Being that its the Holiday Season and all, we figured that we’d have “some” of our DVD REVIEWERS (Andre, Mike, Pat and Paul that is) from the DVD PUB share with us what DVD or Blu-Ray is on top of their gift list this year. Find out what they’re jonesing for below and don’t be shy to spit bullets in our talk-back section to tell us what movies you are DYING to find under your X-Mas tree.
ANDRE MANSEAU AND PAT TORFE WANT:
Andre: When the bossman with the projectile in his head asked me to whip up a quick story about my DVD/Blu-Ray pick for the year, I immediately knew what I was going to pick. Now, I know you might be thinking I’d pick a single flick but that just can’t happen. Instead of just picking a movie I saw last year that has recently come out on DVD, I’m picking a box set I’ve been drooling about since the moment I saw the cover. On top of that, I think it’s a must own for anyone who loves horror movies and the great treatment they can receive on Blu-Ray.
Of course, I’m talking about the Alien Anthology. This includes all four Alien films on SIX packed Blu-Rays. Don’t get me wrong, I know that the last two movies can be pretty hit and miss (although I think the third one’s pretty good), but who cares? None of these films are awful and the first two are arguably two of the most important and influential sci-fi/horror flicks of all time. Hell, if you don’t even care so much about watching the films, you can keep yourself busy with the extra material. This won’t just keep you busy for a few hours, but more like TWENTY-SIX hours! That’s right, you could watch features about this anthology for over an entire day. In a way, I was really jealous that this set wasn’t sent to me to review it, but good lord, that would have been a serious, serious undertaking to cover that set in painstaking detail. Add to this the fact that these movies have never looked better and you’ve got a serious contender for a must-own set.
And to top it all off, you can get it for almost half price on Amazon during the holidays! I really, really can’t wait to get this one for Christmas and until I do, I feel like my collection is lacking without it. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the Egg replica Limited Edition. Gorgeous.
Pat: Before I get to my pick, I have to make an ‘honorable mention’ in the form of TROLL 2. Why? Well, it’s TROLL 2, regarded as one of the worst films ever put to celluloid, and worthy of much ridicule and drunken views. MGM has given the film a damn fine transfer that TROLL 2 in reality shouldn’t have gotten. Grab it, already!
Plus, I was threatened with violence if I didn’t mention it.
Now then, this year, I have to go with the ALIEN ANTHOLOGY. Why? Well, that’s easy: Fox took the superb ALIEN QUADRILOGY, dropped the made-up word, churned out some awesome Blu-Ray transfers with some brand-new extras and packed it all into an equally-superb boxset. Really, this set is definitely worth the upgrade, and this is coming from a guy who bought the original ALIEN QUADRIlOGY six years ago. New to this set are the isolated music score tracks for all four films (including alternates for ALIEN and ALIENS) as well as the content that was cut from the original ALIEN 3 documentary, where David Fincher called Fox a bunch of morons, amongst other things.
Want more? New to this set are the Enhancement Pods, which includes nearly five hours of additional content, including raw dailies, interview outtakes and more from the huge making-of docs for each film. Also new is a handy Data Stream, which functions as an index for the massive amounts of extras. Want all the stuff where Sigourney appears? Head to her entry in the data stream and there you be. Of course, you have all of the good stuff from the original set to pour through, as well. Bottom line, you must get this set.
GET THE ALIEN ANTHOLOGY BLU-RAY SET HERE
PAUL GAGNE WANTS:
Since I only recently purchased a Blu-Ray player, pretty much everything in my collection needs to be replaced by the preferred format, so even something as simple and affordable as Shaun of the Dead is on my must-have list (hint-hint). But if we’re going dream of dreams here, it would have to be The Vengeance Trilogy. I know, The that’s technically more than one disc, but hey, they’re all in one package, shrink-wrapped together, so it counts.
I chose this set not because the movies are among the most perfect I have seen, both in terms of story and direction, though they are, but because they are films that are so visually sumptuous that they demand the crispest, clearest format possible. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance has little dialogue and almost no music, so the image is what tells the story. That’s a no-brainer. Old Boy is told in a more conventional format, but still, the partial bleach-bypass process renders the dark color palette so deep you’re afraid to touch the screen for losing a finger.
(Sympathy for) Lady Vengeance, while being my least favorite of the three (but still excellent) relies on images almost more than the other two, since the titular character’s psyche is fractured in a more poetic, though equally brutal, way than those of the previous films. And anyone who buys it for me can have my DVD set that it will be replacing. Win-win.
GET THE VENGANCE BLU-RAY TRILOGY HERE
MIKE CATALANO WANTS:
The Christmas season is back once again and I’m happy to welcome it with open arms… and outstretched hands! Oh, I don’t mean to sound greedy (especially because there really isn’t a whole lot of genre-centric DVDs or Blu-Rays on my list this year). Also, I’m now at the age where it’s actually more fun being the gift-giver rather than the receiver (yeah, I know, shocking). However, there is one flick that I wouldn’t mind shooting, punching, and exploding its way underneath my Christmas tree. And that would be Sylvester Stallone’s no-holds-barred, no-apologies, no-fake-muscles THE EXPENDABLES! This movie is just such a f*cking blast! But I’d like to begin describing my affinity for it in terms of possibly the not-so-obvious. What makes me love this movie so much, beyond its inherent action awesomeness, is the fact that Sly Stallone is over 60 years old and was at one point considered by many to be a washed up action-movie star.
Then with ROCKY BALBOA and RAMBO, the Italian Stallion re-established his clout as a writer/director/star. With his feet firmly re-planted, Sly then set out on a mission to bring down the tyranny of the current crop of mostly CGI, minimal real-deal physicality action movies of today. The man assembled a literal who’s-who of movie bad-asses from the 80’s and 90’s and attempted to blast forth an all-star love-letter of knock-down, drag-out violence to all those hungering for a real-deal, R-rated action flick without manufactured brawn. Did he succeed? Does Ivan Drago get knocked out in the end?! Mirroring his onscreen boxing alter-ego, Stallone created the underdog champion of the year. THE EXPENDABLES opened on August 13th to positive reviews and a whopping $35 million at the box office.
It also kicked the shit out of the highly-publicized, vaginas-need-only-apply, Julia Roberts crap-fest EAT, PRAY, LOVE. The victory was a win on every possible level and I absolutely loved it! I am proud to list this beast atop my genre-movie Christmas list! The action is relentless, the characters/performances are pitch-perfect, the humor/references are spot-on, and the violence is cheerfully R-rated! Hence, to conclude my article (and because I am now drunk), I’d like to lead you all in a little holiday song:
Santa Baby, slip some action under the tree, for me I’ve been a good AITH staffer all year Santa Baby, and put Sly under my tree tonight Santa, Baby, and lots of exploding body parts too, high grue! Bring the guns and the beer Santa, Baby, EXPENDABLES on Blu-Ray would be tight!
I’m dreaming of a Black Christmas! Peace be to all and to all, a good night!
GET THE EXPENDABLES DVD/BLU-RAY HERE
BONUS: JOHN “THE ARROW” FALLON WANTS:
I love a good hockey movie year round; but specially during the Winter/Christmas season. And although I pretty much own all of my favorite hockey flicks on DVD (The Rocket, Youngblood, Slap Shot, Miracle); I still don’t have Jay Roach’s underrated gem MYSTERY ALASKA; which is probably my top cinematic hockey jamboree right after The Rocket. The film has it all! An all star cast (Russell Crowe, Burt Reynolds, Hank Azaria, Mary McCormack), striking snowy scenery and rousing hockey sequences.
Moreover its endearing sense of humor, clever dialogue (“Excuse me your honor; I’m fat” – “I play hockey and I fornicate, cause those are the two most fun things to do in cold weather.”) and its Rocky for Hockey underdog vibe go down smoother than smooth. Yup, I must officially OWN this movie, you hear me friends and extended family? I wanna watch this on Christmas day right after GREMLINS and CHRISTMAS VACATION… so help a white boy out! NOTE: Second movie on my want list is Nicolas Winding Refn’s trippy Viking movie VALHALLA RISING, starring Mads Mikkelsen. That flick powned me and then some! I hope Santa is listening…
GET THE MYSTERY ALASKA DVD HERE
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