The Top Ten Blu-Ray Catalog Releases of 2017

10. Pink Panther Film Collection Starring Peter Sellers – Shout Select

In the last two years, Shout Select has quickly distinguished itself from other premium labels like Criterion.  They’ve gone much deeper into the Cultish entries or forgotten entries.  This Pink Panther box set collects all of the best Pink Panther movies.  Hence the “starring Peter Sellers” moniker at the end.  The Transfers vary in quality (some are amazing others are meh) but it’s the special features that are the real draw here.  Culling all archival and some new special features that will take one week to pour over.  Essential for any collection because… Peter Sellers.

9. Pulp – Arrow Academy

Pulp is everything I love about Arrow Video.  Taking a cult or forgotten title.  Supplying great special features that illuminate the film.  Add a flawless transfer and viola… a great package too good to pass up.  From my original review: “Pulp is the sort of discovery one makes and asks after; how did I live without this film in my life? A cool breeze of a crime/mystery film that is so unexpected and visually astute you’re going to have to watch it twice just too fully appreciate what Mike Hodges and Michael Caine are up to.  The follow-up to the now classic British Gangster film Get Carter. Pulp feels like a direct conversation/counterpoint with that Carter.  Where that film is direct, dirty, lean, mean and designed to hurt, Pulp is evasive, funny, dirty (in a different way), and designed to delight and confound.”

8. Tampopo – Criterion Collection

Ramen + Sexy Time + Ken Wantanbe in an early role.  What’s not to like? The answer is nothing.  This eventually dethrone Big Night as my favorite “food movie”