1. TITANIC - SPECIAL COLLECTOR'S EDITION (A/A+/A+)
Time for a close call, as I literally almost tossed a coin to decide whether Titanic or The Incredibles would earn my #1 spot. I went with Titanic partially because I like the movie a little more, but also because I think it's the more comprehensive set. For me, the "A+" for the extras of Incredibles was a narrow decision, but i felt no similar qualms when I awarded that "A+" for the supplements of Titanic. In addition, Titanic nearly earned an "A+" for picture due to its terrific transfer. The movie continues to impress, and this amazing DVD release finally does it justice.

2. THE INCREDIBLES (A+/A/A+)
Guess how many Pixar DVDs haven't ended up as part of my year-end Top Ten lists? If you went with "none", you'd be correct. 2000's The Ultimate Toy Box was my pick for that year's best release, while Monsters Inc. ended up third for 2002 and Finding Nemo was ninth for 2003. (1999's A Bug's Life predated my first Top Ten, but it certainly would have made any such list for that year.) Did that mean it was inevitable that The Incredibles wound wind up somewhere on my year-end 2005 chart? Probably. As for the actual product, it's hard to beat a disc with this one's unassailable ratings. A top-notch movie that improves with repeated viewings, the DVD offers a slew of excellent extras along with the expected solid picture and audio. Put down your bets now that 2006's Cars will continue this trend.

3. THE WIZARD OF OZ - THREE-DISC COLLECTOR'S EDITION (B+/B/A+)
Observant readers will notice that the technical marks for this version of The Wizard of Oz don't compare all that well with the grades given to every other entry in this Top Ten. In fact, only one other "B" pops up anywhere on this page, while Oz presents two of them. So why's it on the chart - much less in such a lofty position as third place? For one, I have to consider the quality of the film. Oz continues to deserve its status as an all-time great; it delights now as much as it did more than 65 years ago. It's also an extremely well-made package. No, the picture and sound aren't among the best you'll find, but they're darned fine for such an old movie. The roster of extras goes beyond the level of comprehensive to nearly seem exhaustive. It's a lavish, loving set that truly stunned me.

4. SIN CITY – RECUT, EXTENDED AND UNRATED (A/A-/A)
Director Robert Rodriguez always gives us good supplements, and that factor helps land this two-DVD version of Sin City on my Top Ten. The fact that City is a blast doesn’t hurt. A violent but dynamic and lively comic book flick, City is a lot of fun for adherents of the genre. The DVD offers excellent picture and audio along with a find set of extras. Yeah, the extended version is a disappointment, but this remains a terrific release.

5. STAR WARS: EPISODE III – REVENGE OF THE SITH (A/A+/A)
Every Star Wars film has ended up somewhere on my year-end Top Ten. Revenge of the Sith lands the lowest, though, as its fifth-place finish is farther down than the others. That’s not a reflection on the movie, which stands as the best of the prequels. The DVD itself is very good as well, with top-notch visuals and audio plus some strong extras. It’s the intangibles that make it a little less impressive than the other Star Wars DVDs, though, as it just doesn’t dazzle me to the same degree. Nonetheless, it’s another top-notch Star Wars release that made it into my Top Ten without any trouble.

6. BEN-HUR - COLLECTOR'S EDITION (A/A-/A)
Some excellent DVDs won't make my Top Ten simply because they fail to do much to update prior versions - see Toy Story and Toy Story 2 for examples of reissues that simply lack a lot of new content. On the other hand, this 4-DVD edition of Ben-Hur goes much further than the prior release from 2001. It does repeat some components, but it offers improved picture and sound along with many new extras, the most significant of which lets us see the original silent version of the movie. This is a solid reissue.

7. PHIL COLLINS: FINALLY... THE FIRST FAREWELL TOUR (A-/A-/A)
To date, only two concert DVDs - Bruce Springsteen's Live in New York City and the Rolling Stones' Four Flicks - have earned a spot in one of my year-end Top Tens. Phil Collins' Finally... The First Farewell Tour is the third, as it presents a terrific concert release. Granted, Phil's nowhere as high on my list of personal faves as Bruce and the Stones, but he puts on a good show, and this DVD works very well. With excellent picture and sound plus a fantastic roster of extras, it's a real winner.

8. BATMAN - THE MOTION PICTURE ANTHOLOGY 1989-1997 (A-/A-/B+)
I don't know if I'd have placed any of the four Batman DVDs on my Top Ten individually, though the package for 1989's Batman might make it. However, in a "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts" deal, I felt the four-movie Batman - The Motion Picture Anthology 1989-1997 was such a fine release that it deserved mention here. All four movies get fine picture upgrades along with strong audio and quite a few quality supplements. Bat-fans like myself waited a long time for this sort of set, and it was worth it. (Note that the link above goes to Batman and Robin. We don't have a specific page for the "Anthology"; Robin may be the worst of the four movies, but it's the only one with links to all four so I chose it as the logical route to follow.)

9. GLADIATOR: EXTENDED EDITION (A/A-/A+)
I'm not sure what it says about 2005 as a DVD year when re-issues comprise more than half of my current Top Ten. With terrific re-releases like this "Extended Edition" of Gladiator, though, I find it tough to complain. The longer cut of the movie improves it, and though the DVD lacks DTS audio, it still looks and sounds great. Add to that a very strong roster of extras - virtually none of which repeat from the earlier release - and you have a textbook example of an excellent re-issue.

10. STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT - SPECIAL COLLECTOR'S EDITION (A-/A-/A-)
The most successful Next Generation movie becomes arguably the best Star Trek movie DVD. First Contact isn't my favorite Trek flick - Next Gen or Original Series - but it's a solid effort. With action, heart and drama, it provides a satisfying experience. The DVD excels at almost everything. It gives us terrific audio and picture along with a strong roster of rich extras. Only a weak audio commentary from actor/director Jonathan Frakes disappoints in this otherwise sterling release.