The first disc of Criterion's Armageddon DVD features Michael Bay's director's cut of the film, which adds about ten minutes of character development. The 2.35:1 non-anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital soundtrack are equally impressive, the 5.1 channel Dolby track an ideal test for any surround system. The two commentary tracks on the disc complement each other nicely and together provide a balanced analysis of the film. Bay's insistence on his film's factual authenticity on the first track is offset by asteroid consultant Ivan Bekey and NASA consultant Dr. Joe Allen's more scientific insight on the second track. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Bruce Willis, and Ben Affleck are also on the first track, Affleck's joking and questioning of the film's logic on the track making it immensely more entertaining. The second track also features cinematographer Joe Schwartzman. The second disc is entirely made up of supplements for the film. Michael Bay's personally edited gag reel is funny and the compilation of additional deleted scenes not included in the director's cut solves at least one gap in the film's logic. Visual effects supervisors Richard Hoover, Pat McClung, and Hoyt Yeatman and production designer Michael White have individual featurettes focusing on their work for the film, ranging from compiled effects footage with commentary to on-set interviews. Storyboards, trailers, television spots, and an Aerosmith music video are also included. Armageddon can be exhausting, but the incredibly balanced look inside the film is well worth it.

Guy Ritchie's rough-and-tumble action comedy gets a sharp presentation in this DVD release. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels has been given a letterboxed transfer at the aspect ratio of 1.85:1; the transfer has also been enhanced for anamorphic playback on widescreen monitors. The audio, in English, has been mastered in Dolby Digital 5.1, with optional subtitles in French and Spanish. The disc also includes a short documentary on the production of the film, theatrical trailers from the American and British released of the film, biographies of key members of the cast and crew, and a dictionary of cockney slang for those puzzled by some of the dialogue.

Artisan Entertainment's release of Alejandro Amenabar's surreal thriller Abre Los Ojos offers a passable presentation of this masterful psychological thriller, even if it does fall slightly short in terms of extras and a more insightful view into a film that certainly invites the closer inspection that the DVD format offers. Presented in the original 1.85:1 widescreen aspect ratio (and enhanced for 16 x 9 televisions), the image is sharp and detailed, offering solid blacks, realistic skin tones, and no notable edge enhancement or artifacting. The rich greens of the park sequences, the darker images of Cesar's increasingly disturbing voyage, and the beautifully filmed dream sequences all shine on this format, offering a rich visual presentation that serves to draw the viewer into the increasingly bizarre story. Large, white subtitles are translated well, not overly intrusive, and easy to read with bold outlines. The audio presentation, unfortunately, leaves a little more to be desired in terms of effectiveness and creativity. The low and undistinguished Dolby Surround mix only makes one wonder what could have been accomplished with a more involving Dolby Digital or DTS audio scheme. With voices, music, and sound effects not fully utilizing directional effects and the full capabilities of the format, viewers are not as drawn into Cesar's disturbing experience as they may be if more attention had been focused on creating a more involving audio mix. Also sadly lacking is a director's audio commentary track. Amenabar has crafted a complex story of reality versus fantasy with many twists that also deals with many sensitive subjects such as personal perception and loss of identity. It's a shame that viewers are not offered the insight that would no doubt lay the grounds for a fascinating peek inside the director's motivations in regards to story and presentation. Production notes and a brief insert only serve to whet ones appetite for such insight, and though they are well presented, they only provide an exclamation to the disc's few shortcomings. The menu screen is a beautiful and easily navigable combination of the film's more seductive imagery and offers easy access to the disc's all-too-few special features. Though Artisan's disc's shortcomings are sometimes frustrating in light of what could have been, Abre Los Ojos was, at the time of the DVD's release, only a small foreign release by a relatively unknown talent. With the director gaining prominence and Hollywood momentum with The Others, and a big-budget remake starring Tom Cruise hitting theaters in late 2001, maybe Abre Los Ojos will get a more suitable DVD presentation somewhere down the road.