What are YOUR top ten DVDs of 2004? (1 Viewer)

Personalize your list any way you want. eg. by genre, by extras, by packaging, by studio, top ten restorations, top ten DTS tracks, best bargains, best commentaries, best box sets, whatever. Have fun with it.

Sounds like alot of work! My favorite so far is "Fanny and Alexander" from Criterion.

I made my list already, but y'all will have to wait to see it! The reviewers may post something as a group. Stay tuned. . .

1.Return of the King EE
2.Elvis 68'comeback
3.Lion King
4.Maria full of Grace
5.Alladin
6.Star Wars Trilogy
7.The Iron Giant SE
8.I-Robot
9.SHREK-2
10.The passion of christ

Oh man....this is a bit tough....I dont think I have 10, but here are a few:

Man On Fire (20th Century Fox); rich, engaging DTS mix

Van Helsing (Universal); fun, if somewhat conservative Dolby 5.1 mix

Dawn of the Dead Unrated Directors Cut (Universal); best horror film of recent times and a decently thumping Dolby 5.1 mix...crank this one above reference level to get the most out of it

Day After Tomorrow (20th Century Fox); DTS mix makes one believe they are in the middle of that ice age

2004 is not over yet, and Christmas is still upon me. I also make a distinction between "favorite" and "best".

FAVORITES OF 2004 (and by this, I suppose I mean the discs I've watched the most)

1. Walt Disney Treasures: Walt Disney On the Front Lines
2. Open Range
3. Mystic River
4. The Star Wars Trilogy
5. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
6. Schindler's List
7. Gone with the Wind: 4 Disc
8. The Passion of the Christ
9. The Three Lives of Thomasina
10. Return of the King: EE

My top 10, in no uncertain order:

1. The Star Wars Trilogy (just because it's Star Wars!)
2. Return of the King: EE
3. Return of the King: TE
4. Gone With the Wind: Collector's Edition
5. The Ultimate Matrix Collection
6. Aladdin SE
7. Spider-Man 2
8. Star Trek: The Original Series - Season 1
9. Smallville: Season 2
10. Schindler's List

Top of my head, hope these were all released in 2004

BEST GROWN-UP MOVIES
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ("Pretty pretty pretty...")
Lost in Translation (What did he whisper in her ear?)

BEST TV SHOWS ON DVD
Arrested Development-Season 1 (The Cornballer!)
Futurama-Vol. 4 ("Bite my splintery wooden ass")

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Shrek 2 ("I'm a real boooooy!")

BEST COMEDY
Intolerable Cruelty (Wheezy Joe!)

BEST SUSPENSE/ACTION MOVIES
The Bourne Supremacy ("I don't have a choice", "Yes you do")
Spartan (David Mamet AND Val Kilmer, what's not to love?)

BEST EPIC
LotR: The Return of the King ("I know your face...")

Guys,

The Lion King was released in 2003.

You beat me to it.

I gotta say, Lost in Translation is *at least* #2 on my list.

Seriously, My top 10 DVDs are:
LOTR:ROTK:EE:OMG:LOL
Arrested Development Season 1
Spider-Man 2
Neon Genesis Evangelion Platinum series
Iron Giant:SE
Star Wars Trilogy
Invader Zim series
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series
Clerks X
Pink Panther Film Collection

Top 5 Box Sets (non TV)

1. LOTR:EE Trilogy
Comprising what many consider the three best DVDs of all time, it tops the list almost by default.

2. Star Wars Original Trilogy
Topping the MIA lists for years, these most highly sought films finally make an appearance on DVD with great restored sound and picture.

3. Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection
3. Film Noir Classic Collection
Warners treat their classics right. The cover graphics based on original poster art only the first hint of the overall quality we are treated to within.

4. The Chaplin Collection Vol. 2
Some may prefer the first collection but I like the scope and diversity of the, perhaps lesser known, films included here.

5. Ultimate Matrix Collection
Although I'm not a big fan of the two later films, the effort put into this set and the comprehensiveness of the result ensure it deserves a place on the list.

I'll add or alter as I think of them. In no ranking order based on restoration, transfer, supplements and the film itself:

The Rules of the Game
In a Year of 13 Moons
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
More Treasures from the American Film Archives
Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 2
Pennies From Heaven (BBC)
Winsor McCay: Master Collection
Blow-Up

My Top 10 FAVORITES are:

1. Star Wars trilogy (I love the movies and don't care how many new things are added

2. Millennium: Season One (A fave show that I, two years ago, would have NEVER thought would be on DVD made it)

3. 24: Season Three (Being able to go to the next episode makes even the 'weaker' episodes look good now)

4. Lost In Translation (A wonderful movie that I wish had had more features)

5. Kill Bill Vols. 1 + 2 (I'll count 'em as one- another wonderful movie that I wish the DVD had more features. I'm sure I'll get those features whenever the special editions come out)

6. Seinfeld: Seasons One and Two, and Season Three (In my opinion, the best TV DVD ever released just because of the great features and the care taken with it)

7. Dawn Of The Dead (1979- four disc) (A four disc set for the best zombie ever)

8. Videodrome (Criterion came through with an interesting set for a vastly underrated movie)

9. Duel (Due to all the setbacks, I could not wait for my one of my all-time favorite Speilberg movies)

10. Wild At Heart (I just hope that they release Lost Highway next year!)

Anyway, that's my two cents...

No order:

Gone With The Wind SE
Return of the King EE
Arrested Development Season 1
Seinfeld Seasons 1-3
Rules of the Game (Criterion
The Leopard (Criterion)
Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 2

My top 10 for various reasons:

1. Gone With The Wind
2. Alice in Wonderland- Masterpiece Edition
3. Maria: Full of Grace
4. Schindler's List
5. Battle of Algiers, The CC
6. Nova- The Elegant Universe
7. Spiderman 2- SUPERBIT
8. Seinfeld Season 1,2 and 3 Gift Set
9. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (Great DTS track)
10. H.R. Pufnstuf- The Complete Series

Honorable Mention: Millenium: Season 1

1. Gone With the Wind: SE
2. Wonder Woman: Season One
3. Meet Me in St. Louis: SE
4. The Flintstones: Season One
5. Star Wars Trilogy
6. Lord of the Rings: ROTK (Both Versions)
7. Dallas: Season One
8. Walt Disney Treasures: On The Front Lines
9. Seinfeld
10.I Love Lucy: Season Two

First off, here's the 2004 releases I've purchased this year:

Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection (with Foreign Correspondent, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Suspicion, Stage Fright, Strangers on a Train: SE, I Confess, Dial M For Murder, The Wrong Man, and the 2000 release North By Northwest)

Alice in Wonderland: Masterpiece Edition
American Graffiti: Drive-In Collection
Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
Blazing Saddles: 30th Anniversary Edition
Charley Bowers: Rediscovery of an American Genius
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde: 1931/1941 Double Feature
Freaks
The Gods Must Be Crazy
Gone with the Wind: 65th Anniversary Edition
Goodfellas: SE
Hamlet (1990)
The Iron Giant: SE
Kill Bill Vol. 1
Kill Bill Vol. 2
Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Vol. 2
Looney Tunes: Back in Action (Widescreen)
The Return of the King (Widescreen)
[placeholder for Extended Edition]
Marx Bros. Silver Screen Collection
Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
My Fair Lady: SE
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Essentials (with Shorts 3)
The Pink Panther Film Collection
Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends: Season 2
Smokey and the Bandit: Pursuit Pack
Spider-Man 2 (Widescreen)
Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen)
The Thief of Bagdad (Kino SE)
THX 1138: SE
Walt Disney Treasures: Mickey Mouse in Living Color II
Walt Disney Treasures: On the Front Lines
Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald I
Walt Disney Treasures: Tomorrowland
[placeholder for Mickey in B&W II]

I can't do a top 10 without leaving out some fantastic DVD's. I decided to simply take out new releases (honestly, who doesn't think the ROTK: EE, Spider-Man 2, Kill Bill V1/V2, etc should be purchased?). So, I'll give a top 20 with an order...

1. Gone with the Wind: 65th Anniversary 4-disc Edition
2. Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume Two
3. Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection
4. Walt Disney Treasures: On the Front Lines
5. THX 1138: 2-disc SE
6. Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen)
7. Walt Disney Treasures: Tomorrowland
8. The Thief of Bagdad: Kino Special Edition
9. The Iron Giant: Special Edition
10. Around the World in 80 Days: 2-disc SE
11. Goodfellas: 2-disc SE
12. Charley Bowers: Rediscovery of an American Genius
13. Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends: Seasons 2
14. Marx Bros. Silver Screen Collection
15. Freaks
16. The Pink Panther Film Collection
17. Alice in Wonderland: Masterpiece Edition
18. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
19. Blazing Saddles: Special Edition
20. Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Essentials (with Shorts 3)

For individual aspects...

Best Overall DVD: Gone with the Wind
Best New Release: Spider-Man 2
Best Silent DVD: The Thief of Bagdad: SE
Best Animation DVD: Tie between Warner's LT GC and Disney's Treasures

Best Digital Restoration: Gone with the Wind
Best Standard Restoration: Dial M For Murder
Best Transfer(s) of Mediocre Elements: Marx Bros. Silver Screen Collection, Freaks, and Dr. Jekyll ('31)
Best Remasters: Goodfellas and Alice in Wonderland
Most Flawless Image (regardless of age, type, etc): The Iron Giant
Best Animation Release: Looney Tunes Golden Collection II

Best Audio Overall: Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
Best 5.1 remix (from mono): THX 1138
Best Mono: The Wrong Man
Best Audio Supplements: Looney Tunes Golden Collection II

Best Television Release: Tomorrowland & Rocky & Bullwinkle S2
Best Film Collection: Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection
Best Collection, even if just for films: Marx Bros. Silver Screen Collection

Best DVD Documentary: Empire of Dreams (Star Wars Trilogy)
Best Commentary: Rudy Behlmer on Gone with the Wind
Best Branching Extra: Theatre of Noise (THX 1138)

Best Overall Studio: Warner Home Video
Most Improved: Universal
Least Improved Because They Don't Have To Improve: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

I bought over 300 dvds this year I can't come up with a top ten, but I can come up with a top one: Return of the King 4-disc EE.

Honorable mentions in no particular order..

Star Wars Trilogy (at last on dvd!)
Gone With The Wind (4-disc extravaganza)
Battle of Britain (my favorite war movie on 2-disc sp.ed with DTS)
The Good the Bad and the Ugly (2-disc sp.ed)

As far as dvd sets go nothing this year can match last years 9-disc Alien Quadrilogy, still the supreme dvd package and may never be topped, IMO.

In no particular order:

1. EYES WITHOUT A FACE (Criterion)
2. LATTER DAYS
3. THE LEOPARD (Criterion)
4. GONE WITH THE WIND
5. RETURN OF THE KING EXTENDED EDITION
6. ED WOOD
7. AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (Warner, not Disney)
8. MARY POPPINS 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
9. RAGTIME (Paramount)
10. THE APPLE (MGM) - Okay, so it's a very odd choice, but, following years and years of virtually unwatchable vhs prints. . .you know the rest.