Director George Miller sped back into the world of Mad Max with this long-awaited sequel. Fury Road follows the post-apocalyptic wanderer Max (Tom Hardy) being thrown into a conflict between a convoy led by the authoritarian Immortan Joe and his escaping wives led to freedom by the daring Furiosa (Charlize Theron). 

Teeming with explosive car battles and eye-popping shots, it’s a gorgeous and gritty action film that is absolutely a blu-ray essential. Everything from the revving of engines in absurdly designed cars to the scorching flames launched from a guitar is such a loud and exciting component of the picture, making it easy to see why it was nominated for so many Academy Awards. The score by Junkie XL is also some of the most unforgettable music, perfectly mixing an epic orchestra and brutal drums.

Christopher Nolan’s biggest hit happens to be the most popular of Batman movies. As a sequel to Batman Begins, The Dark Knight is a thrilling battle for the streets of Gotham as Batman (Christian Bale) faces off against the nihilistic criminal mastermind, The Joker, played by the late Heath Ledger who died before the film was released. 

Nolan knows how to make his films look good and chooses some dazzling IMAX shots, especially for the opening heist that is astoundingly shot. Even for being an early blu-ray, the quality of this release is stellar, where the IMAX visuals are a feast for the eyes. The many action scenes (some of which were also shot in IMAX, including one scene where the camera broke during a car chase) are intense and engaging, especially with Hans Zimmer’s nail-biting orchestral score that knows how to play a violin for high levels of horror. 

Arrow Video’s blu-ray remaster of Robocop gives this 1980s iconic action picture the release it deserves. Set in a future Detroit, the company Omnicorp has taken over the local police force and allows for criminals to run rampant in the city. When police officer Alex Murphy is gunned down in the line of duty, Omnicorp resurrects him as the cybernetic Robocop, a cyborg who will defeat the bad guys, even if they are Omnicorp. 

Mixing 1980s media satire and brutal sci-fi action, Robocop has been lovingly preserved with this release that boasts a pristine 1080 transfer for the director’s cut (previous DVD versions didn’t clean up the additional scenes), a robust DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, and an array of special features. 

John Wick: Chapter 4 continues the adventure of the revenge-seeking hitman, John Wick (Keanu Reeves), committed to ending the egotism of the stuffy and corrupt organization known as the High Table. 

This entry features gorgeous set pieces in Osaka, Morocco, Berlin, and Paris, all of which boasts intricate and lengthy fight scenes involving all manner of weapons. The non-stop action is at its height with the elaborate Arc de Triomphe sequence of John facing off against an onslaught of assassins in cars, struggling to avoid bullets and cars. In addition to starring Reeves, the film also features the return of actors like Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, and Lawrence Fishbourne, as well as the additions of Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Scott Adkins. 

As the sixth entry in the Mission Impossible film saga, Fallout has some of the most daring stunts and fights scenes. Tom Cruise reprises his role as agent Ethan Hunt, trying to track down the evil Syndicate and their plan to launch nukes. 

For this film, Cruise filmed a skydiving sequences that is amazing not just for how Cruise performs it but how the cameraman maintained focus during this thrilling dive. In addition to that, there’s also a brutal fight scene where Cruise punches alongside Henry Cavil, an intense car chase avoiding authorities, a rooftop race as Cruise dashes from high heights, and a helicopter sequence where Cruise clings to lifted cargo. It’s one of the most exciting action Blu-rays out there for being able to appreciate all of Cruise’s devotion to stunts in stunning quality.

Considered a quintessential time-travel movie, Back to the Future is loaded with charm and excitement for its tale of traversing eras. Marty McFly needs to get back to 1985 after taking off in Doc Brown’s time-traveling Delorean. But when he interferes with the teen romance of his mom and dad, he’ll have to stay and keep their love afloat to avoid damage to his timeline. 

With incredible special effects implemented by director Robert Zemeckis, Back to the Future has always been a must-own adventure movie, though it hasn’t had the best of home video releases. The first DVD set, for example, had a letterboxed format. Thankfully, the remastered blu-ray release is a high-quality transfer that is the best way to experience this classic film. When that Dolorean hits 88 miles per hour in 1080p with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, you’re gonna see some serious…well, you know.

Pilfering from old adventure serials, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas combined forces to create the ultimate adventure stew. As the first big-screen adventure of Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Lost Ark finds the archeologist/professor/adventurer seeking a prized artifact currently being pursued by Nazis. 

What follows is a thrilling adventure that draws from classic cinema and has a style all its own, crafting such unforgettable moments as Indy’s daring fight amid a plane’s propellers and the horrifying brutality unleashed by the Ark of the Covenant. The film is all the more engaging on blu-ray, especially for repeat viewings where you can try to discern which snakes were real in that pit and which extra in the marketplace was wearing jeans. 

Director Rob Reiner fuses dry wit and classic fantasy for this unorthodox storybook adventure. Told from the perspective of a grandfather reading a book to his sick grandson, it’s the tale of Whestly (Cary Elwes), aka Dread Pirate Roberts, searching for his lost love. While traversing the kingdom of Florin, he’ll team up with the expert swordsman Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) and the sweet giant Fezzik (André the Giant) to rescue the lovely Princess (Robin Wright) from being wed to the conspiring Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon). 

The Criterion Collection have given this family-fit adventure-comedy a crisp Blu-ray transfer that is worth owning if not for the quality audio/video and special features, then certainly for the literal storybook packaging that looks inconceivably great on a shelf.

A trip to a theme park turns into a fight for survival when dinosaurs are on the loose. Based on the novel by Michael Crichton, Steven Spielberg’s big-screen adaptation is one part stunning adventure and one part creature-feature horror. The most notable aspect amid such unforgettable performances by Sam Neil, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum, were the groundbreaking special effects.

 While practical effects for the dinosaurs were initially favored, Spielberg turned his focus towards computer animation. For 1993, the computerized dinos not only look remarkably well-rendered, but are perhaps the most believed dinosaurs ever placed on film. The Blu-ray only makes this landmark film shine all the brighter, especially that first shot of a dinosaur when the John Williams score kicks in with that DTS Surround Sound.

James Cameron broke the mold on CGI merging with live-action in Avatar. Taking place on the alien planet of Pandora, army grunt Jake Sully is given a chance to walk again when he embodies an avatar of the alien Na’vi. He’s tasked with infiltrating the Na’vi tribe but ends up befriending these creatures in a fight against the encroaching human forces. Cameron’s direction makes for a dazzling trip to another world, complete with all manner of creatures both beautiful and deadly. 

The three-hour extended cut on blu-ray also manages to feature some engrossing scenes that fill in more of that world, specifically the origins of Sully that showcases the dystopian mess of Earth in this story. With so many alien sights and sounds amid floating islands and glowing trees, Avatar is a Blu-ray best served for testing the full power of your display and speakers.

As the second big-screen adaptation of Frank Herbet’s classic book, director Denis Villeneuve brings the first half of Dune to life by invoking visuals of great power and dread. Set thousands years in the future, planets bicker over the occupation and resource harvesting on the desert planet Arrakis, aka Dune. 

While his family takes over occupation duties, Prince Paul Atreides finds himself fighting alongside the native tribe of Fremen against the invading House Harkonen. Much like Villeneuve’s other films, this is an atmospheric take that has just as many simmering moments of sci-fi melancholy as it does compelling action sequences. It’s worth watching on Blu-ray to discover how much of the sets and vehicles were of practical design (those dragonfly ships were built) and how perfectly Hans Zimmer’s score fits the mood.

Based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer, Annihilation finds mankind facing an unknown threat. When a spreading force known as the Shimmer grows in part of the planet, it’s up to four women to enter the strange area and prevent it from growing. While inside, they come to terms with their own mortality mysterious alien beings that use sound and visual manipulation torture them. 

Featuring strong performances by Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, and Oscar Isaac, this trippy dose of sci-fi dread comes from director Alex Garland and features some of his most hypnotic visuals. The last fifteen minutes of the film feature a stunning combination of eerie music and frighteningly surreal visual effects that has to be seen on Blu-ray.

As the sequel to the 1980s sci-fi sleeper Blade Runner, 2049 continues the cyberpunk detective story in a world of artificial life referred to as Replicants. Now acting as police officers, K (Ryan Gosling) is a Replicant working in the LAPD’s Blade Runner unit for tracking down rogue Reps. But he soon unearths a conspiracy as he probes deeper, eventually leading him to cross paths with retired Blade Runner, Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford). 

The film reflects the same cold and dark dystopian nature of the previous film, complete with cameos by a few familiar faces. Returning to a grimy Los Angeles, this version by Denis Villeneuve features grander sets, elaborate holograms, and bigger ideas for expanding on the world based on the original Phillip K. Dick novel.

Ridley Scott directed one of the most legendary fusions of science fiction and horror with Alien. Unknown terrors await the ship Nostromo as they investigate an alien message. What they discover is a horrific creature that infest the ship and grew, leading to a gruesome showdown. 

In addition to featuring an unforgettable performance by Sigourney Weaver, the film features otherworldly designs with alien creatures designed by prolific artist H. R. Giger. As the film that launched an entire franchise, the original still brings the terror with the dark environment and tense sound that plays exceptionally well on Blu-ray.

Director Alfonso Cuarón staged the ultimate space survival film with Gravity. The Oscar-nominated film hooks immediately with the inciting incident of a space storm obliterating an outer space repair. After surviving the nerve-racking dangers of space, the remaining astronauts played by Sandra Bullock and George Clooney must find a way to get back to Earth. This is an intense adventure with mesmerizing visual effects and a nail-biting score by Steven Price. 

Though best experienced on the big screen, the Blu-ray still captures that excitement of avoiding debris, fire, and suffocation in the cold realm of outer space. Be sure to watch the Blu-ray for an off-beat sidestory in the special features.

Honor Among Thieves mixes of the fantastical lore of the tabletop Dungeons and Dragons game and the exhilarating buzz of a caper. A band of underdog thieves conspire to pilfer from a corrupt politician but end up stumbling onto a plot of sinister witches trying to conquer the world. 

The film features a slew of Dungeons and Dragons classes, races, and creatures, including the tiefling druid who can transform from an agile archerer to a bloodthirsty owl-bear. For a film with magical portals, giant dragons, and man-eating gelatin cubes, there’s plenty of otherworldly sounds and fantastical action that easily immerses anybody in this slick fantasy adventure.

Director David Lowery adapts the classic story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight into a dark fantasy adventure. Sir Gawain seeks fame on Christmas by beheading The Green Knight. The catch is that one Christmas further, Gawain will have to meet with this plant-based green monster and have his head cut off. What follows is a trippy journey of coming to terms with death, complete with encounters of ghosts, giants, and deadly scavengers. 

The visuals are astounding for featuring dark interiors where Gawain broods for power and hazy mountains where towering creatures lumber through the mist. It’s a contemplative fantasy adventure with unique visuals that match the existential dread evoked by Lowery’s intoxicating film that looks all the more astounding on Blu-ray.

Guillermo del Toro merges coming-of-age fantasy with real-world horror in this surreal picture that fluctuates between dreams and nightmares. Ofelia is a preteen Spanish girl living in 1944 Spain where her mother is abused by fascists. She is soon visited by a strange faun creature that leads her into a world of royalty, wonder, and danger. 

Horrifying violence corners Ofelia and she'll have to take a stand to assert herself. The film features del Toro's strongest attribute of stellar monster designs, the most notable being a creature with eyes in his palms that munched on fairies. Be sure to get The Criterion Collection edition Blu-ray for the best quality, special features, and cover art.

The series of novels by J. R. R. Tolkien received the grandest of adaptations with Peter Jackson's trilogy. Taking place in Middle Earth, the underdog Hobbit known as Frodo is tasked with destroying a powerful ring. He sets off on a journey with wizards, knights, elves, and more as they encounter orcs, sorcerers, walking trees, and the mischievous Gollum. 

The whole saga is beautiful from beginning to end but The Two Towers is an entry worth watching for the groundbreaking computer graphics for the orc battle, where hundreds of soldiers were generated. Of course, Andy Serkis is a standout for his motion capture work on Gollum, which still holds up on Blu-ray as one of the most memorable CGI characters.

Getting lost in a book was never more exciting than the fantastical adventure of The NeverEnding Story. When the kid Bastian tries to avoid some bullies, he stumbles into a bookstore and finds a mysterious book. Reading it in the school attic, the tale of Fantasia comes to life as a brave hero must stop The Nothing from overwhelming the kingdom.

 Directed by Wolfgang Peterson (Das Boot), this coming-of-age fantasy features such unforgettable characters as the Luck Dragon Falkor and the giant Pyornkrachzark the Rock-Biter. The film has been preserved well on Blu-ray with the 30th Anniversary edition and is worth owning for how much of an influence the film has had on fantasy targeted at kids. You might want to prepare the young ones, however, for the grim scene of the horse Artax and the swamp that swallows him.

Princess Mononoke is a classic tale of Japanese mythology centered around the war between mankind and gods, where Prince Ashitaka and the woman-raised-by-wolves San must prevent the destruction of the environment. It’s one of the most violent films from the usual family-friendly Studio Ghibli that Disney almost considered censoring the American release. This was prevented when Ghibli interfered by sending the producers a sword with the message “No cuts.” 

The musical score by Joe Hisashi feels powerful with drums and emotionally-searing with horns and violins. Effortlessly blending 2D animation and computer animation, which was no easy feat for the late-1990s, this animated fantasy epic punches you in the gut so hard with its gorgeous animation and engrossing sound, making the environmental message pack a wallop.

AKIRA is the ultimate dystopian animated sci-fi, posing a futuristic Tokyo where the supernatural forces of the tortured Tetsuo may bring about a world-ending event. There’s a ridiculous level of detail to this anime that’s fascinating to watch unfold numerous times. Peer closely at the bar in the opening scene and you’ll actually be able to read all the labels on the bottles. 

The audio is also top-notch for the many details in the effects and the grand score by Shōji Yamashiro and the group Geinoh Yamashirogumi mixing styles of Indonesian gamelan and Japanese noh. The Blu-ray includes two different English dubs but it’s best watched in the original Japanese, considering the stylish animation was meant to accurately reflect the pre-recorded Japanese actors.

Considered one of the most inspiring pieces of sci-fi filmmaking, Ghost in the Shell is a cyberpunk anime depicting a future where every human is a cyborg. With every brain now connected online, crime evolves to the point where a special police force has to handle cyber crimes of a much dangerous nature. Major Motoko Kusanagi is a member of this force whose body is almost entirely robotic. She runs across a new entity known as The Puppet Master, an intelligence that not only seeks asylum but a chance to extend its own life. 

Released in 1995, the animation was a remarkable merging of traditional cel animation and digital computer graphics. The level of detail placed in the animation (check out the accuracy of the numbers in the opening credits that form each title) is so intricate that the Blu-ray is a must, especially when considering that past Blu-rays have had lackluster transfers. The latest 4K/Blu-ray combo release by Lionsgate is one of the best-looking versions of the film to date.

Set in a world of alien terror, Fantastic Planet finds humans being treated as pets and pests by the towering creatures known as the Traags. To survive, the many humans band together and form a rebellion, if they can live in the wild all sorts of horrific creatures aiming to eat them. Portrayed with 1970s animation that dabbles between traditional and cut-out, there’s a surreal trippiness to how this cult animated classic unfolds. 

Having been out of print for years, The Criterion Collection has given this film a 2K transfer makeover that preserves the color and quality while keeping all of the retro textures and intoxicating visuals. The Blu-ray enhances the experience so that you can truly appreciate the wild nature of the artwork and get lost in the hypnotic score by Alain Goraguer.

Boasting an all-star rock soundtrack, Heavy Metal is an adult animated anthology of irreverent and subversive tales, based on the adult comic magazine. Told through the sinister green orb known as the Loknar, a variety of fantastical stories come to live with traditional 2D and rotoscope animation. 

The fantasy highlights include the erotic absurdity of Den, a fish-out-of-water Herculean tale of ruling a fantasy realm, and the closing segment of Taarna, where a bikini-clad warrior wages war against a zombie army with sword in hand. The Blu-ray exposes all the hand-painted details of this cult classic and the Dolby Atmos makes the music choices of Cheap Trick and Blue Oyster Cult come alive.