When ranking blu-rays, the categories I use (in order of importance) are:
1. The movie itself.
2. The video transfer.
3. The audio track.
4. The bonus features.
I also didn't include any multiple disc box sets (The Alien Anthology, The Back to the Future Box Set) or TV shows (The Pacific, Lost: Season 6) because I didn't get to view most of them due to a lack of funding.
EDIT: I completely forgot to include Black Dynamite and that is a travesty. I've added it in the Honorable mentions in it's own category.
Avatar: Extended Collectors Edition - 2009
Humphrey Bogart Category
The Maltese Falcon - 1941
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre - 1948
One of the greatest actors of all time had quite the year on blu-ray as three of his finest films made their way to the format. The Maltese Falcon is one of the first and best film noirs. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is a classic tale of mistrust and The African Queen is one of the finest adventure films ever made (and somehow it never even found it's way to DVD). All 3 feature great A/V transfers but are lacking supplemental features in either quantity (The African Queen, Sierra Madre) or original content (Maltese Falcon) to be included on the top ten list.
Horror Classics
The Exorcist - 1973
Psycho - 1960
Foreign Must See's
The Secret in Their Eyes - 2009
The Secret in Their Eyes - 2009
A Prophet - 2009
The White Ribbon - 2009
None of these three 2010 Best Foreign Film nominees boast an exceptional blu-ray package but the films are fantastic. The Secret in Their Eye's is a heartfelt detective story that features one of the greatest long takes you will ever see in a movie. A Prophet's prison gangster tale may not break much new ground but it is a totally engrossing film nonetheless. The black and white, slow-burn, horror of The White Ribbon isn't easy to digest but it will stick in your brain for days. The strength of all three films put them in the must see category.
The Need More Extras Category
Up in the Air - 2009
Shutter Island - 2010
Winter's Bone - 2010
The Town - 2010
My favorite movie from 2009 and three of my favorites from this year only earn an honorable mention. They all lack a full compliment of supplemental material but are fantastic films with top notch A/V transfers. I still consider all four of these to be must own discs, they just aren't full top ten list type packages.
The "I Didn't Want To List Too Many Criterion/Kino Films in the Top 10" Category
M - 1931
Modern Times - 1936
Paris, Texas - 1984
Yojimbo - 1961
Days of Heaven - 1978
The Battleship Potemkin - 1925
Catchy category title huh? It would be pretty easy to make a top ten list featuring only Criterion Collection releases and call it a year end best of. Kino International isn't as prolific at releasing classics on Blu-ray as Criterion is but they do put out 2 or 3 undeniably great packages a year. These six films (and many more) are must have purchases for any serious film fan and could all be on my final list. In order to avoid being overly film snobbish, I'll avoid putting them there.
The Black Dynamite Category
Black Dynamite gets it's own category here because I forgot to include it when I first published this. The movie is one of my favorites of 2009 and I've probably watched it more times than any other movie on the list. The blu-ray is a tough one to grade since the video is intentionally less than stellar but the audio is great. Suffice to say Black Dynamite deserves any accolades I or anyone else can give it.
The Top Ten List
10. (tie) Kick-Ass -2010
Scott Pilgrim vs the World - 2010
These two movies based on comics both feature oversized violence (though it's presented in two entirely different ways) and inventive direction. While the movies are worlds apart in tone they share enough similarities for me to group them together here. The blu-ray packages for both are exceptional. The video transfers are pristine, the audio tracks are booming and there are plenty of supplements in each package to keep fans busy for hours.
9. Beauty and the Beast - 1991
The last classic movie Disney released (not counting Pixar films) made it's way to blu-ray in a package that is as magical as the movie itself. The video looks like it was drawn yesterday and the audio track is simply stunning. There are also too many supplements to mention and I have not come close to watching them all yet.
8. Seven Samurai - 1954
Akira Kurosawa's most influential film is an undeniable must own blu-ray, If you've never seen Seven Samurai there is no better way to do so. The video reveals things previously unseen on video, while the mono audio track is a purists dream. The supplements Criterion put together for this release are so numerous they need an extra disc to hold them all. It's a fantastic package of a fantastic film.
7. The Complete Metropolis - 1927
Silent movies are not going to be everyone's cup of tea but there are few of them that can capture a modern audience like Metropolis. The influence Metropolis has had on the science fiction genre is indescribable. This is also still one of the most visually stimulating films ever made, even more than 80 years after it's release. The video transfer isn't quite as good as most of the films on the list and the recently found and added footage is pretty rough but for a movie from the 20's, it's amazing to look at. There also aren't a large number of extra's but the ones that are here are superb. There's no better time or format to see this truly influential classic.
6. The Toy Story Trilogy - 1995, 1999, 2010
All three Toy Story movies were made available on blu-ray in 2010 and all three are deserving of spots on this list. Separating them would be an impossibility even though all three bring distinctly different themes to the adventures of Woody, Buzz and the rest of the toys. All three have fantastic video transfers, reference quality audio tracks and enough extras to entertain both kids and adults alike.
5. Inception - 2010
Inception was one of this years biggest theatrical hits and is also on pace to set blu-ray sales records. There's not much more to say about the movie except it's replay value is very high and it doesn't lose any luster with multiple viewings. The video quality is as good as it gets and the audio track will shake your walls. The only thing keeping this from the top of the list is a relative lack of supplements and the ever looming likelihood that there will be a super mega deluxe special edition in the future requiring a double dip from fans.
4. Saving Private Ryan - 1998
Paramount's Sapphire Serious hasn't always lived up to it's billing as a top of the line blu-ray experience (both Gladiator and Braveheart were disappointing, though for different reasons). Saving Private Ryan on the other hand completely fits the bill. The video isn't as strikingly beautiful as some of the other entry's on this list but that's completely intentional. The audio track on the other hand might be the best to emerge on blu from a catalog title ever. It's simply outstanding. The extras are a little light but everything else more than makes up for it.
3. Apocalypse Now: Full Disclosure Edition - 1979
Francis Ford Coppala's epic war film arrived on blu-ray in 2 different packages. If you've got the coin, the Full Disclosure Edition is the way to go. It's got both the original theatrical version and the Redux version that was in theater's in the 90's . Among a bevy of extras is the full documentary Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse, which is essential viewing itself as a history of the troubled production of Apocalypse Now. If you don't want to spring for the Full Disclosure, don't fret. The 2 disc version also contains both versions of the film and has the same impressive video transfer and bombastic audio mix. You gotta love having options!
2. The Thin Red Line - 1998
The Thin Red Line isn't a typical war movie. It focuses much more philosophy than on action (though the action scenes are fantastic) and true to Terrence Malick form, showcases nature in it's full glory. This might be the most beautiful blu-ray video transfer I've ever seen. It's certainly the best of 2010. The colors and definition just must be seen to be believed. Add in a high quality audio track and a boatload of extras and you have yet another winning blu-ray from Criterion.
1. The Night of the Hunter - 1955
I have never seen a movie like The Night of the Hunter. It's part children's fairy tale, part murderous revenge tale, part religious critique and part southern gothic. The whole thing rides on Robert Mitchum's career defining performance as "Preacher" Harry Powell. I can promise you that this movie will seep into your brain and not leave for days after you watch it. A while ago I wrote about my 25 favorite movies and this was not one of them. That would certainly change if I wrote that column today as I've watched this movie 3 times in the month or so it's been available. While the movie is one of my all time favorites it still wouldn't get the top spot here if the blu-ray itself wasn't up to snuff. Thankfully Criterion has not let us down. The picture quality is amazing. The depths of shadowing that goes on in The Night of the Hunter is one of it's most important qualities and is so much better defined than the old DVD copy I first saw years ago. The mono audio track isn't going to blow you away but it's clean and fits the movie very well. The extras included here are not only plentiful in number but are of a very high quality as well. This is quite simply the best money I spent on a blu-ray package this year.
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