As Blu-ray's biggest year yet comes to a close, film fans have been bombarded with a bevy of blockbusters and beyond. The wait (well, the format is only a few years old...) has been worth it as these Blu-ray debuts offer exceptional picture, sterling sound, and uncompromising extras, worthy additions all to a high-end home library.
It should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me that almost every disc on this list is a "catalog" title, as time often lends perspective, and affords the opportunity to craft a truly outstanding home video edition of a beloved movie, or TV show. Reviewing them was a treat, and I can hardly wait to watch them again.
We've come to expect greatness whenever Pixar films arrive in high-definition, and these three releases certainly did not disappoint, with reference-quality audio and video backed by an assortment of new bonus features, plenty of the old, DVD versions of each for the kids, and even a Digital Copy of 3. And though we did not review the fabulous Toy Story Ultimate Toy Box Collection here, that would also be among my top picks, nabbing all three of these gems on blu-ray as well as digital copies of each in one fell swoop.
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Alien Anthology (Fox)
The new remasters are terrifyingly good, particularly for the original Alien. And while there might not have been a torrent of new bonus materials, there were some new tidbits and we are given a sophisticated new way to enjoy the decades of supplemental bounty that has come before, all packed inside a handsome (if slightly impractical) hardbound book.
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The BD is Live with The Sound of Music, boasting a stunning array of next-gen features in addition to one of the best Blu-ray restorations yet of a classic film, both the nigh-immaculate video and remixed 7.1 audio. And watching the movie again after all these years can't help but remind us why we consider it a classic in the first place.
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The Twilight Zone Season 1 and Season 2 (Image Entertainment)
The weekly tales from The Twilight Zone became legendary because they went beyond the ordinary, and so too have these two sets (with three more yet to come) exceeded our expectations for a 50-year-old TV show on Blu-ray, with the copious extras that made the DVDs great, and still more, plus stunning HD restorations.
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I enjoyed rediscovering the original Back to the Future so much, I didn't even mind sitting through Parts II and III! They've never looked or sounded better, paired with handy Digital Copies for all, and the bonuses across the entire set are a thrilling combo of past and present (no future) for any fan.
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