil Military Science Division (is there any other type?).  They should have stuck to the basics; “Aliens” with demons, like the game.  Simple no?

WHAT SHOULD’VE BEEN:

There’s one man that could’ve knocked this one out of the park, Neil Marshall.  I will stand by The Descent as one of the best horror films of the past decade.  The man can do action, the man can do scary and claustrophobic, he can even throw in a little drama into the mix.  With his love of James Cameron and horror material, if he’d been hired to do Doom it wouldn’t have been an extra pay check; he’d eat that sucker’s soul!

5. MORTAL KOMBAT

THE GAME:

Mortal Kombat splattered all over the arcades in the 90’s with its dark and bloody approach to the VS genre.  It stood out from the other Street Fighter 2 clones just from the sheer goriness of it all.  In Mortal Kombat you didn’t just lose, you got your spine ripped out and humiliated in front of the viewing public.  The plot was a nice mix of Chinese mythology with borrowed elements from the movies Big Trouble in Little China and Enter the Dragon making it ripe for the big screen.

WHAT WENT WRONG:

While Paul Anderson’s dated original was goofy fun, not to mention it pulled in enough bank to warrant a crap sequel and an even worse TV series, there’s no denying the film slightly missed the point.  The game is dark, bloody and really bloody  If you don’t see what I’m getting at; where was the blood?  It’s a bit of a superficial complaint but one that has been sounded by many fans, not to mention that several corners of the Kombat universe still remained to be explored signifying the potential of what could have been.

WHAT SHOULD’VE BEEN:

This one proved to be a tough call as Mortal Kombat had always been Asian mythology projected through western eyes.  It would need a man that had a decent awareness of both worlds, had experience with chop-shocky action and as well as deliver gooey massacres with ease.  They’d be no better man qualified than Ronny Yu; the Hong Kong vet who’s dabbled excellently in both the Kung-Fu (The Bride with White Hair) and Horror (Freddy vs Jason) genres, while not to mention has the necessary visual panache to pull off the mystical world full of black sorcery, demons and ninjas!

In heightened state of anxiety, longing for my favorite holiday, I want to take a retrospective moment to recap what I consider to be the Top 10 Horror Blu-rays of 2009.  Picking a number one film this year wasn’t easy, in my opinion, as there are two top heavyweight contenders to chose between.  There’s no room for indecisiveness.  I must be strong.  All of the below Blu-ray titles were released within the calendar year of 2009.  Without further ado…let’s get started!

10.  The Unborn

This Michael Bay produced film was so awful on so many levels but it has three good things going for it.  Before I get to the good things I am sure you are probably all wondering how could a Michael Bay produced film ever be considered bad and if it is bad, then how come it made my Top 10 list?  Well, do I really need to answer the first half of the question?  I think Transformers Part Deux is all I need to say.  Second, it made my Top 10 list because of the following three reasons.  First off, it made my Top 10 list because of the beautiful Odette Yusman.  She is a sight to behold in 1080P and I look forward to seeing the ex-Cloverfield actress in future roles.  In addition to Odette, the movie also stars Gary Oldman, Carla Gugino and Meagan Good.  Second, the production quality of this Universal release was just outstanding.  The video and audio presentation was splendid throughout.  Last but not least was the fact that the movie conied the term J-Horror, meaning Jewish horror.  I have never heard of the J-Horror genre before researching this film.  That term has now become part of my daily vocabulary and will always remind me of The Unborn.  Oh and the movie…well it has its highs and lows.  It is your typical demonic possession story.  If you watch it for Odette and nothing else, then you might walk away satisfied.

9.  Mirrors

What’s better than the heart pounding riveting action of 24 where Jack Bauer is busting down the doors of global terrorists around the world?  The answer is quite simple.  Jack Bauer in a horror movie, but of course!  If you disregarded the name of Kiefer Sutherland’s character in the movie you would swear you are watching a horror version of 24.  With all his same Jack Bauer mannerisms intact Kiefer plays a security officer battling his own demons as well the spirits trying to make contact with him through the mirrors.  The disclaimer should read…objects in mirror are deadlier than they appear.  Amy Smart also stars in this Alexandre Aja production.  I have to admit, the ending is what makes Mirrors a winner for me.  It’s not your typical Hollywood ending.  Check this one out, if you have not already!  This is a no-brainer purchase for Kiefer Sutherland fans.  My only negative comment is that the video presentation is a little rough throughout, but it can always be worse.  You could be watching DVD!  Oh no!  The horror!

8.  My Bloody Valentine 3D

My Bloody Valentine 3D is certainly not the best horror remake to hit the silver screen, but it has a little something to offer both genders.  For the women, you got the handsome rugged looks of Jensen Ackles.  According to my wife, Jensen is always pleasing on the yes to watch.  And for the guys…well in addition to the gruesome murder, mayhem, blood and guts we also get to experience a three-dimensional chase/fight sequence involving a completely naked, not bad looking, actress.  Now unless you know of some movies that I do not, this was my first time seeing female nudity in 3D on the big screen.  Of course, the 3D effect is a grandiose experience in the theater in comparison to viewing at home.  But with your choice of watching the film in either 2D or 3D how can you go wrong?  Newcomers to the film will be left guessing to the very end exactly who the killer is.  In the words of Drowning Pool…”let the bodies hit the floor.”  My Bloody Valentine also stars Jaime King and Megan Boone.

7.  Saw V

Many the fans have grown bored of the stale Saw franchise, including myself, that is…until Saw V hit the screen.  Saw V was a breath of fresh air after the roadkill skunk stench Saw IV left behind.  Much like my remarks about Mirrors, the final scene in Saw V is one of the best horror endings I have ever had the pleasure to witness.  It’s definitely one of the most sadistic ones to say the least.  Jigsaw’s legacy lives on!  How much longer can they continue the franchise?  If the trailer for Saw VI is indicative of the way things are going, then I am guessing it won’t be that long until Saw will be a past tense verb once again.  Until that happens, make sure you brush up on Saw V before your Saw VI outing on October 23rd.  You don’t want to be lost in confusion.  Why not lessen any plot holes and enjoy a Saw marathon this weekend.  It could be just what the doctor ordered.

6.  The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

Love it or hate it, Hollywood will get their way every time with a remake.  This time around it’s Leatherface in all his 1080P glory tearing up your screen.  Originally released in 2003 this film contains performances by Jessica Biel and Eric Balfour.  I know you are probably like Eric who?  Or maybe you did not even see Eric’s name after Jessica Biel.  Whatever the case is…YES…Jessica Biel is running around for 90 minutes in tight jeans and a wife beater that leaves nothing to the imagination.  So in other words…guys should love this movie.  Oh yeah…and it’s also based on the real life crimes involving the grotesque and brutal murders committed by Leatherface and his dysfunctional family.  I really have no bad things to say about the film, nor its presentation.  Every bead of sweat is exasperatedly captured and harnessed in this beautiful Blu-ray transfer.  This was a no-brainer to add to my growing collection.  If you act quickly, you can still pick up The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) on Blu-ray from Amazon for only $9.99.

5.  The Haunting in Connecticut

Although I do not own this Blu-ray release I was quite content throughout my Blu-ray viewing of The Haunting in Connecticut.  I’m probably in the minority for loving this film so much as I did, but I just can’t help getting off from the subject matter.  The film loosely reminds me of a Blu-ray movie called Mortuary I reviewed not so long ago.  The premise is simple.  A boy, suffering from cancer, is in the fight of his young life to survive.  Once you are on that road to death certain things appear a little easier to you than they do to the lay population.  By certain things I am referring to ghosts, spirits and apparitions.  I get goose bumps just thinking about it.  Of course, not all spirits and things that go bump in the middle of the night are always good for you…especially when they are trying to warn you about numerous murders that just so happened in the very house you live in.  If you have not given this movie a watch already, then I highly encourage it as a rental this holiday season. 

4.  True Blood: The Complete First Season

 OK.  So it’s not exactly a horror feature film, but True Blood: The Complete First Season is unlike any other TV show of its kind.  It may take a little getting use to, but once you’re hooked…you’re an addict!  The show’s promiscuous and quirky plot is sure to leave you scratching your head in bewilderment whether it is over the many sexual escapades of Jason Stackhouse, the eccentric lifestyle of LaFayette or the blossoming romance of Sookie Stackhouse and Bill Compton.  Brace yourself folks.  This southern version of Twilight is for adults only.  DON’T let your kiddies play with True Blood.  You don’t want them as sick, deranged and messed up as you…do you?  Just for the record, True Blood has the best intro ever for a television show.  Quench your nocturnal thirst for blood on Blu-ray today!  If you act right now, Amazon has the Blu-ray box set on sale for an insane low price of only $33.

3.  Let The Right One In

If you are a fan of vampire lore, then there is no better time to be living in than 2009.  This seems to be the year of the vampire with so many tales popping up here and there, but none unlike the Swedish production of Let The Right One In.  The movie is critically halied by some as the best vampire movie ever.  I am on the fence about that one.  However, there’s no denying that it’s a vampire tale like no other, for many reasons I don’t even want to list in fear of inducing spoilers.  I’m just going to be bold and suggest that you give this one a test drive.  This movie will not be for everyone, but it’s a must-see for vampire lovers.  The movie’s soundtrack is in Swedish with optional overdub in English.  I prefer to listen to the Swedish soundtrack and read the English subtitles to get the most out of the translation.  Be aware that this film has already been subjected to a Hollywood makeover as we speak.  That must mean only one thing.  It must be good!  The film is eerie, creepy and mesmerizing as it sucks every last bit of attention from you.  Sounds like the right ingredients to me!

2.  Trick ‘r Treat

As I mentioned beforehand, the most difficult task in making this list, not to mention the significant time investment, was choosing between Michael Dougherty’s Trick ‘r Treat and Sam Raimi’s Drag Me To Hell.  I really can’t say enough good things about them.  The only thing that put Sam Raimi on top was the abundance of horror, gore and comedy.  But enough of Sam Raimi, we’ll get to him in a moment.  The man of the hour is Michael Dougherty.  His flawlessly crafted and intertwining tales that comprise Trick ‘r Treat brilliantly earns its namesake as one of the best horror films in the past 25 years, obviously alluding to John Carpenter’s Halloween.  Usher in the dawn of a new Halloween icon to be reckoned with…Sam.  Sam is the creation of Michael Dougherty that symbolizes the spirit and psychosis of the Halloween holiday.  Move over Michael, Freddy, Jason and others…there’s a new sheriff in town.  And his name is Sam!  Do you remember me saying previously above that Halloween takes its roots from the Celtic festival of Samhain?  Well, do you think there is any coincidence that Michael’s killing machine is named Sam?  Nah, neither did I!  We may never know why Trick ‘r Treat’s release date has been held up since 2007, but I’m sure glad it’s here now for a whole new generation of horror fans to enjoy.  Trick ‘r Treat was produced by Bryan Singer and stars X-Men‘s Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Dylan Baker, Lauren Lee Smith and many more faces you have seen before.  No questions asked, buy this one today and savor the moment.

1.  Drag Me To Hell

I admit, not being the biggest fan of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead series, that when I first saw the trailer to Drag Me To Hell that I thought it looked like the stupidest movie ever.  Wow!  Was I ever wrong.  Upon the film’s theatrical release I heard nothing but positive remarks and praise for this picture.  The critics and user reviews professed, “Sam Raimi is back!”  I thought there would be no way I could ever like it especially since they were comparing the new film to the Evil Dead series.  Like most things in life, I decided to give it one chance to win me over.  So I did what I do best and called together a group of friends for an outing at the local Cinemark theater.  The film started off in a quirky fashion much like the usual Sam Raimi works, but then it exploded like rotten tomatoes being thrown at a Vaudeville stage.  I mean that in the most sincere and pleasant way.  The jump out of your seat and gore factor was off the wall!  This movie was a fresh of breath air from the boring cliché horror settings we are used to.  Not only was it a change in pace for the horror genre, but also it regurgitated up some hefty laughs that I had no idea were residing inconspicuously within me.  I can’t say enough good things about Drag Me To Hell.  Although we are a day away from the Blu-ray release of this film I have no shadow of doubt that this will look stunning on the format.  If you pay attention to your reviews, you already know that Universal always does a bang up job on their releases and this one will be no exception.  Don’t be a fool like me and almost pass this one up.  Do yourself a favor.  Go in with a clear mind and give this one a watch.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised I think.  If nothing else, you will have some laugh out loud moments.  What do you have to lose?  After all, laughter is the best medicine. 

I hope you thoroughly enjoyed reading my Top 10 Horror Blu-rays of 2009.  I know it’s hard to please everyone so please feel free to agree to disagree.  Upon starting this, I had no idea how much work would be involved with creating this list, but I am glad I did it.  Please feel free to share your comments or show your appreciation below.  I look forward to hearing feedback from my readers.  Please use the below links to show your support and bring home some of the above mentioned Blu-rays today so you can celebrate the Halloween holiday season the right way…the “Blu” way!  Thanks!

		Or pick it up today by ordering online!

Enough with the ancient history lesson.  We won!  Hooray!  Hooray!  Let’s move on to our next goal…crumpling the remaining evil empire of Standard-Def DVD.  Their regime is tight but “the night is darkest before the dawn…and I promise you the dawn is coming” (powerful words of District Attorney Harvey Dent…R.I.P.)…we will prevail victorious again!

We here at Why So Blu would like to take a moment to recap what we think are the 10 greatest Blu-ray releases of 2008.  Again, these are of our own opinions and do not reflect the thoughts of the general America public (although they should).  And here we go…

The Dark Knight

It goes without saying that #1 movie of the year, and one of the greatest movies of all time, should top our list of greatest Blu-ray releases of 2008.

Into The Blu Review

Iron Man

Everyone’s favorite industrialist and weapons manufacturer, Tony Stark, laid on the charm at the box office making this the second highest selling Blu-ray release of the year.

Into The Blu Review

The Incredible Hulk

Are you starting to see a trend here with super hero movies?  We dare you to let this green giant loose on your audio system!

Into The Blu Review

 The Transformers

 We would be fools to leave off our list the most anticipated Hi-Def title ever, that ended up prolonging the Format War.  Did we mention it looks and sounds awesome?!!

Into The Blu Review

 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Despite the film’s critical success fans of the Blu-ray format were drooling at the chance to own an Indiana Jones title on the Hi-Def format.  Now if only Lucas will release the rest of them and Star Wars too please!!!

Into The Blu Review

 Doomsday

Universal’s entry into the Blu-ray format started out with a bang!  Neil Marshall, Rhona Mitra and gang gave us plenty of reason to cheer for future Universal Hi-Def titles!

 Into The Blu Review

 Wanted

Angelina Jolie is finally taking a break from making babies and back to doing what she does best…kicking a#$!  This is a story of the underdog in all of us.  And did we mention the incredible onslaught of audio?  Wow!

Into The Blu Review

The Nightmare Before Christmas

This wins our award for the best animated feature on the Blu-ray format in 2008.  The Danny Elfman soundtrack will rock your 5.1 world!

Into The Blu Review (Coming Soon)

 Rambo

Sylvester Stallone is back…and he is taking no prisoners.  The most violent film of the franchise comes to the Blu-ray format spilling blood and carnage everywhere.

Into The Blu Review

Shoot ‘Em Up

We have not had this much fun with a Blu-ray since Crank arrived on the format!

Into The Blu Review (Coming Soon)