Filmmaker Peter Jackson set out on one of the most ambitious motion-picture projects of recent memory when he attempted to bring J.R.R. Tolkien's epic Lord of the Rings novels to the screen. Jackson's films proved to be a rousing success both critically and financially, and this special box set collects the three award-winning pictures in one package. The Lord of The Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy features deluxe extended DVD editions of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which follow the battle between good and evil in the mythic land of Middle-earth and the quest to destroy the One Ring of all power before it is found by the forces of evil.

Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan's high school comedy Can't Hardly Wait comes to DVD with a pair of transfers. The widescreen transfer preserves the original broadcast aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and is preferable to the standard full-frame transfer. Closed-captioned English soundtracks are rendered in both Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital Stereo, while a French soundtrack has also been recorded in Dolby Digital Stereo. Subtitles are accessible in both of those languages as well. Supplemental materials include a commentary track by the directors and cast, a photo gallery, a theatrical trailer, and the music video for Smash Mouth's "Can't Get Enough of You Baby." This is a solid disc from Columbia/TriStar.

Peter O' Fallon's tense crime thriller Suicide Kings comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1. Spanish subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include a commentary track by director and producer Wayne Rice, theatrical trailers, alternate endings with optional commentary from the director, production notes, and cast and crew information. This is a very good disc, made all the more appealing thanks to the inexpensive list price.

For those who thought director Zack Snyder's remake of George A. Romero's zombie classic packed an impressive punch in theaters, Universal Home Video's DVD release provides even more bloody fun by offering some impressive bonus materials that actually serve to enhance the viewing experience. Lovingly presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, this release of Dawn of the Dead looks fantastic. Not only does the presentation feature colors that are as bold as they are vivid, but it also offers great skin tones, shows little to no signs of edge enhancement, and delivers pitch-black darkness in the nighttime scenes. Dawn of the Dead is a very high-contrast film, and Universal has done a terrific job in faithfully preserving its visual presentation on the small screen. The Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mix likewise does an effective job in keeping viewers ill at ease by means of punchy music cues and eerie directional effects. Even with such a hearty visual presentation, the reason most viewers will be purchasing this disc is for the generous bonus materials -- and they're not likely to be disappointed. Unlike the sometimes superfluous extras on most over-bloated special edition DVDs, Dawn of the Dead offers some bonus materials that truly draw the viewer in to the experience of the film. "The Lost Tape" of gun store owner Andy (Bruce Bohne) offers a videotaped document of the one of the more appealing but justifiably underdeveloped characters in the film, while "Special Report: Zombie Invasion" offers a faux newscast which covers the epidemic from the first reports to the moment when broadcast television gives way to the Emergency Broadcast System. If the 12-plus minutes of deleted scenes aren't necessarily the "pulse-pounding scenes too terrifying for the final theatrical release!" that the packaging promises, they do offer a few nice scares and some great character development in addition to showing, through the optional commentary, that Snyder has a keen eye for pacing. Clocking in at just over 20 minutes, "Surviving the Dawn: Dare to Face Your Fears" offers a nice peek behind the scenes to view the production process, interviews with the cast and crew, and a look at composer Tyler Bates and his orchestra as they score the film. A commentary track by Snyder and producer Eric Newman is also involving and entertaining, showcasing not only the director's dedication to the project and sense of humor, but also his love for the original film. The two interact playfully throughout the lively track, making light of the typical horror logic presented at some points of the film. DVD-ROM materials are also accessible.