Another crazy day of Blu-ray releases is upon us, with one of the best, most important discs ever released leading the pack. I’m only highlighting my usual five top titles this week but there’s a lot of other good stuff hitting shelves, including Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor in I Love You Phillip Morris, Norman Jewison‘s …And Justice For All with Al Pacino and bunch of MGM catalogue titles including Lars and the Real Girl and Mystic Pizza.

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1. TAXI DRIVER

“At 26, Vietnam veteran Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) is slipping slowly into isolation and violence on the streets of New York City. Trying to solve his insomnia by driving a yellow cab on the night shift, he grows increasingly disgusted by the people who hang out at night: “Someday a real rain will come and wash all the scum off the streets.” His touching attempts to woo Betsy (Cybill Shepherd), a Senator’s campaign worker, turn sour when he takes her to a porn movie on their first date. He even fails in his attempt to persuade child prostitute Iris (Jodie Foster) to desert her pimp, Sport (Harvey Keitel), and return to her parents and school. Driven to the edge by powerlessness, he buys four handguns and sets out to assassinate the Senator, heading for the infamy of a “lone crazed gunman.”“

I’m going to call this one early – Taxi Driver is the Blu-ray release of the year. There, how do you like them apples? Scorsese and Sony have gone back to the source and created a brand new, stunning 4K restoration of the film which has been expertly transferred to Blu by Grover Crisp and his team of geniuses.

There’s absolutely nothing to complain about here. Everything is perfect – the restoration is gorgeous, the transfer to Blu is flawless, the audio is rich and dynamic and special features are numerous and informative, including the classic Scorsese/Schrader Criterion Collection commentary track! To top it all off, the packaging – a digibook-style gatefold case which includes a reproduction of the original movie poster and photographs – is a final, perfect touch of class. There’s nothing to complain about here. This is everything we fans could hope for. Even the price is incredible (the disc has been $13 at Amazon since its pre-order debut). So what are you waiting for? Go out and grab a copy of Taxi Driver on Blu-ray. It’s one of the finest films ever made presented here in in the best possible Blu-ray package.

Highest possible recommendation!!

Special Features:

• Interactive “Script to Screen” feature, exclusive to Blu-ray. Explore the Taxi Driver script like never before in this interactive experience. The script will automatically scroll as the film plays so you can read along and discover the stage direction notes along with differences from the original script to the finished film.
• Original 1986 Commentary with Director Martin Scorsese and Writer Paul Schrader recored by The Criterion Collection
• “Martin Scorsese on Taxi Driver” featurette
• “Producing Taxi Driver,” a behind-the-scenes featurette
• “Influence and Appreciation” – Robert De Niro, Oliver Stone, Roger Corman and others pay tribute to Scorsese and the film in this video homage
• “God’s Lonely Man” – a documentary featuring screenwriter Paul Schrader and Professor Robert Kolker discussing the loneliness themes as seen in the film. Schrader also talks about what circumstances lead to writing the screenplay
• “Travis’ New York Locations” – a contemporary, video visit to the film’s famous locations in New York City, comparing them to the same locations used in 1975
• Video bonus: “Storyboard to Film Comparisons,” with a Martin Scorsese Introduction
• Commentaries by writer Paul Schrader and professor Robert Kolker, discussing the film scene-by-scene
• “Taxi Driver Stories” featurette—taxi tales as told by real life New York city cab drivers
• “Making Of Taxi Driver” Documentary
• Animated Photo Galleries that include photo montages featuring the film’s music score, location shots taken during filming and Martin Scorsese at work
• The Taxi Driver 35^th anniversary edition also features movieIQ+sync, which gives you the full movieIQ experience on your computer or iPhone by linking to your Blu-ray Disc. Once connected, movieIQ+sync will display all of the great information movieIQ offers on your computer screen or iPhone instead of onscreen, all while staying synchronized to the movie!
• Trailers

AMAZON: $12.99

2. TRON: LEGACY/TRON: THE ORIGINAL CLASSIC

“Immerse yourself in the digital world of TRON, as celebrated actor Jeff Bridges stars in a revolutionary visual effects adventure beyond imagination. When Flynn, the world’s greatest video game creator, sends out a secret signal from an amazing digital realm, his son discovers the clue and embarks on a personal journey to save his long-lost father. With the help of the fearless female warrior Quorra, father and son venture through an incredible cyber universe and wage the ultimate battle of good versus evil. “

It’s Tron day today! Both the new film, Tron: Legacy, which I liked a lot more than I expected to, and the original 1982 classic which is a far sight less watchable than I recall it being in my youth, hit Blu-ray today. Both films look and sound tremendous on Blu, with Legacy presented in a reference quality transfer and Tron impressive in a brand new high-def restoration. I was sent the above 5-disc combo pack to check out (look for a more detailed review coming up shortly) which includes a Blu-ray disc of Tron: The Original Classic and 4-disc versions of Legacy – a 3D Blu-ray, a 2D Blu-ray with special features, a DVD and a disc with a digital copy of the film. If you’re a fan of both films and you can find this set for a good price, it’s definitely the one to grab (even if you don’t have 3D in your home yet).

Both films are available on their own as well, with Legacy also on store shelves today in a 3D Combo Pack. In addition, devout fans of the franchise will no doubt be awed by the “Ultimate Tron Experience” set, which includes the same five discs as the combo pack in special “Identity Disc packaging” that only jumps the price up another $15 or so on Amazon.

READ MORE: Tron: Legacy and Tron: The Original Classic Blu-ray discs Available for Pre-order

AMAZON: $49.99

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3. A. I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

“Director Steven Spielberg‘s A.I. propels you into a future of astounding technology and adventure beyond the human imagination in an extraordinary film the New York Observer hails as a “masterpiece” and Rolling Stone applauds as “unmistakably the work of a real filmmaker.” In a future world of runaway global warming and awe-inspiring scientific advances, humans share every aspect of their lives with sophisticated companion robots called Mechas. But when an advanced prototype robot child named David (Haley Joel Osment) is programmed to show unconditional love, his human family isn’t prepared for the consequences. Suddenly, David is on his own in a strange and dangerous world. Befriended by a streetwise Mecha (Jude Law), David embarks on a spectacular quest to discover the startling secret of his own identity. Celebrated as a film “filled with visual wonders and astonishing special effects…” (Roger Ebert & Roeper), A.I. Artificial Intelligence is a visionary motion picture triumph! “

Paramount is doing a great job bringing the Spielberg catalogue to Blu-ray. It seemed like we fans were waiting ages for anything by the director to debut in high-def but in the last twelve months or so, the studio has done him proud with reference-quality releases of Minority Report, War of the Worlds and Saving Private Ryan. A. I. Aritificial Intelligence officially joins the ranks of stunning Spielberg’s-on-Blu with the release of the film on high-def disc today. The image presented is source-accurate, sometimes dark and hazy in texture, but still detailed with colours that are spot-on, deep blacks and no artificial digital manipulation. The DTS-HD MA 6.1 sound track is less exciting but clean, clear and, once again, an accurate representation of the source. The disc is packed to the gills with bonus features but, like all Spielberg films, is sorely lacking a commentary track.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Creating A.I.
• Acting A.I.
• Designing A.I.
• Lighting A.I.
• A.I./FX
• The Robots of A.I.
• Special Visual Effects and Animation: ILM
• The Sound and Music of A.I.
• Closing: Steven Spielberg: Our Responsibility to Artificial Intelligence
• Two theatrical trailers (in HD)
• A.I. Archives

READ MORE: Spielberg’s A.I. announced and detailed for Blu-ray

AMAZON: $16.99

4. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

““An outstanding accomplishment in every category” (Boxoffice), this lavishly produced and critically acclaimed screen adaptation of the international stage sensation tells the life-affirming story of Tevye (Topol), a poor milkman whose love, pride and faith help him face the oppression of turn-of-the century czarist Russia. Nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and featuring such classic songs as “If I Were A Rich Man,” “Matchmaker” and “Sunrise, Sunset,” Fiddler on the Roof is a universal story of hope, love and acceptance “stunning, joyful and jubilant” (New York Daily News) musical masterpiece. “

I haven’t seen this new Blu-ray disc presentation of Norman Jewison’s Fiddler on the Roof yet but if Fox‘s handling of the film is anything like their recent gorgeous restoration of The Sound of Music we’re in for a treat. I suspect it might be slightly more pedestrian though, as it’s an MGM film and not their own (MGM only distributes through Fox and has tended not to put a whole lot of work into their catalogue titles – on the plus side, they also don’t seem to plague their transfers with any kind of digital manipulation, so, at worse, this Blu-ray should be an honest representation of the source.) The disc includes a director’s commentary track (with lead actor, Topol in tow) along with a deleted song, featurettes and “Historical background”, whatever that might be.

AMAZON: $19.99

5. THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER

“Return to the magic and wonder of C. S. Lewis‘ epic world in this third installment of the beloved Chronicles of Narnia fantasy-adventure series. When Lucy and Edmund Pensive, along with their cousin Eustace, are swallowed into a painting and transported back to Narnia, they join King Caspian and a noble mouse named Reepicheep aboard the magnificent ship The Dawn Treader. The courageous voyagers travel to mysterious islands, confront mystical creatures, and reunite with the Great Lion Aslan and a mission that will determine the fate of Narnia itself! “

I’m so behind on my Narnia viewing. I still haven’t watched the last entry in the franchise, the Disney-produced Prince Caspian but really enjoyed the first film for what it was. The newest installment, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader has been picked up by Fox and graced with the deluxe treatment on Blu-ray, including a ton of special features and what appears to be a really classy digi-pack package. More on this when my copy arrives in the mail!

AMAZON: $22.99

Anime of the Week: FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST BROTHERHOOD PART 4

“Edward and Alphonse Elric’s reckless disregard for alchemy’s fundamental laws ripped half of Ed’s limbs from his body and left Al’s soul clinging to a cold suit of armor. To restore what was lost, the brothers scour a war-torn land for the Philosopher’s Stone, a fabled relic which grants the ability to perform alchemy in impossible ways.

The Elrics are not alone in their search; the corrupt State Military is eager to harness the artifact’s power. So too are the strange Homunculi and their shadowy creator. The mythical Stone lures exotic alchemists from distant kingdoms, scarring some deeply enough to inspire murder. As the Elrics find their course altered by these enemies and allies, their purpose remains unchanged – and their bond unbreakable.

“

I’ve really been enjoying the Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood series from FUNimation. It’s been a quality re-working of the material that turns out to be far more engaging than the original animated series. I haven’t laid eyes on this newest volume of episodes but assuming it sticks to the quality of the previous three Blu-ray sets, it should present a fun story in a good looking, bombastic-sounding high-def package.

AMAZON: $31.99

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
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Related posts

• [UPDATED] Taxi Driver Blu-ray announced, includes Criterion commentary track (1)
• Taxi Driver 4K Restoration on Blu-ray in April (2)
• [VIDEO] Tron: Legacy Blu-ray with Disney Second Screen (1)
• Tron: Legacy/Tron: The Original Classic Blu-ray Disc Combo Pack Review (0)
• Tron: Legacy and Tron: The Original Classic Blu-ray discs Available for Pre-order (3)