Three Home Theater Picks You May Have Missed

Home theaters are a great way to enjoy any movie, but some films really do pack an awesome wallop when presented by high-end technology. In recognition of this, it's hard to find a DVD collection lacking some of the better-known titles featuring top-notch vistas and action among home theater owners.

However, with Hollywood cranking out movies at a record pace, there are occasional gems that somehow get lost in the shuffle. If you are looking for a great movie to watch on your home entertainment system and would like to spend some time with a great flick you may have missed, you may want to consider one of these three great options.

The Mission. This film won the Golden Palm award at Cannes when it was originally released, but never found a huge audience in the United States. Featuring Robert DeNiro, Jeremy Irons and a host of indigenous people from Latin America, The Mission explores some thought-provoking political and personal terrain with an amazing backdrop.

The South American scenery is breathtaking, and those massive waterfalls and greener-than-green foliage will really come to life when viewed on a big screen television or monitor. The first scene, featuring a slain missionary and a remarkable fall is worth the rental fee alone!

In addition to a solid cast and stunning visuals, The Mission has an audio component that is nearly unbeatable. Italian great Ennio Morricone handled the score for the movie. If that name is not familiar to you, his music undoubtedly is. Those unforgettable themes from the classic Clint Eastwood "spaghetti westerns" were Morricone's doing. The music in the mission is haunting, sparse and utterly memorable.

The drama centers upon European mission work in the Americas shortly after exploration of the New World began. Jeremy Irons is the priest who runs the mission. Robert DeNiro is the slave trader who finds salvation there. Political intrigue and double-cross put the mission and both men at risk.

It's a great movie and one that is well suited for home theater viewing.

The Long Kiss Goodnight. Action movies roll out of Hollywood on a daily basis. Even the most enthusiastic lover of butt-kicking excitement cannot see each and every production. One commonly overlooked classic in the lot is The Long Kiss Goodnight. It features Geena Davis and Samuel Jackson.

There is nothing like a home theater to bring action and mayhem to life! This movie will give any system a workout. The explosions and are so realistic they almost become characters. It's a solid movie with a far better than average plotline and a very unique set-up. Davis is great as a housewife turned assassin. Jackson plays the ne'er-do-well detective who befriends her.

If you want to feast your eyes and ears on an impressive action movie while avoiding the same old films you've seen a dozen times, you should definitely check out The Long Kiss Goodnight.

Koyaanisqatsi: You probably weren't thinking about watching documentaries that are over twenty years old and that don't feature a single line of dialog when you were unpacking the components of your home theater system. However, if you were aware of Koyaanisquatsi, you might have been.

Godfrey Reggio directed this film, named after for a Hopi word meaning "life out of balance." The film was scored by famed minimalist composer Phillip Glass and features the work of cinematographer Ron Fricke.

The music is spectacular and hearing it through your high-fidelity home theater system will just make it that much more powerful. The visuals, however, are the documentary's greatest strength. The movie, which takes a look at the interaction between humanity, technology, and nature features a series of unforgettable images. The striking beauty of Koyaanisqatsi will be emphasized by a great home video system.

What's it all about? Greggio says that's for the viewer to decide. It's a challenging movie and can be almost as frustrating as its subject matter would leave you to believe. It's also a treat for the eyes and ears and a good home entertainment system will make that clear.

The next time you are looking for something to watch on your home theater system, consider one of these three films. Though often overlooked, they all offer wonderful home theater experiences.