Let’s pretend nobody is rich. Well, it’s not that hard to pretend, heh. Still, let’s imagine that everybody has one of those HD Ready flat TVs with a simple, cheap Blu Ray Player. You want to invite some friends or family over for dinner and a movie, just to relax and have fun.
You don’t want to “show off your system” or to “impress your date with the cool stuff that you have”. You don’t even have a 5.1 Surround System.. just the normal built-in TV speakers.
So, what do you do? You rely on choosing the best movies for an awesome evening. Here’s our Top Ten Blu Ray Movies You Must Own Till 2013 list, in case your date wants to watch a simple comedy or your friends are in the mood for a good action movie or your family just wants to see “what’s this Bloo Rey thing all about”.
#10 – Monty Python and the Holy Grail
This is one of those films that might make you smile, not necessarily due to the humor.. but due to the fact that it reminds you how old movies were shot so many years ago. You can see how the actors try to do their best, how they sweat in those less-than-professional costumes and how they base their entire movie on performances and story.
The story is simple: King Arthur gathers men for his court in Camelot when, suddenly, they are all sent on a quest to find the Holy Grail.
Is it funny? …12-year-old me would say “Best. Movie. Ever.” 24-year-old me would probably smile, tilt his head a bit and remember that, had it not been for this movie, he probably would never have had the courage or will to start his own productions.
The best part of this particular oldie? Some of the actors who acted in this are still alive today.. and many of them recall that the experience was absolutely dreadful and exhausting. Some even wonder why people would spend money on their movie and ipad application that comes with it.
#9 – Corpse Bride
I distinctly remember seeing Tim Burton’s “A Nightmare Before Christmas” and thinking to myself “Now that is an awkward way of making a CGI movie”. When I found out later that every single element in that movie was, in reality, a tiny doll or a tiny prop and that everything was filmed using the Stop-Motion technique… I was a bit overwhelmed by the immensity of work people put into it.
Corpse Bride is the spiritual successor of that movie and, yes, it’s made with dolls. Amazing work. Fascinating techniques. The Blu Ray version really shows you the finer details of these hand-made creations that sprung from Burton’s mind and onto your screen. Absolutely fantastic.
The story: A rather naive and timid fellow ends up
#8 – Not the Messiah (He’s a Very Naughty Boy)
Monty Python after 50 years. In song. That’s about it.
So? The presentation… the images… the songs… the voices… the humor… if you really have to have a “In Concert” Blu Ray, this is the one to get.
It surely is one show you will never forget. Well, mostly because you’ll want to rewatch it over and over again.
#7 – The Dark Knight
The performances in this movie, especially the one lead by actor Heath Ledger as The Joker, deserve this Blu Ray release.
The story: Classic Good VS Evil… in which Evil knows more about the dark side of life than Good would like to admit there is.
So what’s so special? It just deserves to be played in your Blu Ray player for every tiny wrinkle and ripple of facial expressiveness. Want to entertain your friends and freak out your guests? This is the release for you.
#6 – Doctor Who – latter seasons
Are you a Whovian? You need this.
You aren’t a Whovian? You need this.
I’ve seen some good Blu Ray movies out there but this is the first that shocked me (pleasantly). I have Season 6 of Doctor Who. When I started to watch it, I had the very peculiar (and awesome) sensation that the characters I was seeing on the screen were, actually, in the next room, and that I was looking at what they were doing through a window in my living room.
The story? Too complex to share here briefly. A friend told me once: “When you watch Doctor Who, remember to turn down the <logic> part of your brain for a while and just enjoy the fun of it”. I agree, it is fun! And with a Blu Ray release, the fun has been doubled!
#5 – Back to the Future
When you buy a Blu Ray movie, you want to see the details and the beautiful images it has to offer. In the Back to the Future Trilogy, there aren’t many impressive panoramas you can admire.. but you’ll surely find the actors’ make up, along with the visible effort it took to put it on, almost mesmerizing.
Sure, the story is good! SciFi at its best! A guy accidentally travels back in time and messes up his own timeline. Albeit a tad crude, this sums up the main idea but it doesn’t come close to the entire heart-warming experience that BTTF has for its audiences.
A definite: YES, in case you aren’t sure what to begin with.
#4 – Star Trek (2009)
If you’re looking for slick images where every single shot looks like it was washed with “Vanish Ultra” then you found the right movie. Adventurous and fun, Star Trek will make you go “Wow!” with its fantastic images and sounds (yes, even in stereo it sounds amazing).
If you want your old man to pat you on your back and say something like: “Good investment! I think I’ll buy one of these blue-thingie myself!”, then this is the movie you have to show him.
#3 – Indiana Jones – The Complete Adventures
Blu Ray doesn’t necessarily mean “just a quick copy/paste and a cool enhancement” of the movies you like. For “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, the entire Blu Ray Crew (as I like to call them) painstakingly restored the movie, frame by frame, to its original glory.
I have yet to see the result in motion, but if you wanna check out some shot-comparisons, go to this site and look for yourselves. I’ll just wait here in a corner of my room, silently humming a little tune, rocking back and forth.. while I wait for the nice postman to bring me my nice package. (Yup, I just ordered this one! I am more than confident it’s gonna be a blast going through these movies again with my bro!)
#2 – The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Let’s move on to the heavy stuff. Let’s say you just prepared a nice, romantic dinner for your date, he/she is coming over and oops! You just forgot this was family game-board night and uh-oh! You completely miscalculated the events in your calendar and you invited your friends over for your book-reading-club. What to do?
Pop in “The Hobbit” in your player and entertain the entire lot! The visuals are breathtaking, the music is superb, the actors and the story they convey represent one of the main reasons that remind me of why am I doing all this moviemaking stuff in the first place.
You’ll get to see each and every single little detail this movie has to offer and I can’t wait to see what the sequels will bring. Due to time restraints, I wasn’t able to see this in the cinema. Neither was my bro, Mihai. We both saw it together, in our living room, with the volume on low/medium so we don’t disturb our neighbors… and it still managed to impress us! Get it. Get it nau!
#1 – The Lord of the Rings – Extended Edition
Ten years older than “The Hobbit”, this brilliant gem of a movie deserves its Extended Edition. I have yet to see a better Blu Ray movie than this one. Think: everything I said about “The Hobbit”, but one hundred times better!
Even if fantasy bores you to death and you can’t stand these kind of stories… the emotional experience alone, based on the visuals and the music, will convince you that this entry in our list deserves its top place.
If you don’t believe me, try it for yourselves!
This was our Top Ten Blu Rays you gotta have.. join us each Tuesday for a new Top Ten list! If you want a specific list from us, write your ideas/demands in the comments and we’ll get right on them!
Now hush… I need to wait for mah Indy films!