Ramon Menendez's inspirational biopic of math teacher Jaime Escalante, Stand and Deliver comes to DVD with a standard full-frame transfer. The English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Mono. There are no subtitles, but the soundtrack is closed-captioned. There are no supplemental materials of any consequence. This is a by-the-numbers release from Warner Bros. for a film that deserves better on home video. The disc is technically weak, and offers nothing in the extras department.

John Sturges' nail-biting POW classic The Great Escape arrives on DVD with a widescreen transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. English and French soundtracks are rendered in Dolby Digital Stereo. English, Spanish, and French subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include a half-hour documentary, production notes, trivia, and the original theatrical trailer. This fine package will please fans of the film and may draw some interest from people unfamiliar with it.

Robert Zemeckis followed up his smash hit Forrest Gump with this sci-fi-tone poem, raking in even more box-office dollars. This DVD from Warner Bros. does the film justice and then some. The picture is presented in a glorious 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that must be seen to be believed. The film's now-famous opening shot (a slow pull-back through the entire universe) is even more stunning here than it was on the big screen. The sound is a crisp, thundering Dolby 5.1 that brings the music of the spheres to life. Extra features are just as impressive. There are three separate commentary tracks: one from star Jodie Foster, one from Zemeckis and producer Steve Starkey, and one from special effects supervisors Ken Ralston and Stephen Rosenbaum. Viewers also get a first-hand look at how some of the film's more complicated effects (like that opening shot) were done, through short featurettes with commentary by Ralston and Rosenbaum. Also included are the obligatory production notes and trailers. As always with a Zemeckis film, it's best not to watch the trailer before the movie, as every single plot detail is revealed. Overall, this is a film worth owning in any format, but its excellent treatment on DVD makes Contact a must-buy.

Actor/director Kevin Costner's acclaimed epic tale of a Union Army soldier caught between two worlds on path for a tragic collision course makes a return appearance on DVD courtesy of this MGM/UA release. The film is presented in 1.33:1 pan-and-scan and offers audio rendered in either English Dolby Digital 5.1 or alternate French Dolby Digital Surround with optional English, Spanish, and French subtitles. The sole extra feature on this otherwise bare-bones release is an original theatrical trailer.