OTHER TECH

1 Master and Commander (collectors edition, 20th Century Fox)

The Picture Director Peter Weir strives to faithfully recreate period detail in this nautical tale - an effort that's reflected in the refreshingly natural color palette. And the Oscar-winning cinematography and Oscar-nominated special effects consistently draw you deep into battle scenes.

The Sound Powerful surround sound and low-bass effects help to heighten the film's action. The dialogue is consistently clear and natural, even as cannonballs rip through the ship's starboard side and careen off the port side.

The Killer Demo Chapter 4, "Under Attack." Watching this first and most vivid of the sea battles on a big-screen HDTV with a good surround sound system will make your heart leap into your throat.

Standout Extra Hard to choose, since the many extras take up an entire second disc. But the 70-minute "making of" documentary is a fascinating look at how computer-generated effects enhanced the film's battle scenes.

This DVD offers reference-quality video and audio, and it's a great story to boot. - Al Griffin