As you’re all most likely aware, Blu Ray is here to stay thanks largely to Wal-Mart deciding to carry it and not HD-DVD. As we begin to make the switch from DVD to Blu Ray, many of us want to be able to get our same favorite movies in the new format that we enjoyed on DVD. Today I’d like to offer up five titles from the Sci Fi Horror genre, some darker than others, but all available right now to fans!
Dark City – This movie’s a real showcase of style. It’s got the darkly moody feel of a comic book in which the hero’s not quite so heroic from time to time. A ton of sets were used to create this movie and it boasts mind-boggling set design that draws from the German expressionism art movement. The director, Alex Proyas, happens to be the guy who brought us both I, Robot and The Crow. If you’ve seen those films then you know what a visionary he is. The cast includes Jennifer Connelly, Rufus Sewell, Kiefer Sutherland and William Hurt. A film of this kind with such a rich world benefits from the Blu Ray format because it allows the filmmakers to bring us much more footage than they originally were able to. Dark City looks like a must own for those who like their Sci Fi dark and twisted!
Cloverfield – If you went to the movies at all during the last half of 2007 then you no doubt saw the trailers for Cloverfield. It’s been described as Blair Witch Project meets Godzilla and I’d say that’s not too far off the mark. Basically the entire movie’s shot from the perspective of a camcorder and focuses on a group of young adults from Manhattan. If you love monsters then you’ll love this film because more than any other sci fi horror movie of recent years, it makes it all feel real and believable. The cast includes Michael David-Stahl, Mike Vogel, TJ Miller and Odette Yustman. While the movie’s not terribly long (a little over 80 minutes), it’s certainly a fun one to pop in while hanging out with friends because who doesn’t love a good giant monster flick?
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem – Unless you’ve been living on the moon for the past decade, chances are good that you’ve heard of the Aliens vs Predator rivalry which pulls together two of those most viscious extra terrestrials ever to grace the silver screen. While quite a few fans weren’t hot on the 2004 movie of this rivalry due to its lack of firearms and gruesome goodness, the series came back with Requiem and it provides everything even the hardcore fans really wanted to see. This installment happens before the original Alien movies and sees the Predator’s ship smash into a little town in Colorado. The work of dark sci fi master H.R. Giger shines alongside the visual effects work of The Strause Brothers, a team known for making music videos. You’ll not only get to see those aliens and the Predator warrior, you’ll also meet a hybrid of both species that fans know as the Predalien. It’s a sure bet for solid entertainment of horror meets sci fi!
Blade Runner 25th Anniversary Edition – And now for the mother of all dark sci fi flicks, the highly celebrated and deeply innovative film known as Blade Runner! If you can believe it, it’s been a quarter century since Ridley Scott brought us this cinematic masterpiece. He went back into post production specifically to get this film ready for its anniversary release. You’ll see stars like Daryl Hannah, Edward James Olmos, Joanna Cassidy, Sean Young, Rutger Hauer and of course, the one and only Harrison Ford, along with several other stars from both in front of and behind the camera in bonus features galore. All footage has been restored, new scenes have been added or lengthened, special effects have been improved and the sounds in the sparkly new 5.1 Dolby Digital audio. In total there are a whopping 5 disks of material that’ll please even the most hardcore fans so if you’re into Blade Runner this one’s a definite must have.
So that’s my look at four dark sci fi films now available on Blu Ray. I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at the movies and that you’ve found something to add to your own collection. Thanks for reading!
