Chris Boylan's Top 5 - The Best Blu-rays of 2010: BigPictureBigSound

Published: 2010-12-21 - 12:58:28

Chris Boylan's Top 5 - The Best Blu-rays of 2010

By Chris Boylan

Blu-ray Disc has really begun to hit its stride this year, with some great new blockbuster movies making their way onto the shiny disc, as well as a wealth of catalog titles being offered in all new remastered editions, packed with extras. It is always difficult to narrow this down to only five titles, so I've included some honorable mentions at the bottom. But there were a few standout discs and boxed sets released this year that deserve special acknowledgement.

Here are my picks for the best Blu-rays of 2010, in alphabetical order.

Alien Anthology

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Few Science Fiction series lead to discussions as animated as those around the Alien franchise. As much as the first two films are universally praised (though for different reasons), so the third and fourth entries are almost universally panned. But no matter which in the series is your favorite, you're sure to enjoy this boxed set. Alien and Aliens have been painstakingly remastered from the original elements -- very effectively, I might add -- looking and sounding better than they ever have before. Alien3 and Alien Resurrection feature traditional HD masters, but these serve the more recent films well. All four films are available here in both their original theatrical versions and extended editions. Some additional sound editing and foley work has been done on Alien 3 to get the added scenes to better match the original film. Throw in a huge amount of extras, including content that was never released before on home video, and you get a must-have package for any fan of the films.

Avatar Extended Collector's Edition

Studio: 20th Century Fox

While I am not generally a fan of double-dipping, Fox gave the people what they wanted with an early bare bones (but high quality) theatrical release of the film on Blu-ray, for those who simply could not wait, followed up more recently with this top notch extended collector's edition of the film. In addition to the theatrical version, you'll find the 8-minute longer theatrical re-release edition, as well as a 16-minute longer extended collector's edition of the movie. And unlike some other directors whose incessant tinkering with finished films can actually detract from one's enjoyment of them (George Lucas, I'm talking to you - Greedo shooting first indeed!), James Cameron's enhancements to Avatar lend deeper insight into the characters and the story, without substantially changing either. The included family-friendly audio track is extremely helpful if you have younger viewers interested in seeing the movie, but you don't want to expose them to the frequently "colorful" language of the original version. A top-notch audio and video transfer as well as a wealth of supplementary materials make this title a "must own" for any serious movie lover's collection.

The only thing missing? A 3D version of the film, of course. Although I don't agree with their decision, I can understand why Fox would want to capitalize on their profit potential by selling exclusive rights of the Blu-ray 3D version to Panasonic, while the prospective market for Blu-ray 3D Discs is still in its infancy. A general retail 3D version of the film on Blu-ray 3D is rumored to be coming in early 2012. Hopefully by then there will be more 3D TV owners.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Blu-ray 3D Disc)

Studio: Sony Pictures

An enjoyable story, great voice talent, excellent animation and good use of the 3D effect combine with a high quality video transfer and excellent sound, creating a powerful showcase for 3D TV. A decent selection of extras rounds out the film for an overall enjoyable package. This wasn't the best movie of 2010, nor was it the best Blu-ray Disc of the year. But it was the first Blu-ray 3D Disc offered for retail sale and for that it gets what the kids are calling "mad props." Kudos to Sony Pictures for being first to market with a Blu-ray 3D Disc instead of partnering with their hardware group for yet another manufacturer-exclusive 3D title.

The Sound of Music

Studio: 20th Century Fox

As our own Chris Chiarella put it, so succinctly, "quite simply, one of the most magnificent Blu-rays yet created." The film is a holiday staple in our home, as well as in so many others. To see it so wonderfully restored, with outstanding DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround and remarkably clean and detailed video, warms the heart. From the opening flyover of the hills and lakes of Austria, to the closing sequence of the family escaping tyranny via these very same hills, the Blu-ray brings a heightened level of appreciation to this timeless classic. The film does show some unavoidable signs of age, but at the same time certain scenes offer striking age-defying detail. A satisfying collection of extras, including a four-layer deep Bonus View feature which allows you to drill down on specific elements of the film production or film trivia, completes this tour de force set. This is classic catalog material done right.

Toy Story 3

Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (Pixar)

How do you wrap up a beloved animated series, keeping it fresh while providing closure for fans who have been there in the audience since the beginning? Ask Pixar, because that's exactly what they have accomplished with Toy Story 3, the third and (reportedly) final chapter in the series. Beautifully animated and packed full of funny sight gags, witty dialog and heart-felt sentimentality, Toy Story 3 provides plenty of enjoyment for children and adults alike. One of the first films shown in Dolby Surround 7.1 (in select theaters), the film comes to Blu-ray with a fantastic lossless 7.1-channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack as well as a flawless 1.78:1 1080p video transfer.

It is a little odd that the commentary and BonusView features are presented on the second Blu-ray disc (along with a duplicate copy of the movie), instead of on the first disc, but we're guessing that Disney did this in order to maximize audio and video quality of the film on Disc One, and based on the results, we can't say we blame them. Additional extras such as a game, publicity materials, making-of featurettes, animated shorts and more round out the set. Note: This is also available as part of an excellent boxed set (the "Ultimate Toy Box Collection") which includeds all three Toy Story films on Blu-ray.

Honorable Mentions: