MyReviewer Best of 2012 - Part 3

Continuing our look back at what we thought was best during 2012, we look at our reviews for the last twelve months and see those we rated a 9 or 10. Today we have a gander at drama releases this past year, and TV rules the roost.

First up, Al Pacino in the classic Glengarry Glen Ross, adapted from David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize winning play. Although out on both DVD and Blu-ray as a double disk set, alas we only looked at the DVD. But a modern classic is a modern classic none the less.

David said that this, "is a masterclass in acting, everyone is at the peak of their skills and it is hard to imagine anyone else playing these roles. If you are a fan of the film you will be sold on a treat of extras accompanying the film, and even if you are only a fan of great acting you will be sold on that too. That's how I'm closing this deal."

But that is where our trips to cinema drama ended, the rest of our highest rated outings occured in telly land. The first of these to delight us was a trip down legal memory lane thanks to LA Law: Season 1. Featuring Harry Hamlin, Corbin Bernsen, Jill Eikenberry and of course recently appearing in Sons of Anarchy, Jimmy Smits reminds us that he doesn't just do the business in tattoos and a sleeveless shirt, but he also does it in a suit too.

Jitendar stated that, "If you enjoy legal drama, then you simply mustn't miss out on LA Law, and I find it surprising that it has taken this long to come to DVD. The technical quality of the episodes on these discs may not be ideal, but the quality of the writing and the performances can't be faulted. It's also a blast spotting those stars of the future hidden away in bit parts in this show. Is that Don Cheadle?"

Something closer to our shores, was The Lakes: Complete Series 1 and 2, starring a man who seems to turn every series he appears in into gold, John Simm. From the 90s, this was written by Jimmy McGovern.

Rich said, "Forget your remade Upstairs Downstairs or your Downtown Abbey. This is what TV drama should be about. Great performances from many of the cast, despite some of the oddities of series 2. John Simm, Elizabeth Berrington, Charles Dale and Kaye Wragg are all very good indeed, but there are so many good efforts, it's almost unfair to single people out. Brilliant stuff. If you've never seen it, get out there and buy this. If you've seen it, time to pay another visit to The Lakes."

Back to the movies again, though this time a somewhat older affair, and Blu-ray release of The Trial: 50th Anniversary, based on the influential Franz Kafka novel, with Orson Welles bringins us another paranoid masterpiece.

Of this, Stuart had this message for anyone who hasn't seen it already, or had it and considering a double-dip, "The Blu-Ray transfer is superb – virtually flawless – and audio crisp and precise. If this isn’t a good enough reason alone to replace your DVD version, then maybe the extras will swing it."

What better to end on than some Nordic noir, than a series of six made for television movies based on the books by Henning Mankell? Wallander: Original Films follow detective Kurt Wallander, an intense and headstrong maverick who is prone to eating poorly, sleeping irregularly and drinking too much.

Si considered the drama as, "rather gritty, which is really the norm now rather than the old glossy style detective stories and showcase the influence that can now be seen throughout the genre. Sadly though, this film series is often overlooked due to the availability of its more recent successors. Hopefully this welcome but flawed release will redress the balance."

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