A trip to the movie theatre can be a great way to spend one’s evening, but with ticket costs exceeding £10 (and significantly more for a 3D film), a night at the movies is no longer the inexpensive retreat that it used to be.  With a rapidly thinning wallet and a new Sony LCD TV 200 Hz at my disposal, I recently took a vow against theatre-going and decided to explore the wide world of DVDs and Blu-ray movies instead.  What I found – namely, some fantastic new releases and old favourites galvanised by conversion to new media – pleased me to no end.  The following are, in no particular order, my favourite 2010 releases primed and ready for inclusion in your DVD storage cabinet:

Alien Anthology

Forget trying to classify Alien as science fiction or horror – the film’s a classic that constitutes the best of both genres.  What this new release does is strip away the superfluous (read: crap) sequels of recent years and delivers multiple cuts of each of the series’ first four films.  With hours of fresh extras and visuals that don’t disappoint, this is one fright fest worth jumping for.

Back to the Future: 25^th Anniversary Trilogy

One could argue that Back to the Future was a film before its time – even if it got the future more or less completely wrong.  If that’s the case, then this hi-def release finally gives the series the treatment it deserves.  Included in the set are all the extras found in the previous DVD release as well as a special treat – never before seen footage of Eric Stoltz in the role of Marty McFly.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: Level UP! Collector’s Edition

Scott Pilgrim is a modern movie phenomena – a film based on a graphic novel that’s tailor-made for Blu-ray conversion.  Exclusives aside (and there are many), this release hits just the right notes (quirky story, over-the-top visuals, and enough video game references to satisfy even the biggest otaku) to guarantee it’s ascent to cult favourite status.

Beauty and the Beast: Diamond Edition

Animation powerhouse Pixar has produced some of the decade’s most stunning DVD releases, but it’s this Disney classic that takes the cake as one of the most awe-inspiring Blu-rays of the year.  The first animated feature ever to be nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award, Beauty and the Beast dazzles in high definition.  It may have been another Disney film – the terrific Toy Story 3 – that made the biggest box office splash this year, but perhaps it’s fitting that in the year of 3D, this 2D masterpiece is poised to steal your heart again.

Avatar (Extended Collector’s Edition)

The biggest film of all time is a no-brainer for inclusion on this list, though it’s refreshing to note that James Cameron and gang resisted the urge to rest on their laurels for this extended release.  The ultimate crowd-pleaser, Avatar comes complete with a special 3 hour version of the film and the astonishing visuals that one would expect from such a groundbreaking release.  Simply put, this is the new must-have showcase DVD for 2010.

Did you know?

An early version of the Alien script called for the role of Ripley, made famous by Sigourney Weaver, to be played by a man.

-Jeff O.

Tweet