The Top 10 DVDS of 2005
"And so another year passes, and another begins...."
That's my Dad right there, before he passed out drunk this New Years. He does that every year. We think he's going to make some profound statement but he just pawns off Led Zeppelin lyrics as his own thoughts and then passes out on the floor. We still hold out hope that one day he will have something useful to say, but alas....
2005 saw the turnaround of theatrical releases to DVD in record time, some great and not so great double dips and the beginning of the sometimes creative, yet overly annoying substitution of "Special Edition" DVD titles to "Insert sometimes creative, yet overly annoying special edition title here".
We've had better years for DVDs in general, but I've managed to pick and claw my way through this year's releases to find 10 of my favorite DVDs of 2005. And by no means is this the end-all-be-all of lists, just a few of my own personal favorites that made my year a bit more enjoyable and were chosen based on replay value, special features and all around coolness. Better yet, you won't have to wade through any over-analytical reviews of the film itself, just my mindless ramblings.
2005 also found me enjoying: a little band from Canadia called Death From Above 1979 with my second favorite album of the year and one of the greatest album titles of all time "You're a Woman, I'm a Machine," Knob Creek Whiskey, Peanut Butter Capt'N Crunch cereal at any time of day (for the 20th year in a row), the new Nine Inch Nails album, my new MP3 player (f*ck IPOD), the Ultimate Fighter reality series, the new Mars Volta album, the demise of Nick and Jessica, Chuck Palahaniuk's The Haunted, loving/hating the Franz Ferdinand single where he talks about blowing dudes, Lost, Bret Easton Ellis' Lunar Park, and PS2's Shadow of the Collassus.
So without further ado and in almost no particular order whatsoever...
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Michel Gondry visualizes Charlie Kaufman's neurotic and refreshing tale of love and lost...and love again.
Peep This: Kaufman commentary; need we say more?
Donnie Darko (Director's Cut)
Donnie's back with an additional twenty minutes that'll confuse you even more than the first time. Patrick "The" Swayze's best role since Daulton.
Peep This: Commentary extraordinare Kevin Smith peppers director Richard Kelly with all the right questions; Kelly explains the ins and outs of
Darko....leaving you more confused when you watched it the second time.
Charlie & The Chocolate Factory
Triple threat action with Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, and writer John August makes you almost forget there ever was an original. Almost.
Peep This: Watch how Oompa Loompa actor Deep Roy (who moonlights as a porn star?) is morphed into a million Oompa Loompas. If only we could use this
during the Hell-idays.
Airplane (SE)
A true comedy flick with mile a minute jokes that's stood the test of time, rendering it...timeless...and Leslie Nielsen...ageless.
Peep This: A Zucker Bros./Abrahams commentary track with enough cool tidbits you'll be sorry this was the week you quit wearing mommy's underwear.
The 40-Year-Old-Virgin (Unrated)
Steve Carell, still riding his wave to superstardom, is pitch perfect in his non-poon getting role and has the best group of friends a guy could ask for. The special features give the film a run for its money in hilarity.
Peep This: You know how I know you're gay? You like Coldplay.
Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith 
The final installment (at press time anyway) of one of the most succesful trilogies of all time with in depth background features to make any fanboy
satisfied. Well, almost satisfied.
Peep This: Any feature on the disc. Period.
Office Space (SE)
Almost a cautionary tale, it shows what could happen after working in an office for too long (or too little), and what Bill Lumbergh's facial expressions are
like when he's having sex.
Peep This: Shy dude Mike Judge and selected cast relate cool behind the scenes anecdotes and stories of filming. But where the hell is Jennifer
Aniston?
The Incredibles
Loved by rugrats, their parents, and seedy online DVD writers, The Incredibles' initial DVD release packed more features than 92% of the "Special Editions"
out there.
Peep This: Watch Baby Jack-Jack tear shit up and terrorize the babysitter while the rest of the family saves the world.
Batman Begins
Not to "diss" or take anything away from Burton, Jack, Keaton or any of the players from the first Batman movie, but personally, this is what I was looking
for in Batman from the beginning. With brooding Bale, the almost nihilistic vision of Nolan and the perky boobies of Katie Holmes, Batman will have me
salivating in expectation for its next installment in the series.
Peep This: Bale lost a little over sixty pounds for The Machinist, and then almost immediately put it all back on and more for his role in Batman.
Take that Jenny Craig, you chubby chaser!
Sin City (SE)
Perhaps the most obvious choice for Top DVD of 2005, but there wasn't any other DVD I was looking forward to in 2005 (aside from Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody
Affair) than Sin City, and it lived up to all expectations and more. I've read here and there that the stories lacked depth, or that it was all style and no
substance but I found the stories having more meaning than some give it credit for, even tugging at my cold heart with Bruce Willis' character and his
relationship with little Nancy Callahan aka Mrs. Jessica Alba-Moreno (yeah, I let her hyphenate it, so what!). What I loved about the DVD in particular is
the love and commitment Robert Rodriguez has to provide fans of his and Miller's with enough extra material to make any pessimistic fanboy happy. The guy
still amazes me and could rock a cowboy hat like no other person alive, besides Mickey Rourke of course.
Peep This: Aside from being able to access each story seperately, you can become a fly on the wall in "The Long Take" listening to Rodriquez and
Tarantino discuss methods and strategy while filming the Clive Owen "talking head" scene. Film school for under 30 bucks right here, and you won't have to
watch any lame ass pretentious drivel about a magic wand that doesn't care about its owner.
Honorable Mentions
Jackass Box Set, The Directors Label Series, Crash, The Big Lebowski (SE), Saw: Uncut Edition, Chappelle's Show Uncensored (S2), Lost (S1)...
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9:30PM on 01/04/2006
Keep up the good work Johny.
Keep up the good work Johny.