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| 5)
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones While we're approaching the sixth anniversary of the DVD format launch, and the original Star Wars Trilogy is still missing on DVD (well, there are shady places that sell them, so maybe 'missing' is too strong), but fortunately, just one year after the first Star Wars film was officially released to DVD, Episode II makes its debut, arriving to disc just six months after it hit theaters. While "Star Wars" might not be the red-hot commodity it was three years ago, Attack of the Clones became the 11th-highest-grossing film in the history of U.S. box offices (nothing to sneeze at), passing two previous Star Wars films. The DVD sold like hotcakes too...and $9.99 for two hotcakes is quite the deal when the two hotcakes are these discs. The film is somewhat hit and miss; fans found less to complain about than with Episode I, but critics seem to be classifying the new Trilogy of prequels as fun, enjoyable entertainment, not artistically satisfying and uplifting cinematic treats many labeled the originals. Whether you consider it a space soap opera popcorn film or a meaningful space epic for modern audiences, the movie and DVD work on some level. The video/audio aspects leave nothing to complain about; having been recorded entirely on digital cameras, the direct digital transfer produces dazzling, flawless visuals obtained in the past only for computer animated films. The 5.1 DD track is also nothing short of amazing, and as with The Phantom Menace, the disc's layout and presentation is very pleasing. Hours of supplements on Disc 2, including documentaries, featurettes, fully-mastered deleted scenes with intros, trailers, and a photo gallery provide all-access coverage to production of the film. In spite of the fact that there's no documentary quite like Episode I's "The Beginning", voters found Episode II a more satisfying DVD experience overall than the first prequel, placing it second among 2002 DVD releases, only behind its fellow November 12 fantasy epic DVD release. |
 VOTERS' VOICES: -"Best picture and sound combo." -"Digital-to-digital picture cannot be beat." -"The BEST TRANSFER I've ever seen on a DVD." -"Absolutely stunning reference quality digital-to-digital transfer gives this one the edge over The Phantom Menace. The only disappointment is that some of the deleted scenes were well worth putting back into the movie, and yet were not reinserted." -"Loads of extras and one of the best transfers ever." |
| 2002, PG, Fox/Lucasfilm / 2 Discs / DVD Release 11/12/02 / SRP $29..99 / LAST YEAR: N/A |
 VOTERS' VOICES: -"The greatest 1-2 punch of films ever, the extras are just icing on the cake." -"Great films, wonderful DVD set." -"Leave the gun. Bring the DVD player." -"Great commentary by Coppola." -"Awesome presentation of one of last generation's most important films." -"My favorite movie in the set? Pt. II. My favorite feature? The commentary on Pt. III, which sheds new light on why the movie came about and turned out as it did." -"Two of the greatest movies of all time and one that is still a good movie." -"Two of the greatest films of all time, and the under-rated third installment, along with an abundance of extras and two of the best commentary tracks ever recorded." -"The special features are plentiful and well done." |
4)
The Godfather DVD Collection All of the details that make Francis Ford Coppola's saga of drama films so compelling and memorable, from Nino Rota's haunting score to Brando's unforgettable performance as the don, are presented here in The Godfather DVD Collection. In the thirty years since these films first let viewers inside the Corleone Family, they have remained near the top of crowning cinema achievements, and while the wait for the Trilogy to come to DVD was trying, the payoff was notable. The Best Picture-winning Parts I and II are accompanied by the much-maligned third film, over four discs. Director/screenwriter Coppola provides audio commentary for the full length of the trilogy, all nine hours. The bonus disc includes the frequently-aired "Godfather Family: A Look Inside" 70-minute documentary from 1991, which includes interviews with the cast of the trilogy and screen tests for the original film from some other actors considered for leading roles. In addition, there are a good number of deleted scenes (although it's missing a few which are sometimes included for TV broadcasts), a Family Tree, trailers for all three films (ironic that the trailer for what many consider the best film of all-time is so horrible by today's standards), insight from Coppola on the notebook he kept during production, and arguably the best Easter Egg to be included on a disc. While Paramount's set is pricey, you do get two undeniable pearls of cinema and much insight from the man behind the films, plus a bonus disc full of extras. And that, to DVD collectors, is an offer you can't refuse. |
| 1972, 1974, 1990, Paramount / 5 Discs / DVD Release 10/9/01 / SRP $104.99 / LAST YEAR: 6 |
| 3)
Toy Story & Toy Story 2: The Ultimate Toy Box Released over two years ago, the 3-disc Ultimate Toy Box remains a standard of excellence for DVD collections to shoot for. And why should this set have fallen? Included are two of the most charming gems modern cinema has offered, and Pixar's revolutionary computer animation is balanced by their clever screenwriting and original concepts. Less than a decade after the original Toy Story became the first full-length computer-animated feature, the film already seems etched in film history. The timeless fantasy tale of rivalry amongst the toys in Andy's playroom mixes witty dialogue, dazzling eye candy, and characters with depth rarely seen in live-action film for an incredibly enjoyable experience. And a feast for the senses, as both films feature flawless direct digital transfers, for undeniable first-rate video and audio presentation. The supplemental material included attempts to take you to infinity and beyond. The movie discs provide two award-winning Pixar shorts, 52 animated interstitials, a half-hour making-of documentary, and two of the most lively and enjoyable audio commentaries that exist. The good-natured spirit that makes the commentaries so winning carries over to Disc 3, where five hours of extras await you. It is on the extras disc that you can see how Toy Story developed into the Toy Story the world knows and loves, and how several themes which were ultimately left out of the first film resurfaced for the sequel. The original story treatment, animation tests, galleries of art development, 3D location fly-arounds, deleted sequences, trailers & TV ads, and much more are included, in this guided tour which illustrates how Pixar works its magic. First-rate audio and video, a wealth of enlightening supplements, and most importantly, two excellent movies make The Ultimate Toy Box a delightful set. |
 VOTERS' VOICES: -"Pure joy!" -"Two fantastic films and more extras than you can shake a stick at." -"Pixar + DVD = pure bliss." -"The folks at Pixar obviously put a lot of love not only into their work on the screen, but on their DVD releases. The Ultimate Toy Box is second only to Lord of the Rings in terms of excellent presentation and a wealth of extras that are actually worth watching. It was actually a tough call to decide which of these first two would be first and second, respectively." -"The two Toy Story films are still arguably Pixar's best films and the extras are incredibly rich. I really like those Saturday morning Toy Story Treats." |
| 1995 + 1999, Disney/Pixar / 3 Discs / DVD Release 10/17/00 / SRP $69..99 / LAST YEAR: 2 |
 VOTERS' VOICES: -"A great movie and even better DVD. I am sure this will rank high on the list. I don't really think this DVD set could be any better." -"The commentaries shed enough light on this that the DVD got me liking the movie more than I otherwise would have." -"The first truly great popular special edition. The FOUR commentary tracks delve into every aspect of making this film, and the extras utilize DVD technology brilliantly." -"Superb movie, perfect DVD design and features." -"An incredible presentation of a movie that most studios would have dumped in the bargain bins after its poor box office run." |
2)
Fight Club Last year's highest-ranked DVD release remains the near the top of the pack again. David Fincher's offbeat drama/action/comedy/thriller overcame modest box office performance and mixed reviews to become one of the most embraced films of the 90s. Based on Chuck Palahniuk's novel, Fight Club attempts to connect with the present generation with a mix of psychological thriller and complex character study. Highly quotable and consistently engaging, Fight Club offers a break from the daily grind of modern life. The two-disc set from Fox offers much insight into the film's making and meaning. Four audio commentaries accompany the film, which is presented in a THX-certified transfer and powerful DD track. Disc Two explores the creation of the film from various angles in 17 behind-the-scenes 'vignettes'. In addition, an array of extras including deleted scenes, outtakes, trailers, and concept art cover this film from top-to-bottom. Look for the brown paper bag. |
| 1999, Fox / 2 Discs / DVD Release 6/22/00 / SRP $26.99 / LAST YEAR: 1 |
| 1)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Platinum Series Extended Edition One of the most popular and acclaimed films of the past several years is "The Fellowship of the Ring", the first in the trilogy of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy epics to reach the screen. Initially released in a 'basic' 2-disc set, the real gem is the four-disc Extended Edition Platinum Series set from New Line, which hit stores last November. As the name implies, the film is extended with thirty minutes of footage that was deleted for the theatrical release. As such, with a running time of 208 minutes, the Extended Cut is spread over the first two discs of the set, featuring a stunning visual experience which is equaled by the powerful DD-EX and DTS-ES tracks included. To boot, the film discs also boast four full-length audio commentaries featuring over thirty people involved in the making of this film. Discs Three and Four ("The Appendices Discs") are where the extras are at, and there truly is more supplemental content than could fit on one disc. Disc Three (titled "From Book to Vision") marks the journey of nearly fifty years from Tolkien's creation of the language, mythology, and the books themselves to the filmmakers' efforts to translate a beloved series of books into a cinematic experience true to the spirit of the text. Included here are various documentaries on scouting out New Zealand locations to represent the fantastic sites, extensive pre-production work from camera tests to storyboards and pre-visualization demos, a huge gallery of conceptual art for the characters and locations, and a thorough map atlas of Middle Earth with relation to the film's story. Disc 4 ("From Vision to Reality") takes us through production and release of the film, with still more documentaries and galleries of production photos. Everything about this DVD release shows quality of craftsmanship that matches the level of effort and attention that the filmmakers put into bringing the stories to screen. All the video extras are enhanced for 16 x 9 televisions and exhibit video and audio quality that is often not given to supplements. From the very classy book-like box to the appropriate menu screens, New Line has put together one awesome package for tihs film, and the large fanbase is surely pleased with it. Available in the four-disc Extended Edition DVD (SRP $39.99) or a five-disc Collector's Set (SRP $69.99) which adds a National Geographic "Beyond the Movie" documentary DVD, a pair of Argonath statue bookends and more. You can't go wrong with either, and the 2-disc Theatrical Cut DVD ain't too shabby as well. |
 VOTERS' VOICES: -"Quite simply a lesson in how to do a Special Edition the right way, starting with letting us know it was coming out before the theatrical version was released. Perfect." -"Great movie, amazing DVD, so much detail and attention." -"New Line deserves to be commended for creating the best DVD release in the history of the format. The best film-to-digital transfer out there and The Appendices discs contain the most informative documentary ever produced. All the time, effort, and love spent making the film and the DVD release is extremely obvious within the set. This release is a collector's dream." -"The best DVD extras by a long shot and an awesome movie to boot." -"The extended edition made an already great movie even better. Absolutely spectacular." -"For the supplements, not the film - I prefer to have original theatrical versions on my DVDs!" -"Just hearing Ian McKellen and Christopher Lee talk about their roles makes this DVD worth purchase." -"There's a good reason this is at the top of most lists...The commentary tracks are worthwhile listening and really deepen one's appreciation for the film, the menus and packaging are elegant and befitting the film, and most importantly, the more than six hours of extras spread over the second two discs are engaging, informative, and never seem bloated or padded. I'm looking forward to hopefully adding the next two Extended Editions of this trilogy to my all-time top 10." |
| 2001, New Line / 4 or 5 Discs / DVD Release 11/12/02 / LAST YEAR: N/A | BUY
THIS DVD - 4-DISC |
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