2011 saw a lot of great discs hitting store shelves. Many classic movies finally saw high definition releases, including some great silent films, and TV on DVD is still very popular. It was hard to narrow it down to just a handful, but DVDTalk's staff of reviewers did just that. They voted on the best releases of the past year and came up with an interesting and diverse list. From titles that should have received more attention such as the Ernie Kovacs Collection to blockbuster hits like the Lord of the Rings Blu-ray release and everything in between made the list, did your favorites? Take a look at DVDTalk's Top Releases of 2011 and see!

This week in theaters, Meryl Streep dons the iconic pearls of British prime minister Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. First-time filmmaker Dee Rees crafts a powerful coming-of-age story in Pariah. Iranian director Asghar Farhadi tells a powerful morality tale in the acclaimed A Separation. And the death of a child rocks a snowy small town in Angels Crest. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Adventures of Tintin, War Horse, We Bought a Zoo, Albert Nobbs, Pina, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Carnage, The Artist, Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel, A Dangerous Method, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Young Adult, and New Year's Eve.

Some great TV shows have made their way onto DVD this week including: Boardwalk Empire: The Complete First Season - one of the most fascinating crime/mob dramas to ever hit television; The Angry Beavers: Seasons 1 & 2 - Clever and funny with silly scripting this show should be ranked a lot higher in the Nickelodeon pantheon of toons; and Gunsmoke - The Fifth Season, Volume 2 - another set of musts for Western fans. Other shows recently reviewed include:  Chuck: The Complete Fourth Season, Prep and Landing, and Dennis The Menace: Season Three.  Want more?  Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

Savant sifts through the months and comes up with a subjective selection of favorites from 2011, DVDs and Blu-rays that tend to stay at the front of the shelves where I can get at them quickly. Fifteen key favorites and (this time) a shorter list of great restorations, discoveries and movies clearly released by companies that care. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

One super-strong hero has to defend a town against monstrous mutants in City Under Siege the sci-fi action thriller from famed director Benny Chan (Connected, Who Am I?). Featuring a star-studded cast including Collin Chou (The Matrix Reloaded) and Qi Shu (The Transporter) this flick packs a serious punch thanks to action sequences by choreographer Chung Chi Li (Rush Hour). Sunny, a lowly circus clown, dreams of following in his father's footsteps by perfecting lethal Flying Dagger technique. That dream seemingly dies the night a group of bullies force Sunny into a mysterious cave where an abandoned military experiment turns them all into mutants! Suddenly bestowed with superhuman strength, Sunny finally has the power to master his father's technique and defend the city against his horribly-disfigured fellow mutants! Check out City Under Siege available on DVD and Blu-ray now!

There are a few new releases this week that you won't want to miss. Check out these hot titles: Final Destination 5 [Blu-ray review] - a hell of a lot of demented fun and the best installment in the franchise since part two all those years ago; Tuesday, After Christmas [DVD review] - Another jewel in the crown of contemporary Romanian cinema; and Archer: Season 2 - Sterling Archer, the world’s most dangerous spy, is back for more adventure. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

This week, Entertainment One invites you to make a splash with The Pool Boys (watch trailer), the hilarious, new comedy from the creators of American Pie, starring Matthew Lillard, Efren Ramirez, Rachelle Lefevre, Brett Davern, George Takei and Tom Arnold (playing none other than Tom Arnold). Money, prestige and the pursuit of higher education collide when a pool boy (Lillard), a gardener (Ramirez) and a Harvard hopeful (Davern) team up for a can't-miss-scheme to get rich. With the help of a savvy escort (Lefevre) and her sexy friends, the three dreamers transform an empty Beverly Hills mansion into a house of illicit fun that's one hilarious, non-stop party. The Pool Boys arrives on DVD and Blu-ray along with a behind-the-scenes featurette and an interactive ("choose your own escort") virtual lap dance. Enter now for your chance to win one of 5 copies of The Pool Boys on DVD!

Even with the holidays, we've been able to review some great releases this past week. Check out these recent entries in the DVDTalk review database: The Lady Vanishes - this film is essential viewing for any admirer of Hitchcock (which is virtually synonymous with any movie lover); Golden Needles - Bizarre, but completely entertaining this movie is a must-see for 70s chop socky fans; and Sherlock Holmes (1922) - John Barrymore portrays the world famous detective in this restored silent feature. Other recent reviews include: Design for Living; Boy Wonder, and Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Special.  Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

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