The Top 10 Best and Worst Blu-ray Discs of 2010

// you’re reading...

Featured

The Top 10 Best and Worst Blu-ray Discs of 2010

By Brenden ⋅ January 4, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

Filed Under Criterion, Julie Andrews, Stanley Kubrick, The Alien Anthology, The Criterion Collection, The Sound of Music

2010 was a banner year for our favourite home video format. There are a lot of critics saying that it’s the year that Blu-ray really came into its own, with more new titles and overwhelming catalogue support from the majors as well as killer releases from smaller studios. And I tend to agree.

When looking over the best discs of the last twelve months, I had a hell of time singling out a mere ten titles as “The Best” of the year. I could have easily propagated the list with titles from The Criterion Collection, whose commitment to Blu-ray shone through this past year with a host of discs that may go on to define the format for years to come. It would have been equally as simple to pick ten restored classic films from the various studios, as their best work on the best-of-the-best from their film libraries quite often speaks to the benefits of the format. Or ten sparkling, brand-new releases, in all their perfect, demo-disc glory. But I’ve attempted to find a balance in my list of the best Blu-ray discs of the year – new films, classic films, Criterion releases, boxed sets, TV shows, etc. I don’t feel this is by any means definitive. But it’s a fair look back at the best year of Blu-ray releases yet.

2011 certainly has a lot to live up to!

NOTE: This list reflects only the titles released in North America – Region A.

1. AMERICA LOST AND FOUND: THE BBS STORY

As I noted above, I could have easily filled this list with selections from The Criterion Collection. The studio’s output this year has been phenomenal, releasing such must-have Blu-ray discs as Lola Montes, Paths of Glory, The Red Shoes, The Thin Red Line and Night of the Hunter in incredible new, fully restored, feature rich high-def editions. Each one of those title, and many others from Criterion, would be worthy of the top slot on this list but for my money, their America Lost and Found: The BBS Story takes the cake this year!

This is a pretty perfect boxed set. I really couldn’t ask for more – 7 great films on 6 Blu-ray discs in one well-designed box with one 112-page book! It’s not just the sheer amount of films that Criterion delivers for your buck here but the complete nature of the collection (the entire BBS oeuvre, rare films and all), the quality of the discs and the bonus content on them. Out of all the films, we had only seen Easy Rider on Blu thus far and as much as its a treat to finally see some of my favourite films in high-def (The Last Picture Show, Five Easy Pieces, The King of Marvin Gardens) its equally as thrilling to experience their rarely seen sister films (Head, A Safe Place and Drive, He Said) in such a perfect collection, looking and sounding better than ever.

I can’t recommend this boxed set highly enough. I think it’s the Blu-ray release of the year!

AMAZON: $89.99

2. THE ALIEN ANTHOLOGY

The Alien Anthology Blu-ray set is such a beautiful thing. Nevermind that it includes all four of the original films, two of which (the two that really matter) look mind-blowingly good, but the set also includes more special features than you’ll probably ever be able watch and listen to unless you’re as obsessive-compulsive about the films you love as I am. After spending time with this 6-disc set (one for each film and two for extras) I almost feel like each individual component is worth the price of the box on its own. I’m particularly knocked out by the extremely candid and thorough documentaries included in the set. The Alien 3 piece is such a revelation it might just boot you onto your ass. All six discs are housed in a hardcover book (the discs are slipped within very firm pages with nested trays) which slips into a shiny, creepy Alien box package.

Highest possible recommendation!!

AMAZON: $69.99

3. APOCALYPSE NOW: FULL DISCLOSURE EDITION

Apocalypse Now (Three-Disc Full Disclosure Edition) (Apocalypse Now / Apocalypse Now Redux / Hearts of Darkness) [Blu-ray] (1979)

I honestly believe that unless Francis Ford Coppola has something else up his sleeve, this new 3-disc Apocalypse Now: Full Disclosure Edition Blu-ray set is the final home-video word on the film. Not only is the transfer reference quality with a killer DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, but the added features alone – both cuts of the film, commentary tracks, behind the scenes footage and featurettes, Eleanor Coppola‘s groundbreaking feature-length doc, Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse and so much more – make this set worth the purchase! It’s a must-own for all Blu-ray fans!

AMAZON: $37.99

4. THE SOUND OF MUSIC

I’ve got two admissions to make here. The first is that I’ve never cared for The Sound of Music. The second is that this new Blu-ray edition of the film blew my mind and made me a fan. It’s true! Swear to God. The Sound of Music is, hands down, the best looking restoration of the year (okay, maybe it’s tied with Criterion’s The Red Shoes Blu-ray disc.) Want to impress your friends with your home video setup? Got a couple of jerks in your circle of pals who insist that there’s no point in buying older films on Blu? Pop in The Sound of Music and make their eyes jump out of their heads. The disc is fantastic, technically amazing and packed with extras. Another must-have for film fans.

AMAZON: $19.99

5. AVATAR EXTENDED COLLECTOR’S EDITION

It’s tough to beat the heavyweight champ. The biggest film of the past year or possibly even of all time. James Cameron’s Avatar makes its triumphant return to Blu-ray in a 3-disc set that is, without question, the finest new-release Blu-ray of the past year.

Not only is this Extended Collector’s Edition packed to the gills with the deleted scenes and extras you’ve been waiting the year to see but it also features three cuts of the award winning film, all demo-disc worthy. With the technical quality of the video and audio presentation off the charts (and surprisingly equal to the stand alone disc available earlier this year) this Blu-ray set is easily the best, most complete new-release of the year!!

AMAZON: $23.99

6. THE COMPLETE METROPOLIS

The Complete Metropolis [Blu-ray] (1927)

The Complete Metropolis is unquestionably one of the finest and most important Blu-ray releases of the year. This restoration, incorporating 25-minutes of newly discovered footage back into the 1927 film for the first time in decades, is absolutely stunning in high-def and is necessary viewing for every film fan. The unfortunate ommision of the U.K. commentary track keeps this disc from the number one slot but don’t let that keep you from owning a copy. If you’re a fan of film, you owe it to yourself to grab this up.

AMAZON: $29.49

7. DEADWOOD: THE COMPLETE SERIES

I hope you’ve been working out because HBO’s 13-disc Deadwood: The Complete Series Blu-ray boxed set is a seriously weighty affair. This is one solid brick of high-def western goodness! The discs, which feature all 36-episodes from the series’ three seasons as well as gobs of special features, are housed within the pages of a gorgeous, solid hardcover book – much the same as last years’ Rome: The Complete Series set. The packaging is honestly a beautiful thing to behold, providing a slipcase for the book and all of the discs to rest in. Along with stunning video transfers, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks that border on perfection and all of the special features from the previously issued DVD sets (17 audio commentaries and over 6-hours of HD docs and featurettes), you’ll be hard pressed to find anything to dislike about this amazing Blu-ray boxed set. Unless, of course, you have an aversion to foul-mouthed (VERY foul) cowboys.

AMAZON: $124.99

8. INCEPTION

Inception (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (2010)

Christopher Nolan‘s Inception might just 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. Great film presented on a slick looking, ear pounding, feature rich Blu-ray disc.

AMAZON: $17.99

9. THE GHOST WRITER

The Ghost Writer (Single-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2010)

Roman Polanski‘s The Ghost Writer is one of the best films I’ve seen all year and one of the director’s absolute best in decades. It’s got a great script by Robert Harris (adapting his novel of the same name) with some incredible performances by some of my favourite actors (I’ll watch pretty much anything starring Ewan McGregor.) The Blu-ray is demo-disc worthy with a sparkling clean transfer and rich DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack but less remarkable in the special feature department than other discs released this year. I include it here, in the number nine slot by virtue of the quality of the film and its technical presentation itself. Highly Recommended.

AMAZON: $23.99

10. A PROPHET

Combine the HBO prison drama OZ with a touch of the Godfather and you’ve got a glimpse of where Jacques Audiard‘s A Prophet will lead you. It feels epic at its monster 149-minute run-time but honestly doesn’t waste a minute of screen time. This is two-and-a-half very tense hours that will fly right by. One of the best films of 2009 and highly recommended on this stunning yet feature-lite Blu-ray!

AMAZON: $28.99

There were so many more excellent Blu-ray discs released this past year, there’s no way I can touch on them all but the meager selection of covers below will give you a taste of what I was most passionate about in 2010: