With Euro 2012 kicking off and the continent’s elite teams and players preparing for battle, the Blu-ray Disc Association has put together its top ten Blu-ray Discs to help get you in the mood for the biggest competition in European football.
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (Paramount)
With reigning European and World champions Spain still in outstanding form, critics might argue that Euro 2012 is Mission Impossible for everyone else, but the adrenalin packed, fourth instalment in the MI franchise proves that you should never write off the underdogs. Tom Cruise steps back into the shoes of superspy Ethan Hunt, this time searching for Kurt Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist), a megalomaniacal terrorist intent on global destruction. Watch him and his team overcome the odds in amazing HD, and let’s hope England can do the same.
The Expendables: Director’s Cut (Lionsgate)
Euro 2012 promises action and drama that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout the tournament. What better way is there to prepare your adrenalin glands than a Blu-ray boasting a line-up of some of the biggest and toughest action movie stars of all time? Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mickey Rourke and Bruce Willis unite in this ensemble action film of epic proportions. Released on 11th June, the testosterone-fuelled Director’s Cut is the perfect film to get you fired up for Euro 2012.
Chronicle (Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment)
With the strongest line-up of qualifying teams in recent history, the eventual winners of Euro 2012 might need something approaching super powers to lift the trophy. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to have a super power yourself, then Chronicle on Blu-ray is a must. Starring Dane DeHaan (True Blood), Alex Russell (Almost Kings) and Michael B. Jordan (Red Tails), Chronicle follows the journey of three high school students who make an incredible discovery, leading them to develop uncanny telekinetic powers beyond their understanding.
300 (Warner Bros)
It will take teamwork to succeed at Euro 2012 and if there’s one film that shows what’s possible for a team that works together it’s 300. When a Persian envoy arrives in Sparta and demands that King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) bows to the will of their leader, Leonidas assembles a small army comprised of his empire’s best fighters and marches off to battle in the face of seemingly impossible odds. With three lions on their shirts, let’s hope that Roy Hodgson’s team can show similar levels of passion.
Footloose (Paramount)
European defences need to watch out for the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and David Silva, whose repertoire of tricks could see them dance the ball into the back of the net. Get yourself prepared for their quick feet by watching Footloose on Blu-ray. A remake of the 1984 film of the same name, it follows a young man who moves from Boston to a small southern town and protests against the town’s ban on dancing.
Ocean’s Eleven (Warner Bros)
When a team of eleven work in harmony together, it seems that anything is possible – especially if your team is run by Danny Ocean. Starring George Clooney (Danny Ocean) and Hollywood heavyweights such as Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and Matt Damon, Ocean’s Eleven follows eleven accomplices as they plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously. This Blu-ray is as fast-paced, witty and entertaining as it is star-studded and stylish. Will Roy Hodgson be able to manage such a slick outfit with his eleven men at Euro 2012? Only time will tell.
Moneyball (Sony)
Based on a true story, this Blu-ray will appeal to anyone who ever dreamed of managing a sporting team to the heights of success. Brad Pitt stars as Billy Beane, manager of Major League Baseball’s Oakland A’s, who is forced to reinvent the team on a shoestring budget to try to outsmart the richer clubs. Will Euro 2012’s smaller nations be able to pull off a similar feat this summer?
Reservoir Dogs (Lionsgate)
It’s often the case in international football that things don’t always go according to plan. This is exactly what happens in Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, when a diamond robbery goes terribly wrong for a team of six criminals who were completely convinced that it would be a success. Watch this Blu-ray and you’ll remember to be prepared and not take anything for granted at Euro 2012.
Warrior (Lionsgate)
Club loyalties will have to be put to one side by many players this summer, mirroring some of the problems faced by Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton’s characters in Warrior. Playing two estranged brothers fighting in the same Mixed Martial Arts tournament, the film sees them simultaneously struggle with family ties and punishing bouts in the ring. Sports drama doesn’t come much tougher or grittier than this.
Chariots of Fire 30th Anniversary Edition (Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment)
Hugh Hudson’s Academy Award winning classic drama examines the motivations and beliefs of two very different athletes, Eric (Ian Charleson) a devout Christian racing for God, and Harold (Ben Cross) a Jewish student who sees victory as a route to acceptance. Echoing the spirit of the Euros by bringing competitors together from different walks of life, this digitally re-mastered 30th Anniversary Edition provides viewers with an unforgettable tale of sporting glory including a whole host of new bonus features. Available for pre-order now, Chariots of Fire could be the perfect tonic for your post-Euro celebrations and the perfect preparation for the rest of the summer’s sporting moments. Available from the 16th July 2012.
