This year, I've watched more movies than I ever have in my entire life. In other words, it was a very good year.
However, for every awesome movie that took a little spin in my Blu-ray player, there was a That's My Boy, A Thousand Words or a Scorpion King 3. I'm leaving the year slightly scarred, but also extremely appreciative for the many excellent films that I've gotten to see this year.
It also means that I'm ready to deliver this year's "best Blu-rays" list -- to some extent. I'm constantly getting asked what's good and what's crap, so I do take some mental notes. However, the worst part about having to come up with a list of the best Blu-rays of the year is that there have been so many of them. In fact, I could fill an entire list just with what Disney delivered to home audiences this year.
That said, the deed is done and here you have it, folks: My picks for the five best Blu-rays of 2012, in no particular order. I even threw in a few extras, in case you've already seen some of my picks. Happy viewing!
Some people still don't appreciate Steven Spielberg's 1975 horror flick. Um, those people can bite me with JAWS-sized teeth. They should also seriously consider picking up this Blu-ray for another peek at the film. It's absolutely one of the year's best.
This killer classic is one that Blu-ray fans have been frothing for since the dawn of the high-def format. I'm happy to say that it was absolutely worth the wait. You shouldn't need much more than Robert Shaw's shark killer Quint, but it helps that this release has a stellar AV presentation and a crop of excellent extras, such as the the 101-minute documentary, "The Shark is Still Working."
It's a different tale for a different audience, but this is another fish that had been long overdue for a Blu-ray. It's been nine years since Nemo was in theaters. Now, Disney has finally gave this little clownfish his high-def due.
However, this isn't just one of Disney's mega-sets; it's in 3D! It's also some great 3D, with awesome depth, eye-popping colors, and the type of audio that's so immersive that you may want to dive in with an oxygen tank. Oh, and before you pooh-pooh the need for the 3D on this one, just know that those glasses should also keep your tears contained during the film's first heartbreaking moments.
When I sat down to review this Blu-ray, I probably hadn't seen E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial all the way through since its theatrical run. I was pleasantly surprised at how the magic just came right back. This film wasn't dated or dumb; it's still an awesome viewing experience. Yes, I cried. Oh, E.T., how could the human race be so evil to such a Reese's Pieces-loving little critter?
However, humans did E.T. some justice, with a completely remasted Blu-ray that includes a restored 1.85:1 image, an immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track, and enough extras worthy of an "anniversary" release. Two of the best pieces in the bunch are the new featurettes, "Steven Spielberg & E.T." and "The E.T. Journals."
Okay, so I'm starting to sound a little bit like a Steven Spielberg stalker at this point. However, the director had a lot of Blu-ray releases this year -- a lot of long overdue Blu-ray releases.
And despite the fact that Temple of Doom and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull aren't exactly the brightest moments in Spielberg's lengthy resume, the other two films in the Indiana Jones franchise are good enough to propel this box set to the top of your gimme list. The AV experience on all four movies is worth strapping yourself in for an Indy film festival and there's an entire extra disc of extras. Heck, Raiders of the Lost Ark all by itself is worth this whole set's purchase price.
Leave it to James Cameron to outdo James Cameron. Before the director unleashed Avatar in 2008, this romantic disaster film was the highest grossing film of all time. It snagged 11 Oscars, kick-started the careers of young Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, and launched a renewed interest in one of the biggest maritime disasters in history.
This year, Cameron asked us to board the Titanic again, in theaters, for the film's 3D debut. Yes, we know: upconverted 3D? Lame, right? In this case, not so much. Cameron and team did a wonderful job imbuing the film with a real sense of depth which draws you into the story that much more. And with a little clean-up and 3D conversion come the masters for a superb debut of the film in high definition for the home market. The end result includes stunning audio and video, as well as one of the best at-home 3D experiences that money can buy.
Honorable Mentions:
Titles I'd Like to See on Blu-ray in 2013 and beyond:
