Without further ado, here’s our 2009 Holiday Buying Guide for DVDs and Blu-Rays:

Romantic Comedies

1. (500) Days of Summer – comes to DVD/Blu-Ray on December 22, 2009
   There is no better romantic comedy this year than (500) Days of Summer. OK, so it’s a relationship comedy, not a romantic comedy per se, but this is one of the most unique, refreshing, feel-good, believable and enjoyable films of 2009. Skip past the fluff and buy this one for your girlfriend or wife. Guys will love it, too. The movie stars Jospeh Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel as two young people who meet and carry on a relationship. Unlike most romantic comedies, however, the movie looks at the rise and fall of their relationship, bucking convention at every turn. It’s funny and heartwarming, even if not everything that happens in it is happy.
2. Away We Go
   Talking about romantic comedies that don’t adhere to standard formulas, Sam Mendes, the director behind such great films as American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Jarhead and Revolutionary Road, went for a change of pace here and delivered an indie comedy about a married couple (played by John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph) who are simply seeking a better home for their expected baby. They travel from city to city and encounter lots of odd people, leading to the conclusion that all they need is each other. Away We Go leaves a smile on your face and offers plenty of hilarious moments (Maggie Gyllenhaal steals the spotlight at one point as a New Age mother).
3. The Proposal
   If you must go the more traditional route, there’s The Proposal. This Sandra Bullock/Ryan Reynolds vehicle is about a bitchy boss who, facing deportation, convinces her depressed assistant to marry her so she can stay in the country. The Proposal follows the typical formula where the two leads hate each other, warm to each other and then fight with each other, leading to a romantic chase at the end to get the other back. It’s all very predictable, but there are still enough funny moments to make it worth it.

Action Movies

1. Star Trek
   One of the biggest movies of the year, this J.J. Abrams film is a fresh reboot of the Star Trek franchise. Even if you aren’t a traditional fan of the movies or show, there’s more than enough here to enjoy, including legitimate special effects (something missing in past movies), mainstream humor and lots of action. The movie is exciting, funny and fast-paced, and is a movie that shouldn’t be left unwrapped come Christmas/Hanukkah.
2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
   The latest Harry Potter movie isn’t really an action movie – in fact, very little action actually occurs in the picture – but I didn’t know where else to put it. It’s funny, but it isn’t really a comedy. It’s serious, but to call it a drama isn’t fair either. And now that it’s rated PG-13 and features all kinds of evil things, it isn’t quite safe to call it a family film. What I can call it is one of the most enjoyable movies of 2009 and one that everyone should own. This is the beginning of the end for the franchise, but director David Yates looks like he’s taking it out in high fashion. The movie is compelling and thoroughly interesting, and well worth repeat viewings.
3. Taken
   This January darling went on to make over $150 million, despite being a watered down Bourne rip-off. In the film, Liam Neeson plays a father, who is also an ex-covert agent, who learns that his daughter has been kidnapped in Paris. Bad move by the kidnappers. Neeson goes on a rampage to find his daughter and bring her home, leaving piles of dead bodies in his wake. The film is exceedingly simple and straightforward, but incredibly exciting, action-packed and entertaining.
4. Valkyrie
   Lots of people laughed off this Nazi thriller that stars Tom Cruise as an eye-patched Nazi commander who sets out to assassinate Hitler as a cheesy action film, but in reality, Valkyrie is a surprisingly effective, entertaining and gripping tale based on a true story. If you can get past the menagerie of accents used in the picture (frankly, I’d rather hear Tom Cruise with an American accent than have him attempt a German one), Valkyrie is well worth it.
5. Fast and Furious
   Any of my readers know that I am not a fan of this lame, cheesy franchise, but the latest Fast and Furious movie (confusingly titled just Fast and Furious), which reunites the original cast (Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster), is surprisingly entertaining. There’s more action, more cars and a better screenplay, all of which combine for a good time. It’s not as good as the other movies on this list, but some people prefer the simpler action movies.

For the family

1. Up
   This is the easiest pick on this list. Easily the best animated film of the year – and also one of the best movies of the year overall – Disney-Pixar’s Up is something both children and adults will enjoy. Whereas the last couple Pixar movies have skewed toward older audiences just a little, Up offers the deep character development that makes movies interesting for adults while presenting the story through a goofy, exciting and funny premise: a house that floats with the help of balloons. The movie is funny, heartwarming and entertaining from beginning to end. This is absolutely one to own.
2. Bolt
   This animated Disney film came out way back in November 2008, but it should not be overlooked this holiday season as one to own. While not as deep as Up by any stretch of the imagination, Bolt is an entertaining, fast-paced and exciting adventure about a Hollywood dog who thinks he’s a superhero but really isn’t. When he’s separated from his owner, he sets out to reunite with her. Bolt offers some surprisingly good action sequences, and all around is a funny, enjoyable picture.
3. Marley & Me
   Another December 2008 release, Marley & Me was one of the big hits last Christmas. If you saw it in theaters with the family, this year you can buy it for them on DVD or Blu-Ray. In the movie, Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston star as a married couple who get a dog. The movie chronicles the dog’s life from puppyhood onwards and the impact he has on his family, for better or for worse. The movie is funny, entertaining and surprisingly emotional.
4. Paul Blart Mall Cop
   Critics hated this movie but audiences loved it, as it earned a surprising $150 million in theaters. Kevin James stars as a fat loser of a security guard who has a crush on one of the women working in his mall, and he must save her when robbers take over. There’s nothing particularly intelligent about the movie, but it’s mildly funny and honestly entertaining throughout. This was one of my guilty pleasures of 2009.
5. Bedtime Stories
   A December 2008 release, Bedtime Stories stars Adam Sandler as a man who learns that his niece and nephew can bring their imagination to life. Sure, a movie starring Adam Sandler doesn’t sound like a good pick for the family, but the movie, released by Disney, offers a still-funny Sandler but without the PG-13 jokes. Kids will love the stuff that happens and parents will appreciate the sarcasm scattered throughout.

Dramas

1. Inglourious Basterds – coming to DVD/Blu-Ray on December 15, 2009
   When I first saw Quentin Tarantino’s latest film – about a group of American Jews (led by Brad Pitt) who travel through Europe torturing Nazis during WWII – I was a bit underwhelmed. But within days, I began to realize that Tarantino had done it once again – and now I can’t wait for this picture to come to DVD/Blu-Ray. The film’s dialogue is incredible and the scenes utterly suspenseful, though little action actually occurs. Of course, as with all of Tarantino’s movies, Inglourious Basterds is not for everyone, but it’ll make a worthy addition to someone’s collection.
2. Gran Torino
   If this is Clint Eastwood’s last movie where he’s in front of the camera, he really goes out in style. Though not action-packed, the drama-comedy has tons of laughs and just as much heart, but still paints Eastwood as a complete badass you wouldn’t want to mess with. This hit film is a must-own.
3. Slumdog Millionaire
   Heard of it? Yeah, I didn’t think so. The Oscar-winner has been on DVD for quite some while, but when was the last time you saw it? Last December? Slumdog Millionaire is one of those feel-good movies that will fit right into anyone’s movie collection.
4. Milk
   Speaking of dramas, I actually found Milk more compelling than Slumdog Millionaire. Given that gay marriage continues to be shot down, despite the fact that the American constitution is meant to protect minorities, Milk is just as relevant as ever, and features stunning performances from Sean Penn, James Franco and otherss.

Horror movies

1. Let the Right One In
   Yes, it’s a foreign film, but it’s a really, really good foreign film. It’s not scary, per se, but the director creates a sense of constant foreboding that never goes away. In the picture, a young boy befriends a girl who has just moved into his apartment complex – however, the girl is actually a vampire. She, thankfully, appreciates the companionship and decides to protect him from bullies and the like. This vampire movie makes Twilight look like nothing.
2. Drag Me to Hell
   This horror-comedy, directed by Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead trilogy, Spider-Man trilogy), stars Alison Lohman as a bank employee who finds herself cursed by a gypsie woman. She begins to see and hear things, and soon discovers that she’s going to be dragged to Hell in a matter of days by a very unpleasant demon. Not everyone liked this movie, but it’s a blast – just don’t take it too seriously. It’s gross, funny and at times scary, but most importantly it’s a lot fun.
3. Friday the 13th
   I am not a fan of the Friday the 13th movies. They’ve all been so Goddamned awful. But, the latest film in the franchise, a reboot from the same guy who rebooted The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, is actually pretty good. It embraces the cheesiness of the other movies while still delivering an exciting and gory slasher flick full of blood, brains and boobs.

Suspense

1. Tell No One
   This French film was one of the best movies of 2008. In Tell No One, a husband and wife go to their private lake. The woman, out of sight, screams, and before he can get to her, the husband is knocked unconscious. Several years later, the husband is still haunted by the death of his wife and the fact that he’s accused of killing her. When a new body is discovered nearby, the police begin to investigate him once again – while he begins to suspect that his wife is still alive.
   The elaborate thriller is smart, well-acted and incredibly exciting. Sure, it has subtitles, but you won’t notice after a few minutes as this is one of the most engaging movies you’ll see all year. Absolutely recommended.
2. State of Play
   This surprisingly excellent political thriller is a remake of a popular BBC mini-series, but State of Play, starring Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Robin Wright, Helen Mirren and Rachel McAdams, holds its own. In the movie, a politician’s assistant is murdered and two journalists uncover a massive conspiracy that has deadly ramifications. The movie blends comedy, commentary and suspense incredibly well, and is easily one of the best movies of 2009.
3. The Shield: The Complete Series
   It’s not a movie, but The Shield is one of the best cop shows ever made – I will definitely be getting this one this Christmas, even if I have to buy it myself. You have to watch the show from beginning to end to get the full experience, but the final season is one of the most elaborate, entertaining and exciting seasons of any television series.
4. Knowing
   A lot of people made fun of Knowing without ever seeing it, but the movie, from the director of Dark City (one of my favorites), is surprisingly really good. It’s not without its flaws, and Nicolas Cage doesn’t do his finest, but the story is a lot more complicated than what was shown in the trailers.

Comedies

1. The Hangover
   The surprise hit of the summer made over $250 million despite featuring no major stars. Why? Because it’s pretty damn funny. While I fear the repeat value may be limited (the movie was so entertaining because you didn’t know what would happen next), it’s still a well made comedy that deserves to be in any guy’s DVD collection.
2. I Love You, Man
   Jason Segal. Paul Rudd. Need I say more? In the ultimate bromance, Rudd stars as an engaged man who realizes he doesn’t have any close guy friends. So, he starts going on “man dates,” but when he meets Segal, things go overboard (i.e. he starts spending so much time with Segal that he forgets to hang with his hot fiancee) . I Love You, Man isn’t nearly as funny as similar comedies from past years, but there are still plenty of laughs to go around.

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View this Red Cliff movie review at its original location – FilmJabber!

Brad Pitt and Ed Norton return to the small screen in a 10th Anniversary Edition of the cult classic Fight Club, which is directed by David Fincher. This is the first time the infamous film has been released on Blu-Ray. While I’m not as huge of an advocate of the movie or its ending as many fans, Fight Club is still a movie that should be in a guy’s collection – and what better time to add it than the holidays?

However, if you already own the DVD version, there’s not much in the way of new bonus features to tempt you into buying another bar of soap. The only new feature of note is a Flogging Fight Club featurette, which has Fight Club being inducted into the “Guy Film Hall of Fame” by none other than Mel Gibson wielding a giant sword and kilt. The featurette watches as Norton, Pitt and Fincher prepare their acceptance speech and poke fun at the critics who called their movie “vile.” It’s mildly funny.

Unfortunately, the other two bonus features are both interactive ones, and I really have no interest in interactive Blu-Ray (or DVD) bonus features. A Hit in the Ear is a sound mixing tool where you get to add and remove sounds from scenes; the introduction by Ren Klyce is well worth it, as he explains how they came up with the punching sound effects (they tried punching chickens, but that wasn’t quite right), but the actual tool lost me after about 30 seconds. I just can’t imagine that many people sit at home playing with these little Blu-Ray widgets.

Another bonus feature called Insomniac Mode: I am Jack’s Search Index, which is a feature that overlays the movie. Thrilling.

Though the exclusive Blu-Ray features have more bark than bite, those who don’t already own the DVD version won’t be too disappointed. Also included on the disc are deleted and alternate scenes, trailers, a music video, behind-the-scenes vignettes and, rather impressively, four feature-length audio commentaries by various members of the cast and crew.

So, it’s only fitting that Buena Vista is looking to cash in on the scam that is Blu-Ray by releasing a Kevin Smith: 3-Movie Collection on November 17, 2009. The collection contains Clerks, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and one of my all-time favorites, Chasing Amy.

The collection includes some great bonus features, notably a couple of hour-long-plus documentaries that explore the creation of Smith’s films with amazing detail and honesty.

The Clerks disc provides a bunch of features that are primarily reused from past releases, save for an intro by Kevin Smith where he talks about how he wanted to provide something new for the Blu-Ray to make it worth it purchasing yet again. The disc includes a couple versions of the film, an animated “lost” scene which I’d seen before, a short film with the Clerks stars and a few behind-the-scenes documentaries.

Mae Day: The Crumbling of a Documentary provides a lot of insights and interviews with various stars, but the documentary is about Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, not Clerks. Why it’s on this disc is a little confusing, especially since the Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back Blu-Ray has absolutely no special features beyond an audio commentary.

The Chasing Amy Blu-Ray disc is where the real jewels reside, however. Smith’s magnum opus – his funniest, edgiest and most sincere, not to mention his most critically acclaimed, picture – has an audio commentary, deleted scenes and outtakes, but it’s the Tracing Amy: The Chasing Amy Doc that really inspires. Smith is always very honest when talking about his movies (and quite funny), and this hour-and-a-half documentary explores all aspects of the film. Smith talks about how he had nothing to lose (Mallrats, also a personal favorite, was a critical and financial failure and thus had been written off by most of Hollywood) and how he managed to scrap together a ridiculously cheap budget ($250,000, when they had previously determined they needed $3 million). The documentary includes interviews with every major player, including Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, Jason Lee and others. It is absolutely excellent.

Other bonus features include a one-on-one conversation between Smith and Adams, where they remark on their romantic relationship and how that influenced the film, and a cast Q&A session. Both featurettes are interesting and provide honest information about the film; there’s no promotional crap to be found.

If you don’t own these Kevin Smith movies, now may be the perfect chance to get your hands on three of his classics. The bonus features are just as entertaining as the movies in many cases, but you can’t go wrong with any collection that includes Chasing Amy.

Bruno is, by far, one of the worst movies I’ve seen in a long while. My friend and I almost walked out of the theater multiple times while watching this disaster, but didn’t because we were just hoping – hoping – for something funny.

The latter half of the movie is better, but not a single scene in the entire movie matches even the worst scene in Borat, a movie I found incredibly funny at the time. Yes, I’m not a Sacha Baron Cohen hater or a Republican or some conservative fundamentalist who hates gays… I just hate Bruno.

So, naturally, I volunteered to review the Bruno Blu-Ray, coming to stores this Tuesday, November 17, 2009.

Thankfully, the Bruno Blu-Ray is pretty spartan. Sure, there is video commentary of Sacha Boren Cohen and director Larry Charles (Borat, Religulous) and some BD-Live features (why would I pay for temporary online special features again?), but the big chunk of special features are devoted to deleted and extended scenes. If you liked Bruno, then you’ll be happy to hear that there are over 40 minutes of deleted scenes; if you didn’t, you won’t get through a couple of minutes of them before realizing it’s just more of the same.

However, I’ll admit that seeing Pete Rose get pissed off about the naked Mexican serving “tray” – and Latoya Jackson giggling awkwardly as Bruno attempts to get Michael Jackson’s phone number from her, as she eats food off the naked Mexican serving “tray” – was pretty amusing, but that’s about it.

There is also a short interview with talent agent Lloyd Robinson, where he discusses how he was fooled into believing that Bruno was a real person. The guy seems like a character in his own right.

If you want more of Bruno, the loads of deleted scenes should satisfy, but overall, the offerings available on the Blu-Ray are pretty weak. Of course, if you’re smart, you’ll stay as far away from Bruno as humanly possible.

Read my Bruno movie review.

Say Anything marks the directorial debut of Cameron Crowe and stars John Cusack as a young man named Lloyd Dobler, who’s one mission in life is to date Diane Court (Ione Skye). The movie looks at the rise and fall of their relationship in a very sincere way, which sets it apart from a lot of the teen comedies that were to follow.

I didn’t grow up with Say Anything (I first saw it just a couple years ago), and so I’m not a Say Anything fan, but it’s still a solid and engaging film with great performances and direction. Thanks to Crowe’s ability to explore his characters with amazing depth, the movie, even after 20 years, doesn’t feel very dated – and that’s always a good thing when dealing with the 1980’s.

The Say Anything Blu-Ray comes with the following bonus features:

• Commentary by Cameron Crowe, John Cusack and Ione Skye
  I haven’t listened to it, but I wonder if Cusack and Crowe spend time pointing out how much more successful their careers have been than Skye’s.
• An Iconic Film Revisited: Say Anything … 20 Years Later
  This little featurette includes interviews with all the major players involved in the film as they look back on Say Anything and what made it so special. The featurette feels slightly promotional in nature, but a few good insights are provided, especially around the working style of Cusack and the creation of the infamous boombox scene. Still, it’s nothing amazing.
• A Conversation with Cameron Crowe
  This featurette simply has Crowe talking to the camera about his experiences on set. The conversation feels very sincere and honest, as he talks about the challenges of his directorial debut and various aspects of the movie. This is the best feature on the disc.
• I Love Say Anything…!
  This seven-minute featurette is one of those segments you see on E! Channel where a bunch of comedians or C-level celebrities talk about their memories of a movie or person. In this case, they’re talking about Say Anything – mainly good things with a few minor jokes. There’s nothing particularly funny, though.
• To Know Say Anything… Is to Love It! Trivia Track
  You can add a trivia track to run while watching the movie. I’d rather just watch the movie, but if this is your kind of thing…
• Alternate Scenes, Deleted Scenes, Extended Scenes
  There’s a surprisingly large amount of footage to be seen here, some of which is pretty good.
• Theatrical Trailers, TV Spots and Photo Galleries
  This is self-explanatory.

Most of the special features save for the “20 Years Later” featurette appear to have been released on DVD before, so there’s not much to the Say Anything: 20th Anniversary Edition Blu-Ray. That being said, it’s fun to revisit the movie – especially if you don’t already own it.

But does anyone think that 2012 is going to be Roland Emmerich’s best movie? I doubt it. After all, the movie features planes navigating falling skyscrapers (why don’t you fly above the city?), cars bouncing out of crashing 747’s onto ice sheets and, of course, impossibly large tidal waves. It’s going to be ridiculous. It could be fun, but it’s going to be ridiculous.

So, in lieu of 2012’s Best Picture nomination (ten films are being nominated this year, and there haven’t been that many good movies, people), I thought it was about time to look back at Roland Emmerich’s best and worst movies – in other words, his entire career (ignoring his 1980’s films which most people have, just like me, thankfully not seen). Here we go – the best and worst Roland Emmerich movies, not counting the movies no one’s seen:

The Good

1. Independence Day
   It’s hard not to like ID4. I mean, you’ve got aliens, you’ve got Will Smith and you have some of the most amazing city-flattening sequences in the history of cinema. To boot, the story’s not half bad, the screenplay more than good enough for this kind of movie. Sure, it has its overly goofy parts (Jeff Goldblum, cable repair guy, is able to program a virus in a matter of hours that wipes out the defenses of a far superior race), but Independence Day is loads of fun. While the special effects are just slightly starting to look dated, they still hold their own – and there’s something breathtaking about those shots of LA, New York and Washington, D.C. getting wiped off the face of the planet (bad combo of words: I’m now on the FBI’s watch list). Despite the utter death and destruction, the movie is ultimately one hell of a feel-good movie – and that’s why it’s my favorite, and the best, Roland Emmerich movie.
2. Stargate
   Coming in at a close second – and I was almost tempted to list this one above Independence Day – is the James Spader/Kurt Russell sci-fi action film Stargate. I never got into the subsequent TV shows, but the movie has a great, unique premise, one that combines modern military might with ancient Egyptian Gods – who have superior firepower. There’s just something about this picture that works, from the performances to the story to the exciting, “whatta’re you gonna do now, Ra-bitch!” ending.

The Mediocre

3. The Day After Tomorrow
   Some people love this movies, others hate it. I’m in the middle. It has some great visual effects and a chilling (bad pun alert!) story. It’s one of Jake Gyllenhaal’s first big movies, and it also has Emmy Rossum in it, whom I have a huge crush on. There are some really cool destruction sequences in the film as well, and the shots of a frozen New York are pretty impressive. This is the movie that The Happening should have been. That being said, it lacks the punch of Emmerich’s other, better movies; it isn’t as exciting, and the weather just is never that interesting of a villain.
4. The Patriot
   It’s been a while since I’ve seen this one, but that’s because The Patriot, which starred Mel Gibson and the late Heath Ledger, never really did it for me. It’s a decent enough movie, full of [rare] Revolutionary War battles and, of course, two of the more entertaining actors of our time. The problem is that war movies need to be of a certain caliber, and Roland Emmerich just doesn’t quite have the knack for injecting the necessary emotion to succeed in the genre. It’s not nearly as painful as John Woo’s Windtalkers, but the fact that I’m comparing them isn’t a good sign. The Patriot is fine, but is it Glory? No. Not at all.
5. Universal Soldier
   Emmerich’s first big movie, this action thriller starred Jean Claude Van-Damme (JCVD!) as a genetically engineered soldier who goes AWOL. The movie’s pretty mindless, but it still holds up pretty well given it’s silly story and lead actor. For people who scratch their heads and wonder how Van-Damme was ever a leading man, Universal Soldier is the perfect example of one of those late 80’s, early 90’s action movies that were ridiculous and over-the-top, but worked nonetheless for whatever reason.

The Bad (and the Ugly)

6. 10,000 B.C.
   I actually didn’t hate 10,000 B.C., but I know I should. This movie, which, like Year One, blends Egyptian lore with cavemen antics (and woolly mammoths and sabre-toothed tigers!), has enough action and adventure to satisfy people looking for… well, action and adventure. But its lack of compelling characters and the fact that it feels a lot like Stargate only without the really cool elements hurts it tremendously. Others, who hated it more, will just say that 10,000 B.C. is incredibly stupid.
7. Godzilla
   Now, for a film truly hated around the globe, we present Godzilla. Yes, remember that big-budget action-destruction film set in New York that starred an obvious choice in Matthew Broderick? Roland Emmerich made that one, and boy did it suck. Sure, it had some decent destruction scenes, but I remember thinking two things: 1) why is Matthew Broderick in this? and 2) why do I feel bad for Godzilla? I blame Emmerich. Damn you, Emmerich, damn you! Why did you make me feel sympathetic toward Godzilla (or: Gojilla)! Damn you! The movie trailers were awesome, but that is where the good stuff ended.

Wow. Roland Emmerich really hasn’t done that many movies. Then again, I’d be exhausted destroying the world that many times (and yes, I realize now that I’ve written this that he’s only focused on death and destruction three times in his career).

What do you think? What are your favorite Roland Emmerich movies?

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