There has been a steady stream of Coen Brothers movies coming out on Blu-ray lately and I think this is a great thing for film buffs.

I’ve received a whole pile of them and want to take this opportunity to remind you why the Coen Brothers have one of the most unique voices in film history. I’d like to open this up by saying that my favorite Coen Brothers film might be Miller’s Crossing, just so you know where I’m coming from. It’s screenplay is like a fine Swiss watch, with every gear and motor in just the right place.

First we have Blood Simple, which is also their first film. It stars Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya, and M. Emmet Walsh and is as tight a modern noir as I’ve ever seen. Even though it’s dark and brutal at times, the Coen brothers manage to infuse it with humour. (Seriously, the bit with the dead end at the end of the street is hilarious.) Aside from the incredibly smart screenplay and razor sharp acting from the cast, the cinematography in this movie is both gorgeous and careful. It takes all of the classic noir visual conventions and bleeds into them the sparest bits of color. On this new Blu-ray edition, Barry Sonnenfeld’s camera work sparkles.

This is a tense, taut noir thriller and a surprising first film. It might be one of the best first films from a filmmaker since Citizen Kane. And as a noir, it has a story that resonates as much or more as classics like Double Indemnity or The Maltese Falcon.

It’s a very impressive film and one that is, for some reason, lesser known among the Coen Brothers’ oeuvre. Seek it out. It’s a no brainer, especially since it’s less than $15 on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Next up is O Brother, Where Art Thou. Starring George Clooney, John Turturro, John Goodman, and Tim Blake Nelson, this is their 1930s Americana adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey. Few films have as much heart and laughs in such a tight package. It’s brilliantly acted, in fact, this was the first time after the abysmal Batman and Robin travesty that I thought George Clooney could act. It’s disgustingly adorable and charming, infinitely quotable and all around a great movie. The reason you should be picking up the Blu-ray, though, aside from all of these things is the incredible visual achievement this film represents.

This was an early use of digital color correcting in film and they tweaked every frame of color in this film to tell a story with that alone. It’s gorgeous and seeing it on Blu-ray is phenomenal. But more than that? This film is one of best musicals to have ever come along. The music is integral to the story and you watch it and don’t even realize you’re watching a musical.

I’ve bought the soundtrack so many times (CD, iTunes, Vinyl, etc.) that buying the best new version of the film is a no-brainer. This also might be the Coen Brothers film I’ve seen theatrically the most. For $20 on Amazon, you really can’t go wrong picking this movie up.

The first Coen Brothers film I think I saw in the theatres that I knew I was seeing a Coen Brothers film was our last film here, The Big Lebowski.

In the years since The Big Lebowski has come out it’s become a cult hit, but that first showing on opening night was empty. I was there with two friends and we laughed hysterically through the entire thing. I had no idea what we were getting into and we’re treated with the funniest take on a noir film ever. It was odd seeing a movie that was so much a period piece released so close to the period it was set in. Now that there’s been a full decade and a half between the release of the film and over twenty since it’s set it ages like a fine wine. Comedy is always very hard to keep relevant over years, but making this a period piece in a time where no one believes in anything somehow makes the comedy timeless.

This might be one of the funniest and most enduring comedies I’ve ever seen. I know some people have backlashed against it since it’s too “popular” or “trendy” but this film is pretty flawless. It bends time and space, contains consistent belly laughs over and over again, and might be one of the most gorgeous looking comedy’s I’ve ever seen.

In fact, think about most comedies. They’re disposable and are shot with over saturated lights and ham fisted sitcom cinematography. They shoot them as easily as possible because they know no one will care about watching them five years on. The Big Lebowski is different in that it has a truly unique cinematography style and color palette. It’s brilliant colors and use of shadow adds elements of the story not present in your average, every-day comedy. It’s timeless because it’s shot knowing it’ll be a timeless piece of art.

It’s never too late to visit the film for the first time and it’s never a waste of time to revisit it. On Blu-ray, the colors sparkle and the sound pops. Add to that the fact that the Blu-ray comes with a booklet with pictures from the film and other information it makes it a no-brainer. This is definitely one you want to upgrade.