Well, this isn’t the most overwhelming Blu-ray release day of the year but there are certainly some incredibly drool-worthy new titles out in shops today. Titles so amazing, in fact, that I’m going to be forced to place my top 3 picks this week all in the number-one slot. They are all must-own discs and I simply can’t rate one above the other!!

1. CRONOS

Cronos has never been my favourite film but it’s a damn important one. It’s the world’s introduction to the modern-gothic vision of Guillermo del Toro. The low-budget gateway into a dark-elegant style that would come to fruition in films like The Devil’s Backbone, Hellboy and Pan’s Labyrinth. This skewed and innovative take on the classic vampire tale is, when viewed in context, quite a marvel.

The gorgeous Blu-ray edition of the film is quite stunning when you consider its indie origins. But then again, you’d expect no less from a Criterion disc, would you? No matter what you think of the film itself, you’ll certainly be impressed with its high-def presentation and the special features that accompany it, which include a couple of excellent commentary tracks, a newly completed short film and a truly magical tour of Del Toro’s home offices and collections.

Highly recommended!

Special Features:

• New, restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Guillermo del Toro and cinematographer Guillermo Navarro, including optional audio with the film’s original Spanish-language voice-over introduction as well as DTS-HD Master Audio
• Two audio commentaries, one featuring del Toro and the other producers Arthur H. Gorson and Bertha Navarro and coproducer Alejandro Springall
• Geometria, an unreleased 1987 short horror film by del Toro, finished by the director in 2010, plus a new video interview with him
• Welcome to Bleak House, a video tour by del Toro of his office, featuring his collectibles and personal work
• New video interviews with del Toro, Navarro, and actor Ron Perlman
• Video interview with actor Federico Luppi
• Stills gallery
• Trailer
• New and improved English subtitle translation, approved by del Toro
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Maitland McDonagh and excerpts from del Toro’s notes for the film

READ MORE: Criterion announces December Blu-ray titles: Videodrome, Cronos

AMAZON: $29.49

1. VIDEODROME

That’s right. This is a two-Criterion Blu-ray week! Along with Del Toro’s Cronos, the studio is serving up the Blu-ray debut of David Cronenberg‘s classic Videodrome and it looks and sounds so much better than it ever has before. I run hot and cold on Cronenberg’s films but Videodrome has always just worked. A twisted look at the world of the media and how we consume it as it consumes us, the film holds up despite the dated technology on display (I haven’t seen that many VHS tapes in years!)

Criterion serve up the same excellent collection of special features as they did on the previously issued Videodrome DVD but the move here to high-def makes this an easy upgrade. There’s a lot more detail to see, colours pop and there’s a nice overall film-like look to the transfer. Audio is only monaural but uncompressed with more dynamic range than previous offerings.

Highly recommended.

Special Features:

• High-definition digital transfer of the unrated version (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack)
• Two audio commentaries: David Cronenberg and director of photography Mark Irwin, and actors James Woods and Deborah Harry
• Camera (2000), a short film starring Videodrome’s Les Carlson, written and directed by Cronenberg
• Forging the New Flesh, a new half-hour documentary featurette by filmmaker Michael Lennick about the creation of Videodrome’s video and prosthetic makeup effects
• Effects Men, a new audio interview with special makeup effects creator Baker and video effects supervisor Lennick
• Bootleg Video: the complete footage of Samurai Dreams and seven minutes of transmissions from “Videodrome,” presented in their original, unedited form with filmmaker commentary
• Fear on Film, a 26-minute roundtable discussion from 1982 between filmmakers Cronenberg, John Carpenter, John Landis, and Mick Garris
• Original theatrical trailers and promotional featurette
• Stills galleries featuring hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes production photos, special effects makeup tests, and publicity photos
• A booklet featuring essays by writers Carrie Rickey, Tim Lucas, and Gary Indiana

READ MORE: Criterion announces December Blu-ray titles: Videodrome, Cronos

AMAZON: $29.49

1. INCEPTION

Christopher Nolan‘s Inception might have been my favourite Hollywood film of 2010. I’m fully aware of all the character deficiencies and possible plot holes in the script but I don’t care. The film managed an incredible feat, as far as I’m concerned and spent the first three-quarters of the narrative setting it up – a storytelling gag wherein a group of characters live and interact at different speeds within different dream states. It’s a fantastic narrative gymnastic feat that has never been attempted before and I think it succeeds in a marvelous way. Also, I can’t stop listening to Hans Zimmer‘s incredible score for the film. Seriously. Every time I put my iPod on it’s Inception. I think it might be bordering on unhealthy.

I haven’t gotten my hands on the Blu-ray yet but I’m assuming that despite its lack of Maximum Movie Mode it’ll be one of Warner‘s best discs of the year. Really looking forward to it!!

READ MORE: Inception Blu-ray officially announced and detailed

AMAZON: $17.99

4. MADEMOISELLE CHAMBON

There’s a lot of talk about Stéphane Brizé‘s Mademoiselle Chambon being a modern, “French provincial version of Noel Coward‘s Brief Encounter” but that’s selling this wonderful little film short. It’s a thoughtful, sensitive romance that feels wholly original. With it’s pregnant pauses and long silences, the pacing won’t be for everyone but believe me, this small scale film is well worth the watch.

AMAZON: $31.49

5. LOST IN TRANSLATION

Lost in Translation is one of my all time favourite films so I have no choice but to place it in my Top 5 list, despite the fact that I haven’t experienced it on Blu yet. I’m really hoping that Universal has delivered a top tier transfer for the film and at least carried over the special features from the DVD, if not created a whole host of new extras for this release. They haven’t done great work with their standard catalogue releases in the recent past so here’s hoping they’ve got their act together for this one!

AMAZON: $19.99

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
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