My First 10 Blu Rays

So I got a Blu Ray movie for Christmas and as a result, finally caved and bought a player. I'm not sure why I was putting it off, but there it is. When I went to buy the player at Best Buy the day after Christmas, they were also having a big sale on Blu Ray discs, so I snapped up some great flicks at Low-Hanging-Fruit prices. When all was said and done, I had a player and 10 movies to watch on it, so by way of posting my first Oh-So-Cliched Top Ten list, I would run down the first 10 Blu Ray's of my collection and why I picked them up, besides the obvious "They were on Sale" answer. Let's start at the beginning with...

1) Red Cliff: Original International Version


This was the movie I got for Christmas. I have yet to watch the FOUR HOUR international version, but I was in love with this film from the moment I knew it existed. Set in one of the most personally interesting eras of history for me, the Three Kingdoms era in second and third century China, and Starring Takeshi Kaneshiro of House of Flying Daggers fame and Tony Leung of Hero fame, this one is a no brain-er for me.

2) Hellboy


This was definitely in the Cheap category, but that doesn't change the fact that this Guiermo Del Toro helmed action fest is a lot of fun, often humorous, and Ron Perlman is perfectly cast as the titular Hellboy. Also, Kronen is a BA!

3) The Wrestler


I don't even want to get started on the validity of Pro Wrestling, it's a doomed argument. But when it comes down to it, this touching tale has less to do with wrestling and more to do with the Human Experience. Mickey Rourke is staggeringly good, as always, playing Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a man who once had it all thanks to his career. Now he has come to realize that his world fell apart around him as the consequences of his old life haunt him. It's subtle, simple, and magnificently shot. If you skip this one because it involves wrestling, you are doing yourself a disservice.

4) Army Of Darkness
What can I say, I'm a sucker for one-liners, and this camp classic is chock full of em. Behold!

This sequel to the Evil Dead movies is unabashed Bruce Campbell goodness and I love every minute of it! Klatuu. Barada. (Cough)to!

5) Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas


Based on the autobiographical book of the same name by the late Dr. Hunter S Thompson, this film covers a three day 'trip' to Las Vegas the good Dr. once took with his friend and lawyer. Loaded with hilarious lines, inspired performances, and psychedelic special effects, this film demonstrates what a spectacular director Terry Gilliam really is.

6) Inception


The naysayers of this Christopher Nolan Directed thriller will argue that a Complicated is not always a good plot. I say, shut up and watch the movie, naysayers. This is honestly one of the best movies I've seen in the last few years, and DiCaprio continues to win me over with another chilling performance.

7) The Last Samurai


You really have to love Ignorance sometimes. A lot of people dislike this movie because "Tom Cruise is the last Samurai," even though Cruise isn't the last Samurai, Ken Watanabe's character Katsumoto is. The irony being that the only reason Tom Cruise was put in this movie based on a true story that involved no westerners is because American audiences wont see a movie with an all Japanese cast in the theaters, unless you count Art houses. We need a white guy in there, because we can't relate to Asians. God, pisses me off just thinking about.

That being said, Tom Cruise dose an excellent job playing the part of the westerner's eye in this retelling of Dai Saigo's Last Stand.

8) Huo Yuanjia - AKA Jet Li's Fearless


Touted at the time as Jet Li's final Martial Arts film, this still stands, in my mind at least, as one of the greatest Wushu films. While the fights are epic and numerous, the story is the real reason I love this film so much, and Jet Li's acting is superb.

9) A Clockwork Orange


I honestly can't think of any way to describe this film. It is largely a procession of unsettling images of a dystopian future but the underlying story of law and lawlessness is potent. A darkly comic classic.

10) The Princess Bride


Do I even need to explain? one of my all time favorite movies.

Well, that's the list, now I think I'll go watch one of them. Anyone else remember their first Blu Ray/DVD/VHS?