1. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING - PLATINUM SERIES EXTENDED EDITION (A-/A-/A+)
Somewhere out there you'll find a reviewer who doesn't select the four-disc version of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring as the best DVD release of 2002, but it won't happen here. While I still don't adore the movie as much as many fans, I've come to really like it, and the extra footage found in this set makes the film work even better. Picture and sound quality seem less than perfect but still appear very positive, and the package includes a roster of extras second to none. Without question, Ring sets the standard by which all other DVD sets are judged, and I don't know if we'll ever find another release that will surpass this stunning effort.

2. STAR WARS - EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES (A/A+/A)
Another year, another Star Wars DVD in second place on my Top Ten. Just as The Phantom Menace took home the silver for 2001, Attack of the Clones only managed to snare the number two spot in 2002. However, Menace almost nailed the prize, whereas Clones didn't even come close to the four-disc Ring. However, Clones still offered a very solid piece of work. The movie itself remained enjoyable but not up to the standards of the original Star Wars trilogy. At least I liked it more when I rewatched it. The DVD improved considerably on the flawed picture quality of Menace and provided similarly magnificent audio. When I compared extras, Clones fell a little opposed to Menace, mainly since the latter included a terrific documentary; none of the material on Clones equalled the Menace program. Nonetheless, I liked Clones as a movie and felt that the DVD provided a very positive piece of work.

3. MONSTERS, INC. (A+/A/A+)
For the first year since I started to make these Top Ten lists, a Disney title failed to win the top prize. Indeed, we must move to the number three slot before we find a single Disney title. Frankly, I could have put Monsters, Inc. in the number two position instead of Clones, but ultimately I decided I liked the latter package a little more. Perhaps that's because I continue to feel less than thrilled by the movie, which offers the weakest Pixar flick to date. Nonetheless, the movie offers some fun, and the DVD's stellar. From the virtually flawless picture to the active and accurate soundtrack and the compelling set of extras, Monsters, Inc. doesn't get my most enthusiastic rating, but it's good enough to take the number three spot for 2002.

4. PEARL HARBOR: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT (A/A/A+)
Before 2002 began, this four-disc VISTA release of Pearl Harbor sounded like it should win the top prize for the best DVD of the year. Indeed it could have taken that spot were it not for one compounding factor: the movie itself. Don't count me as a Harbor basher, as I think the film provides a moderately stimulating experience. However, it remains flawed, and I noticed that I liked it less and less with each successive viewing. On the other hand, the year's other monster DVD package for Ring includes a flick that became more enjoyable to me every time I saw it.

So that's the difference between number one and number four. Based on DVD quality alone, Harbor would probably still come in second place after Ring, but it'd be a tight race. Unfortunately, the movie dropped Harbor down a few notches to fourth place. The flick remains fairly interesting, and the DVD does almost everything right, but I just don't think it merits a place above number four.

5. ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE (A/A/A+)
Although Disney lost the top spot for 2002, the studio still dominated my Top Ten. Buena Vista produced half of the titles I selected, which left New Line in second place with their two releases. Like Pearl Harbor, Atlantis lost points due to the film in question. The movie itself is a modest disappointment; while entertaining, it lacks the spark and charm of the best Disney animation. However, I still like it, and the DVD itself helps make up for any flaws. Gorgeous picture, killer sound, and a truly terrific batch of extras mean that the 2-DVD set of Atlantis remains among the cream of 2002's crop.

6. BLADE II (A/A/A+)
While I didn't think Blade II was as good a movie as the original flick in the series, it still offered some good comic book action. The DVD provided a stellar piece of work that helped make the movie more compelling. From the excellent picture and sound to the exhaustive and entertaining roster of extras, this set has it all. However, I remain too lukewarm toward the movie itself for it to place higher than this on my Top Ten, though honestly, very little distance separates Blade II and some of the flicks above it - they're all excellent DVDs for decent but unspectacular movies.

7. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (A-/B+/A+)
It's the eternal Top Ten dilemma. Which gets the higher rating: a movie I love that offers a good but not great DVD, or a film that I think seems decent but unspectacular that comes with an excellent DVD? I might change my mind later, but right now DVD quality takes the prize, which is why Beauty and the Beast ends up only in seventh place for now. The flick remains one of Disney's best. While it doesn't quite compare with their all-time classics, it still offers a thoroughly solid experience. The DVD also presents very good picture and sound with a fine complement of supplements. The package as a whole can't compete with the six releases above it, but Beast is good enough for seventh place.

8. E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL: ULTIMATE GIFT SET (B+/A-/A-)
Examine my remarks for Beauty and the Beast and ditto them here. Actually, I find E.T. to offer a superior film experience above Beast and every other film in the Top Ten; despite a little lost luster over the years, it remains one of my all-time faves. Unfortunately, the DVD package isn't up to the same level of the titles above it. Picture and sound quality appear very good, but the "Ultimate Gift Set" earned its "A-" for supplements mainly due to the inclusion of the original 1982 cut of the film and an excellent hardcover book; the package's other DVD-based extras don't seem as strong as I'd like. Nonetheless, the release appears very good. Combine that with my love for the flick and it lands in eighth place.

9. JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK (B+/B+/A)
Yet another product from Buena Vista, this one once competed for the top spot. Now it drops to number nine, but it's still an excellent product. Though not Kevin Smith's best flick, Silent Bob has a lot of laughs and it actually seemed more entertaining during my second viewing. The DVD provides good but unexceptional picture and sound plus a slew of excellent extras. From the fine audio commentary to the tons of deleted scenes and other bits, all this set lacks is a good documentary. Even without that, it remains a positive package that I thoroughly enjoyed.

10. SINGIN' IN THE RAIN SPECIAL EDITION (A-/B/A-)
The battle between movie quality and DVD quality redux. With picture/sound/extras grades of A/A/A-, it felt odd to leave Ice Age off of my Top Ten. However, its appearance here would have supplanted Singin' In the Rain, and I didn't want to do that, mostly because I don't think much of Ice Age as a film. Probably the greatest musical ever made, Rain finally gets a DVD that lives up to its stature. The package provides excellent picture, very good sound, and a surprisingly rich and entertaining compendium of extras. As a DVD, it doesn't match up with the releases above it, but it's one of the best films of the bunch.