Your Top 6 Blu-ray Releases for 2015 - Blu-ray Forum

donthitpause · 01-13-2016, 04:40 AM

Your Top 6 Blu-ray Releases for 2015

See what I did there? I know, huh....

So, rather than do a Top 5 Movies for 2015, which for the most part would end up with nearly every damn post looking something like –

1. Mad Max Furiosa Road. Sorry, Fury...
2. It Follows
3. Some crappy, pointless Marvel film
4. Some even more crappy, pointless Peter Jackson trying to be James Cameron film
5. Something starring Jennifer Lawrence that nobody with an IQ greater than .04 really cares about
Honourable Mention: Fast & Furious #218,577,641

I thought it would be really interesting to do a 2015 “Release” list that broadens the scope beyond the same old generic Hollywood swill that they try to pass off as film/ cinema.

Anyway, it goes something like this –

1. Your list has to be content/product released on blu-ray format in 2015. So, you can include content that may have been filmed in 1974, but it’s had a blu-ray release in 2015.

2. You must own a physical copy of said blu-ray release. I have to be able to rock over to your joint for a BBQ, and you have to be able to walk over to your Kubrick 2001: A Space Odyssey obelisk-like shelf structure & proudly pull out said release out of the obelisk-like shelf structure and say “Yo! Check this out, dude...”.

3. It doesn’t have to be a “movie”. It can be a documentary. Or a mockumentary! It can be a musical concert. It can be a collection of shorts. It can be a box set of films from various damn years. It doesn’t even have to fit into the standard, conventional concept of film as we know it, Jim. So, if you own that Annie Sprinkle “Ecosexual” documentary, or some Brony/ Furry Convention thingy on blu-ray, and non-ironically loved the hell out of it, feel free to include it. If it’s on blu-ray, and scored a 2015 release, it’s a winner!

4. If you want to include WHY you’ve included in your list, you are strongly encouraged to do so. It ain’t compulsory, but we’d totally dig if you wanted to let us know why you’ve included this release in your list. Gee man, you can even say why you love it AND tell me why I should buy it too! Hell, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve “been told” around here. Whoops!

How easy is that?

FAQ

Why 6 films? Coz you & I both know nobody will do a solid 5. Everyone, and I mean everyone, will have an ‘honourable mention’ that they couldn’t fit into the 5. So there, it’s dealt with it.

I’m afraid that nobody will understand why I’ve included “x” as a release. See Rule 3. And even if nobody else “understands”, so what? Good! If it meets the definition of “a 2015 release on blu-ray “and you have the damn thing in your hands, between you and me, we’re square! All I’m waiting for now is the BBQ invite. Oh, and the rest of your list...

I want to include Dredd from 2013. Yeah, you & me both, baby! But unless you’ve got some outer-Mongolian digi-steelbook blu-ray/DVD/UV 4K 3 Disc version released on April 1, 2015, I can find its listing on blu-ray.com, and when I come over for that medium-rare T-Bone you can grab it off your Kubrick-esque obelisk, that’d be a bust son. Sorry kid, believe me, I feel your pain...

But I’ve only got it as a UV download. See Rule 2. And what the hell is an UV? Kids these days & their bloody acronyms. LOL.

See, it’s all too easy punters!

So go on, scour your shelves for that super awesome 2015 release of some obscure title we’ve never heard of and then, let us, the most important people in your known universe, know how cool it is, why it’s on your list, and why we should stop watching films that have the word “Avenger” in it and start really stretching the efforts of our overworked Oppo to churn thru some real entertainment.

And..... GO!

donthitpause · 01-13-2016, 04:54 AM

Number 6

Film: Starry Eyes
Release Country: Australia
Monster Pictures | 2014 | 96 min | Rated R18+ |

Blu-ray Release Date: Mar 18, 2015

OMG, what a SUPER SLICK film this was! I don’t even really know where to begin to describe this little gem of a flick. It has creep factor. It has the gore-meter on 11. It has a pretty sweet kill count. It has “spot-on” practical effects. It’s beautifully crafted as a story, and equally well told. It mocks Hollywood, and who isn’t down with that? It’s down with Satan (see last sentence). It has as much “disturbing” as films like Kill List and The Wicker Man. It has Pat Healy. And who doesn’t dig on old Pat, rite? It has Maria Olsen. And as far as I’m concerned, it could have just had 96 minutes of Maria Olsen standing there in character and starring at the camera and still been brilliant, if not more so...

Number 5

Film: American Ninja 1-4 Blu-ray - The Ultimate Collection
Release Country: United Kingdom
88 Films | 1985-1990 | 4 Movies | 375 min | Rated BBFC: 18 |

Blu-ray Release Date: Apr 27, 2015

Ninjas, dude. NINJAS! From America! Dudikoff Ninjas! C’mon, this is an amazing 2015 blu-ray drop that you’d be nuts not to own for late Friday night drinking sessions. Sure, the last 3 films didn’t get nearly as much ‘restoration’ love as the first, but still, there’s NINJAS! Any kid/teen from the 80’s whose family owned a VCR and lived up the road from a Video store on the corner of Main Street would have had no choice but to come across at least one of these trawling thru the store. And now, thanks to 88 Films, you get to own all 4.

Hiyaaaaaaaargh!

Number 4

Film: Metropolis Steelbook
Release Country: United Kingdom
Masters of Cinema | Ultimate Collector's Edition | Limited Edition of 4000 Eureka Entertainment | 1927 | 1 Movie, 2 Cuts | 150 min | Rated BBFC: PG |

Blu-ray Release Date: Jan 19, 2015

Yea, this was so nice, I bought the damn thing twice! One to play, one to stash. Came as a “most restored print ever” steelbook with footage thought “lost” for decades finally restored. Plus a copy of the Giorgio Moroder 80’s soundtrack infused film that kinda helped to push a restoration rush for early 1920’s German Weimar cinema. Plus you could have won a gold bar with this! No wonder I bought it twice....

Number 3

Film: Blood and Black Lace
Release Country: United Kingdom
Sei donne per l'assassino / Blu-ray + DVD Arrow | 1964 | 89 min | Rated BBFC: 18 |

Blu-ray Release Date: Apr 13, 2015

It’s Bava! There’s blood! And there’s ample black lace!

Man, movie-wise, this is one stunning restoration job. Even Mrs donthitpause, who doesn’t have anywhere near the OCD level of love I have for sleazy Italian cinema, commented on how amazing both the PQ and AQ levels were on this Arrow release. And until the next two releases came out, Blood and Black Lace would have been my number 1, hands down. It’s a classic, classic Italian “whodunit-with-a-twist” kinda film, but the colour palette and musical score push this film well and truly over the edge into an audio-visual experience that even Bava would never have gotten to enjoy in ’64.

But I did, in 2015....

Number 2

Film: Society
Release Country: United Kingdom
DigiPack / Limited Edition of 3000 Copies / Blu-ray + DVD Arrow | 1989 | 99 min | Rated BBFC: 18 |

Blu-ray Release Date: Jun 08, 2015

I confess, I wanted this sooooo damn bad, I pre-ordered it, and I never pre-order stuff. It’s against my religion. And I’m not sorry I did. It is one stellar, stellar package of a release. Insane artwork on the box. It’s a fold out digi-book deal on the inside. There’s a graphic novel (comic for all you old farts). You get a bucket-load of extras. A blu disc. A DVD. And you get that warm inner glow of owning an almost indescribable 80’s genre film that features “shunting”. On screen. And latex. And slime. And a creepy feeling that “what if this film was ‘actually true’, would that explain my paranoia, and why my balding mother chews on hairballs”...

Number 1

Film: Edgar Allan Poe's Black Cats: Two Adaptations by Sergio Martino & Lucio Fulci
Release Country: United Kingdom
Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key / The Black Cat | Il tuo vizio è una stanza chiusa e solo io ne ho la chiave / Gatto nero | Limited Edition of 3000 / Blu-ray + DVD Arrow | 1972-1981 | 2 Movies | Rated BBFC: 18 |

Blu-ray Release Date: Oct 19, 2015

2 Films. 4 Discs. And Edwige Fenech. Sans clothing. On screen. And in the awesome booklet that accompanies my No. 1 spot release on blu-ray for 2015. One solid-as box. A solid-as damn book too. A blu & DVD for each of these Italian films that have both been dying for a restoration & release on blu-ray since foooorever! This release is the reason I don’t own any damn Hobbit-based movie. Why I can’t bring myself to even consider watching (let alone purchasing) films like “Ant Man”. Why I can’t tell you how many Fast & Furious films are in that franchise. Why people look at me strange when I say “Edwige Fenech” and I get angry when they have no idea what (let alone who) I’m talking about. Possibly my most expensive single 2015 purchase, but worth every cent. 2 Poe-story based films, done by two of my Italian directors, featuring my fave Italian actress of all time. Winner? GOLD!

ravenus · 01-13-2016, 07:11 AM

Oh man this is going to be hard. I got some 36 BD releases from 2015 (some of which are boxsets). I'll concentrate on UK releases since that's more relevant for this thread. Even there I could fill up the quota with just my favourite Arrow releases but I've eliminated some (Blood & Black Lace, Withnail & I, Thief) purely to not be label exclusive:

Duke of Burgundy - New movie from the man who made the brilliant Berberian Sound Studio. While I prefer the former, this one is sufficiently interesting on its own as a study of a sado-masochistic relationship, and looks incredibly gorgeous. Fabulous transfer from Artificial Eye. Extras include a commentary, featurette and additional short film. A steal at its current sub-10 quid price.

Milano Calibro - Released in the same year as The Godfather, Fernando Di Leo's Italian crime epic of loyalty and betrayal has several rough spots but when it hurls its punches right, comes across as a significantly more lively and visceral experience. Budgetary limitations and some shoddily shot action are compensated for by muscular performances (this is in most part a male bonding movie ) and a rocking score by prog band Osanna. Arrow's blu-ray features a new restoration based off the original camera negative. It looks fabulous, much more organic and saturated than the US release from Raro Video. Arrow have ported over all the extras of the US release and added a couple of their own, which makes this a very strong package for crime film fans.

Hellraiser Scarlet Box - Enough raves have come from all directions for me to say anything more. Suffice to say, some very fun horror films (at least parts 1&2) given the ultimate in terms of transfer and packaging by Arrow.

Dragon Inn - This is quite a departure from previous Eureka-MoC entries, a Hong Kong period swordplay film. I hadn't heard of director King Hu before or seen any of his movies so this was a blind buy, and it turned out well. The action choreography isn't as thrilling as I have seen from Kurosawa movies and some of the classic martial arts movies. The characters and situations aren't particularly novel. But it's still pretty good. I like the sense of pacing and the atmosphere, the constant sense of cat and mouse play as people act civilly while constantly trying to kill each other / get the upper hand, and it never stops being earnest and likable. Eureka's transfer comes from a fresh 4K restoration of the original film and looks rightly gorgeous. The main on-disc extra is a video essay which examines the visual techniques used in the film's making. The booklets contains some meaty essays.

Ganja & Hess - It's an arty experimental film from sctor-director Bill Gunn, that puts vampirism and African identity and psychedelic stuff in a heady mix. G&H is a nice companion to George Romero's Martin (which I hope will get a proper HD release someday). The chemistry of the leading players Duane Jones (from the original Night of The Living Dead) and Marlene Clark (who reminds me in a good way of Pam Grier) does a lot to sell the narrative. The film had almost been lost, long seen only in truncated and heavily modified versions. The transfer on the Eureka Classics blu is not pristine by any means and many scenes feature heavy grain, but it looks very organic and convincing. Extras include an excellent making of / retrospective, selected scene commentary by the always interesting David Kalat and feature length crew & cast commentary.

Secrets & Lies - The last time I saw this film was in the fag end of the '90s. It created a bit of a splash by being nominated for a half a dozen Oscars (including best film and best actress) and winning none. I had memories of liking it a lot, which is why I plumped immediately for this blu (a no-brainer given its sub 10 quid launch price). The film remains a warm and rewarding experience, and 4dvd's blu has a solid encode with a very organic and boldly colorful look. Even better is the audio track (stereo) which faithfully reproduces the dialog and the absolutely wonderful chamber music score from Andrew Dickens. Extras include a decent 5min conversation with Mike Leigh talking about the film, and an amusing short film by him.

donthitpause · 01-13-2016, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ravenus

Oh man this is going to be hard. I got some 36 BD releases from 2015 (some of which are boxsets). I'll concentrate on UK releases since that's more relevant for this thread. Even there I could fill up the quota with just my favourite Arrow releases but I've eliminated some (Blood & Black Lace, Withnail & I, Thief) purely to not be label exclusive:

Milano Calibro - Released in the same year as The Godfather, Fernando Di Leo's Italian crime epic of loyalty and betrayal has several rough spots but when it hurls its punches right, comes across as a significantly more lively and visceral experience. Budgetary limitations and some shoddily shot action are compensated for by muscular performances (this is in most part a male bonding movie ) and a rocking score by prog band Osanna. Arrow's blu-ray features a new restoration based off the original camera negative. It looks fabulous, much more organic and saturated than the US release from Raro Video. Arrow have ported over all the extras of the US release and added a couple of their own, which makes this a very strong package for crime film fans.

Hey man, nice list. Thanks heaps!

Now you've got me tossing up - do I order the Raro "Fernando Di Leo: The Italian Crime Collection Vol. 1"

or grab the Arrow Milano Calibro 9 and dig on that instead...

sukraj · 01-13-2016, 09:49 AM

the gift
terminator genysis
Jurassic world
it follows
mad max fury road

tenia · 01-13-2016, 12:21 PM

Top 6 (no particular order) :

Body Double (Carlotta - France)
Shoah (MoC - UK)
Blood & Black Lace (Arrow - UK)
The Raid 2 (Wild Side - France)
All the Noir @ Fox released in the UK (Night & The City, Thieves' Highway, the Preminger set)
Frederick Wiseman set (Blaq Out - France - DVD only)

All of them are showing an extensive care about how to handle the movie on BD and how to make sure the release is the most definitive possible.
Some of them have debatable aspects (technically for the Wiseman set or the OAR for B&BL) but all of them are real nice treats that can easily be blind bought by anyone.

mikey 6 · 01-13-2016, 12:48 PM

6. Wolfen (Warner Archive Collection)
A great early eighties werewolf-type movie from Michael Wadleigh and one of a number of excellent releases in 2015 from Warner Archive including Murder, My Sweet and Tony Scott's The Hunger.

5. The Quiet Man (Eureka/Masters of Cinema)
The technicolour restoration on this is just stunning in high def and the film is endlessly rewatchable.

4. Blood and Black Lace (Arrow Steelbook)
I had been waiting ages for a blu ray of this - the steelbook is a stunner and Bava's use of colour looks incredible.

3. Seconds (Eureka/Masters of Cinema)
Had been dying to see this one for years after loving Frankenheimer's Manchurian Candidate and The Train (both of which got excellent Arrow blu rays also in 2015). Seconds did not disappoint after all I had heard about it and what a great way to see it for the first time with this MOC blu.

2. Body Double (Carlotta)
I'm a huge De Palma fan so couldn't resist this release from Carlotta. The film looks stunning and the packaging is gorgeous (even if I can't read the book in French!)

1. Videodrome Limited Edition (Arrow)
An incredible release for my favourite Cronenberg movie - uncut and with tonnes of extras including some fascinating early Cronenberg short films.

duggie walker · 01-13-2016, 12:49 PM

Despite the slightly patronising tone of your opening post, I'll bite...

THE WIRE COMPLETE BOX SET
I'd never quite managed to connect with this series until watching the blu-ray. For someone new to it, the ratio-shift to widescreen looked completely natural and gave the whole thing an even more epic sweep. Yes, it's a TV show but anyone who grew up with the complex urban crime movies of the 70s will be right at home with THE WIRE.

THE LEFTOVERS S1
Another TV show, yes; but frankly, for someone who wants to see mature themes being addressed in an entertaining form, TV is far more likely to scratch that itch than movies these days; and the levels of budget and technical skill mean that there's no real disparity in production values. THE LEFTOVERS is a terrific show, firmly rooted in genre, full of mystery, surprise and emotion. I didn't watch LOST so I'm not prejudiced about Lindelof; but this is a work of collaborative genius and anyone who loves David Lynch or Nic Roeg or even Kieslowski should seek this blu-ray out. And Season 2 gets even better.

TOMORROWLAND
And ok, to be controversial, more Lindelof: I absolutely do not understand why this movie was so panned. For me, it's one of the first films to actually nail that much-sought-after "Amblin'" feel and the best movie of the Summer, all told. It's full of humour, action and imagination and there's actually a genuinely interesting concept at the heart of it. I'm fairly sure that eventually people will come round to seeing this film as a minor classic. If they don't, it's their loss.

AIRPORT '75
I'd never put this, or any of the Airport films, in my top 100 movies. But for some reason I really enjoyed watching this French BD projected on my home set-up. It just looked and felt great, a real rush of nostalgia. I felt similar about watching ROLLERCOASTER again, too, though it's not the same without Sensurround.

DON'T LOOK NOW
Just one of my favourite films ever - a creepy, heartbreaking masterpiece - finally available in decent quality from Criterion. Honorable mentions in a similar vein to THE OFFENCE, from MOC, and EMPEROR OF THE NORTH from TT, two much-neglected but truly great movies from the 70s.

EDIT: Oh, as it's six, I'll add...

THE MASK 3D
Definitely the most entertaining of the vintage 3D B-Movies I've watched. It only uses 3D for the visions brought on by wearing the diabolical mask and those sequences are surprisingly creepy and surreal. One of the delights of Blu-Ray has been seeing these old curios in better 3D than they were seen in on release."Put the Mask on NOW!"

Ste7en · 01-13-2016, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duggie walker

TOMORROWLAND
And ok, to be controversial, more Lindelof: I absolutely do not understand why this movie was so panned. For me, it's one of the first films to actually nail that much-sought-after "Amblin'" feel and the best movie of the Summer, all told. It's full of humour, action and imagination and there's actually a genuinely interesting concept at the heart of it. I'm fairly sure that eventually people will come round to seeing this film as a minor classic. If they don't, it's their loss.

I watched my Zavvi steelbook of this on Sunday. I loved it!

I sat through the whole thing with a big grin on my face

Dubstar · 01-13-2016, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey 6

6. Wolfen (Warner Archive Collection)
A great early eighties werewolf-type movie from Michael Wadleigh and one of a number of excellent releases in 2015 from Warner Archive including Murder, My Sweet and Tony Scott's The Hunger.

5. The Quiet Man (Eureka/Masters of Cinema)
The technicolour restoration on this is just stunning in high def and the film is endlessly rewatchable.

4. Blood and Black Lace (Arrow Steelbook)
I had been waiting ages for a blu ray of this - the steelbook is a stunner and Bava's use of colour looks incredible.

3. Seconds (Eureka/Masters of Cinema)
Had been dying to see this one for years after loving Frankenheimer's Manchurian Candidate and The Train (both of which got excellent Arrow blu rays also in 2015). Seconds did not disappoint after all I had heard about it and what a great way to see it for the first time with this MOC blu.

2. Body Double (Carlotta)
I'm a huge De Palma fan so couldn't resist this release from Carlotta. The film looks stunning and the packaging is gorgeous (even if I can't read the book in French!)

1. Videodrome Limited Edition (Arrow)
An incredible release for my favourite Cronenberg movie - uncut and with tonnes of extras including some fascinating early Cronenberg short films.

Warners transfer of "Wolfen" was a complete surprise to me great PQ and audio!

Sky_Captain · 01-13-2016, 02:19 PM

In no particular order...
1. Leon 4K remaster
2. Bram Stoker's Dracula 4K remaster
3. Bad Boys 4K remaster
4. Army of Darkness Collectors Edition
5. Commando Director's Cut
6. Fifth Element 4K remaster

OgamiittoMcJ · 01-13-2016, 03:16 PM

this is difficult, I could easily choose more than 6 just Arrow releases and I've still got few to watch still, and also still have a few to buy like Your Vice

haven't received L.I.A.W.Skin yet but it has to go on my list, early reviews are it's great and it's on it's way

top 3 of mine are US releases but are all region free

number 6-4

number 3-1

OgamiittoMcJ · 01-13-2016, 03:57 PM

26 x top 5 Blu-ray 2015 lists
nice too see Thundercrack get some love

http://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-sound-ma...-blu-rays-2015

Le Grande Blu · 01-13-2016, 04:07 PM

1 .The Yoshida Box set (Arrow)
2. Sweet Smell of Success (Arrow)
3. The Duke of Burgundy (AE)
4. The World of Kanako (Nova Media)
5. Hard to be a God (Arrow)

Also Medium Cool, It Follows, The Offence,Eyes Without a Face, Ping Pong the animation (US release)

Patient-X · 01-13-2016, 09:06 PM

In no particular order....

Persona · 01-13-2016, 10:31 PM

Here are my 6 with Apu Trilogy being number 1 and the rest in no particular order:

Todd Tomorrow · 01-13-2016, 11:24 PM

Miracle Mile
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders
Blood and Black Lace
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane
A New Leaf
The X-Files Season 1-9 (once they'll replace season 8)

rapta · 01-14-2016, 01:03 PM

Since I already did a Top 10 for DVDBeaver, I'll list a Top 6 of ones that nearly made that list!

Medium Cool (Haskell Wexler, 1969) [Masters of Cinema] - a film I couldn't wait to see, having great admiration for Haskell Wexler as a DP and being high on my list of 'wants' for MoC (along with Seconds and Paper Moon...so three off my list). The great man died very recently - two days after Christmas, in fact - so the least you could do is watch his most notorious film as director (which stars a young Robert Forster, who would go on to star in my favourite Tarantino film).

Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (David Zellner, 2014) [Soda Pictures] - a film I chanced upon and was immediately drawn to, only encouraged by glowing reviews from trusted sources (including praise from Werner Herzog) and a producer credit from Alexander Payne (a sure sign I will enjoy the film). The plot is centred around a reference to one of the best Coen Brothers films, and out of it comes a whole other level of mystery from that simple homage. Rinko Kikuchi (Babel, The Brothers Bloom, Pacific Rim) carries the entire film on her shoulders, and it is one of the most dedicated performances of recent years - hence why I announced it as my favourite film of 2015. Heartbreaking and joyous in equal measure.

The Manchurian Candidate (John Frankenheimer, 1962) [Arrow Academy] - another great Frankenheimer release, this time thanks to Arrow. I could have easily put The Train in place of this - or many other Arrow releases from this year - but I wanted to shine a light on this one as it was one of those films I had heard plenty about but never much more than its title. 2015 was the year of Frankenheimer, as far as I'm concerned, and I hope there's more where this came from (namely Black Sunday and Birdman of Alcatraz).

Enemy (Denis Villeneuve, 2013) [Curzon Artificial Eye] - I actually saw this in 2014 and loved it, so I was very happy when it was finally released in the UK (I just wish it hadn't been marketed as a 'thriller', and also before Artificial Eye and Curzon Film World decided to clumsily merge brand identities into just Curzon Artificial Eye). My favourite film by Villeneuve (Incendies, Prisoners, Sicario) that I've seen to date, and possibly Gyllenhaal's best performance too (at least since Donnie Darko). A brilliantly dark psychological drama boasting beautiful cinematography and score, based on an equally mysterious novel by the late Portuguese writer José Saramago. Definitely needs to be seen at least twice to even begin to unpick the subtext.

Cruel Story of Youth (Nagisa Ôshima, 1960) [Masters of Cinema] - delightfully seedy but beautifully colourful too...closest in tone to Imamura from what I've seen so far, but a little more upbeat and youthful. 60's and 70's Japanese cinema is revealing some true stand-outs, and MoC seem to be selecting the very best ones. I hope 2016 brings at least one or two more like this (in glorious 4K as well, please)!

They Live (John Carpenter, 1988) [StudioCanal] - I once saw this in my teens and didn't really get the tone of it, just laughing it off as silly. But the idea of a grand conspiracy that could only be seen with a pair of dubious sunglasses was too good to miss, and my appreciation for Carpenter had grown somewhat since those earlier cinephile years. Happy to say StudioCanal have done a decent enough job bringing this one to Blu-ray, as it was like watching the film for the first time and I now appreciate it for what it is!

And these are just of the discs I've watched so far - I've still got dozens to get through!

Here's to another great year (March is already looking swamped with essential titles)!

ycbbh · 01-14-2016, 01:30 PM

I only bought 4 releases in 2015, so I'll just do a top 1:

RazorwireRyan · 01-14-2016, 01:36 PM

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Kimchi Steelbook

One of my all time favourite films released in a deluxe steelbook package with lots of fun tat inside, what more is there to love? Adore the steelbook from top to bottom, right down to the spine colour blending from Celementine's hair tone when Joel first meets her, to their last scene in the film, great touch.

2. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Extended Edition

Like every extended Middle Earth release, just an excellent amount of bonus material that's both hilarious to watch and fascinating at the same time. This one in particular is admirable in its ten odd hours of bonus material in being brutally honest over how much Peter Jackson was winging it, and how much of a stress it put on production. Even though it doesn't come close to these, both in content and the film it's representing, that honesty reminded me of great making of docs like Dangerous Days and Wreckage and Rage.

3. Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro - Discotek Media

A lovely deluxe edition of a great Miyazaki film with a lot of care and attention to detail put into the final package.

4. Metropolis Ultimate Edition Steelbook - Masters of Cinema

An excellent re-release of Metropolis from MoC, who have no doubt put out better releases in 2015, but the majority of my buying last year was of older MoC titles to fill up the collection before the dreaded OOP hammer started crushing my dreams of completing it.

5. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension - Arrow Video

Again, I'm sure Arrow have put out much better releases but their uber box sets are too far out of my price range unfortunately. I did have Coffy and Society, which were both great, but ultimately sold them. This one will be sticking around though, such a f'n batshit crazy film and I adored it. Great set of special features too, top release.

6. Birdman

Standard studio release but I love the red case and matte finish Slipcover with fold out opening flap. If I didn't have to spend hours painstakingly removing sticker residue, it would've been even better. But yeah, top studio release, with some decent enough special features, but mainly just owning the film is great.

01-13-2016, 04:40 AM	#1
donthitpause Banned Top contributor Member since:Jul 2015 Location:North Korea 4K collection:504 Blu-ray collection:3718 DVD collection:3 Blu-ray reviews:5 Trading Score:3	Your Top 6 Blu-ray Releases for 2015 Your Top 6 Blu-ray Releases for 2015 See what I did there? I know, huh.... So, rather than do a Top 5 Movies for 2015, which for the most part would end up with nearly every damn post looking something like – 1. Mad Max Furiosa Road. Sorry, Fury... 2. It Follows 3. Some crappy, pointless Marvel film 4. Some even more crappy, pointless Peter Jackson trying to be James Cameron film 5. Something starring Jennifer Lawrence that nobody with an IQ greater than .04 really cares about Honourable Mention: Fast & Furious #218,577,641 I thought it would be really interesting to do a 2015 “Release” list that broadens the scope beyond the same old generic Hollywood swill that they try to pass off as film/ cinema. Anyway, it goes something like this – 1. Your list has to be content/product released on blu-ray format in 2015. So, you can include content that may have been filmed in 1974, but it’s had a blu-ray release in 2015. 2. You must own a physical copy of said blu-ray release. I have to be able to rock over to your joint for a BBQ, and you have to be able to walk over to your Kubrick 2001: A Space Odyssey obelisk-like shelf structure & proudly pull out said release out of the obelisk-like shelf structure and say “Yo! Check this out, dude...”. 3. It doesn’t have to be a “movie”. It can be a documentary. Or a mockumentary! It can be a musical concert. It can be a collection of shorts. It can be a box set of films from various damn years. It doesn’t even have to fit into the standard, conventional concept of film as we know it, Jim. So, if you own that Annie Sprinkle “Ecosexual” documentary, or some Brony/ Furry Convention thingy on blu-ray, and non-ironically loved the hell out of it, feel free to include it. If it’s on blu-ray, and scored a 2015 release, it’s a winner! 4. If you want to include WHY you’ve included in your list, you are strongly encouraged to do so. It ain’t compulsory, but we’d totally dig if you wanted to let us know why you’ve included this release in your list. Gee man, you can even say why you love it AND tell me why I should buy it too! Hell, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve “been told” around here. Whoops! How easy is that? FAQ Why 6 films? Coz you & I both know nobody will do a solid 5. Everyone, and I mean everyone, will have an ‘honourable mention’ that they couldn’t fit into the 5. So there, it’s dealt with it. I’m afraid that nobody will understand why I’ve included “x” as a release. See Rule 3. And even if nobody else “understands”, so what? Good! If it meets the definition of “a 2015 release on blu-ray “and you have the damn thing in your hands, between you and me, we’re square! All I’m waiting for now is the BBQ invite. Oh, and the rest of your list... I want to include Dredd from 2013. Yeah, you & me both, baby! But unless you’ve got some outer-Mongolian digi-steelbook blu-ray/DVD/UV 4K 3 Disc version released on April 1, 2015, I can find its listing on blu-ray.com, and when I come over for that medium-rare T-Bone you can grab it off your Kubrick-esque obelisk, that’d be a bust son. Sorry kid, believe me, I feel your pain... But I’ve only got it as a UV download. See Rule 2. And what the hell is an UV? Kids these days & their bloody acronyms. LOL. See, it’s all too easy punters! So go on, scour your shelves for that super awesome 2015 release of some obscure title we’ve never heard of and then, let us, the most important people in your known universe, know how cool it is, why it’s on your list, and why we should stop watching films that have the word “Avenger” in it and start really stretching the efforts of our overworked Oppo to churn thru some real entertainment. And..... GO!

01-13-2016, 12:49 PM	#8
duggie walker Blu-ray Guru Member since:Feb 2011 Location:London, UK	Despite the slightly patronising tone of your opening post, I'll bite... THE WIRE COMPLETE BOX SET I'd never quite managed to connect with this series until watching the blu-ray. For someone new to it, the ratio-shift to widescreen looked completely natural and gave the whole thing an even more epic sweep. Yes, it's a TV show but anyone who grew up with the complex urban crime movies of the 70s will be right at home with THE WIRE. THE LEFTOVERS S1 Another TV show, yes; but frankly, for someone who wants to see mature themes being addressed in an entertaining form, TV is far more likely to scratch that itch than movies these days; and the levels of budget and technical skill mean that there's no real disparity in production values. THE LEFTOVERS is a terrific show, firmly rooted in genre, full of mystery, surprise and emotion. I didn't watch LOST so I'm not prejudiced about Lindelof; but this is a work of collaborative genius and anyone who loves David Lynch or Nic Roeg or even Kieslowski should seek this blu-ray out. And Season 2 gets even better. TOMORROWLAND And ok, to be controversial, more Lindelof: I absolutely do not understand why this movie was so panned. For me, it's one of the first films to actually nail that much-sought-after "Amblin'" feel and the best movie of the Summer, all told. It's full of humour, action and imagination and there's actually a genuinely interesting concept at the heart of it. I'm fairly sure that eventually people will come round to seeing this film as a minor classic. If they don't, it's their loss. AIRPORT '75 I'd never put this, or any of the Airport films, in my top 100 movies. But for some reason I really enjoyed watching this French BD projected on my home set-up. It just looked and felt great, a real rush of nostalgia. I felt similar about watching ROLLERCOASTER again, too, though it's not the same without Sensurround. DON'T LOOK NOW Just one of my favourite films ever - a creepy, heartbreaking masterpiece - finally available in decent quality from Criterion. Honorable mentions in a similar vein to THE OFFENCE, from MOC, and EMPEROR OF THE NORTH from TT, two much-neglected but truly great movies from the 70s. EDIT: Oh, as it's six, I'll add... THE MASK 3D Definitely the most entertaining of the vintage 3D B-Movies I've watched. It only uses 3D for the visions brought on by wearing the diabolical mask and those sequences are surprisingly creepy and surreal. One of the delights of Blu-Ray has been seeing these old curios in better 3D than they were seen in on release."Put the Mask on NOW!" Last edited by duggie walker; 01-13-2016 at 02:33 PM.

01-13-2016, 04:54 AM	#2
donthitpause Banned Top contributor Member since:Jul 2015 Location:North Korea 4K collection:504 Blu-ray collection:3718 DVD collection:3 Blu-ray reviews:5 Trading Score:3	Number 6 Film: Starry Eyes Release Country: Australia Monster Pictures \| 2014 \| 96 min \| Rated R18+ \| Blu-ray Release Date: Mar 18, 2015 OMG, what a SUPER SLICK film this was! I don’t even really know where to begin to describe this little gem of a flick. It has creep factor. It has the gore-meter on 11. It has a pretty sweet kill count. It has “spot-on” practical effects. It’s beautifully crafted as a story, and equally well told. It mocks Hollywood, and who isn’t down with that? It’s down with Satan (see last sentence). It has as much “disturbing” as films like Kill List and The Wicker Man. It has Pat Healy. And who doesn’t dig on old Pat, rite? It has Maria Olsen. And as far as I’m concerned, it could have just had 96 minutes of Maria Olsen standing there in character and starring at the camera and still been brilliant, if not more so... Number 5 Film: American Ninja 1-4 Blu-ray - The Ultimate Collection Release Country: United Kingdom 88 Films \| 1985-1990 \| 4 Movies \| 375 min \| Rated BBFC: 18 \| Blu-ray Release Date: Apr 27, 2015 Ninjas, dude. NINJAS! From America! Dudikoff Ninjas! C’mon, this is an amazing 2015 blu-ray drop that you’d be nuts not to own for late Friday night drinking sessions. Sure, the last 3 films didn’t get nearly as much ‘restoration’ love as the first, but still, there’s NINJAS! Any kid/teen from the 80’s whose family owned a VCR and lived up the road from a Video store on the corner of Main Street would have had no choice but to come across at least one of these trawling thru the store. And now, thanks to 88 Films, you get to own all 4. Hiyaaaaaaaargh! Number 4 Film: Metropolis Steelbook Release Country: United Kingdom Masters of Cinema \| Ultimate Collector's Edition \| Limited Edition of 4000 Eureka Entertainment \| 1927 \| 1 Movie, 2 Cuts \| 150 min \| Rated BBFC: PG \| Blu-ray Release Date: Jan 19, 2015 Yea, this was so nice, I bought the damn thing twice! One to play, one to stash. Came as a “most restored print ever” steelbook with footage thought “lost” for decades finally restored. Plus a copy of the Giorgio Moroder 80’s soundtrack infused film that kinda helped to push a restoration rush for early 1920’s German Weimar cinema. Plus you could have won a gold bar with this! No wonder I bought it twice.... Number 3 Film: Blood and Black Lace Release Country: United Kingdom Sei donne per l'assassino / Blu-ray + DVD Arrow \| 1964 \| 89 min \| Rated BBFC: 18 \| Blu-ray Release Date: Apr 13, 2015 It’s Bava! There’s blood! And there’s ample black lace! Man, movie-wise, this is one stunning restoration job. Even Mrs donthitpause, who doesn’t have anywhere near the OCD level of love I have for sleazy Italian cinema, commented on how amazing both the PQ and AQ levels were on this Arrow release. And until the next two releases came out, Blood and Black Lace would have been my number 1, hands down. It’s a classic, classic Italian “whodunit-with-a-twist” kinda film, but the colour palette and musical score push this film well and truly over the edge into an audio-visual experience that even Bava would never have gotten to enjoy in ’64. But I did, in 2015.... Number 2 Film: Society Release Country: United Kingdom DigiPack / Limited Edition of 3000 Copies / Blu-ray + DVD Arrow \| 1989 \| 99 min \| Rated BBFC: 18 \| Blu-ray Release Date: Jun 08, 2015 I confess, I wanted this sooooo damn bad, I pre-ordered it, and I never pre-order stuff. It’s against my religion. And I’m not sorry I did. It is one stellar, stellar package of a release. Insane artwork on the box. It’s a fold out digi-book deal on the inside. There’s a graphic novel (comic for all you old farts). You get a bucket-load of extras. A blu disc. A DVD. And you get that warm inner glow of owning an almost indescribable 80’s genre film that features “shunting”. On screen. And latex. And slime. And a creepy feeling that “what if this film was ‘actually true’, would that explain my paranoia, and why my balding mother chews on hairballs”... Number 1 Film: Edgar Allan Poe's Black Cats: Two Adaptations by Sergio Martino & Lucio Fulci Release Country: United Kingdom Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key / The Black Cat \| Il tuo vizio è una stanza chiusa e solo io ne ho la chiave / Gatto nero \| Limited Edition of 3000 / Blu-ray + DVD Arrow \| 1972-1981 \| 2 Movies \| Rated BBFC: 18 \| Blu-ray Release Date: Oct 19, 2015 2 Films. 4 Discs. And Edwige Fenech. Sans clothing. On screen. And in the awesome booklet that accompanies my No. 1 spot release on blu-ray for 2015. One solid-as box. A solid-as damn book too. A blu & DVD for each of these Italian films that have both been dying for a restoration & release on blu-ray since foooorever! This release is the reason I don’t own any damn Hobbit-based movie. Why I can’t bring myself to even consider watching (let alone purchasing) films like “Ant Man”. Why I can’t tell you how many Fast & Furious films are in that franchise. Why people look at me strange when I say “Edwige Fenech” and I get angry when they have no idea what (let alone who) I’m talking about. Possibly my most expensive single 2015 purchase, but worth every cent. 2 Poe-story based films, done by two of my Italian directors, featuring my fave Italian actress of all time. Winner? GOLD!

01-13-2016, 07:11 AM	#3
ravenus Blu-ray Baron Top contributor Member since:Dec 2010 Location:India Home Theater Gallery:6 4K collection:6 Blu-ray collection:1200 DVD collection:144 Blu-ray reviews: 184 Trading Score:8	Oh man this is going to be hard. I got some 36 BD releases from 2015 (some of which are boxsets). I'll concentrate on UK releases since that's more relevant for this thread. Even there I could fill up the quota with just my favourite Arrow releases but I've eliminated some (Blood & Black Lace, Withnail & I, Thief) purely to not be label exclusive: Duke of Burgundy - New movie from the man who made the brilliant Berberian Sound Studio. While I prefer the former, this one is sufficiently interesting on its own as a study of a sado-masochistic relationship, and looks incredibly gorgeous. Fabulous transfer from Artificial Eye. Extras include a commentary, featurette and additional short film. A steal at its current sub-10 quid price. Milano Calibro - Released in the same year as The Godfather, Fernando Di Leo's Italian crime epic of loyalty and betrayal has several rough spots but when it hurls its punches right, comes across as a significantly more lively and visceral experience. Budgetary limitations and some shoddily shot action are compensated for by muscular performances (this is in most part a male bonding movie ) and a rocking score by prog band Osanna. Arrow's blu-ray features a new restoration based off the original camera negative. It looks fabulous, much more organic and saturated than the US release from Raro Video. Arrow have ported over all the extras of the US release and added a couple of their own, which makes this a very strong package for crime film fans. Hellraiser Scarlet Box - Enough raves have come from all directions for me to say anything more. Suffice to say, some very fun horror films (at least parts 1&2) given the ultimate in terms of transfer and packaging by Arrow. Dragon Inn - This is quite a departure from previous Eureka-MoC entries, a Hong Kong period swordplay film. I hadn't heard of director King Hu before or seen any of his movies so this was a blind buy, and it turned out well. The action choreography isn't as thrilling as I have seen from Kurosawa movies and some of the classic martial arts movies. The characters and situations aren't particularly novel. But it's still pretty good. I like the sense of pacing and the atmosphere, the constant sense of cat and mouse play as people act civilly while constantly trying to kill each other / get the upper hand, and it never stops being earnest and likable. Eureka's transfer comes from a fresh 4K restoration of the original film and looks rightly gorgeous. The main on-disc extra is a video essay which examines the visual techniques used in the film's making. The booklets contains some meaty essays. Ganja & Hess - It's an arty experimental film from sctor-director Bill Gunn, that puts vampirism and African identity and psychedelic stuff in a heady mix. G&H is a nice companion to George Romero's Martin (which I hope will get a proper HD release someday). The chemistry of the leading players Duane Jones (from the original Night of The Living Dead) and Marlene Clark (who reminds me in a good way of Pam Grier) does a lot to sell the narrative. The film had almost been lost, long seen only in truncated and heavily modified versions. The transfer on the Eureka Classics blu is not pristine by any means and many scenes feature heavy grain, but it looks very organic and convincing. Extras include an excellent making of / retrospective, selected scene commentary by the always interesting David Kalat and feature length crew & cast commentary. Secrets & Lies - The last time I saw this film was in the fag end of the '90s. It created a bit of a splash by being nominated for a half a dozen Oscars (including best film and best actress) and winning none. I had memories of liking it a lot, which is why I plumped immediately for this blu (a no-brainer given its sub 10 quid launch price). The film remains a warm and rewarding experience, and 4dvd's blu has a solid encode with a very organic and boldly colorful look. Even better is the audio track (stereo) which faithfully reproduces the dialog and the absolutely wonderful chamber music score from Andrew Dickens. Extras include a decent 5min conversation with Mike Leigh talking about the film, and an amusing short film by him.

01-13-2016, 09:49 AM	#5
sukraj Blu-ray Baron Member since:Jul 2011 Location:UK 4K collection:19 Blu-ray collection:154 DVD collection:18	the gift terminator genysis Jurassic world it follows mad max fury road

01-13-2016, 12:21 PM	#6
tenia Banned Top contributor Member since:Sep 2010 Location:France 4K collection:251 Blu-ray collection:4012 Blu-ray reviews: 103	Top 6 (no particular order) : Body Double (Carlotta - France) Shoah (MoC - UK) Blood & Black Lace (Arrow - UK) The Raid 2 (Wild Side - France) All the Noir @ Fox released in the UK (Night & The City, Thieves' Highway, the Preminger set) Frederick Wiseman set (Blaq Out - France - DVD only) All of them are showing an extensive care about how to handle the movie on BD and how to make sure the release is the most definitive possible. Some of them have debatable aspects (technically for the Wiseman set or the OAR for B&BL) but all of them are real nice treats that can easily be blind bought by anyone.

01-13-2016, 12:48 PM	#7
mikey 6 Special Member Member since:Sep 2012 Location:England 4K collection:679 Blu-ray collection:1745 DVD collection:3	6. Wolfen (Warner Archive Collection) A great early eighties werewolf-type movie from Michael Wadleigh and one of a number of excellent releases in 2015 from Warner Archive including Murder, My Sweet and Tony Scott's The Hunger. 5. The Quiet Man (Eureka/Masters of Cinema) The technicolour restoration on this is just stunning in high def and the film is endlessly rewatchable. 4. Blood and Black Lace (Arrow Steelbook) I had been waiting ages for a blu ray of this - the steelbook is a stunner and Bava's use of colour looks incredible. 3. Seconds (Eureka/Masters of Cinema) Had been dying to see this one for years after loving Frankenheimer's Manchurian Candidate and The Train (both of which got excellent Arrow blu rays also in 2015). Seconds did not disappoint after all I had heard about it and what a great way to see it for the first time with this MOC blu. 2. Body Double (Carlotta) I'm a huge De Palma fan so couldn't resist this release from Carlotta. The film looks stunning and the packaging is gorgeous (even if I can't read the book in French!) 1. Videodrome Limited Edition (Arrow) An incredible release for my favourite Cronenberg movie - uncut and with tonnes of extras including some fascinating early Cronenberg short films.

01-13-2016, 02:19 PM	#11
Sky_Captain Blu-ray Duke Top contributor Member since:Jan 2008 4K collection:- Blu-ray collection:- Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:17	In no particular order... 1. Leon 4K remaster 2. Bram Stoker's Dracula 4K remaster 3. Bad Boys 4K remaster 4. Army of Darkness Collectors Edition 5. Commando Director's Cut 6. Fifth Element 4K remaster

01-13-2016, 03:16 PM	#12
OgamiittoMcJ Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Oct 2013 Location:Glasgow, UK Home Theater Gallery:20 4K collection:599 Blu-ray collection:3471 DVD collection:445 Trading Score:5	this is difficult, I could easily choose more than 6 just Arrow releases and I've still got few to watch still, and also still have a few to buy like Your Vice haven't received L.I.A.W.Skin yet but it has to go on my list, early reviews are it's great and it's on it's way top 3 of mine are US releases but are all region free number 6-4 number 3-1

01-13-2016, 03:57 PM	#13
OgamiittoMcJ Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Oct 2013 Location:Glasgow, UK Home Theater Gallery:20 4K collection:599 Blu-ray collection:3471 DVD collection:445 Trading Score:5	26 x top 5 Blu-ray 2015 lists nice too see Thundercrack get some love http://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-sound-ma...-blu-rays-2015

01-13-2016, 04:07 PM	#14
Le Grande Blu Special Member Member since:May 2009 Blu-ray collection:1	1 .The Yoshida Box set (Arrow) 2. Sweet Smell of Success (Arrow) 3. The Duke of Burgundy (AE) 4. The World of Kanako (Nova Media) 5. Hard to be a God (Arrow) Also Medium Cool, It Follows, The Offence,Eyes Without a Face, Ping Pong the animation (US release)

01-13-2016, 09:06 PM	#15
Patient-X Blu-ray Champion Top contributor Member since:Feb 2009 Location:In the dark, near the Tannhäuser Gate 4K collection:235 Blu-ray collection:3340 Trading Score:9	In no particular order....

01-13-2016, 10:31 PM	#16
Persona Special Member Member since:Oct 2015 Location:UK 4K collection:414 Blu-ray collection:2092	Here are my 6 with Apu Trilogy being number 1 and the rest in no particular order:

01-13-2016, 11:24 PM	#17
Todd Tomorrow Blu-ray Knight Member since:Nov 2008 Location:Berlin, Germany Blu-ray reviews:1	Miracle Mile Valerie and Her Week of Wonders Blood and Black Lace The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane A New Leaf The X-Files Season 1-9 (once they'll replace season 8)

01-14-2016, 01:03 PM	#18
rapta Blu-ray Duke Top contributor Member since:Mar 2013 Location:Hants, UK 4K collection:70 Blu-ray collection:5430 Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:7	Since I already did a Top 10 for DVDBeaver, I'll list a Top 6 of ones that nearly made that list! Medium Cool (Haskell Wexler, 1969) [Masters of Cinema] - a film I couldn't wait to see, having great admiration for Haskell Wexler as a DP and being high on my list of 'wants' for MoC (along with Seconds and Paper Moon...so three off my list). The great man died very recently - two days after Christmas, in fact - so the least you could do is watch his most notorious film as director (which stars a young Robert Forster, who would go on to star in my favourite Tarantino film). Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (David Zellner, 2014) [Soda Pictures] - a film I chanced upon and was immediately drawn to, only encouraged by glowing reviews from trusted sources (including praise from Werner Herzog) and a producer credit from Alexander Payne (a sure sign I will enjoy the film). The plot is centred around a reference to one of the best Coen Brothers films, and out of it comes a whole other level of mystery from that simple homage. Rinko Kikuchi (Babel, The Brothers Bloom, Pacific Rim) carries the entire film on her shoulders, and it is one of the most dedicated performances of recent years - hence why I announced it as my favourite film of 2015. Heartbreaking and joyous in equal measure. The Manchurian Candidate (John Frankenheimer, 1962) [Arrow Academy] - another great Frankenheimer release, this time thanks to Arrow. I could have easily put The Train in place of this - or many other Arrow releases from this year - but I wanted to shine a light on this one as it was one of those films I had heard plenty about but never much more than its title. 2015 was the year of Frankenheimer, as far as I'm concerned, and I hope there's more where this came from (namely Black Sunday and Birdman of Alcatraz). Enemy (Denis Villeneuve, 2013) [Curzon Artificial Eye] - I actually saw this in 2014 and loved it, so I was very happy when it was finally released in the UK (I just wish it hadn't been marketed as a 'thriller', and also before Artificial Eye and Curzon Film World decided to clumsily merge brand identities into just Curzon Artificial Eye). My favourite film by Villeneuve (Incendies, Prisoners, Sicario) that I've seen to date, and possibly Gyllenhaal's best performance too (at least since Donnie Darko). A brilliantly dark psychological drama boasting beautiful cinematography and score, based on an equally mysterious novel by the late Portuguese writer José Saramago. Definitely needs to be seen at least twice to even begin to unpick the subtext. Cruel Story of Youth (Nagisa Ôshima, 1960) [Masters of Cinema] - delightfully seedy but beautifully colourful too...closest in tone to Imamura from what I've seen so far, but a little more upbeat and youthful. 60's and 70's Japanese cinema is revealing some true stand-outs, and MoC seem to be selecting the very best ones. I hope 2016 brings at least one or two more like this (in glorious 4K as well, please)! They Live (John Carpenter, 1988) [StudioCanal] - I once saw this in my teens and didn't really get the tone of it, just laughing it off as silly. But the idea of a grand conspiracy that could only be seen with a pair of dubious sunglasses was too good to miss, and my appreciation for Carpenter had grown somewhat since those earlier cinephile years. Happy to say StudioCanal have done a decent enough job bringing this one to Blu-ray, as it was like watching the film for the first time and I now appreciate it for what it is! And these are just of the discs I've watched so far - I've still got dozens to get through! Here's to another great year (March is already looking swamped with essential titles)!

01-14-2016, 01:30 PM	#19
ycbbh Active Member Top contributor Member since:Oct 2010 Location:The North, England Blu-ray collection:227 Blu-ray reviews:1	I only bought 4 releases in 2015, so I'll just do a top 1:

01-14-2016, 01:36 PM	#20
RazorwireRyan Blu-ray Guru Member since:Aug 2011 Location:Norway/Wales 4K collection:1 Blu-ray collection:897 Trading Score:3	1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Kimchi Steelbook One of my all time favourite films released in a deluxe steelbook package with lots of fun tat inside, what more is there to love? Adore the steelbook from top to bottom, right down to the spine colour blending from Celementine's hair tone when Joel first meets her, to their last scene in the film, great touch. 2. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Extended Edition Like every extended Middle Earth release, just an excellent amount of bonus material that's both hilarious to watch and fascinating at the same time. This one in particular is admirable in its ten odd hours of bonus material in being brutally honest over how much Peter Jackson was winging it, and how much of a stress it put on production. Even though it doesn't come close to these, both in content and the film it's representing, that honesty reminded me of great making of docs like Dangerous Days and Wreckage and Rage. 3. Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro - Discotek Media A lovely deluxe edition of a great Miyazaki film with a lot of care and attention to detail put into the final package. 4. Metropolis Ultimate Edition Steelbook - Masters of Cinema An excellent re-release of Metropolis from MoC, who have no doubt put out better releases in 2015, but the majority of my buying last year was of older MoC titles to fill up the collection before the dreaded OOP hammer started crushing my dreams of completing it. 5. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension - Arrow Video Again, I'm sure Arrow have put out much better releases but their uber box sets are too far out of my price range unfortunately. I did have Coffy and Society, which were both great, but ultimately sold them. This one will be sticking around though, such a f'n batshit crazy film and I adored it. Great set of special features too, top release. 6. Birdman Standard studio release but I love the red case and matte finish Slipcover with fold out opening flap. If I didn't have to spend hours painstakingly removing sticker residue, it would've been even better. But yeah, top studio release, with some decent enough special features, but mainly just owning the film is great.

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