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.

Superman Returns (DVD Widescreen) [DVD]

For Next Friday, New Line has once again done a great job on a DVD. The transfer, framed at the theatrical ratio of 1.85: 1 (anamorphic), is superb. Colors are sharp and constant and there are no defects. The soundtrack, which includes a lot of hip-hop and rap tunes, is good but not outstanding, lacking any real range. The surrounds in the Dolby Digital 5.1 track are rarely used, but that is far from a surprise. Everything seems centered up front, with clear dialogue and sound that is distortion-free. The DVD for the original Friday was a bit disappointing in the way of supplemental material, but this disc more than makes up for it. There are numerous highlights to this disc, starting with an audio commentary track. Though they seem to be recorded separately, director Steve Carr and Ice Cube talk about everything from making a sequel to where they each began. It also might be the first hip-hop commentary, as it has numerous moments of reverb and vocal styling done after the fact. It's a bit unusual and takes a little time to get used to, but is interesting nevertheless. Next is a rather lengthy featurette with a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film that includes numerous interviews with the cast and crew. A real plus is an audition tape for Mike Epps. While the video and audio quality are awful, it's interesting to see Epps, a stand-up comic without film experience, interact with Cube. An interesting idea that has been used on other discs -- watching the film with a small box showing the storyboards -- is taken to the extreme here as it can be done for the entire film. In addition there are bloopers and an alternate ending, some strange painting of the Cucamonga locations, music videos from Ice Cube ("You Can't Do It" featuring Mack 10 and Ms. Toi) and Lil Zane ("Money Stretch"). There are also trailers for this film, including the G-rated version and the R-rated version, plus trailers for Friday, The Players Club, and Dangerous Ground. Finally, there are some DVD-ROM features, including access to the screenplay. This is another excellent disc in the Platinum Series from New Line.