Colin Jacobson, Senior Reviewer

1. SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (A+/B+/A+)
It's a reviewer's prerogative to change his mind, and that's what I did with my top slot. In a close call, I originally gave it to The Phantom Menace, but after further deliberation, I went with the better film and named Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as the best DVD of 2001. Disney restored the picture to a level that seems unbelievably strong, and while the audio isn't as terrific, the movie still sounds clear and crisp. In addition, the DVD packs a wealth of fine extras that add a lot to the experience. It doesn't get much better than the DVD release of Snow White, though I hope Disney tries to top itself in 2002.

2. THE PHANTOM MENACE (B/A+/A+)
Despite my relative disappointment about the picture quality of Menace, I still think it's the second-best DVD of 2001. The sound is amazing, and the extras are outstanding. Menace includes a simply brilliant documentary as well as a wealth of deleted scenes that have been fully finished for inclusion on the DVD. Along with a fine audio commentary, those extras will bring me back to the disc again and again, and they made the difference for my list.

3. CAST AWAY (A/A/A)
As you'll note as you read my comments for the next few Top Ten titles, many of my selections made it here for rather subjective reasons. That's not the case for this one, the absolutely outstanding Cast Away DVD. Of course, some subjectivity enters the equation; on the Top Ten, I usually only include movies that I enjoy, and there's no way something I disliked will ever make number one. Indeed, Cast Away was a surprisingly entertaining and compelling program that fully held my attention. In addition, the DVD offered excellent picture and sound quality plus a rather exhaustive roster of extras. Cast Away was definitely the best DVD for the first half of 2001.

4. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (A-/A-/B)
While there are other DVDs from 2001 that outdo the picture, sound and supplements of Lawrence of Arabia, none of those can boast a movie that is arguably the greatest film ever made. Lawrence remains a towering achievement almost 40 years after its initial release; it's an epic that flies by and offers some of the highest-quality filmmaking ever witnessed. Though not without some flaws, the picture and sound seemed very strong, and the complement of extras provided a fair amount of information. No, the DVD itself isn't the best you'll find, but the amazing film found on the discs made it impossible for me to place many other 2001 releases above Lawrence of Arabia.

5. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND: LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY
    (A-/A-/A-)
In a year filled with outstanding music DVDs, one stood above all the others: Bruce Springsteen's excellent Live In New York City. No, it wasn't the ultimate package serious Bruce fans would like, but it still was a terrific affair that left even a bitter old soul like myself happy. Add to the extensive roster of songs the fine picture and sound and you have thebest overall music DVD on the market.

6. SUPERMAN (B/A/A)
I debated long and hard about where to put this disc in my Top Ten. I like the movie a fair amount, but it's not as high on my list of favorites as is Lawrence or Close Encounters, and while the DVD's picture looked quite good, it still showed some concerns. Nonetheless, I placed Superman in the number six slot because a) it is a fun movie; b) it contains a lot of pretty solid extras; and c) the soundtrack absolutely rocks! Ultimately, this is a fine package that I really enjoyed.

7. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (B+/B+/B+)
I also had trouble with my placement of Close Encounters, especially because it meant so many of my top selections would be very subjective; they earned their places in large measure due to my fondness for the films themselves, and I'm not sure my Top Ten should be influenced so strongly by that factor. However, it's my Top Ten, so Close Encounters lands in seventh place! Picture and audio quality both seemed quite good - though not stellar - and the complement of extras was also very satisfying. Was this the killer package fans would like to get? No, but it still worked well, and this wonderful movie has never looked or sounded better.

8. THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE: The Ultimate Groove (A/A-/A-)
Aaagh - subjectivity runs amok! Technically, Dinosaur is a better DVD than is Groove; picture and sound quality are slightly superior, and it also adds more compelling extras. However, Groove is a total delight to watch, while Dinosaur is often fairly bland. Groove is one of the best traditionally-animated Disney movies in years, and it's sure to be a fun film to view for quite some time to come. The DVD may not live up to the high standards set by last year's Ultimate Toy Box or Fantasia Anthology sets, but it still is a fine piece of work.

9. CITIZEN KANE (B+/B/A-)
Whether or not one agrees with the AFI's designation of Citizen Kane as the greatest movie ever made, it's hard to argue that it's a terrific and seminal piece of work. It also offers a fine DVD experience. From the wonderfully restored picture to the better than average sound to the mix of solid extras, Kane was worth the wait.

10. DIE HARD: Five Star Collection (B+/B+/A-)
Am I doomed to become Subjective Man? Perhaps, because I just couldn't allow myself to rank Die Hard below some technically superior DVDs that didn't make the Top Ten at all. Not that there's anything wrong with Die Hard, for it provides solid picture and sound with some fine extras. However, it was the quality of the classic film itself that allowed it to sit on my chart. One of the most influential action flicks ever, Die Hard continues to thrill and delight.