(Fox, Various Ratings, $19.98 SRP each)

As a line devoted to preserving and presenting their incredible film catalogue in its best light – visually, audibly, and in regards to special features – Fox's Studio Classics imprint has certainly been proving itself as more than capable of living up to its claims. The 7 titles released so far (All About Eve, Gentleman's Agreement , How Green Was My Valley, Love is a Many-Splendored Thing, An Affair to Remember, The Day The Earth Stood Still, and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir) are all loaded with special features including audio commentaries, documentaries, trailers, and much, much more. Also available via mailaway if you purchase three of the titles in the Classics line is Sunrise, an Oscar-winner at the very first Academy Awards ceremony for "Most Unique and Artistic Production" – the only time that category has been utilized.

(HBO, Not Rated, DVD-$26.98 SRP)

Path to War is John Frankenheimer's final film. It's perhaps fitting that it's also one of his most powerful, detailing the Johnson administration's steady march into the quagmire of Vietnam. Advised by Defense Secretary Robert McNamara and special advisor Clark Clifford, Johnson weighs his choices – increased bombing to bring resolution or the search for a path to a peaceful resolution. Either way, Johnson watches as the nation begins to tear itself apart, making his choices all the more difficult. The anamorphic DVD contains a making-of featurette, cast & crew interviews, articles, and text interviews.

(Elite, Rated PG, DVD-$19.95 SRP)

Christopher Lee sings. Yes, you read that right. In The Return of Captain Invincible, Christopher Lee sings. He also plays the villain Mr. Midnight, whose evil machinations force the world to turn towards a hero who they spurned years before – Captain Invincible (Alan Arkin). Unfortunately, the good Captain is now a recovering alcoholic whose superheroing days are long behind him – a weakness Midnight exploits. Will Invincible prevail? Will we ever get a soundtrack album (the songs are from Rocky Horror's Richard O'Brien)? The anamorphic DVD contains the original theatrical trailer. And Christopher Lee singing.

(A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$14.95 SRP)

More than a few Space: 1999 fans were miffed when they learned – after purchasing the complete series over the course of almost two years – that people who purchased the comprehensive box-set (a set released after all of the individual volumes had been released) from Best Buy would be getting an exclusive bonus disc. Thankfully, A&E has seen the light of day (or were sick of all those nasty complaints) and are releasing the bonus disc for purchase from their website ( http://store.aetv.com). The disc contains 3 remastered episodes with audio commentaries ("Testament of Arcadia" with co-creator Sylvia Anderson, "Dragon's Domain" with writer Johnny Byrne & Year 1 Story Consultant Christopher Penfold, and "Death's Other Dominion" with series expert Scott Michael Bosco), the fan-produced series ending "Message from Moonbase Alpha", a vintage interview with Year 2 Set Designer Keith Wilson , alternate sequences from key episodes, photo galleries (including a gallery of original series memorabilia, a gallery of stills from deleted and alternate scenes, a gallery of behind-the-scenes general production stills, and a gallery of behind-the-Scenes SFX stills).

(Universal, Rated G, DVD-$14.98 SRP)

The Andromeda Strain in not a great film. It is, however, a very good adaptation of Michael Crichton's novel, brought to you by the great Robert Wise. In this day and age, the threat of a deadly microbe (even if this one is extraterrestrial in origin) going on the rampage is quite prescient. This anamorphic DVD contains a making-of featurette, a profile of Crichton, and the original theatrical trailer.

(EMI, Not Rated, DVD-$79.99 SRP)

Even 8 years (!) after it originally aired on TV, this comprehensive documentary about, and by, The Beatles is still a powerful piece of history. Paul, George, Ringo, and Jon (via archive materials) reminisce about the all-to-brief history of the group, from its inception to dissolution, backed up by tons of video footage, photographs, and audio. This 8 part, 10 hour series has been completely remastered for DVD, and the audio mixes (stereo, DTS 5.1, and Dolby 5.1) are nothing short of stunning, especially on the music itself. In fact, I hope Apple gets up of it's a** and FINALLY releases the long-promised Beatles remasters. If the audio is anywhere close to this, they'll be amazing. The 5-disc set contains a bonus disc featuring over 81 minutes of material, including "Recollections - June 1994" featurette, "Compiling The Anthology Albums" featurette, "Back At Abbey Road - May 1995" featurette, "Recording 'Free As A Bird' and 'Real Love' " featurette, "Production Team" featurette, "Making the 'Free As A Bird' Video" featurette, and the never-aired "Real Love" video. All-in-all, this set is a MUST-HAVE for any self-respecting Beatle fan.

(Columbia/Tristar, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP)

In rewatching the first season of Dawson's Creek, I'm reminded of two things – this show is so incredibly full of itself, and Katie Holmes is the most beautiful girl walking the Earth today. Since it films practically in my backyard, I've always kept tabs on Kevin Williamson's "too hip" show, even though I knew I never really liked it… but I can see why people do. Or at least used to, based on recent ratings. Everyone would love to have Dawson's problems, intellect, and talent – in lieu of that, they get to watch him bungle his way through all three week after week, a sort of vicarious revenge. You know, when I put it like that… maybe the show isn't so bad. Oh yeah – Pacey is an idiot. The 3-disc set contains audio commentary from Williamson and Paul Stupin, the retrospective featurette "Dawson's Creek: From Day One, and a season one time capsule.

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

With the remake currently mired in development hell, Francois Truffaut's adaptation of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 is probably the closest we'll get to a spot-on film based on one of the most chilling stories about the insidious nature of censorship ever written. And yes, I realize that was a long sentence. The anamorphic DVD contains "The Novel: A Discussion with Ray Bradbury" featurette, "Making of Fahrenheit 451" featurette, an audio commentary with star Julie Christie, "The Music of Fahrenheit 451" featurette, the original title sequence, photo poster gallery, and the original theatrical trailer.

(Warner Bros, Not Rated, DVD-$44.98 SRP)

I've never understood what people have against Friends. In large part, I think, it's a backlash to the extreme press saturation the show received during its early seasons. I feel sorry for anyone who've continued to avoid the show, since it remains on the best written comedies on TV. Nowhere is that more evident than in the episodes contained within the 4-disc Friends: The Complete Third Season. The show is really firing on all cylinders – the ultimate example being the "We were on a break!" episode where Ross and Rachel break up spectacularly as Chandler, Joey, Phoebe and Monica hide out in the bedroom, terrified to leave. Favorite episode? "The One with the Princess Leia Fantasy". Special features include audio commentaries on three episodes ("The One Where No One's Ready", "The One With The Morning After", and "The One With The Football"), an interactive map of Joey & Chandler's apartment, a video guestbook, bios, and trivia.

(Columbia/Tristar, Not Rated, DVD-$19.95 SRP)

I still wish they would release the series seasonally, but it's still a kick to watch these older Married with Children episodes. This set contains another 5 ("A Man's Castle", "Raingirl", "Have You Driven a Ford Lately", "If I Had a Hammer", "Who'll Stop the Rain"). Al Bundy, we miss you.

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

The second season of Deep Space Nine is when the series really began to build momentum. Long treated as Star Trek 's red-headed stepchild, DS9 was, in my opinion, a far superior show than also-rans like Voyager and Enterprise (*especially* Enterprise ), and often surpassed even Next Generation. Season 2 introduced the anti-Cardassian terrorists the Maquis into the DS9 universe, TOS's mirror universe in "Crossover", foreshadowing of the Dominion, and the Dominion's minions, the Jem'Hadar. After watching this season, it makes the wait for Season 3 seem like an infinity. The 7 disc box set contains all 26 episodes from the second season, "New Frontiers: The Story Of Deep Space Nine" featurette, "Michael Westmore's Aliens - Season Two" featurette, "Deep Space Nine Sketchbook: Season Two" featurette, "Crew Dossier: Jadzia Dax" featurette, "New Station, New Ships" featurette, and 10 "Hidden File" featurettes about season two (including a hilarious bit with Armin Shimmerman – Quark - reminiscing about Wallace Shawn's appearances as the Grand Nagus).

(MGM/UA, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP)

One of the most well-loved – and respected – movie musicals ever made has been graced with an unbelievably well put together DVD box set. West Side Story is one of those films that has entered the cultural consciousness - meaning you know the gist of it even if you've never seen it – and this New York gangland tale of Romeo and Juliet has never looked better. The 2-disc DVD set contains a newly restored anamorphic transfer (which looks and sounds amazing), a brand-new retrospective documentary, trailers, and storyboard comparisons. Best of all, however, is the huge collectible scrapbook, which contains the shooting script, photos, memos, and much more.

(Fox, Not Rated, $49.98 SRP)

Family Guy is just one of those shows that has to be seen to be believed. In fact, I've seen it and I still don't believe half the stuff they got away with… maybe it's because it's animation. Maybe it's because someone clubbed the Fox censor over the head and locked him in a closet. Either way, Family Guy is a full-tilt tour de force that will leave you gasping for breath, and it's high time that it was released in the US. This four disc set contains the complete first and second season, commentary (with creator/producer/writer/actor Seth McFarlane, writers, and voice actors) on 8 episodes, Fox promos, and a brief behind-the-scenes featurette. I just hope they hurry up and bring out Season 3.

(Warner Bros, Rated PG, DVD-$29.95 SRP)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a far superior film to Sorcerer's Stone. Maybe that's because Chamber actually seemed to have a cohesive, less episodic thrust. Maybe it's just because Chris Columbus saw what a shoddy job he did with the direction of the first flick. Either way, a lot of the bugs are worked out this go round, as Harry, Ron, and Hermione face their second year at Hogwarts, a giant snake, and the return of an old foe. While Columbus is still a rather poor director (and the editing can be almost painfully slow), my faith in the future of the franchise (considering it will be in new directorial hands with Azkaban) has been renewed. When it comes to the DVD release, Warner Bros must have listened to all the complaints about the ham-fisted ordeal one had to go through in order to access the deleted scenes for the first film, and have decided to make accessing of the special features on this two-disc set much more straightforward. Special features include 19 additional/extended scenes, an interview with J.K. Rowling and screenwriter Steve Kloves, interviews with the actors, a featurette on the production process, a view into Lockhart's classroom, self-guided tours (of the Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore's Office, and Diagon Alley), a short overview of Year One, a peek at the video game, and the film's trailer.

(Walt Disney, Rated PG, DVD-$29.99 SRP each)

There were times I dismayed (especially after the lackluster bare-bones release of Princess Mononoke) that Disney would ever do right by genius Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki on DVD. His animated features are works of beauty and vivid storytelling (he's like the Terry Gilliam of animation) and to treat the DVD release of any of his films as a toss-off is a crime. Imagine my surprise when they did just that on the releases for Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky, and the Oscar-winning Spirited Away . Not only are they each anamorphic 2 disc sets, but those two discs are packed with bonus materials. Kiki's Delivery Service contains a special introduction by John Lasseter, a voice talent featurette, complete storyboards, and the original Japanese trailer. Castle in the Sky contains an introduction by John Lasseter, a voice talent featurette, and the original Japanese trailer. And finally, Spirited Away contains an introduction by John Lasseter,  "The Art Of Spirited Away" documentary, a Nippon television special on the making of the film, storyboard-to-screen comparison, voice talent featurette, and the original Japanese trailers. Here's hoping that Mononoke gets the special edition it deserves now.

(Miramax, Rated PG, DVD-$29.99 SRP)

Based during a time when it was Australian policy to train aboriginal children as domestic workers and integrate them into white society, young Molly Craig decides to take her little sister and cousin on a dangerous journey to freedom, following the "rabbit-proof" fence which bisects the continent, dodging the authorities and slowly working their way home. This is a powerful film which punches a lot of emotional buttons, but I found the journey as liberating as Molly. The anamorphic DVD contains an audio commentary (with director Phillip Noyce, Peter Gabriel, Kenneth Branagh, screenwriter Christine Olsen, and author Doris Pilkington Garlmara) and a making-of documentary.

(Wellspring, Rated R, DVD-$34.98 SRP)

Ran is Akira Kurosawa's retelling of King Lear, mixing Shakespeare's tragedy with Japanese history and Kurosawa's feeling on loyalty and betrayal. Aging Lord Hidetora decides to divide his vast property amongst his three sons, but soon banishes his third son for speaking the truth – instead of the false flattery of his two brothers. His two remaining heirs war amongst themselves, fueled by greed, as Hidetora descends into madness as his legacy is torn down around him. The anamorphic special edition DVD contains an audio commentary with Peter Grilli (producer of the "Kurosawa" documentary"), an audio commentary with Stephen Prince (author of "The Warrior's Camera: The Cinema of Akira Kurosawa"), a restoration demo, and trailers.

I've long been a fan of Bruce Timm's work in reinvigorating Batman (and DC Comics characters) in animation, and nowhere is his skill more evident than in a trio of DVD releases. First up is the gold standard – Batman: Tales of the Dark Knight (Not Rated, $19.98 SRP) collects the second batch four episodes from the first season of Batman: The Animated Series. Beautifully designed and well-written, it really is the animated series against which all other attempts at adapting comics to that medium must be measured. This volume contains the episodes "The Underdwellers", "P.O.V.", "The Forgotten", and "Be a Clown", as well as brand new intros from Bruce Timm and a featurette on the voice talent. The Justice League series isn't always representative of A-level quality (I've found myself being quite disappointed overall), but there's still enough good to recommend Justice League: Justice on Trial (Not Rated, $19.98 SRP), which collects "In Blackest Night" Part 1 & 2 and "The Enemy Below" Parts 1 & 2, as well as Timm intros and a featurette on the decisions that went into crafting this version of the League. Last up is the series that proves just how stunning the recent iterations are – an honest-to-gosh DVD release of four episodes from Challenge of the Superfriends. I kid you not. Seriously. Heck, you even get intros from story editor Jeffrey Scott. So is Challenge of the Superfriends: Attack of the Legion of Doom (Not Rated, $19.98 SRP) worth it? For kitsch value alone, a resounding YES!

(Paramount, Rated R, DVD-$29.99 SRP)

January 30^th, 1972 will forever remain one of the darkest days in British history, for that was the day – dubbed "Bloody Sunday" – that British troops clashed with unarmed protestors in Derry, Northern Ireland. As a recreation of those events, this film is staggeringly brutal in its faithfulness, providing a balanced portrait of two bitter enemies and the divide between them. The anamorphic DVD contains interviews with the cast and crew, an audio commentary with writer/director Paul Greengrass and star James Nesbitt, an audio commentary with co-producer Don Mullan, and an interview with the real Ivan Cooper.

(Paramount, Not Rated, $19.99 SRP)

Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday (Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas) aim to clean up Tombstone, Arizona of its undesirables in this fully remastered, anamorphic presentation of one of the great Hollywood westerns. Their efforts are stymied by the evil Ike Clanton and his gang, leading to an all-out battle for survival. You pop-culture geeks will want to know that this film also stars Deforest Kelley… that's right, Bones from Star Trek. How cool is that?

(Columbia/Tristar, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP)

If the first season was a bit shaky, the second season of Mad About You is where the show really began to fire on all cylinders. Long before it became a maudlin train wreck in its last few seasons, this was actually a very funny, sharply written (and performed) show that often bordered on the delightfully surreal (such as Jaime's moonlight dance with John Astin on their building roof during a sleepless night). There are absolutely no features, and all 25 episodes are contained on three discs.

(Artisan, Not Rated, DVD-$22.98 SRP)

Ah, Speed Racer. Your theme song is forever branded in my fragile pop-psyche. So is your limited animation and senseless storylines, your boundless energy and poor dubbing. This DVD, featuring eleven episodes, is a nice reminder of that kitsch blender. The special tire-rubber cover is also a nice touch, and something I'' sure collectors will dig.

(Artisan, Rated PG, DVD-$22.98 SRP)

Standing in the Shadows of Motown is a documentary about the Funk Brothers. Who, you ask? The Funk Brothers was the name given to the phenomenal musicians Berry Gordy gathered from Detroit's thriving jazz and blues scene to play on the tracks produced by Motown. Their music backs up a litany of music history, and their remarkable story is examined in this flick. The 2-disc set contains a multi-angle jam session, music video montage, a dinner with the Funk Brothers, sing-along lyrics, "At Long Last Glory" featurette, "The Ones That Didn't Make It" featurette, interactive virtual recording studio, Director/Producer commentary, Funk video biographies, and three full-length BMW films ("Beat The Devil", "Hostage", and "Ticker").

(Warner Bros, Not Rated, DVD-$99.98 SRP)

The first season of Babylon 5 was… well, let's just say it was a series filled with tremendous potential. It was in the second season that the show truly came into its own, and the main factor that energized the series was the arrival of Bruce Boxleitner as John Sheridan, replacing Michael O'Hare's Jeffrey Sinclair as the commander of the Babylon station. This was also the season that the march towards the Shadow War began to heat up, as Londo's pact with the devil began to bear fruit. The 6-disc set contains introductions from producer/creator J. Michael Straczynski and various cast members, 2 episode commentaries with Straczynski, an episode commentary with cast members (Bruce Boxleitner, Claudia Christian and Jerry Doyle), "Building Babylon: Blueprint of an Episode" featurette, "Shadows and Dreams: Honors of Babylon" featurette, "The Universe of Babylon 5" data/tech/personnel files, Babylon 5 Timeline, and original episode promos.

(Razor & Tie Direct, Rated R, DVD-$19.98 SRP)

Biggie & Tupac is a fascinating documentary that deconstructs the rumor, innuendo, and conspiracy theories behind the deaths of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur. The film raises more questions than it answers, but the questions – including those about the botched investigation and corrupt cops – are the driving force behind these two tragic events in music history. The DVD contains director commentary, additional footage, 15 addition scenes introduced by the director, and interviews.

(VCI Entertainment, Not Rated, DVD-$49.99 SRP)

This has to be one of those most fascinating DVD sets that I've seen in quite awhile. Basically, it collects – over the span of its 3 discs – newsreels, film trailers, and other cultural ephemera chronicling the entire decade of the 1950's. It's an enjoyable – an in the case of the Korea coverage, timely – look back on a simpler time… in more way than one.

(A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$49.95 SRP)

I remember always looking forward to watching Mr. Bean whenever it would air on HBO (remember that?). Rowan Atkinson's devilish character never failed to entertain. Like an ersatz Harold Lloyd, Bean is an almost silent physical comedy, and I'm delighted that all 14 episodes are on DVD in Mr. Bean: The Whole Bean. Special features include the 40-minute documentary "The Story of Bean", never-aired sketches "Bust Stop" and "Library", the Comic Relief skits "Torvill & Bean" and "Blind Date", a photo gallery, and a trailer for the Mr. Bean animated series.

(A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$49.95 SRP)

From his first triumphant battle and rise to Emperor all the way to his bitter defeat at Waterloo and subsequent exile to Malta, this 8-hour telefilm is a powerful piece of dramatic historical storytelling. This 3-disc collector's DVD set is nothing to shake a stick at, featuring a behind-the-scenes featurette, the 2-hour "Napoleon & Wellington" documentary, the A&E Biography "Napoleon Bonaparte: The Glory of France", and cast bios and filmographies.

(Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP)

Son of the beach is not a thinking man's show. In fact, if you have even limited intelligence, Son of the Beach might seem a little lowbrow even to you. Oddly enough, that's half the fun. Tim Stack heads the cast of this Baywatch parody as Notch Johnson – the world's greatest lifeguard… who's a bit flabby and over-the-hill. He leads a group of busty, beautiful female lifeguards (including one named BJ Cummins) and a lone dim male cut-rate Schwarzenegger. So what do they do exactly? Right wrongs… save lives… run in slo-mo. You know the routine. Despite its low-rent humor (it was produced by Howard Stern, natch) there's quite a bit of embarrassed humor to be found. The 3-disc DVD set contains 21 episodes (essentially the first half of the show's 3 season run), as well as audio commentaries on select episodes, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and outtakes.

(Walt Disney, Rated PG, $29.99 SRP)

Yes, there were many detractors of Treasure Planet upon its initial release – rightfully so – but upon reexamining it on DVD at home, I've come to the conclusion that it's quirky, experimental charm can only be fully appreciated far from the harsh glare of the unforgiving big screen expectations. Much like Black Cauldron before it, Treasure Planet is a "testing the waters" film for Disney – for Cauldron, it was intensity, and here it's a matter of genre. This flick is a mixed bag – pirate movie, sci-fi action adventure, literary adaptation (Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island), drama, comedy… it's a mish-mash, and for that reason it often seems incredibly schizophrenic. Regardless, it should at the very least be experienced. The anamorphic special edition DVD (sadly not 2-disc) contains an audio commentary, a visual commentary, a virtual 3-D tour of the ship, deleted scenes, "Disney's Animation Magic" featurette, "DisneyPedia" fun facts, character design, animation tests, music video, and a featurette on the merging of 2-D and 3-D worlds.

(Warner Bros, Rated PG, DVD-$27.98 SRP)

After his wonderful performance in About a Boy, I've been more willing to give Hugh Grant the benefit of the doubt. That concession has allowed me to enjoy this flick as a billionaire whose employee is Harvard educated attorney Lucy Kelson (Sandra Bullock). Her plans to save the world are sidetracked by her menial duties for her boss (interviewing prospective girlfriends, choosing ties) and she decides to give her two weeks notice and find another job. However, her boss has fallen head over heels and has other plans in store. A funny little innocuous romantic comedy, it's a great date film. The anamorphic DVD contains an audio commentary with Grant and Bullock (along with writer/director Marc Lawrence), HBO's "First Look: The Making Of Two Weeks Notice", deleted scenes, gag reel, and the theatrical trailer.

(Criterion, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP)

Fellini's White Sheik is a brilliant slapstick comedy that should be considered required viewing, especially via this incredibly nice looking (and sounding) Criterion DVD. When Ivan Cavalli brings his new wife, Wanda, to Rome on an incredibly unromantic holiday, he's ill-prepared when Wanda begins dreaming of a dashing fictional hero, setting her off on a journey to find the White Sheik. The DVD contains video interviews (with actors Brunella Bovo & Leopold Trieste, and Fellini biographer Moraldo Rossi), an essay, and an excerpt from Charlotte Chandler's biography "I, Fellini".

(Anchor Bay, Not Rated, $89.98 SRP)

I never was a huge fan of either Hercules: The Legendary Journeys or Xena: Warrior Princess. But, when I would catch the occasional episode, I always found myself enjoying Xena more. Quite possibly it was because Lucy Lawless was a latter-day Lynda Carter, or maybe it was my intense dislike for dim-witted Kevin Sorbo. Either way, watching the complete first season of Xena on DVD was quite pleasant. The six-disc set contains all 24 first season episodes in 5.1 surround, director and actor bios, trivia, photo gallery, and even a collectible coin!