Chungking Express (Miramax Home Entertainment)

Wong Kar-Wai is one of the most interesting Hong Kong filmmakers working today. The plot of this movie isn’t the easiest to encapsulate, but it features a quirky love story involving a Hong Kong cop, interesting visuals, and two perfectly placed pop songs. The DVD features an introduction from Quentin Tarantino. Kino International has just put together a Wong Kar-Wai boxed set that should be fabulous.

Citizen Kane (Warner Home Video)

Orson Welles’ masterpiece tells the story of the rise and fall of newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane in ways quintessentially cinematic: it could not have been told in this manner in any other medium. This well-produced DVD features commentaries by Peter Bogdanovich and Roger Ebert, as well as a long documentary about Welles and his altercations with newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst, the obvious inspiration for the character of Kane.

Dracula (Universal)

This is the granddaddy of all horror movies. Not only did it start Universal monster movies in the 1930s and ’40s, it inspired the Hammer films of the 1950s and ’60s. This two-disc set is superb. The Spanish-language version of the film, shot concurrently with the English version but with a different cast, is very good, and a great bonus.

Kiki’s Delivery Service (Walt Disney Home Entertainment)

I could have easily chosen any of Miyazaki’s animated features for this list, but I decided to choose one less well known than Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away. This film’s idyllic beauty and pastoral tranquility draw me in every time I watch it. It is one of my five-year-old son’s favorites, too. Disc 2 of this two-disc set shows us all of the original storyboards for the film, and allows us to watch them with either the original Japanese or a newly produced English soundtrack.

The Marx Brothers Collection: A Night at the Opera, A Day at the Races, A Night in Casablanca, Room Service, At the Circus, Go West, The Big Store (Warner Home Video)

I could have chosen just about any of the Marx Brothers’ movies, but I’ve cheated and listed one of the recent boxed sets. If I had to choose, I’d start with A Night at the Opera or A Day at the Races. The Marx Brothers’ films give us an anarchic worldview: words are not understood with their intended meanings and everyday actions are made complicated, yet the brothers, especially Groucho, seem to go along their merry way unfazed by the crazy world they create around them.

Metropolis (Kino International)

Fritz Lang’s silent masterpiece is fascinating, even if time and lack of care have left us with an incomplete film. Kino International’s release of the most recent restored version is probably the best we’ll ever see; I suggest you avoid lesser versions. Kino supplies great extras that pay due homage to the early days of cinema. Many people are uncomfortable with silent films, but if you concentrate on Lang’s images and music, you’ll surely be hooked.

North by Northwest (Warner Home Video)

I think this is the best film Hitchcock made in America. Ernest Lehman’s script contains good dialogue and a great story that has influenced almost every thriller made since, and Hitchcock shows us why he was acknowledged as the master of suspense. The DVD includes a documentary and audio commentary by Lehman.

Pulp Fiction (Miramax Home Entertainment)

What may be Quentin Tarantino’s best film shows off his directorial and writing talents better than any of his other work. The performances are fantastic throughout, especially those of John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson as a pair of hit men. The stories of the film intersect in interesting ways, the dialogue is compelling and sounds real, and we are left with a nagging question: What’s in that briefcase, anyway? The two-disc set’s many special features will complement repeated viewings of the film.

Rashômon (The Criterion Collection)

Akira Kurosawa’s Rashômon has philosophically interesting things to say about memory, truth, and morality in its telling of the same story of murder and rape from different characters’ points of view. The cinematography is fantastic, and Toshiro Mifune again displays his great acting skills. The disc’s important extras include a documentary about cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa and a commentary from Donald Richie, a historian of Japanese film. Also included is a booklet that features the short stories of Ryunosuke Akutagawa that inspired the film.

Seven Samurai (The Criterion Collection)

This Kurosawa masterpiece features magnificent performances and a compelling story. A village fearful of bandit attacks enlists the services of a ragtag collection of defenders. Toshiro Mifune again shows why he is one of the great film actors of all time. While this edition is bare-bones -- a commentary track and original trailer are the only extras provided -- it commands a premium price. But even if a new edition is in the works, if you’ve never seen this film, don’t wait.