Like the rest of the world, we were incredibly excited when we got our first glimpse of the new trailer for The Dark Knight Rises, which will conclude Christopher Nolan’s highly acclaimed Batman trilogy.
So for this weekend’s special we’re focusing on the star of the series who is undoubtedly one of the most complex, fascinating and talented actors of our time – Christian Bale. It was a tough choice we’re sure you’ll agree, but here are our picks for this weekend’s Christian Bale Blu-ray bonanza.
The movie that catapulted Christian Bale into the Hollywood limelight, American Psycho follows the life of Wall Street yuppie Patrick Bateman, a man obsessed with success, style, possessions and women. Set in the greed-stricken world of 1980s Wall Street, Bateman is a high-flying careerist who sets himself apart from his colleagues by being a narcissistic, sadistic killer in his spare time. The movie joins Bateman’s story when his two worlds start to collide and he slowly loses grip on his sanity. Based on the controversial novel by Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho offers viewers the full power of Bale’s acting talent. With a remake of the film on the books in the near future, catch-up with the original on Blu-ray this weekend to remind you of its greatness.
The Machinist
If you think American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman is a complex character, you have not met Trevor Reznik. Directed by Brad Anderson, The Machinist tells the story of Reznik, a lathe-operator who suffers from insomnia and hasn’t slept in a year. We witness the shocking deterioration of his physical and mental health, where life has become a painful, confusing and paranoid waking nightmare. With indecipherable Post-It notes appearing in Reznik’s apartment, he attempts to unravel the mystery despite his hallucinating state of mind. Shocking, gripping and surprising are the three words to describe this excellent screenplay that is brought to life by an indescribably powerful performance by Christian Bale. The Blu-ray edition boasts fascinating special features including eight deleted scenes, a making-of extra and a featurette entitled The Machinist: Breaking the Rules.
Terminator Salvation
From small budget treasures we move on to epic blockbuster delights with Terminator Salvation, for Blu-ray fans that love a bit of action. Part of the successful Terminator series that propelled Arnold Schwarzenegger to global fame in the 1980s, Salvation is set in the future and follows grown up John Connor as he grapples not only with murderous robots, but also his superiors in the resistance movement, who are not convinced of the prophecies that destine Connor to save humanity. With astonishing special effects and gripping action sequences, Terminator Salvation will get any action movie fan’s heart racing. The Blu-ray pack comes with two discs that include the theatrical version and a director’s cut for your full viewing pleasure.
The Dark Knight / Batman Begins Box set
And finally, we couldn’t omit a nod to Nolan’s brilliant re-imagining of the caped crusader’s clashes in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Bale stars alongside Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine in tales of greed and destruction so brilliant and thrilling they’ll leave you pondering their meaning for days after. With action, romance and special effects that are sure to impress, Bale’s portrayal of the mysterious superhero won praise around the globe and won the late Heath Ledger a posthumous Oscar for his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Comprising of a feast of extras, the set includes documentaries Gotham Uncovered, Batman Unmasked and Batman Tech, which take viewers on a 360 degree look at the set design, props, weaponry, stunts and special effects. Multiple interviews with cast and crew on the performances, script and Ledger’s contribution, alongside poster art and production stills, complete the pack.
A complex character on and off screen, Christian Bale is not afraid to shock. Why not hit the comments section below and tell us your favourite performances of his.
