Recommend the best DVDs

[Matt Young 0]

Early this year I acquired a DVD player. The only DVDs I own for it are The Ultimate Ric Flair Collection, Spider-Man, and Austin Powers: Goldmember. I never got any new DVDs because in March I moved out of my parents' house in California and back to Illinois and never got most of my stuff. Now that I have my player back and some extra cash on hand, I plan on taking advantage of deepdiscountdvd.com's 20% off/free shipping deal. However, I have no idea what to get.

 

I like all sorts of movies, but action and comedy are my favorites. I like stuff from all genres, though. I know I'll miss a lot since DDDVD's selection is so massive and my computer is so slow, but here's what I'm considering thus far:

 

Lord of the Rings trilogy

Die Hard Trilogy

The Shining

X-Men and X-2

Eddie Guerrero's DVD

Chris Benoit's DVD

Mick Foley's DVD

Clerks X and the other Kevin Smith movies

Chappelle's Show Season 1

The Critic

Family Guy seasons 1-3

Various music DVDs

 

Obviously, there is a lot that I'm missing. I know there are many more that I want, but I can't remember them all now.

 

I'm asking all of you for help. I ask that you please help me out here by listing 5 (or more) of your favorite DVDs. This could function both as an aide to my needs as well as just a listing of each poster's favorites.

 

I would truly appreciate any help you can give me.

[Guest Reservoir_Kitty]

Always happy to blab about my favorite movies/shows!

 

 

 

Kill Bill Vols 1 & 2

Fight Club

Pulp Fiction

Reservoir Dogs

Snatch

Dusk till Dawn

Desperado

Seven

Invader ZIM 1-3

The Transporter

Boondock Saints

Suicide Kings

 

I could go on forever, so I'll let someone else take over

[Downhome 0]

I must first ask this question:

 

Are you region-free?

 

If you didn't buy a region-free player, you still might be. Let me know what type of player you have, and I'll (or you can if you want) look up your DVD player and let you know if there is a remote hack for it, which would then allow you to play DVDs from all over the world. I have a few I'd love to reccomend to you if you can end up playing this sort of DVDs.

 

Ok, with that said, here are some of the best DVDs out there right now as far as I'm concerned. These are just the ones that really jump out at me, as DVDs that I feel anyone serious about buying DVDs should own. Here is a link to my collection if you are interested.

 

http://www.dvdaficionado.com/dvds.html?cat=1&id=brentlumkin

 

Arrested Development - Season 1 (If you love comedy, this is an absolute MUST OWN. In my opinion, it's one of the top three best shows ever on TV, if not #1 already.)

 

Black Hawk Down - 3-Disc Deluxe Edition (This is a must own also. You have two documentaries which are about an hour and a half each, making ofs, commentaries, and on and on. This is one of my top five favorite sets for a single film.)

 

Fight Club - Special Edition

 

Hellboy - Director's Cut (Even if you don't love the film, this is still one hell of a set. The making of documentary runs longer than the film itself.)

 

Monty Python's Flying Circus - The Complete Collection (Do you like to laugh? Yeah? Then buy this set.)

 

Monty Python's Life of Brian - The Criterion Collection (See above. Not only is this a fantastic film, the DVD has a good bit of informative bits on it.)

 

Panic Room - Special Edition (It's a pretty cool film, so it's worthy of owning just because of that. The real idea here though is the special features. I can't remember the last DVD that went as in depth about the filmmaking process as this one does. Spread over three discs, you'll see/hear/read about the pre-production, production, as well as post-production.)

 

Pearl Harbor - The Director's Cut - Vista Series (Yes, I know you are thinking I'm insane for listing this one. Yes the movie sucks nuts every which way. Still though, this DVD set is just awesome. If you have any interest in the filmmaking process, this is a nice one to have on your shelf. If the filmmaking process doesn't interest you, then you would enjoy it just for the documentaries included which go over the real event, especially Unsung Heroes of Pearl Harbor.)

 

Se7en - New Line Platinum Series

 

If you love comedy, all of the Simpsons sets should be yours, as well as the two Family Guy sets.

[Zack Malibu 0]

From Justin To Kelly. It's under $10 everywhere. Get it now.

[Guest Sturgis]

Will someone please tell me the appeal of buying a crappy movie just for the EXTRAS?

[The Mandarin 0]

As was previously mentioned, get The Shining and the Black Hawk Down 3-Disc Special Edition. Both were two of my favourite movies. The Shining doesn't have too many extras, though (although the "Making Of" is okay).

 

My other three recommendations-

 

Comedy

Blast from the Past

Family Guy Volume 2

Robin Williams: Live.

 

or

 

Drama

Heat

Goodfellas

Fight Club

[Si82 0]

Ok, here's a few recommendations that were picked for overall packages:

 

Monty Python And The Holy Grail: Special Edition

Narc

The Shawshank Redemption: Special Edition

This Is Spinal Tap: Special Edition

The Usual Suspects: Special Editon

[razazteca 0]

Anime:

 

Akira

Ninja Scroll

Ghost in the Shell

Macross Plus

Wicked City

Lupin III

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Get movies you like...

[Guest Retro Rob]

Yeah, if you haven't seen too many movies yet, use an online rental service. At least that way your not buying shit you might end up hating.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

It's all about personal taste, my brother. Even if you let us know specifically which genres you're interested in, tastes will vary. I love to laugh and like to think I have a great sense of humor, but I'll probably never own or even rent a Monty Python DVD. Why? Because I don't think it's funny.

 

Judging from what you've got and what's on tap for you, I'd imagine you're more of a mainstream guy, so I probably can't help you a whole lot, since I tend to think most stuff that comes out from Hollywood is junk. Regardless, here are some additions I think virtually anyone should make:

 

Television

 

- Aqua Teen Hunger Force Vol. 1-3: This will most likely take anyone an episode or two to really begin to get what it's all about. It'll come off as pointless the first time or two, but by the end of the first disc, you'll be a lifelong fan. I haven't found anyone who's actually hated the show.

 

- Batman: TAS: Now, IIRC, you're a video game guy, so comics should go hand-in-hand. This is the best animated comic-based show ever. Period. This first volume is absolutely packed with classic episodes. It may seem a bit overwhelming at first, but you'll breeze through this set so quickly, January and the second volume won't come soon enough.

 

- Sanford & Son Season 1-2: The show's a bit dated at times, but the first two seasons are great viewing. Pay some tribute to history here, as this was more or less the first Black TV series out there. After a while, the stories start to resemble one another too much, but it's fresh all the way through the first two seasons. Subsequent seasons are okay, but the first two are essential.

 

- The Simpsons Season 1-4: I don't wanna hear any crap about Family Guy. I love that series, too, but most overlook that the Simpsons was solid or better for at least a decade before they went into cruise control. The first two seasons will appeal to purists and a small handful only, but everything after that should be fair game for comedy fans. There's no way you can have a good sense of humor and an appreciation for pop and higher culture and not at least appreciate what this show brings to the table.

 

Comedy

 

Now you says ya likes to laugh. I think you need some stand-up in there then. Tastes will vary, of course, but here are a couple of stand-up DVDs that are universally approved:

 

- Kevin James - Sweat the Small Stuff: One of my favorite stand-up specials ever and it remains one of the more fresh specials, since it avoids dated material. Everyone I've shown it to has loved it.

 

- Dave Chappelle - Killin' Them Softly: I'm surprisingly not a huge fan of his show, but I've been a supporter of Dave since he broke onto the scene during the mid-90s. This is a true classic, with some bits and pieces that still crack me up even though I've seen it at least 50 times since it debuted back in 2000.

 

Now, comedy in terms of film is a slippery slope. This is one of the trickier genres, simply because the idea of what's funny can be vastly different between people. Nevertheless, here are a few titles you should add:

 

- American Pie: Just the original. If you like the first, you'll prolly like the other two, but this one is actually a strong piece of comedy with a message. Sure it's a trite one, but it still holds up.

 

- The Big Lebowski: A bit strange for some people's taste, but give this one a chance and this'll become a favorite in your collection.

 

- The Breakfast Club: I love '80s flicks (mainly the teen comedies), so I'm probably biased, but this is still one damn fine film that delivers a quality script and no shortage of laughs.

 

- Diner: People often overlook this one, but it's quite the sleeper. Tons of laughs, a great cast and just a fun couple of hours. If by chance you're a Seinfeld fan, this will be worth a look, since it follows a similar formula.

 

- Life: Even if you're not a fan of so-called urban comedies, this one is particulary good. Best yet, it's cheap as hell already without the DDD discount.

 

- Next Friday: I don't know why, but this is my favorite of the trilogy. All three are worth watching, but this comes off as the funniest.

 

Now, since I'm running a bit long here, I'll just list the rest of the flicks I personally enjoy a lot and think everyone should check out. If need be, I'll be back to justify particular selections, since I know some will be questioned. Nevertheless...

 

- 12 Angry Men

- 25th Hour

- All About Eve

- American Beauty

- Boogie Nights

- Boyz 'n the Hood

- Casablanca

- Citizen Kane

- Glengary Glen Ross

- Leon the Professional (may wanna hold off for the SE)

- Ocean's 11 (original)

- RoboCop Trilogy

- Rosemary's Baby

- Star Wars Trilogy

 

Like I mentioned earlier, you seem to have a fairly mainstream taste, so I don't know how many of these will hold appeal to you, but I think they've all got qualities that make them worth checking out.

[Guest Askewniverse]

I know I'll miss a lot since DDDVD's selection is so massive and my computer is so slow, but here's what I'm considering thus far:

 

Die Hard Trilogy

Eddie Guerrero's DVD

Chris Benoit's DVD

Mick Foley's DVD

Clerks X and the other Kevin Smith movies

The Die Hard Collection is great. The video and audio quality are excellent, and each title is a two-disc set.

 

The Benoit, Guerrero, and Foley DVDs are good. Bloodbath (cage match DVD) is decent as well.

 

Clerks X is a must-have if you're a Kevin Smith fan. The set contains two versions of the movie and a ton of extras. Very highly recommended. I also recommend An Evening with Kevin Smith.

 

Other DVDs I recommend:

 

Fight Club - Special Edition

Memento - Limited Edition

Pulp Fiction - Collector's Edition

Star Wars Trilogy

Taxi Driver

Terminator 2 - Ultimate Edition

[Guest Shutterspeed]

Most DVD review sites will have a Hall of Fame, home to DVDs with excellent video/audio transfers, lack of aliasing, pixelation, cross-colourization, film-to-video artefacts, etc. I'm sure that you know which films you're after, but if you want exemplory DVD quality, check out some of the discs that take advantage of the medium.

[Guest Real F'n Show]

Pick up the new ECW DVD while you're at it. Well worth the money.

[the max 0]

Mr. Show with Bob and David.

24

[Youth N Asia 0]

If you like WW2 then you must must MUST get Band of Brothers. It's a little pricey, but in my opinion it's the greatest piece ever done about war. And my favorite DVD of all time.

 

You can also find the Young Guns special edition for under $10.

[2GOLD 0]

Get what you want...

And porn, lots of porn.

 

Oh, and the ALIEN box set if you can still find it. If not, each of the films individually cause it rules.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Will someone please tell me the appeal of buying a crappy movie just for the EXTRAS?

I remember when I was working at Blockbuster, we'd get this magazine that always featured a sort of "insider" comic.. Basically this little comic called video clerks, the premise of which is obvious. I'll never forget this one comic though, that had this guy yabbering on about how great all the extras and features and such were, with the subtext "The New Film Aficionado". They asked the guy if he'd seen the movie itself and he said he didn't at all, but it was worth watching for the extras alone.

 

I'm finding a lot of people this way, so-called "DVD nerds". I don't understand it. Not one bit. I can barely even stand watching a making-of feature/documentary, since for me it really ruins the illusion behind a film, and often times the commentary tracks are self-serving tripe. I recently sprung for the Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Criterion Super Special Edition Collector's Package Edition (okay that's not really the name but you get the point), and it cost me $10 more than the regular version, which was out of stock. What did I get for my extra $10? A second DVD disc and some more features I might not ever see, since I don't have time between school and work to watch how Johnny Depp was really swatting at computer animated bats in the beginning.

 

So, to answer your question, I have absolutely no clue.

[Guest ken adams]

Are you asking what dvd "movies" to get, or what dvd's have great extras?

 

 

 

If it's extras:

 

Star Wars

Lord Of The Rings

Aliens

Spinal Tap

Clerks X

Escape From New York (any movie with a Kurt Russel commentary, he's GOLD!)

Blues Brothers

Swingers (Miramax Collector's Series)

 

 

 

If it's just movies, then it depends on your personal taste, like the previous caller said. I personally like drinkin movies (most of these can be found for $9.99-$14.99 at Best Buy):

 

Southpark

Old School

BASEketball

Used Cars

Caddyshack

Not Another Teen Movie

Strange Brew

Challenge of The Super Friends- complete season (yes, the cartoon. it's hilarious)

Sledge Hammer! - season one

Pink Panther set

Slap Shot

Office Space (although I heard a special edition is in the works)

Eddie Murphy Raw (yah it's old, but funny as shit)

Dumb & Dumber

She's The One

 

 

 

If it's French movies:

 

Gitano

La Bicyclette Bleue (both star Victoria Secret model Laetitia Casta, and yes, she gets naked)

 

 

 

Since we're on the subject, if you like Heather Graham:

Austin Powers 2

 

If you like Heather Graham naked:

Killing Me Softly

 

 

 

If it's music, and again it depends on your personal taste:

 

Queen - live at Wembley is a great show

[razazteca 0]

Get what you want...

And porn, lots of porn.

Dirty Debutantes and Ben Dover series.

[nl5xsk1 0]

If it's French movies:

 

Gitano

La Bicyclette Bleue (both star Victoria Secret model Laetitia Casta, and yes, she gets naked)

Hey, Ken, quick question:

 

Is one of these better than the other (movie-wise, that is, not titty-wise)? My ex-roommate is on a big foreign film kick, and if I can get her a movie that's good it'd be sweet. The fact that I could then borrow it to see naked Laetitia would be even sweeter.

[Guest ken adams]

I haven't seen either movie, I've only seen the stills and mpg clips that float around on the net (and those are very nice).

 

As far as I know, the films are in French, and for me it doesn't really matter what Laetitia is saying.

 

I wish I could tell you if they are good films. That's one of the reasons I try to spread the word about these 2 movies, in the hopes that someone can tell me if they're good or not.