(Warner Bros., PG, DVD-$26.99 SRP)

Based on the commentary with director Bob Clark and star Peter Billingsley, Clark was sure that A Christmas Story would be considered a classic film. His faith came from the utterly engaging stories of radio personality Jean Shepard, who would regale late-night listeners with tales of his Midwest childhood, full of Daisy air rifles, leg lamps, and the disastrous results of sticking one's tongue to a metal pole on a winter's day. Some of those stories were printed in magazines during the 60's, and later collected into book form, eventually to find their way to the big screen in a film that has become as much of a holiday classic as It's a Wonderful Life. After releasing a mediocre pan & scan DVD of the film a few years back, Warners has finally come to their senses and given this classic the treatment it deserves – anamorphic video, the aforementioned audio commentary, a retrospective with the now grown-up kids, featurettes, and even a few Easter eggs. My only disappointment is that they didn't put the mythical Flash Gordon dream sequence on the disc (which was filmed, but for some reason was not included here). A minor quibble, maybe, but one that will hopefully be rectified in time for the sooper-dooper edition. Until then, this disc'll do ya.

(Fox, Rated G, DVD-$27.98 SRP)

To watch Down With Love and enjoy it in any way, you have to fully buy into its blatant kitsch value as an homage to the classic day-glo pillow talk comedies of the early 60's. Otherwise, you're going to look at its tale of a dashing playboy's pursuit of a feminist author (Ewan McGregor and Renee Zellweger) with mouth agape and brain a-fried. If you buy into it, however, you can't help but enjoy the ride. The anamorphic DVD contains an audio commentary with director Peyton Reed, deleted scenes with optional commentary, 8 production vignettes, a gag reel, and a music video.

(Columbia/Tristar, Rated PG-13, DVD-$27.94 SRP)

Hollywood Homicide is a film in search of an identity. Is it a comedy? A drama? An action thrill-ride? A buddy cop flick? A musical? Well, I can guarantee it's not the latter, but it most assuredly has issues with the others. Joe Gavilan and K.C. Calden (Harrison Ford and Josh Hartnett) are the classic cop mismatch – veteran detective and greenhorn rookie. But Gavilan also has a struggling real estate business and Calden is a struggling actor and yoga instructor – this is the comedy, folks. The drama comes from a major hip-hop murder case that has to be solved, all while being chased by their main suspect, as well as Internal Affairs. Confused? So was I. As a diversion, it's harmless enough. The anamorphic DVD contains an audio commentary with director Ron Shelton and theatrical trailers. 

(Warner Bros, Rated PG-13, DVD-$27.95 SRP)

Sitting through the remake of The In-Laws, I was struck by two things – they managed to make Albert Brooks unfunny (a tragic event last seen during The Muse) and I wanted to see a feature focusing solely the half of the story featuring Michael Douglas. Douglas plays Steve, a copier salesman who just happens to have an extravagant lifestyle and a vial of nuclear material in his pocket. Brooks is a podiatrist who's accidentally caught up in Steve's covert world because, well, their kids are getting married to each other. What follows is an often fun, but sometimes frustrating, adventure that plays like a lost CIA-themed take on The Odd Couple. The anamorphic DVD contains an audio commentary with director Andrew Fleming, additional scenes, a gag reel, and trailers.

(Paramount, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.95 SRP)

We all know how rare it is for a remake to capture even a fraction of the energy of the film upon which it's based – especially if the original was an already fine flick. With the simultaneous DVD release of both versions of The Italian Job, side-by-side comparisons can be made quite easily – and shockingly enough, both stand as strong films in their own right (with quite a bit of deviation to keep things interesting). Both tell the tale of clever criminal Charlie Croker and a heist to end all heists, full of surprises, double-crosses, and memorable car chases. In execution, both films share little but the premise, but are both exciting and fun (remember when movies were like that?). The special edition DVD of the original version (Paramount, Rated G, DVD-$19.95 SRP) contains an audio commentary with producer Michael Deeley and author Matthew Field, 4 making-of documentaries, a deleted scene with optional commentary, and the original theatrical trailer. The new version sports 5 featurettes, 6 deleted scenes, and the theatrical trailer.

(Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP)

I remember when I first saw ads for the impending release of the Jimmy Neutron feature, I wasn't terribly impressed. The animation looked nothing like the beautiful CG coming out of Pixar. After seeing the film, however, I realized that it was like comparing classic Disney animation to Rocky & Bullwinkle. Like the Jay Ward classics of the early 60's, the strength of Jimmy's adventure lie in the writing more than the visuals, and nowhere is that more evident than in the short featurettes that have been airing on Nickelodeon – the second DVD collection of which, titled Sea of Trouble and containing 10 episodes, has just been released. Bonus features include a peek behind-the-scenes, storyboards, and an inventions gallery.

(Walt Disney, Rated G, DVD-$29.99 SRP)

Let me get this out of the way first – I'm thrilled that The Lion King is finally on DVD. The video transfer is stunning, the audio is powerful, and the expanded sequence – "The Morning Report" – is fun and fits within comfortably within the original cut. Where my disappointment in this two-disc set lies, however, is in the rather superficial bonus materials. There was a time when I eagerly awaited Disney's release of a two-disc special edition from their animation library – such as the stellar Emperor's New Groove and Tarzan releases. Those sets were positively overflowing with every bit of information and history a film and animation fan desires from the format. With the Lion King release, we get a nicely engaging audio commentary, and a second platter that serves up brief vignettes on the film (totaling about a half-hour) then quickly segues into discussion about the musical, merchandising, and the film's fiscal legacy. I'm sorry, but I want to know more about the film! I know from my readings that the development process was a tortured one, but there's hardly a mention of that. And where are the voice actors? I mean, geez… In a time when Warner Bros. is producing awe-inspiring special editions of their classic catalog titles, you'd think Disney would invest a little more time and effort into one of their biggest money-makers (oh yeah – and one of the most popular). Am I recommending you still get this disc? Of course – it does have the movie, after all. I just hope the superficial nature of the rest of the presentation is swiftly corrected before next year's slate of deluxe editions.

(Warner Bros, Rated PG-13, DVD-$19.98 SRP)

One of my favorite holiday films – bar none – is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. After the rather disappointing European Vacation , my faith in the franchise was restored as the Griswold clan hosted what can only be described as a magnificently disastrous family holiday. Long-available on DVD, the film finally gets the anamorphic transfer and bonus features it deserves, including an audio commentary (with stars Beverly D'Angelo, Johnny Galecki, Randy Quaid, Miriam Flynn, director Jeremiah Chechik, and producer Matty Simmons).

(BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$29.98 SRP)

During the 90's, many a blurry-eyed office drone latched on to the comic strip Dilbert , identifying readily with his soul-sapping work environment. After the film Office Space quickly disappeared from theaters, it soon became a cult juggernaut to the same crowd. In the age of the layoff, BBC's hit comedy series The Office fills the same type of need – a point of identification for the emotionally zombified workforce. Shot in a faux documentary style, The Office follows the petty machinations and goings on at the Wernham Hogg Paper Company, a small-time operation in the bland city of Slough. Boss David Brent (Ricky Gervais) is an amiable, though largely incompetent, leader who's managed to build an empire based largely, it seems, on personality and apathy. His employees are a ragtag group - including the pettily officious Gareth (MacKenzie Crook), apathetic sales rep Tim (Martin Freeman), and the object of Tim's frustrated affection – the beautiful receptionist Dawn (Lucy Davis). The documentary style makes for a very low-key, yet bitingly incisive comedy. If you haven't seen the show, pick it up[. If you have seen the show, what are you waiting for? The 2-disc set contains all 6 episodes from the first series in anamorphic widescreen, a making-of documentary, and deleted scenes.

(BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP)

Like a postmodern Rudolph, there's no denying the appeal of the comic misadventures of Britain's Robbie the Reindeer. Created for the UK's Comic Relief charity by a team which includes Richard Curtis and features the vocal talents of Ben Stiller, Hugh Grant, Brad Garrett, James Woods, and Britney Spears, Robbie fights the evil Christmas-ruining machinations of Blitzen in a style reminiscent of classic Aardman animation. Just in time for the holidays, Robbie returns to DVD with not one, but two adventures – the original Hooves of Fire and the new The Legend of the Lost Tribe. The disc also features audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes features, and an alternate UK vocal track.

(Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$139.99 SRP)

Even if it weren't an excellent show that far surpasses the rest of its Star Trek brethren (save for the original series), the fifth season of Deep Space Nine would be worth picking up for one episode alone – the brilliant love letter to the original series, "Trials and Tribble-ations." Yes, the war with the Dominion gains heat, the Cardassians make a brutal comeback, and the war with the Klingons is resolved, but the gem of gems is that single episode, which finds the DS9 crew transported back – via a Bajoran Orb and some nifty special effects – to within the TOS episode "The Trouble With Tribbles". Similar to Back to the Future II, the crew work to stop a Klingon spy from correcting his original failure at Kirk's hands by blowing up the K-7 station and the Enterprise with it. This 7-disc set contains all 26 fifth season episodes, featurettes ("Trials and Tribble-ations: Uniting Two Legends," "Trials and Tribble-ations: A Historic Endeavor," "Crew Dossier: Miles O'Brien," "Inside DS9 with Mike Okuda," and "Michael Westmore's Aliens"), a photo gallery, and hidden featurettes. Also, I've mentioned it before but it bears repeating – Best Buy has been providing exclusive bonus DVDs when you purchase these sets from their stores. The DVDs feature exclusive documentaries and interviews that are not fluff in any way, but are fascinating supplements to the behind-the-scenes materials contained within the set proper. Just a word to the wise…

(New Line, Rated R, DVD-$27.98 SRP)

The original Willard is a classic genre pic, but the recent remake manages to be just as good. While Bruce Davison's titular character was a fresh-faced picture of deranged young adulthood as he commanded his hordes of rats to exact his repressed desires for revenge, Crispin Glover just can't help but be a profoundly creepy Willard in the remake. Seeing scores of rats descend on anyone is disturbing – seeing them make a beeline for R. Lee Ermey requires therapy. The anamorphic DVD contains an audio commentary with director Glen Morgan and producer James Wong, 12 deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes documentary, Crispin Glover "Ben" music video, and the theatrical trailer.

(Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP)

Perhaps realizing that their maddeningly infrequent release schedule for the seasonal Simpsons sets wasn't terribly effective in milking fans of their cash, Fox has opted to begin releasing single disc themed collections. Their first was a Treehouse of Horror set a few months back, and the latest is just in time for the holidays – Christmas with the Simpsons. The 5 episodes contained within are the premiere, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire," "Mr. Plow," "Miracle on Evergreen Terrace," "Grift of the Magi," and "She of Little Faith." Until they can get their acts together and get those sets out with some regularity, these are a perfectly fine consolation prize (and a great stocking stuffer).

(Paramount, Rated PG, DVD-$24.95 SRP)

Has any film (save for Ishtar, Hook, or Heaven's Gate) been more maligned than the fifth installment in the Star Trek film franchise? Yes, the script needed another draft, and the effects were shoddy (at best), and the climax was an anti-, but dagnabbit, I still hold a special place in my heart for Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. It contains the best representation of the Kirk-Spock-McCoy dynamic in any of the films, exemplifying beautifully why the power of that particular troika has endured for almost 40 years. And hey – it's light-years better than Insurrection or Nemesis. The two-disc special collector's edition contains an audio commentary with Shatner and his daughter Liz (who authored the original making-of book at the time of production), a text commentary by Michael and Denise Okuda, an original interview with Shatner during the Yosemite shoot, two documentaries looking at the philosophical and environmental messages of the film, producer Harve Bennett's sales pitch to the Paramount marketing staff, "The Journey" behind-the-scenes documentary, makeup tests, deleted scenes, a featurette with the two actors behind the Klingon couple, pre-visualization models, the test footage for the abandoned "Rock Man" sequence, TV spots, trailers, and best of all – a cringe-worthy press conference with the entire cast filmed on the last day of shooting on the bridge set.

(Fox, Rated R, DVD-$27.98 SRP)

I'm not a horror fan, but I did enjoy Danny Boyle's low-budget riff on zombie flicks, 28 Days Later. Maybe that's because it's light on the gore and heavy on the suspense, taking place in a not-too-distant future after a virus wipes out most of humanity. The anamorphic DVD contains all 3 alternate endings, an audio commentary with Boyle and writer Alex Garland, deleted scenes with optional commentary, a making-of featurette, music video, animated storyboards, photo galleries, and the theatrical trailer.

(A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$99.95 SRP)

Although short-lived (s single season), Steven Bochco's Brooklyn South was a show that hit the ground running before being taken down in the line of duty. Following the beat cops of Brooklyn's 74^th Precinct, it was like an exhilarating cross between Hill Street Blues and ER. The 22 episodes comprising that season are now available on DVD, with bonus features including an audio commentary with co-creator David Milch on the pilot, an interview with Bochco, police radio response codes, and bios.

(A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$99.95 SRP)

While watching the complete third season of Homicide on DVD, I couldn't help but consider it a fulfillment of DVD's potential as a format. In a box less than 3 inches wide, here were 20 unedited episodes of a show cancelled before its time, presented with optimum picture and sound quality in the order the producers intended. Viva la DVD. By skewing more towards the humanity of the work than to sensationalism, Homicide was a cop show that couldn't help but be appreciated by those who recognized its uniqueness. This set also contains interviews, audio commentary with producer Barry Levinson and Henry Bromell on "Gas Man", and bios.

(Universal, Rated PG-13, DVD-$26.98 SRP)

Who knew Ang Lee would manage to produce one of the funniest comedies of 2003? That revelation was foremost in my mind when I watched the cinematic trainwreck that is the major motion picture debut of Marvel's green Goliath, The Hulk. Not since the big screen misadventures of Captain America or The Punisher (and not to excuse Warner Bros. their due, I include Batman & Robin) have I alternated between cringing and laughing my way through a comic book flick. Careening from schlocky pretension to playful stupidity, I can't even begin to describe how much I hated – yet couldn't take my eyes off of – this film. Heck, it makes the 70's TV show look like bloody Shakespeare. Based on what I've seen here, Ang Lee should have no problem landing a directing gig on Mutant X. The anamorphic 2-disc set contains an audio commentary with Ang Lee, deleted scenes, a deconstruction of the horrid dogfight sequence, an interactive exploration of the Hulk's physical capabilities, a documentary on the character's evolution from comic to screen, and a look at the development of the special effects.