Whether you enjoyed John Q or found it preachy, manipulative and overly sentimental, there is no denying that New Line has released another fine DVD. The image, which is framed at 1.85:1 and is anamorphic, is nearly perfect. Nearly because while colors are very vivid, they do look a little over-saturated at times, especially reds, which are prominent at certain points in the film. Otherwise, it's a remarkable transfer with wonderful detail. The sound, with both 5.1 English Dolby Digital and DTS tracks, is also quite strong. Granted, it does seem to be more centered up front, without any significant use of the surround speakers, but the overall effect is still evident. This disc is another in the "Infinifilm" line, and the extras showcase how good that series can be. Just to begin with is a commentary track with director Nick Cassavetes, producer Mark Burg, writer James Kearns, actress Kimberly Elise and cinematographer Roger Stoffers. In addition there is a 35-minute documentary, "Fighting for Care" which takes a look at the state of health care in the United States. Granted, this might be a one-time thing to watch, but is obviously relevant to the picture. Also included is a shorter piece on the making of the film, which is more PR than anything, but still has some interesting comments on the making of the film. Finally, along with the theatrical trailer and press kits for the cast and crew, are six deleted and extended scenes which run around 20 minutes. As with all in this series you can watch these extras alone or while watching the "Infinifilm" version where pop-ups alert you to this additional material while watching the movie. New Line has done it again, producing a fine disc throughout.

Although many critics regarded Phillip Noyce's gloomy serial killer movie as too formulaic, it was nevertheless an interesting post-Seven entry in the genre, and showcased the talents of two of Hollywood's most popular actors, Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. If anything, Universal's DVD edition is better than the actual film, offering high audio-visual quality and a good selection of extra features. Although it is easy to take anamorphic widescreen picture and Dolby Digital 5.1 Sound for granted, with a film such as The Bone Collector the advantages are palpable. Noyce's stylishly grim visuals are given real depth and clarity, and the darkly atmospheric score is exquisitely delivered. The additional features, accessed via a truly disturbing menu selection screen, include the original theatrical trailer for the film. There are also filmographies of the main protagonists, DVD-ROM features, and the welcome addition of an isolated soundtrack. The 22-minute behind-the-scenes featurette is better than most, actually bothering to get some interesting and extensive contributions from the talent involved in The Bone Collector. Probably the best feature on this disc is Noyce's audio commentary. Although he modestly describes them as "rambling recollections," Noyce's observations are consistently well judged and informative. Whatever The Bone Collector's failures, this DVD edition is excellent, and perhaps even demands a positive reassessment of the film itself.

This action opus inspired by the popular television series of the 1970s has been given a well-rounded presentation for its release on DVD. This edition of S.W.A.T. has been given a letterboxed transfer to disc in the widescreen aspect ratio of 2.40:1, which has also been enhanced for anamorphic playback on 16 x 9 monitors. (A pan-and-scan full-screen version is also available.) The original English language audio has been mastered in Dolby Digital 5.1, as has an alternate dubbed track in French; optional subtitles in English and French are also included. Among the bonus materials are two audio commentary tracks -- one featuring director Clark Johnson and members of the cast, the other featuring screenwriters David Ayer and David McKenna and the film's technical consultant -- as well as a collection of gags and bloopers, several deleted scenes, three short documentaries on the production of the film, a look back at the original television series, filmographies for the cast and crew, and more.