Rolling Stone Magazine's top 25 DVDs of 2006

We're bound to have some Yakbak-only best of lists for movies, music, etc., for 2005. To start things off, here's Rolling Stone Magazine's top 25 DVDs of the year. Some I agree with, some I don't....

01. James Bond boxed set, Vol. 1,2,3,4 (20 films) - the most successful film franchise ever I'm told. Probably no advantage to get them on HD-DVD or Blu-Ray, this could be the definitive James Bond Collection.

02. V For Vendetta - not a film that I was crazy about since it seemed like a story that has been told over and over again, but a popular film nonetheless.

03. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest - after seeing the first one, I avoided this one like the plague while many others got taken in to what is supposed to be a poor sequel.

04. Reds - Warren Beatty won the Oscar for best director for this film, but I haven't seen it.

05. United 93 - for me, this is one of the top ten, if not top five films that I have seen this year. Extremely gut-wrenching and stars no one of consequence to distract you from the story.

06. Brazil - I bought this a few years ago on dvd. it's a quirky sci-fi/ fantasy film from director Terry Gilliam of Monty Python fame. It's a three-disc set, but I will stick with what I already have. Terrific dark comedy.

07. Miami Vice - I reluctantly saw this and was totally blown away by the cinematography, especially in the gun battles, which raises the bar for all others. Glad I took a chance to see it.

08. Cars - didn't see it.
09. Jackass Number Two - ditto.
10. The Propostition - ditto, in fact, I'm not sure that I even heard about this Aussie western.

11. Preston Sturgess Collection - several classic films from the '40s that are not well known to younger generations.

12. Superman Returns - weak story, exciting visuals and in Brandon Routh, a near-perfect copy of Chris Reeve. Routh lacks depth, but is promising and deserves another Supes film, but one with some semblance of a story rather than this lousy script.

13. Saw II - haven't seen it but I will, after seeing and enjoying the first one.

14. Thank You For Smoking - deserves credit for skewering some of the big, bad lobby groups, but fails to truly reach its potential.

15. A Scanner Darkly - missed it but will definitely rent it
16. The Devil Wears Prada - ditto. heard lots of good things about it, much to my surprise.

17. The Conformist - a 1971 masterpiece by Bernado Bertulucci, haven't seen it but I would rent it.

18. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - saw it on what appeared to be a slow weekend but was pleasantly surprised.

19. Double Idemnity - classic film from 1944. don't think I've seen it.

20. When The Levees Broke - hailed as a great documentary about Hurricane Katrina, made by Spike Lee. I'll have to track it down.

21. Monster House - animated horror film about a 12 year-old and his friends... haven't seen it.

22. A Prairie Home Companion - charming film about the real life radio program which is like a variety show and its fictional demise.

23. Mission Impossible III - more proof that there's no substitute for great storytelling in a film, which this film doesn't have. an artistic and commercial failure but it didn't have to be. more story, less special effects next time, guys.

24. Slither - I just know I will rent this for the hell of it.

25. An Inconvenient Truth - the Al Gore film about global warming is very interesting and may play a role in his decision to run for President or stay out of politics. The problem with this film is that while the film actually has a personal story - one of Gore's professors was one of the first to notice global warming - Gore lacks credibility in the eyes of his detractors for them to give the film a chance. If someone like Colin Powell had narrated instead, more people on the right would have paid more attention.