The Best DVD of 2006?

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When Blogcritics asked me to contribute to a critics' round-up as to their picks of the best DVd of 2006, I was both honored and perplexed. Here's why.

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Attempting to single one DVD as the "best" of all the hundreds released is a daunting task at best, and one with which I'm not entirely comfortable.There are feature film releases, music releases, indies, documentaries and on and on and on. Brothers of the Head made my list, as did

John Fogerty's The Long Way Home. There were plenty of disappointments, too--need I mention Fantastic Four?

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I finally came to the conclusion that "best DVD" does not necessarily equate with "best movie." A DVD resurrects the original work, often becoming an entity that stands on its own. You have to consider packaging, bonus features, A/V options and aspect ratios, in addition to entertainment value.

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All that being said, I have to go with Pirates of the Carribean 2: Dead Man's Chest. I'm talking the 2-Disc Special Edition, mind you. The holographic slipcover alone has provided me with hours of enjoyment. And with over five hours of bonus features, most of which focus on the technical aspects of making the movie, it's a package that film fans can't resist.

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The movie itself is presented in 16:9 aspect ratio and Dolbly 5.1 surroundsound, which is the only way a current release should be seen. Not that this movie aspires to "art"--it's a romp, full of Chaplin-esque sight gags and double entendres. Jack Sparrow is a glam rock star version of an 18th century pirate and the villainous Davy Jones, half-man, half-octupus, may be the creepiest rogue (visually speaking) ever put to film. The Carribean scenery is luscious, contrasting nicely with the murky undersea world of the eternally doomed crew of Davy Jones.

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It's all played for laughs, and despite its cliffhanger ending, Dead Man's Chest ranks with the swashbuckler films of the forties for pure entertainment value. It's not the best film of the year by any means, but it is the best movie. It's popcorn thrills all the way.

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Given that we buy DVDs mainly to kick back after a long day, or to enjoy during the weekend,

I have to say you'd be hard-pressed to find a better choice than Dead Man's Chest.