The DVD365.net Top Ten

Hoodwinked

After the major disappointment of Pixar/Disney's big budget CGI film Cars, it was a refreshing change to find a CGI animated film that is fun, funny and made for less than half the budget of your average big Hollywood animated film. Sure, the standard of the animation isn't up to the usual standard of the bigger boys, but it's the storyline that counts - and in Hoodwinked it's a total corker of a who-dunnit.

Serenity

Suffering from the humiliation of cancellation, Joss Whedon's acclaimed science fiction series Firefly has found a new life on the big screen. Now our favourite shiny format shows just how to produce an interesting science fiction film with a good script and a collection of extras that prove just how well everyone gets along. Serenity even manages to shame a certain Lucas production by producing the goods on the fraction of the budget.

The Bourne Supremacy

It's what the last James Bond film should have been. There's no stupid and impossible gadgets or jokes full of innuendo, it's simply action and excitement from start to finish. And if you thought that The Bourne Identity or Ronin ruled supreme in the car chase department, then just wait until you see the awesome chase on show here. With an excellent ground shaking soundtrack, superb picture and good selection of extras, The Bourne Supremacy is the winner of DVD365.net's DVD of 2005.

Man on Fire (Two Disc Special Edition)

Denzel Washington is back on top form with the criminally underrated Tony Scott directed Man on Fire. This two disc special edition blasts onto the scene with one of the grittiest, blood strewn, action thrillers of late. The direction and the cinematography from Scott is simply superb and with its massive collection of extras you're in for some rip roaring and floor shaking entertainment.    

Doctor Who : The Complete Series One

Doctor Who has finally returned to the small screen and, as a very important programme for the BBC, make a mess of it and an absolute classic would be destroyed in one quick hammer blow. Fortunately, Christopher Eccleston is the perfect doctor and the stories in the series are exciting, scary and imaginative. However, make the most of this cracking box-set as I don't think that David Tennant will have the same flair.

Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World (Special Edition)

An American film without an American hero in sight? The British the good guys and the French the baddies? Surely not? But, yes, it's true. And just when you thought that period films were boring and starred Emma Thomson, along comes Master and Commander to prove you wrong. With a rip-roaring plot, superb action scenes, brilliant sound and an absolute cracking set of extras, you can't go wrong.

One of the films of 2004. Bill Murray is a revelation as Bob Harris in this wonderfully warm and charming tale of alienation and loneliness in a strange and foreign land. And with that closing scene where Bob whispers into Charlotte ear being one of the talking points of the year, you really must see this amazing film to appreciate just how criminal it was for Bill Murray to miss out at the Oscars.

How the mighty have fallen. With LOTR topping our chart for nearly 12 months it would take a high calibre to finally topple it. Although it may not be to everyone's taste, it has a fabulous picture to show off all that wonderful New Zealand scenery, great special effects and good sound. What's more, thanks to the book, it has a decent storyline too. Put this together with two discs absolutely bursting with extras, it will keep you occupied for weeks.

It really shouldn't have worked. A film based on a theme park ride? Shouldn't it be the other way around? Never the less, this film hawks back to the swashbuckling days of old when Hollywood knew how to make an entertaining epic. Johnny Depp's is wonderful and the rest of the cast, real or CGI is perfect. Stick this together with superb visuals, deafening sound and interesting extras you have a film worthy of any collection.

Saving Private Ryan

There can surely be no other film that highlights the true horrors of war in such a graphic and detailed way. The opening moments of the landings at Normandy are so graphic that they are sickening. The superb soundtrack, be in the DTS or Dolby Digital, will have you running for cover as the bullets ricochet and thump all around you. Fantastic demonstration material.

The Butterfly Effect (The Director's Cut)

This superb science fiction thriller with an ending far superior to what was seen at the cinema. Drawing parallels with Donnie Darko and starring Ashton Kutcher of Dude Where's My Car? fame, it may not appeal to all audiences, but made on a tight budget both the picture and sound excel.  With a solid set of extras bolstering an already impressive package, it is a disc well worth checking out.