Why So Blu?

Gregg’s Top 10 Blu-rays of 2010

Another year is almost in the books, and another year of top 10’s has already begun gracing the pages of Why So Blu.  No, not the top Ten Commandments; this bit’s about Blu-rays.  It looks like I’m up to the plate now for me to happily reveal what worked for me in 2010. There are probably some unexpected choices on here as well as others that are no surprise. Some Blu-ray releases even provided a better product than I was hoping for, which is always a welcomed change. From elves to GI’s and sports to music, the 2010 library covered the bases for me. I give you my best Blu-rays of 2010…   

    

#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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