Well, it's been a couple of weeks since my last entry, work has been hectic, I've been going out more often and I have to confess what little free time I spend sitting at home lately has been gobbled up by videogames and reality TV. That being said, those of you who know me well are aware I'm an avid DVD buff and I love the home theatre experience.

But I have to admit, my collection has reached a critical mass where I'm buying less DVDs, because of all existing DVDs I have essentially everyhting I want, and only new stuff coming out is what I buy. But King Kong's DVD release has really rekindled my enthusiasm, so I'd thought I'd recommend some more films (The Infinite Force Recommends: Five Films EVERYONE Should See was my first recommendation article) that you should all check out.

While all the films in the first article I own on DVD, I was really geared toward recommending the films themselves. This time, I'll be recommending specific DVD releases, because to the true film buff, a great DVD isn't just a great film, it's great audio, video, & bonus materials.

Also, i'm leaving out all Star Wars films because if you're on this site and I have to tell you that you should own them on DVD, well then....why are you here? (Note numbers are just to have a list and don't imply one film being ranked above another.)

#1 War Of The Worlds (2-Disc WS Limited Edition)

This great sci-fi flick is a faithful adaptation to the book - elements such as the ferry, hiding in the house, the aliens coming down and then emerging from the ground all were in the book. This film takes those elements and puts them in modern day times centering around Tom Cruise and his kids. The limited set comes in creative but functional glossy packaging with flaps that open inside. The sound is right on, but the video transfer could have been better, but it doesn't detract from the viewing experience, and Spielberg does prefer a little grain to the transfer. The bonus materials are presented in a series of feauturettes which cover the whole filming process and last about 4 hours. Spielberg doesn't do commentaries ever, but the featurettes more than compensate. Highly recommended.

#2 King Kong (2-Disc Special Edition)

Nice packaging with the old style black box framing the promotional poster. Lack of a booklet inside but coupons instead is annoying. This film is simply the reason why we go to the movies. Simultaneously a cutting edge emotional drama, a blockbuster, and classic 1950's style epic filmmaking like films such as Ten Commandments. I don't think the film is too long at all.....it's not about length, it's about editing. Everything in the film is edited just right and doesn't feel dragged out. The video is pristine, and the audio blasts to recreate the theatrical experience with a Dolby 5.1 mix so good I didn't miss the lack of a DTS track. The bonuses include the rest of the production diaries (with the first of them in the special box set with booklet & lithographs released in December, also recommended if you love this movie and/or the filmmaking process) and a few featurettes. That doesn't sound overly impressive, but when you watch the diaries consecutively, it is a long amount of time (several hours) and really is comprehensive. PJ has said that there is a possibility of an extended version with commentaries in the future, but this set is good enough for me. There's nothing about making this movie that isn't covered in the diaries, and unlike LOTR which drew from exhaustive source material, I'm happy with the theatrical version and don't think it necessitates an extended cut.

#3 A Rant

I was going to make a third recommendation but I'll save that for next time. Instead, it's time to rant. In the old days (I'm talking 2002), most big films came out on DVD in one version, a two disc special edition set that was comprehensive in bonuses and available in WS or Fullscreen. It cost anywhere from $14.99 to $19.99 USD. Now, we're getting the shaft. Everyone, and I mean everyone lately (except Mr. George Lucas) has been putting out two versions: a single disc for $14.99 and a two-disc "special edition" for $22.99 -$24.99. Why? To make a cheap buck:

A) serious collectors will in most cases pony up for the special edition

And on top of that almost every DVD came with a nice booklet with some art and the chapter listings. Now all new DVD's (except ROTS and Batman Begins I think) I've bought this year came with no booklet except a set of coupons inside! Coupons!

When they first started this "two editions" concept, you got much more than just the second disc for your money. In 2004, the Master & Commander SE came with the Chapter Listings booklet, a 30 page full color booklet on the movie & books, and a pull out map that unfolded to be fairly large, all in a package of soft cardboard made to look old fashioned.

Now, as with War of the Worlds & Kong, you're getting quality bonus materials and niftier packaging yes, but nothing extra for your extra dollar.

In 2002/03, I paid 15 bucks for these 2-Disc SE's that had no more amount of bonuses than Kong or WotW: Die Another Day, Minority Report, X2. Now, the cost of 2 disc SEs with the same amount of stuff are 20 bucks plus.

Why is this? The core market who supported DVD early and told our technologically impaired friends to buy it were us collectors who are now getting the shaft. But you know what, I wouldn't even complain that much if it was only money. The fact is that these limited ed are stocked in lesser quantities in many stores, forcing me to get them on release date as early as I can, or reserve them. I'm pissed.

If you're going to charge more, throw us a bone like Sin City with the graphic novel or Batman with the mini-comic. Don't make us pay more for what we got three years ago for less. I'm not saying WotW or Kong aren't good SE's, they're superb. But three years ago they would've been 15 bucks.