I started dipping my toe in the water when it came to home video coverage in 2009. On the one hand, I had no idea how much I was taking on, but on the other hand, I feel that I have a better appreciation for how the majority of people actually experience cinematic entertainment. Whether they rented or bought a disc, most people now watch this stuff on laptops, portable media players, or while sitting on couches. It's gratifying that I'm now in the final stretch of completing nearly a year's worth of productivity. I posted Blu Controversy & Fiascos (there is a "DVD" sibling to it in the offing) a few days ago as a lead-in.
I had an extra helping of work because I didn't really dig into home video coverage in earnest until the summer of last year. There are major titles I missed just as in every year there are always one or two notable new releases that a critic will miss. So that I don't leave out titles that received universal acclaim, I'm including a short listing of "Honorable Mentions" at the end of each category.
Speaking of, the categories themselves took a great deal of time and consideration. For example, I've separated the best HD transfers of the year into 10 separate classifications based on type and vintage of the source material. I've had many "am I being too thorough" moments of doubt, but I'm fine after reading far too many "2009 Best of DVD/Blu-ray" lists that avoid any elaboration beyond "my mom likes this" or "dude, this was the most ass-kickingest year ever for Blu-ray, it was epic". Properly broken down, there are easily 80 excellent and exemplary Blu-ray transfers from last year. I could justify expanding that number to 96 (that's 8 a month) had I not missed so many. These transfers and packages are how many will first (and sometimes only) experience many films, from classics to forgettable new releases. Attention must be paid.
So, starting later today, I'll be posting at least one Discs of the Year entry a day until I'm done. I'll be combining multiple subcategories into individual posts so that there aren't a million buggers to go through. Here's a breakdown of the categories I'm covering (subject to change/re-configuration):
Best Blu-ray Transfers
Black & White (any era)
Vintage (Pre-1960) Color
Vintage (1960-1980) Color
Catalog (1980-1990) Color
Recent Catalog (1990-present) Color
2D Animation
3D/CG Animation
New Release (Movies)
Catalog TV
New Release (TV)
Best DVD Transfers
Black & White
Color
New Release (not counting titles also on Blu)
Animation
TV
Best Overall Value (Blu-ray & DVD)
Catalog
New Release
TV
Best of UK TV
Unsung Distributors
Excavated Archives
Eclipse (Non-Twilight)
On Disc At Last in 2009
2009's Under the Radar Discs
No English
Documentaries
Genrelicious
As Not Seen in Theaters
Swag Gone Wild
Industry Trends for the Better
Back later.
Discs of the Year is a look back at the year in disc releases and trends, from the best to the worst.