The Matrix came along at just the right time in the history of the DVD format. With its incredible action scenes and futuristic plot, it proved to be a tremendous boost for sales of DVD players and proof of the power of DVD to present a movie accurately. The 2.35:1 widescreen presentation is a crystal clear translation of the movie's dark imagery. While there may be a lack of resolution in background images, the stylish visuals in the foreground draw all of the attention, along with the powerful, seat-rocking sound effects of Dolby Digital mix. Special features are mildly entertaining. The cast/crew commentary is by Carrie-Anne Moss, visual effects supervisor John Gaeta, and editor Zach Staeberg, and often leans toward the technical side of the production. The music-only "Audio Track" is for fans of the soundtrack only, and the making-of documentary is 25 minutes of hyperbole. "Taking the red pill" leads to a six-minute overview of the technical sides of "bullet-time," a special-effect element found in the film. The "Follow the White Rabbit" feature brings a rabbit icon to the screen during scenes of heavy special effects; hitting "enter" leads to behind-the-scenes footage of the scene in question and then places viewers back into the scene of the movie. Filmographies of cast and crew are also present. Instant access to all of the DVD's 38 chapters is available via the "Scene Access" menu, making this disc an entirely successful presentation of a fun film.
David M. Evans family-oriented comedy The Sandlot comes to DVD with pair of transfers. The widescreen anamorphic transfer preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and is preferable to the standard full-frame transfer. Closed-captioned English soundtracks are rendered in both Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital Surround, while a French soundtrack has also been recorded in Dolby Digital Surround. English and Spanish subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include a making-of featurette, television promotional spots, and a theatrical trailer. This is a solid release from 20th Century Fox.
David Fincher's controversial Fight Club has had a few incarnations on DVD. This release offers a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. A closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1, while a French soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Surround. English and Spanish subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include four different commentary tracks. David Fincher performs one of the tracks solo. He is joined by actors Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter on another track. The screenwriter Jim Uhls can be heard with the author of the original novel, Chuck Palahniuk. Lastly, a technical commentary track consists of many of the people who worked behind the camera. This is a great disc from 20th Century Fox.