Top 10 Best Blu-ray Movies 2009 For Sound and Picture Quality

Interestingly, the movie in the number one position is not one that I have seen but it is one that I heard about constantly during the past year. Those of you who know my movie pages know I'm not a huge animated movie fan. However, I cannot believe that I have not seen it given all the talk about this movie since it was released.

This animated movie is a bit different than many. Presented by Pixar, who incidentally created my favorite animated movie, Ratatouille, this movie is said to exude "warmth, originality, humor and unflagging imagination." It tells the story of a pair of heroes ~~ a crabby 78-year old man who wants to visit South America who attaches helium balloons to his house and off he goes. However, there is a small problem in the form of a Wilderness Explorer Scout who is stowed away in the house. Amazon says that, "Up is an exceptional film that will appeal to audiences of all ages."

Sound & Vision placed it right smack at the top of their list in the number one spot with comments like, "the image's textures are almost palpable" and "the sound has a genuine physical presence." I cannot believe I did not see this movie and, believe me, it has moved way up on my list. How about yours?

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There are always a few more unusual, off the beaten path movies on Sound & Vision's lists. The Seventh Seal I would place firmly in that category and, when I first read about it, I ordered it right away based on the story and the review in Sound & Vision magazine. However, I will admit that once it arrived it slid down my list of movies to watch and it is waiting, patiently waiting, for me to crack open the plastic and watch it.

What intrigued me about it is that it is an iconic film, perhaps unlike any that I have seen before and I do like to 'try on' different movie types on occasion. It is Ingmar Bergman's black-and-white classic from 1957. The storyline, from Amazon is as follows.

"Disillusioned and exhausted after a decade of battling in the Crusades, a knight encounters Death on a desolate beach and challenges him to a fateful game of chess. Much studied, imitated, even parodied, but never outdone, Bergman's stunning allegory of man's search for meaning was one of the benchmark foreign imports of America's 1950s art house heyday, pushing cinema's boundaries and ushering in a new era of moviegoing."

"This is another fantastic release by Criterion. Last night, I popped the disc in my player and was so overwhelmed by what I saw, I completely lost track of the time and could not publish my review. Contrast and detail on Criterion's Blu-ray release of The Seventh Seal are spectacular. The close-ups in particular look unbelievably strong. Furthermore, the color-scheme is the best I have seen on a Criterion disc thus far - the blacks are rich and unbelievably lush while the whites are gentle are natural looking. Additionally, film grain is fully intact. The actual print is also notably healthy - I did not detect any debris, scratches, dirt, or stains to report in this review. Finally, when blown through a digital projector, The Seventh Seal remains incredibly stable and tight to the frame. Simply put, this is a fantastic Blu-ray release!"

"Unbelievable presentation! I am aware that many of you are weary of hearing how every other week there is a Blu-ray that looks nothing like the one before it; well, I have not seen anything like The Seventh Seal yet. Simply put, this is a perfect presentation. Very Highly Recommended."

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The Wizard of Oz, a classic movie, is one that many of the women in my generation watched every single year without fail. I was excited to hear that it was coming to blu-ray and could only hope that they would do a good job and a good job they did, earning The Wizard of Oz the number three spot on this list. The Ultimate Collector's Edition serves up more than 20 hours of extras, a book and more. Sound & Vision magazine says, "miraculously restored picture and sound."

Ordinary folk, Wizard of Oz fans like you and I, say:

"An OZ-some DVD Experience."
~~ By J. Michael Click

"Not a restoration, but an entirely different view of the film."
~~ William Sommerwerck

"Wizards, Witches and Oz, oh my!"
~~ Victoria Tarrani

"Audio track is the great achievement of the 2005 restoration."
~~ By Rich Kokoska

"An exquisite restoration of an immortal screen classic."
~~ Stephen H. Wood

"My first time "seeing" this movie."
~~ L. Sax

The Wizard of Oz was offered in many packages
from a single disc to a seven disc boxed set
at different price points, all on sale NOW
with FREE shipping from Amazon.
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The collector's edition is currently listed on Amazon
at $30 off the list price.

On my review page, I declared this THE BEST MOVIE THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN and I'm sticking with that comment although, of course, it is pretty hard to tell whether or not it is actually the best one. However, when I watch this movie, that is how I feel. That I have just seen the best movie ever. You'll have to watch it for yourself and report back.

With my comment in mind though, there is no question about WHY this movie is on the list of 10 top movies for 2009. However, I am sure you are wondering what Sound & Vision had to say. They said that the blu-ray is filled with "saturated images and dynamic surround sound" and that the extras are "voluminous." I say, "What are you waiting for?"

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Here is another blu-ray movie that we own. The story is a look into family relationships that is a bit on the dark and creepy side and is based on the book Corlaine by Neil Gaiman. Amazon called it a "disturbing, intriguing film that both captivates and frightens." I agree. Some call this movie 'delightfully creepy.'

We watched Coraline in 2-D. Sound & Vision said the movie was 'involving' in 3-D but recommended 2-D so that you can enjoy a "truly high-def experience of rich color and impressive detail."

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"After resigning from a top-secret position, a man is abducted and spirited from his London home to a mysterious place known only as 'The Village.' Village Residents, known only by numbers, are held captive because each possesses valuable knowledge. The Prisoner, now known as Number Six, battles to protect his mind -- and his humanity -- while struggling to discover the identity of Number One and escape captivity." ~~ Editorial Review

This CBS television show has been popular ever since it first aired in 1968. Considered a cult classic, this is the ultimate edition of a television series that is considered "one of the most innovative TV series ever filmed" and is fully restored on blu-ray. It contains all 17 episodes of the show on four blu-ray discs plus HOURS of bonus material that has never been available in North America before. Stars Patrick McGoohan, Angelo Muscat, Peter Swanwick, Leo McKern and Kenneth Griffin.

Sound and Vision says it features "startling visual upgrades, immersive sound, frank extras." Amazon customers had the following comments:

"The previous dvd's were muddy and the picture quality was severely lacking. The image on the Blu-ray release is crisp, clear and looks absolutely amazing. It looks like it could have been filmed yesterday." ~~ Brother Bush

"And now the show, always brilliant, can now be seen in this glorious new version. If you are a fan of THE PRISONER and have a Blu-ray player, you simply must get this. If you have never seen THE PRISONER, you also must get this, simply to experience one of the greatest series in the history of television." ~~ Robert Moore

"If you're reading this, you want Information: 'Is it worth buying a 1960s series show on Blu-ray?' In short, yes! Compared to the original A&E DVDs, the video quality is incredible. The Prisoner was originally shot on film, so the resulting Blu-ray image is sharp and the colors are vivid. The Blu-ray version is critical for any Prisoner fan who needs to...get an accurate count of the number of freckles on Patrick McGoohan's face; be able to tell when they used a body double for McGoohan (surprisingly often) for long shots; evaluate the condition of the radiator in Number 6's Lotus 7." ~~ SG

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Who does not know the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs? Considered one of Disney's masterpieces, this movie has been very well restored and, therefore, earns its place on this list. This blu-ray movie was created from a scan of the original 1937 negative. Sound & Vision sums it up nicely with, "the sound completely surrounds you in music and song. Meanwhile, the extras take you into the heart of Walt's studio."

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Slumdog Millionaire is a drama about the bleak life of an orphaned Indian boy who eventually wind up on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" His success on the show is unbelievable to the show producers and he explains how he came to know the answers to all of the questions out of the harsh events of his life (which we witness) allowing the possibility that his life contains "shape, perspective and soulfulness." Amazon says, "The film's violence is offset by a mesmerizing exotica shot and edited with a great whoosh of vitality."

Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, Slumdog Millionaire was a movie that I really wanted to see but it was one I started and could not finish. Amazon customer reviews of Slumdog Millionaire were suitably mixed:

"Epic. Touching. Horrifying.
Romantic. Uplifting."
~~ Mark J. Fowler

"This breakthrough film is
a true global masterpiece."
~~ Linda Linguvic

"A movie that was so depressing
we could not get to the
"uplifting part."
~~ B. Fleming

"Ultimately, it is a story of love, hope,
self redemption and perseverance
against odds."
~~ David S. Rush

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I have not seen Watchmen and it is a movie that does not appeal to me so I am unlikely to watch it. Be aware that Watchmen is NOT a children's superhero movie. In fact, is rated R and is considered extremely violent. However, I know that the Watchmen have legions of fans and that there are many of you who ARE interested in this movie, so I offer you the following editorial review.

"Set in an alternate universe circa 1985, the film's world is a highly unstable one where a nuclear war is imminent between America and Russia. Superheroes have long been made to hang up their tights thanks to the government-sponsored Keene Act, but that all changes with the death of The Comedian, a robust ex-hero commando whose mysterious free fall out a window perks the interest of one of the country's last remaining vigilantes, Rorschach. His investigation leads him to caution many of his other former costumed colleagues, including Dr. Manhattan, Night Owl, Ozymandias, Sally Jupiter, and her daughter, The Silk Spectre."

"Not your average comic."
~~ Mathilda Drizzle

"Just loved it."
~~ M. D. Fonseca

"I'm truly shocked at how much I liked this."
~~ Robert Moore

"Not Your Father's Superhero Movie."
~~ Indiana Jeff Reynolds

"What If There Were Super Heroes?"
~~ John Hunt

"What comic book movies ought to be!"
~~ Blinkn Kris

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Gone With The Wind was created from Margaret Mitchell's novel of the same name and is a classic movie set in the Civil War which stars Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara and Clark Gable as Rhett Butler.

A 1939 film that did an amazing job of bringing this story to life. The 70th Annversary Ultimate Collector's Edition has a stunning 14 hours of extras. Enthusiasts are going to love it!

AMAZON CUSTOMER REVIEWS:

"First off, the picture and sound quality is astonishing. Warner's Ultra-Resolution process, which 'locks' the three Technicolor strips into exact alignment, provides a clarity and 'crispness' to the images that even the 1939 original print couldn't achieve. You'll honestly believe your TV is picking up HD, whether you're HD-ready, or not! This carries over to the Dolby Digital-remastered sound, as well. All of the tell-tale hiss and scratchiness of the opening credit title music, still discernable in the last upgrade, is gone, replaced by a richness of tone that will give your home theater a good workout." ~~ Benjamin J Burgraff

"Gone With The Wind is NOT a documentary on the Civil War period. It is NOT a history of slavery in America. It is NOT a story of perfect people behaving perfectly at all times. It IS an adaptation of a novel written by a Southern woman who, as a child, sat and listened to the stories the old Confederate veterans told about the old days before, during, and after THE war. It IS a love story, probably about the novelist's grandmother, which reflects the attitudes left over from that long-ago time. To criticize this film for so many unrelated issues is silly. It stands on its merits as a masterful film that tells of bittersweet love and lost fantasy. That it succeeds so well is a tribute to the actors and filmmakers of over sixty years ago." ~~ A Customer

"Any collector of classic films owes it to himself to get this stunningly beautiful collector's set. The quality of everything enclosed will leave you stunned. You definitely get your money's worth with this set. Bravo to Warner for presenting this very important film in a way that exudes quality and class." ~~ Kevin Pepper

The experts at Sound and Vision had this to say, "The studio (Warner) pulls out all the stops again for another 70th Annversary Ultimate Collector's Edition. When you aren't being amazed by the remarkably fresh picture and sound, you can dig into the extras."

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