Awakenings attempts revival on this single-layered DVD edition with one picture format -- widescreen anamorphic (1.85:1 aspect ratio) -- and the following unremarkable and unremastered audio track options: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), and French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), with subtitles available in Spanish. Closed captioning is also included. There are no special or bonus features of any kind on this release. Sound and picture are of approximately the quality of a medium- to low-grade VHS tape, with the sound coming across as mono-sounding throughout much of the film. The plastic DVD case includes the usual chapter index.

A pair of hapless plumbers get sucked into a parallel dimension in this video game-to-feature adaptation from Disney/Buena Vista Home Entertainment. Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and offering audio rendered in closed-captioned English Dolby Digital Surround, this release is sure to entertain fans if the high-jumping, mustached Nintendo hero.

Eight years after its release, The Fifth Element finally gets the love it deserves on DVD with this Ultimate Edition from Columbia TriStar. Released in tandem with a two-disc of another Luc Besson masterpiece, Leon: The Professional, The Fifth Element boasts the same Superbit transfer from the 2001 release, and the film looks and sounds simply incredible on whichever system you're running. With utterly amazing levels of detail and color saturation, the 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen image will astound you over and over again, while the 5.1 Dolby and DTS tracks will leave you with your jaw on the floor long after the action is over and love has conquered all. Packaged as a two-disc, the first is dedicated solely to the film, with one exception -- a fact trivia track packed with trivia and ridiculous humor that somehow fits the film's goofy tone. The second disc is stuffed with enticing extras that boast featurettes, galleries, test footage, interviews, and outtakes. The supplemental disc starts off with the visual side of the film as it focuses on the two graphic artists on whose vision the story was originally based. Jean-Claude Mézières and Jean Moebius Giraud are two of the most renowned comic artists in France, and their interviews here are the highlight of the disc. The rest of the extras cover all other aspects of the production; from the digital aspects to the makeup and costumes, each department is thoroughly explored, including some extremely rare test footage of deleted scenes, along with never-before-seen interviews and countless behind-the-scenes glimpses. There are only two drawbacks to the entire package: one, that Luc Besson refused to supply either a commentary or interviews for the discs, and two, that the production felt the need to use one of the most annoying voice-over artists for the featurettes (the guy sounds like he's voiced one too many E! Entertainment Spring Break specials). All in all, though, this release is one wallop of a good time that's worthy of being on anyone's DVD shelf.