The LiE 900th Post Obligatory DVD Spectacular!

And here we are. One and a half years later and 900 posts have now gone by. There have been the good, the bad, the great, and the downright shameful; and somewhere in between my skill still lies. Ever the room for improvement, and ever the hope to continue doing so. Yet, I would not have gotten to 900 posts without the support of many of the wonderful people who take the time to bother reading my obscure ramblings. And so, for them, this post is dedicated. And seeing as my 1000th post will be a decisively self-serving affair, I thought it apropos to put those individuals at the forefront of this outing. So, from strokes at a keyboard to bits in a series of wire traveling around the globe, I give you the DVDs Everyone Should See.

THE SELECTIONS:

Alex J Cavanaugh: Serenity - One of the all time great science fiction films. Brilliant writing and a great cast made for a fantastic sendoff of the under appreciated show, Firefly. A hundred viewings, and I still want more!

Andy Buckle's Film Emporium: The DVD I have chosen is Apocalypse Now Redux. I watch films to be swept away on a journey and to live an experience. I have seen few better cinematic experiences than Francis Ford Coppola's Vietnam epic, nor any journeys to match Willard's harrowing mission into the heart of Darkness. Every sequence is memorable.

Anomalous Material: My DVD would be Cinderella Man, a rags-to-riches story of a decent, upstanding man fighting to maintain his family during the Depression and becoming the heavyweight champion of the world.

Blog Cabins: For sheer enthusiasm, exuberance, energy, effervescence, ego, and probably many other words that begin with "E," it must be Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Dark of the Matinee: My one dvd that I think everybody should watch in their lifetime is MEMENTO. Not only is it one of the best movies of this new century, but the special edition dvd has a feature that allows for the scenes to be watched in chronological order, giving the viewer a real appreciation of what Nolan's "reverse-narrative" does for the overall effect of the film.

Defiant Success: One DVD that every movie lover should watch in their lifetime is one of my all-time favorite comedies: Some Like It Hot. I mean, really. You can't go wrong with a comedy that's over fifty years old and is still funny as hell.

Encore's World of Film and TV: Gosford Park easily stands out as a film that every movie lover should see because, at its core, it’s a film indicative of the moving pictures at its basest form. Forever interested in the most primal human emotions Fellow’s script and Altman’s constantly moving camera take a premise that’s probably on the wrong side of cliché and turns it into a showcase for idiosyncrasies of its characters with excellent performances to boot.

Film Forager: One of my go-to movie recommendations is DROP DEAD GORGEOUS, because it serves as a hilarious reminder that Kirsten Dunst can be likable, Amy Adams used to be blonde, Denise Richards loves Jesus, Minnesota is an important state, beauty pageants suck, and most importantly, ladies can be funny too! Seriously, this movie is great in every way.

Film Intel: I'll nominate The Usual Suspects. The fantastic special edition can be purchased for under £5 and there's still very few films that finish with such a satisfying flourish. Equal parts fantastic fun and essential cinema.

Frankly My Dear Podcast: Everyone should see Badlands, directed by Terrence Malick. This is Malick's first film and, I think, his best. He has only released 4 (soon to release the 5th, Tree of Life) films and yet he's such a huge force and influence in the world of film. Sophia Coppola, David Gordon Green, Jeff Nichols - all are heavily influenced by Malick. Badlands is a Bonny and Clyde type gangsters-on-the-run film that's slow moving and thoughtful and yet violent and shocking at the same time. Plus, Sissy Spacek is awesome in it.

gmanReviews: Yup I don't know what the rest of you blogging highnesses decided to go with but I have to pick one of the greatest TV shows ever to be made, and that is Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes breakthrough BBC sitcom: SPACED. A couple of years ago the TV show was finally released to the Western world in a fantastic box set that is jam packed with features and two different full-length commentaries that honestly I can't stop listening to. Of all of my DVD collection - all 191 (and counting) of them - this is the one that I think that if there was a raging fire consuming every and anything I would grab first and make sure to secure.

Go See Talk: The Killing Room - it's an Arronofsky-esqe take on 12 Angry Men (or any other brilliant one setting film). A taught pressure cooker of a film that's a helluva mind screw which reaffirms the adage "you can't trust anyone but yourself". If the white knuckle ride doesn't grab you during, the ending will knock you right out of your seat.

Insight into Entertainment: Casablanca- To get a sense of what all romances aspire to be, you must watch Casablanca. The movie holds up after so many years, and provides the touchstone of all that came before so we don't lose sight of the best out there.

Movie Reviews by Tom Clift: My selection for the one DVD I think every movie lover should own - The 3 Disk UK Special Edition Release of MEMENTO. The sophomore effort from Christopher Nolan, this neo-noir non-linear psychological thriller remains the director’s best and most ingenious film. The three disk UK special edition contains a plethora of excellent bonus features including a hidden option to watch the film in chronological order, something that sheds an entirely new light on the motivations on all of the films devious characters. A must own for Nolan fans (or at least those with region free DVD players).

Silver Emulsion: The 36th Chamber of Shaolin - Hands down one of the greats of the martial arts genre, this is the Shaw Brothers film to see if you're only going to see one. Filled with incredible training sequences, it is truly one not to be missed and it'll probably inspire a furious desire to see more martial arts films!

Sugary Cynicism: The Rock - Meet the 90's encapsulated into one ridiculous film. Nic Cage with his real hair? Check. Sean Connery vs Ed Harris? Check. A car chase between a Hummer, a Ferrari, AND a trolley on the streets of San Francisco? Check. A no-holds barred explode-a-thon on scenic Alcatraz island? Checkaroonie. Nic Cage before he got pathetic, Sean Connery before he got too old for this...er, stuff and Michael Bay before he started making movies with racist talking robots in them.

The List: Road House. For 3 reasons -
1. America has forgotten one of the greatest fashion combinations ever: the Mullet with pleated Dockers.
2. An hour and a half with Dalton and the Double Duece will teach you more about being a man than your Daddy could teach you in a lifetime.
3. It features the line "Pain don't hurt." Which I think we can all agree might be the single most genius line of dialogue ever written.

*drumroll* and with a special guest suggestion.....

The Uni Mamma (bless her - she puts up with so much): Harvey - Because it reminds us not to take life too seriously.

"Well, I've wrestled with reality for 35 years, Doctor, and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it"

Major thanks to everyone who took the time to send in a submission! If you were not one of them, no worries - the comments are always yours. Have a wonderful Tuesday everybody.