Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
One of the first must-own Blu-ray titles, and one of only two Spielberg movies out on the format so far (the other is the similarly polished Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull), this still has the capacity to wow 30 years down the line. Unlike the other great science-fiction film of 1977, Close Encounters takes a thoughtful, human-scale approach to the question of what’s out there. That it has stood up as well as it has done is testament to the strength of the characters: this is big spectacle married with layered performance in a way that many modern action movies can only dream of. Roy Neary’s (Richard Dreyfuss) attitude to his “close encounter” with an alien intelligence develops from mild interest to confusion to obsession over the course of the film, and in his pursuit of answers he risks both life and — more shockingly — his role as father and husband. In high definition, the film looks better than it has done in years. There’s still some intentional grain to these images, but the rich blues and reds from the alien spacecrafts glow with an otherworldly light, and the arrival of the Mothership at the end will knock you over. The extras are copious, too: all three versions of the film are here, and while Spielberg still shies away from commentaries, he talks extensively about the film in the ‘making of’ and a separate interview. There are also extensive Blu-ray exclusive extras not found on the DVD, notably a storyboard-comparison section that runs for nearly 90 minutes and a huge array of stills. Comprehensive stuff.

		Men in Black Barry Sonnenfeld’s successful melding of sci-fi and comedy has never looked better. A huge array of extras includes Intergalactic Pursuit: The Men In Black Multi-Player Trivia Game (BD-Live), a commentary with Sonnenfeld and Tommy Lee Jones plus character animation studies.
		Starship Troopers Paul Verhoeven’s bloody and brilliantly subversive sci-fi actioner gets a stunning transfer, highlighting the superb effects and absurdly attractive cast. Comes with screen tests, scene development with commentary plus the teaser trailer.
		2001: A Space Odyssey Unless you happen to have your own private screening room, the Special Edition Blu-ray is the best possible way to experience Stanley Kubrick’s opus. Its creation is extensively detailed in several hi-def documentaries created exclusively for this edition.
		Sunshine Before Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire came his visually stunning, end-of-the-world sci-fi action-adventure, Sunshine. Boyle’s blend of 2001, Alien and Solaris really shows off the Blu-ray format: the sound and picture are immaculate, and the visual effects are mesmerising.
		The Chronicles of Riddick: Director’s Cut The director’s cut of this ambitious sequel to Pitch Black, which introduced Vin Diesel as anti-hero Riddick, is one of those films that Blu-ray’s startling visual clarity helps to elevate beyond its reputation. The extras are equally impressive.
		The X-Men Trilogy With X-Men Origins: Wolverine hitting the multiplex, there’s no better time to experience this trilogy. Even with Brett Ratner taking the reins for The Last Stand, it stands beside any comicbook series for excitement. Razor-sharp extras that would make Wolvie proud.
		Serenity Here’s one to separate the men from the Browncoats: Joss Whedon’s raucous cinema send-off for cancelled cult TV show Firefly stands alone as a thoroughly entertaining mini-space opera (and the film that introduced the ladies to Nathan Fillion) — and one that looks its best in high definition. Proof that even (perhaps especially) low-budget effects can stand up on the format.
		The Matrix Trilogy The original changed action cinema, and still has the capacity to amaze. As for the oft-criticised sequels, at least they look nothing short of spectacular here: every speck of dust is visible, and the second film’s freeway chase in particular will blow your socks off.
		Heroes: Seasons 1 And 2 This hit series managed to do the impossible: it made geeky superhero stories cool — and essential viewing. With the first two seasons already out on Blu-ray and the third to follow, you can go back and admire how it all develops. You might want to take advantage of the nifty picture-in-picture commentary track too.

		Staff Pick Blade Runner: The Final Cut Ian Nathan, Executive Editor Sir Ridley has finally fixed all those — to him — irritating bumps and bruises once and for all, and spruced up the visuals to Blu-ray-tastic standards. The result is, quite simply, the definitive version of his sci-fi masterpiece. Off you tot to the shops then...