The Matrix - This was the first DVD I ever bought. It was in early 2000 and it was even before I owned a DVD player. I knew I was going to be getting one in a couple of weeks, so I wanted to make sure I had something to play on it when I set it up.
Lawrence of Arabia - Defines "epic" when it comes to movies. This was a special edition with a really nice cloth covered case. Later releases of this movie on DVD went with a standard plastic case.
Total Recall - Speaking of special packaging, Total Recall was first released with a separate metal Mars case that sits on top of a thick paperboard base. The DVD is inside the metal case on a foam support to prevent it from scratching.
Black - I have worked with many Infosys contractors from India and I would discuss movies with some of them. One of them had a Netflix account before I did and after he watched this movie he loaned it to me before he returned it. I liked it and wanted to buy a copy of my own, but somehow Netflix had managed to get Region 1 DVDs for rental before the movie was even released in the United States. About a year later I finally found a DVD I could buy on a U.S. website that specialized in movies from India.
Hoop Dreams - Speaking of hard to find: I saw this movie on a cable channel back in 1995, but it was never released to DVD until a few years ago. I think that Criterion sometimes is too much of a groupie for certain directors, but when it comes to this film I wish I could personally shake the hand of whoever at Criterion got the rights to it so that it could be put on DVD. It is the best documentary ever made.
Done the Impossible - This is a DVD that you can't even buy, except from the people who made it. It is a fan produced documentary of the death of the TV show Firefly and its rebirth as the movie Serenity. It's not cheap looking, though. The people who did it were professionals. There is a ton of content on it, including hours of interviews with the cast.
Whale Rider - I'm including this just because I try to get as much notice for this film as I can. It features a great story and an absolutely terrific debut performance from Keisha Castle-Hughes, who at the age of 12 became by far the youngest female ever nominated for a Best Actress Oscar.
Bikini Summer 2 - Why include this? Just like The Godfather Part II, it is a sequel that is better than the original. Okay, maybe not *just* like The Godfather Part II. Seriously though, I included it just to show that I'm not completely highbrow when it comes to movies.
Amelie - I'm including this because the character of Amelie may just be the most appealing person ever put on film. I also love Audrey Tautou's expression on the cover.
Black Cat White Cat - Finally, I am including this DVD because I only just bought it after spending 12 years trying to see this movie. I found an all regions Korean import I could buy. Why was I looking for this movie? Because I needed it to complete seeing every single movie on the IMDB Top 250 year end lists since 1998 (a personal goal). This Balkans movie - made during the time that Yugoslavia was still breaking apart - appeared in the 1999 year end list and I have never been able to find it until now. I look forward to watching it.Thank you Chip for taking out the time to do the post for Ticker Talks Film. You can view Chip's blog at www.tipsfromchip.blogspot.com
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