For fans of Rodriguez's and Tarantino's horror films, this double-disc deluxe edition is a treasure-trove of essential information, as well as being a pristine sound and video transfer. In a slightly unusual arrangement of priorities, disc one contains not the film itself, but a full-length documentary entitled Full-Tilt Boogie which contains an hour and a half of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews and manages to capture almost every single aspect of life on the set. It comes complete with captions, chapter stops, and crew bios and is very entertaining. Disc two contains the extensive remainder of the special features. These include a commentary track with Rodriguez and Tarantino which is very informative, provided you have the patience to decipher Tarantino's tangents and manic speech patterns. Also included are an "outtakes" section which is basically a collection of missteps and flubbed lines, a shorter behind-the-scenes documentary entitled "Hollywood Goes To Hell." It's fun to watch, but in comparison to the full-length documentary also included it feels a little redundant, especially since a good deal of it is taken from Full-Tilt Boogie. Additionally, the disc contains trailers and TV spots, a still gallery, two music videos, alternate and deleted scenes with optional commentary by Rodriguez and makeup artist Greg Nicotero, several segments presented by Rodriguez in the manner of his infamous "ten-minute film school" installments in which he discusses his methods of filmmaking, and, finally, cast and crew biographies and filmographies. The disc's video transfer is impeccable. Every color is faithfully reproduced, especially the fleshtones, and the dark tones and rich blacks have been preserved in all the right places. There are find no instances of artifacting or grain, and the 1.85:1 aspect ratio is maintained, although there is no evidence of 16x9 enhancement. The audio is a very well-balanced 5.1 mix which makes excellent use of the surround speakers. All of these features are brought together through nicely animated menus. This compilation is as comprehensive a representation of the film as one could hope for. Indispensable for fans of Rodriguez, Tarantino, or horror films in general.

Everyone's friendly neighborhood Spider-Man swoops to DVD in this widescreen special edition of the highly energized sequel from 20th Century Fox. With exquisite extras and spectacular picture and sound, this two-disc is a worthy buy for just about everyone. First off is the technical angle, in which this disc truly shines. Presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, the image is full of brilliant hues and fine details that are sure to bring your superhero dreams to life as you watch it. Additionally, the 5.1 Dolby Digital sound is an absorbing home-theater experience that's been meticulously created for this disc, and it does not disappoint. On the extras front, the fun starts with two different commentaries that are packed with anecdotes and stories from the production. The first track includes two separate recording sessions -- one from director Sam Raimi and Spidey himself, Tobey Maguire, and the other with Marvel producer-extraordinaire Avi Arad and co-producer Grant Curtis. This track is full of fun banter between the director and star, while the other two give good detail on the hows and whys of the moviemaking process. For more in-depth tech-talk, check out the technical commentary, headed by a few other sliced-together sessions that include effects-maestros John Dykstra and Steve Johnson, among others. The track is especially insightful when you begin to realize just how many of the effects were split between practical mechanical effects and CGI. Also included on the first disc is a blooper reel, a music video by Train, movie previews, web featurettes from the film's website, and a "Spidey Sense 2" trivia track that is stuffed with enough facts on the comic and the movie that it's almost overwhelming. Disc two contains the bulk of the extras, starting with the "Making the Amazing" 12-part documentary. This whopping two-hour making-of is one of the best in-depth and entertaining looks at a film that has graced the DVD world. After a bit of your usual PR-type talk in the beginning about the first film, this feature then dives head first into all of the separate departments as they pieced the movie together; this is highly recommended viewing for anyone who enjoys this type of stuff. Three featurettes can also be found on this second disc, all of which hold up the same quality as well. The highlight of the three would have to be the "Ock-Umentary" 20-minute special, which takes the viewer step-by-step through how the filmmakers were able to bring Doc Ock to life, from the pre-production process through the on-set puppeteering that set the stage for all of the CGI polishes later on. Other bonus features on the disc include a multi-angle feature that delves into a few effects-heavy sequences in the film, with other areas dedicated to Activision's exceptional Spider-Man 2 video game. Finally, comic artist Alex Ross has been given a gallery all his own that showcases his stunning paintings featured in the opening credit sequence. Also available in fullscreen, Superbit, and a Collector's DVD Gift Set, this release is a fantastic buy and a perfect gift for any fan of the film. In perfect double-dip fashion, Sony has plans to release a Spider-Man 2.5 as well, featuring extended sequences created solely for the DVD under Raimi's supervision. Until that comes out, there's plenty to love on this release, so don't be afraid to wait for the second release -- unless you like to torture yourself and miss out on a whole lot of great stuff.