Well, I originally wanted to do a "Top Five Biggest DVDs for the Rest of the Year" thing, and the first four were pretty easy, but I couldn't quite decide on number five. So, instead, here's a few notable releases--maybe kind of like an honorable mentions type thing. So, here goes:
A Christmas Story: 20th Anniversary Two-Disc Special Edition - Release Date:
October 7th
The Lion King: Special Edition: Platinum Edition - Release Date:
October 7th
Matrix Reloaded - Release Date:
October 14th
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines - Release Date:
November 18th
X2: X-Men United - Release Date:
November 25th
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl: 2-Disc Collector's Edition - Release Date:
December 2nd-------------------------------------------------------------------
4.
Finding Nemo: 2-Disc Collector's EditionWell, this has pretty much been the King of the 2003 Box-Office so far, and, more importantly, a great flick (one that I think I still have yet to read a negative review of). Plus, the DVDs that Pixar and Disney have done for each of their other movies have been absolutely phenomenal, and when you combine that with this terrific movie, you have a no-brainer purchase. Expect a ton of fun extra features, from folks that are terribly enthusiastic fans of the format, and a fantastic digital-to-digital transfer.
Release Date:
November 4th----------------------------------------------------------------------
3.
The Adventures of Indiana Jones: The Complete DVD Movie CollectionWell, ultimately, I'd have liked this to have been higher than third-place, but compared to the sheer amount of material we're getting with the top two choices, this just doesn't quite match up, with only around four-or-so hours of bonus features.
However, ultimately, the movie should be the most important factor in deciding whether or not to purchase the discs, and I think most of us here would agree that the Indy films are some of the finest action/adventure films ever made. That, coupled with the fact that we've waited
six years for Steve and George to put them on DVD, means that they could have no extras at all, and they'd still be a noteworthy release.
Expect some really nice transfers with this set, which Paramount has always excelled at, and which have all been digitally cleaned-up and remastered by THX, I believe.
Release Date:
October 21st----------------------------------------------------------------------
2.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: Special Extended DVD EditionNot much to say here. If you've got last year's phenomenal Extended
Fellowship set (which everyone should), then expect more of the same this time around. Also available in a Collector's Gift Set with a Gollum statue. No word yet on if this one will include a free ticket to
Return of the King, like last year, but I'd imagine it would. Even if it doesn't, though--still a must-buy.
Release date:
November 18th--------------------------------------------------------------------
And, in my opinion, the biggest DVD release for the rest of 2003:
1.
Alien QuadrilogyThis is
nine discs' worth of Alien-y goodness, my friends. Each movie gets two discs--one for the movie, one for the extras, and then there's yet another disc for more stuff. Supposedly, we'll be getting both the extended cuts
and the theatrical cuts for the first three flicks (and maybe
Resurrection, as well).
All told, the extras on this bad boy are supposed to be right around forty hours or so, and that's not counting the length of the movies themselves. This set is primed to be so good, that it should make up for the rather luke-warm reception that the third and fourth flicks have received--and supposedly, the "new" cut of
Alien 3 is restoring it to be the flick that David Fincher intended it to be.
Fox hasn't announced a date for this thing (it was previously thought to be November 11th, and now it's rumored to be released on December 16th, but we'll have to wait on their official announcement to be sure).
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(Dare I say it?)
Thoughts? 
