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 VOTERS' VOICES: -"Three great action movies, all packed with great extras." -"This is my favorite box set. Video-wise it looks great, and each movie is backed with a full disc of extras." -"A packed collection." |
20)
Die Hard: The Ultimate Collection The three Die Hard films are widely considered some of the best works that the pure action genre has to offer. Disregarding action dramas and blends, you'd be hard-pressed to find an action film better executed from the past several decades than at least the original Die Hard. The triad of Bruce Willis thrillers received royal treatment from Fox, all three films receiving 2-disc set treatment. The original Die Hard, responsible for breathing life into the action genre, is labeled as a Five Star Collection set, whereas the able sequels are simply 2-disc Special Editions. All feature THX-certified anamorphic widescreen transfers, and dual DD and DTS tracks, plus a wealth of supplemental material, including audio commentaries, deleted scenes, on-set material, trailers, and TV specials. The Ultimate Die Hard Collection, indeed. Note: Some voters feel that only the original Die Hard's Five Star Collection DVD is worth picking up. Had these two releases been treated separately, both the Trilogy Collection and the 2-disc set for the original would have placed in the 30s. |
| 1988-1995, Fox / 6 Discs / DVD Release 7/10/01 / SRP $69.99 / LAST YEAR: 13 |
| 19)
The Matrix The once-all-time-bestselling DVD title remains a favorite today, over three years after release. One of the first blockbuster films to make a huge impact with its DVD release, for a long time The Matrix was the DVD to get. A collection still isn't complete without it, many say. A few voters recommended the Matrix/Matrix Revisited two-pack, in which the standard DVD is accompanied by a disc of additional supplements, which is also separately available. Even if it can't compete with the latest 2-disc sets, Warner's DVD of The Wachowski brothers' sci-fi thriller for the thinking man is highly recommended. |
 VOTERS' VOICES: -"A (expletive) groundbreaking movie like no other!!" -"There [will] always be a soft spot for this one." -"Lobby shootout scene makes my ears happy." |
| 1999, Warner Bros. / 1 Disc / DVD Release 9/21/99 / SRP $24..98 / LAST YEAR: 8 |
 VOTERS' VOICES: -"Pixar's best movie yet, and the DVD does not disappoint. The widescreen digital-to- digital print is absolutely reference quality and the extra features provide great insight into the making of the movie. The Monster TV Treats are absolutely hysterical, and the child-oriented games are fun, too. The long wait for this to street makes it all the sweeter to have this amazing set in my collection now." |
18)
Monsters, Inc. Pixar Animation Studio's fourth feature film is the witty and charming story of James P. Sullivan and Mike Wazowski, two ordinary working monsters who are thrown into an awkward situation when a little human girl enters the Monster World. Many feel that the film was robbed of the Best Animated Feature Oscar last year, but nonetheless, the loss didn't stop from Pixar outdoing DreamWorks again, with their superior DVD release. On par with past Pixar Collector's Edition DVDs, Monsters, Inc. features the direct digital transfer that we've come to expect from the leaders in computer animation. Disc One includes both 16x9 widescreen and 4x3 formats, a killer Dolby Digital track, a 5.1 sound-effects only track, and an audio commentary from director Pete Docter, co-director Lee Unkrich, and Pixar veterans John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton. Disc 2 maintains the spirit of fun that seems to loom over everything that Pixar does. "For the Birds", the Oscar-winning short which ran before Monsters, Inc. is here. So is an all-new short created just for the video and DVD release, "Mike's New Car" featuring the characters and actors from MI. Both shorts are accompanied by optional audio commentaries, and one is quite a hoot. In addition, the outtakes that began to run in the end credits of the film after a month in theaters are included, and as always, they're good for a few laughs. Then there's all the great making-of material, which could easily get uninteresting and redundant, but Pixar manages to keep it fresh, with a chimpanzee among other unexpected treats along the way. You can choose to watch all the features or go on a tour which includes some of the main featurettes. In addition, Disc Two features a very cool layout, you can choose to check out the Monster World for features with more universal appeal or The Human World, with the more technical making-of features. |
| 2001, Disney/Pixar / 2 Discs / DVD Release 9/17/02 / SRP $29.99 / LAST YEAR: N/A |
| 17)
Memento: Limited Edition Even though the standard Memento DVD released in 2001 placed 36th on the Top 100 DVD list, Columbia/TriStar saw the audience for a souped-up re-release of this smart, suspenseful independent film. Hailed as the 10th greatest film of all-time at the Internet Movie Database, Memento has turned more than a few heads and opened several sets of eyes to look beyond mainstream cinema. Director Christopher Nolan has now established a name and reputation for himself and his first big studio effort - a remake of Insomnia - received critical acclaim. Whereas the initial DVD simply had the film, a trailer, and a tattoo gallery, this 2-disc set provides a unique experience into the film and its creation. This is one film that didn't suffer from Columbia/TriStar big-head-itis, and the classy psychological evaluation folder packaging features nary an actor on the cover. The entire DVD presentation is in the spirit and theme of the movie, and while some weren't thrilled by the design (one must answer psychological evaluation test questions to acess special features), most found it a pretty clever set (those that don't have taken advantage of online guides to simple menu, which appeared on websites shortly after the May release). The ability to view the film chronologically on Disc Two is certainly a solid use of DVD technology, and the "Anatomy of a Scene" featurette and director's audio commentary help unravel the film's mysteries and to further one's appreciation for this intelligent thriller. |
 VOTERS' VOICES: -"Very original packaging, new transfer and DTS audio blow the original DVD out of the water." |
| 2001, Columbia/TriStar / 2 Discs / DVD Release 5/21/02 / SRP $27.95 / LAST YEAR: N/A |
 VOTERS' VOICES: -"Best sounding DVD ever." -"Not everyone likes this movie but I thought it was great and the Ridley Scott commentary is very informative." -"Great TLC documentary about real gladiatorial fights." -"Great flick and excellent DTS sound." |
16)
Gladiator I won't piss people off like I did last year with my remarks on Gladiator. On the other hand, I'm not going to pretend that this is one of the best films in the history of cinema (like I have pretended for some other DVDs which were selected). Instead I'll provide you with this entertaining anecdote, from Jack Handey: Once when I was in Hawaii, on the island of Kauai, I met a mysterious old stranger. He said he was about to die and wanted to tell someone about the treasure. I said, "Okay, as long as it's not a long story. Some of us have a plane to catch, you know." He started telling his story, about the treasure and his life and all, and I thought: "This story isn't too long." But then, he kept going, and I started thinking, "Uh-oh, this story is getting long." But then the story was over, and I said to myself: "You know, that story wasn't too long after all." I forget what the story was about, but there was a good movie on the plane. It was a little long, though. Gladiator too is a long film, and even longer if you watch all the supplements with it. Though I have come to appreciate Russell and Joaquin's work in other films, I just don't dig it here. But if you do, you probably already have the DVD. If you have the DVD (and it seems like most people do), then you probably dig the DVD and chose it for the list. After all, the video and audio quality are just dandy. |
| 2000, DreamWorks / 2 Discs / DVD Release 11/21/01 / SRP $29.99 / LAST YEAR: 7 |
| 15)
Almost Famous Untitled: The Bootleg Cut Cameron Crowe's unique sense of humor and his keen ear for effective musical selections are two of the driving forces behind Almost Famous, a semi-autobiographical comedy/drama/musical that struck a chord with a great number of people. While the initial DreamWorks DVD offered flawless video and a funky aural experience, it is this, the 2-DVD Bootleg Cut which contains all the goodies for the Stillwater fans out there. It's really like a whole different film, because over 35 minutes of scenes deleted from theatrical release have been edited back in. And it doesn't amount to Almost Famous Redux, as the extended cut is almost unanimously preferred. Cameron Crowe and his mother speak on the film in the audio commentary. Disc Two contains the theatrical cut of the film, with all of the extras from the initial release, and some additional material. And as an additional bonus, there is an audio CD with six original Stillwater songs. Stillwater, of course, being the fictional band from the movie Almost Famous. This is truly the complete package, the real deal, the flava flav for Cameron Crowe's personal and endearing film. |
 VOTERS' VOICES: -"An improvement on a great movie." -"A great movie made all the better by the additions. Also includes one of my favourite commentary tracks ever. If only they could have included the music in the 'Stairway' scene, it would have been perfect!" -"Excellent movie and cool features." |
| 2000, DreamWorks / 2 Discs + CD / DVD Release 12/4/01 / SRP $34.99 / LAST YEAR: 28 |
 VOTERS' VOICES: -"The framing issue kept it from being higher on the list, but it is still one of my favorite movies and it has never looked better, except in the theaters." -"It's about time Back to the Future got here, and it's one spiffy set. With a great remastered transfer and some really great extras, it was definitely worth the wait. My only gripe is the misframing of Parts II and III. However, once this is corrected in February 2003, this set will stand as one of the best DVD releases ever to alter history." |
14)
Back to the Future: The Complete Trilogy "Back to the Future and DVD" just wouldn't feel right unless "rumors" and "disappointment" accompanied them, and sure enough, Universal delivered. After pissing off people with thier announcements of Total Axxess (the ingenious idea to subject people wanting to view some meaningful extras to ads for other Universal endeavours) and their new No Review Copies for DVD Websites stance (both were part of Universal's commitment to tricking customers into buying the expensive E.T. set), rumors started that Back to the Future Parts II and III were misframed, creating disappointment among the DVD community. Sure enough, there are some framing issues that are most noticeable on a few scenes from the two sequels. And though it's unclear exactly what happened and why, Universal will supposedly replace discs with newly-pressed discs in February. (Remember, these are the people who promised you'd have to buy the $70 gift set to get the original cut of E.T.) Framing issues aside, after all this time, how is the Back to the Future Trilogy on DVD? Well, pretty cool. The purely entertaining films satisfy on a great number of levels, whether it's trying to follow the mind-bending effects of time travel or just enjoying the thrill of seeing if those bastards can do 90. Back to the Future certainly deserves a significant place among American cinema. While not on par with new theatrical releases in the audio and video department, the Trilogy does look and sound sufficient, contradicting fears that the DVDs we'd finally get were the ones supposedly pressed in 1997. All three films are accompanied by two commentary tracks and the first film includes an Enhanced Conversation with Michael J. Fox, allowing you to watch segments with a little window of the star talking about making the film (although you'll probably want to skip to the chapters with this feature, which amounts to about 20 minutes altogether). In addition, Animated Anecdotes provide yet another way to watch and enjoy the films, with a subtitle track providing insight into various happenings on screen. The new 45-minute documentary, split into 15-minute segments on the three discs, suffers from lack of participants, but still provides somewhat of a retrospective. The deleted scenes and outtakes are among the most watchable on any DVD, and fear not, the Huey Lewis music video is included on Disc 2. Finally, the "Secrets of the Back to the Future Trilogy" special hosted by Kirk Cameron answers many of the most-pressing questions on the films, and some that aren't are covered there are addressed in a FAQ section. Overall, you get an outstanding film, one of the most truly inspired sequels of all-time, and also Part III. Not unlike The Godfather Collection, except that here, nobody gets whacked, they get erased from existence. |
| 1985-1990, Universal / 3 Discs / DVD Release 12/17/02 / SRP $56.98 / LAST YEAR: N/A |
| 13) Pulp Fiction: Collector's
Edition Like many great films, Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction is hard to place in any one genre. On Disc 2 of this Miramax Collector's set, Quentin himself has no trouble labeling for Charlie Rose the films he makes as 'Crime' films. Alright, well that may be, but there's elements of drama, suspense, mystery, and comedy, okay. Pulp Fiction is a gritty film, with dialogue and violence that is sure to make one cringe upon an initial viewing. To pinpoint the reason that so many film critics and fans have embraced the film is not easy. It is different from other films - its quirky self-knowing dialogue, unapologetic crassness, and darkly comedic tone certainly make the film stand out from other cinema of any time. The one word you would use to describe the film is "Tarantino", which before this film you might not have understood, and now you might have forgotten. So, alright, to sum up, Pulp Fiction is original, okay and many label the film as one of the best of last decade. Also, without Pulp, John Travolta might not have had the good fortune to star in such hits as Domestic Disturbance and Battlefield Earth. The studios felt 2002 was the year to revisit Tarantino, and to coincide with the DVD debut of Tarantino's Jackie Brown, Miramax finally gave the 2-disc treatment many felt was long overdue. Well, it might not be everything everyone hoped for (there's no audio commentary), but it's still a pretty loaded set. All of the deleted scenes from the special edition video are included, along with the accompanying Tarantino introductions. In addition, a whole slew of trailers (some in foreign languages), a clip of Tarantino and company picking up the Palm d'Or and flipping off Cannes, an hour-long interview with the aforementioned Charlie Rose, a sequence from Siskel & Ebert dissecting the film and why it's great, and a whole slew of reviews from printed media. It's unfortunate that the new documentary "Pulp Fiction: The Facts" is rather lackluster and uninsightful, but overall, taking into account the film, the extras that are interesting, and the wonderful audio and video quality, voters found this set one of 2002's best releases. |
 VOTERS' VOICES: -"One of the best films of the '90s finally gets a loaded DVD with interesting extras." |
| 1994, Miramax / 2 Discs / DVD Release 8/20/02 / SRP $29.99 / LAST YEAR: N/A |
 VOTERS' VOICES: -"Episode I shaped the mold for Star Wars films on DVD, and it still holds up as an excellent disc, with one of the best making- of documentaries ever. Let's just hope the original trilogy gets the same kind of classy treatment Lucas is giving the prequels. " -"Offers one of the best documentaries I've ever seen on movie-making and reference quality sound." |
12) Star Wars: Episode I -
The Phantom Menace Notable for being the first Star Wars film to come to DVD, The Phantom Menace's 2-disc set offers a lot more than just the "Star Wars" name. As over three years have now passed and both the incredible release hype and the subsequent critical backlash have settled down, one can sit down and view this film for what it is and not as "the best" or "the worst" film of all-time. For what it's worth, I think Episode I suceeds a lot more than it fails. It is not without its shortcomings, but then, films never are. To watch The Phantom Menace now is to see George Lucas engage himself into the enchanting worlds of the original Star Wars Trilogy. It is a fun adventure-filled movie, with a complex plot that you can practically disregard altogether and not enjoy the film any less. As The Phantom Menace was shot on film and later composited with digital elements, the filmmakers decided it best to use film for the transfer to DVD. The result looks pretty darn good, although many have faulted it for edge enhancement. No such complaints are lodged about the terrific Dolby Digital track, which is wonderful all around, particularly in the film's two primary action sequences. The extras, which upon release were advertised as "features you'll actually want to watch", are actually true to their description. The supplements are easy to watch and enjoy and do lend to an appreciation and understanding as to what Lucas hopes to do from the start of the new Trilogy. The hour-long documentary "The Beginning" is undoubtedly one of the most compelling features included on a DVD. The fly-on-the-wall approach shows us, among other things, Jake Lloyd being cast, Ewan McGregor getting his haircut, and a disastrous rainstorm creating problems for the crew. Other extras include fully-mastered deleted sequences, the complete series of web documentaries overseeing various aspects of production, an outtakes reel Easter Egg, and a collection of trailers, TV ads, and tone poems. While it took over two years to arrive from theaters to DVD, The Phantom Menace's high ranking on this list, in spite of less-than-shining film reviews, is a testament to the quality of the DVD and its extras. |
| 1999, Fox/Lucasfilm / 2 Discs / DVD Release 10/16/01 / SRP $29..98 / LAST YEAR: 3 |
| 11)
Band of Brothers After collaborating on one of the most acclaimed World War II films in the history of cinema, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks united as executive producers to this original HBO miniseries based on the late Stephen Ambrose's book. It's difficult to find someone who has something negative to say about "Band of Brothers", and voters found both the miniseries and HBO's six-disc DVD set superior to the rest of television programming and a good number of theatrical films. The ten one-hour episodes are presented in anamorphic widescreen, with Dolby Digital and DTS audio available. While the show alone would be worthy of a place in any DVD collection, HBO went all out on extras, which include the 80-minute documentary "We Stand Alone Together", a half-hour making-of documentary, interactive field guides with maps and timelines, and Ron "I don't like my job and I don't think I'll go anymore" Livingston's Video Diaries, a 55-minute making-of feature from the perspective of an actor. Interestingly enough, with all there is to rave about the show, the DVD's video/audio quality, and the extras, many voters also pointed out that the tin packaging is the best DVD packaging they've come across for a multi-disc set. (And packaging is no laughing matter to this crowd.) |
 VOTERS' VOICES: -"Best package and mini-series of all time." -"Gotta love that tin, plus it's a great mini- series mixing Saving Private Ryan action scenes with great drama." -"HBO has done great with its shows on DVD, with quality in the show and in the delivery on disc." -"Great presentation of a great show." -"A beautifully executed mini-series on the horrors faced by the everyman-esque members of Easy Company during WWII. The only thing better than the mini-series was the amazing treatment it received on DVD. The packaging is the best I've encountered in two years of buying." |
| 2001, HBO Home Video / 6 Discs / DVD Release 11/5/02 / SRP $119.98 / LAST YEAR: N/A |
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