The Austin Powers Collection: International Man of Mystery, The Spy Who Shagged Me, Goldmember (New Line Home Video)

New Line Home Video has given the Austin Powers DVDs all of the best features that DVD can offer: great commentaries, multitudes of extras, excellent picture, and great sound. Goldmember has the cool Infinifilm feature, which allows you to jump to the featurettes while the movie is playing. International Man of Mystery is the classic of the three, with Mike Meyers at his best. I was initially disappointed with The Spy Who Shagged Me and Goldmember, but these two have grown on me after repeated viewings. If I need a good laugh, these movies provide it.

Fight Club (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment)

David Fincher’s Fight Club is a raw, gritty commentary on consumerism and superficiality. The fight scenes are not for the squeamish (my wife still can’t watch this film), but are not as frequent as the trailers would lead you to believe. And there are some very funny moments. Although I don’t condone anarchy, I nonetheless found myself identifying with the characters. Edward Norton and Brad Pitt are awesome in their roles. The Dolby Digital EX soundtrack, although not designated as such on the package, is superb, and has some of the best-encoded surround effects I have ever heard.

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 (Miramax Home Entertainment)

Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 are stylish action movies that pay homage to Japanese gangster movies and Chinese martial-arts films. Tarantino deftly showcases the two genres without mixing up the two distinct cultures. The fight scenes are mesmerizing, using wire effects masterfully. The extreme violence is almost cartoonish; I didn’t find it offensive. In Vol. 1, the final fight scene, between The Bride and O-Ren Ishii, is a masterpiece, and I love that Tarantino accompanies the end of the scene with beautiful Japanese music. And, as is typical of Tarantino films, the dialogue is superb. The DTS 5.1 soundtracks in both movies are well done.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Special Extended DVD Editions): The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King (New Line Home Video)

I own all three of these films in both versions: the four-disc Platinum Series Special Extended DVD Editions and the two-disc sets of the original theatrical releases. I figure that if I have only three hours to kill, I may as well pop in the "short" versions! Although I’m not a fan of the fantasy genre, this series has captivated me. These DVDs have it all: well-developed characters, great cinematography, and a rich story. Despite their long playing times, these DVDs are never tedious to watch. The video and sound are the state of the art, and the Platinum versions are chock-full of extras.

Magnolia (New Line Home Video)

Even after repeated viewings, I think I still don’t fully understand this Paul Thomas Anderson film. The underlying themes are that everything happens for a reason and that redemption is possible, but what’s with the rain of frogs? Nonetheless, Magnolia is fascinating for its strong characters. The cast includes Tom Cruise, Julianne Moore, Jason Robards, William H. Macy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and John C. Reilly. The Aimee Mann soundtrack is outstanding, and is well recorded in the front channels. The rear channels are mostly used for subtle surround effects. The center-channel dialogue sounds particularly good. The video transfer is average, though, showing a bit of graininess throughout.

Moulin Rouge! (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment)

In Moulin Rouge!, director Baz Luhrmann effectively uses modern music to tell a story set in 1899 Paris, of a poet who falls in love with a courtesan. This movie is a visual spectacular. The dance sequences are a treat to watch, with magnificent sets and awe-inspiring choreography. This is another DVD with sumptuous video and audio quality. Be forewarned, though -- if you do buy it, people will want to borrow it. This one is always out of my collection. Right now, I don’t even know who has it.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Touchstone Home Entertainment)

This movie from the Coen Brothers is set in 1937 and is about three escaped convicts who embark on a journey to find a hidden treasure. George Clooney plays the leader, who cons the other two into helping him get to the prize. Throughout their journey they are put in precarious situations and meet a variety of unusual characters. This light-hearted adventure is full of laughs, and the well-recorded roots music drives it along. The DTS 5.1-channel sound is used effectively; the film is shot in a sepia tone to give it a period look.

Punch-Drunk Love (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)

Another P.T. Anderson film, Punch-Drunk Love features Adam Sandler as Barry Egan, in perhaps his best acting performance. Egan is the socially awkward owner of a small novelty business. He meets and falls in love with Lena Leonard, played by Emily Watson. It doesn’t feel right to me to call this a romantic comedy, but I guess that’s what this off-beat, touching film is. I felt agitated as I watched because I couldn’t figure out if or when Egan was going to explode, which I think was Anderson’s intention. At any rate, the percussive, well-recorded soundtrack sure helped put me on edge. The video transfer in this Superbit edition is excellent, getting Columbia Pictures’ best treatment.

Singin’ In the Rain (Warner Home Video)

This endearing story about Hollywood’s transition from silent films to talkies is my favorite classic film, with outstanding singing, dancing, and acting from Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds. I can repeatedly watch such song-and-dance sequences as "Make ’Em Laugh," "Moses Supposes," "Good Morning," and, of course, the title song. Warner Bros. has mastered this two-disc 50th Anniversary Special Edition for outstanding picture quality. The remastered Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack sounds surprisingly good too.

There's Something About Mary (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment)

Although I love Dumb and Dumber, my favorite Farrelly Brothers film is There’s Something About Mary. Ben Stiller plays Ted, a man in his 30s who’s still hung up on Mary, a girl he knew in high school. He hires a private investigator to track her down, and all sorts of comical situations ensue as multiple suitors, including the P.I., fight for Mary’s affections. The laughs are frequent, though crude and politically incorrect. This movie made me a big fan of Ben Stiller, who does a great job of capturing the awkward high school age. I ended up giving away my old version of this DVD when the Widescreen Collector’s Edition came out. It was well worth it for the ton of extras, although the picture and audio qualities are not significantly improved.