Posted Sun Jan 2, 2011 at 04:00 PM PST by Aaron Peck
by the High-Def Digest Writers
Christmas is over. All the presents that were once under your tree have now been opened and are ready to be enjoyed. If you're one of the many who received a brand spanking new Blu-ray player and want to know how to get the most out of it, have we got the list for you. Over the years, High-Def Digest has been meticulously putting together list after list of the best suggestions we can think of when it comes to filling out your Blu-ray collections. Since, going through Google is a pain to find each and every one of these extremely helpful articles (Trust us, we know), we've decided to bring them to you in one list. One giant list of post-holiday Blu-ray-buying goodness. With your new Blu-ray player, and perhaps your brand new high-def television, you'll be wanting to know exactly which discs to buy to get the best out of your new Christmas HD goodies. Follow along and we'll guide you to the very best that Blu-ray has to offer.
2008
Around Thanksgiving time of 2008 High-Def Digest compiled a comprehensive shopping list of some of the best titles to hit the format that year. This isn't a very in-depth article, instead it's an article that gives a simple run-down of the best Blu-ray had to offer that year. It also splits it all up into easy to navigate categories like Action on Blu-ray and TV on Blu-ray. Search through this list and you'll find quite a few gems ('Casino Royale,' 'Ratatouille,' and 'Band of Brothers' just to name a few) that you'll definitely want to add to your Blu-ray collection now that you've made the jump to HD entertainment.
High-Def Digest's Holiday Cheat Sheet: Put Down the Turkey Leg, Pick Up This Shopping List
As the year closed on 2008, former HDD writer/reviewer Kenneth Brown took the time to compile a Best of 2008 list. Still one of the “best of” lists we've had around here, because of the depth Brown goes into explaining his choices, and the extensive runners up category he provides. Listing great Blu-rays like 'Baraka' and 'No Country for Old Men,' Brown's list is a must see for anyone looking to get into Blu-ray for the first time.
2009
As we roll into 2009 we find that HDD was compiling even more lists to help savvy Blu-ray shoppers pick out the best movies that would test the capabilities of our reader's top-of-the-line HD setups.
In August Drew Taylor compiled a thorough list of Blu-rays that he felt were the top Blu-rays of 2009 up until the time he wrote the article.
The Top 10 Blu-ray Releases So Far This Year
For horror junkies it's never too early, or the wrong time of year to be thinking about what are the best horror Blu-rays. Which movies they should keep an eye out for, and which ones really aren't worth bothering with. Self-proclaimed resident HDD horror junkie M. Enois Duarte carefully stitched together a monstrous list of ghoulish frights to keep even the most hardcore horror fan satiated with blood and gore.
The Top Horror Blu-rays for Halloween 2009
As time rolled onward in 2009, Thanksgiving and Black Friday came in a flash. In order to help our readers during the frenzy known as Black Friday and Cyber Monday we compiled a few shopping lists that would best help folks navigate the deals and find out which discs they should really pay attention to.
Aaron Peck compiled a list specifically for the different family eccentric family members we find lurking in our families. Take a look at this list, because you may have one or two of these family members in your clan. Heck, you may even recognize yourself on this list.
High-Def Digest's Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Blu-rays for the Folks Who Have...Issues
Finally, when 2009 drew to a close Drew Taylor revisited his “best of” 2009 choices from his earlier article and added a few more titles that came out later that year. This was truly the best 2009 had to offer, and if you're starting a new Blu-ray collection with the pile of gift cards you got this holiday season, then this is a great place to get started.
The Best Blu-rays of 2009
2010
With Blu-ray buying, and High-Def Digest swinging into full gear, 2010 saw more list creation than any other year. We were finally compiling more genre lists that would help specific types of movie fans find the best discs that related to their genre of choice. We had lists for the best action on Blu-ray, the best classics on Blu-ray, and even the best holiday movies on Blu-ray.
High-Def Digest Picks the Top 10 Action Films
High-Def Digest Holiday Gift Guide 2010: Best Action Blu-rays of the Year
High-Def Digest Gift Guide 2010: The Top 10 Classic Titles on Blu-ray
High-Def Digest Holiday Gift Guide 2010: The Essential Holiday Blu-rays
More specific shopping guides started springing up. We have perfect lists for Mother's and Father's Day, which if you're a mother or father may apply to you. They also may help you with gift giving ideas when those parent-honoring days roll around once again.
High-Def Digest Presents: A Mother's Day Shopping Guide
Father's Day: HDD's Last Minute Blu-ray Shopping Guide!
Nate Boss compiled one of the most comprehensive shopping lists we've ever seen. Giving us an idea of what Blu-rays to look for if we're shopping for a movie fanatic (the folks who already buy everything. If you're a movie fanatic yourself, then this is a list to pay attention to. It's full of rare discs, store exclusives, and imports. If you find that you have discerning taste when it comes to filling out your Blu-ray collection, this is most definitely the list for you!
High-De f Digest Holiday Gift Guide 2010: Blu-rays for the Hard to Shop For Movie Fanatic
Another edition of M. Enois Duarte's best horror discs was posted in time for Halloween 2010. Put this one and the list from 2009 together and you've got a fantastic beginning to a Blu-ray horror collection, full of scary movies that you'll not only love, but will provide decent eye and ear candy as you watch them with your new HD equipment.
HDD Goodie Bag: Your Horror Blu-rays for Halloween 2010
During the year Drew Taylor put together another wonderful list for a quarterly report, documenting the best 2010 had to offer up until that point.
The Quarterly Report: The Best Blu-rays of the Year So Far...
As this year waswinding down, Drew put together a comprehensive list that covers nearly every wonderful release that we had in 2010. From 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,' to the 'Alien Anthology' it's all there to help you find the best discs for your new Blu-ray collection
High-Def Digest Holiday Gift Guide 2010: The Best Blu-rays of the Year
As you can see, over the years, we here at HDD have tried our hardest to point out the best and brightest Blu-ray has to offer. Not only are these discs that will give you top-notch audio and video presentations, they're all pretty darn incredible movies too. So, when you're looking to spend those holiday gift cards that are burning a hole in your pocket, take a look at these lists. They'll give you a great starting point.
Thanks for joining us this year. We'll be back next year with even more lists and ideas on what discs will make great additions to your collection.
From all of us here at High-Def Digest, we'd like to wish you a Happy New Year! Have fun spending your holiday cash on some much needed Blu-rays!
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