There is no question about it, the DVD format just keeps getting better and better. Are you looking at the horizon to see what HD-DVD and Blu Ray have in store? Hold your horses, be patient and wait to see which format wins the hi-definition war. It’s not as if you’ll be missing much if you do. For film enthusiasts, never has there been a better time to indulge in your favorite cinema. From classics both legendary and cult to mainstream blockbuster films and popular TV shows, slowly but surely it’s all becoming available on DVD, and in the case of some of the very best DVD releases, available in packages jammed full of fantastic supplementary material, adding new insight, depth and enjoyment to old favorites.

Don’t believe us? Take a gander at ’ picks for the very best DVD releases of 2005, as selected by the community. These releases represent some of the best the format has to offer: enticing packages with an array of materials that will keep you glued in front of your TV long after the feature presentation is over. So read, enjoy, and get that wallet ready, because you’ll want to add these discs to your collection.

10) War of the Worlds (1953) Special Collector's Edition Stephen Spielberg’s 2005 version of The War of the Worlds, starring an Elfin Delight and a Couch-Jumping Madman, was a flawed smash hit big on the bang and clatter but small on the intangibles. But 1953’s The War of the Worlds? A classic through and through. And that classic finally got the treatment it deserves. This Special Collector’s Edition is packed with good stuff, including commentary by actors Ann Robinson and Gene Barry, film director Joe Dante, film historian Bob Burns, and Bill Warren, author of Keep Watching The Skies!, as well as documentaries on H.G. Wells and the making of the film. Also included is the legendary Mercury Theater radio broadcast of Wells’ chilling tale of alien invasion, as presented by that other “W”, Orson Welles. Top to bottom, it’s a great release. For more on this classic sci-fi film, see our review.

09) Cannibal Holocaust 20th Anniversary Edition While certainly not the most mainstream friendly DVD release of 2005, it may just be the best example of how to correctly do the release of an infamous cult film. Cannibal Holocaust is one of the most disturbing films ever made, and now, for your squirming pleasure, Grindhouse has given it a disturbingly excellent release, boasting a contentious audio commentary, extensive interviews with the director and cast, an hour-long documentary on the making of the film, and much more. Italian cannibal fans will want to feast on this fleshed out DVD release; there’s so much here you won’t be able to swallow it whole. Intrigued but not sure if cannibals are you thing? Check out our review of this release.

08) Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer 20th Anniversary Edition If you think some of the staff at are obsessed with killing and death, you’d be wro- … well, actually you’d be right. But that doesn’t make the 20th Anniversary Edition of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer any less impressive. This two-disc release has one of the most lively audio commentaries out there, a comprehensive 52-minute documentary supplemented by a second 26-minute documentary, tons of deleted scenes, and other assorted extras. The original DVD releases of this film were crap, causing some new to the film to unfairly dismiss this disturbing cult movie. Well now it gets the opportunity to be enjoyed it deserves. Our review of this film will fill you in on all you’re missing.

07) Batman Begins Two-Disc Special Edition Batman Begins helped revitalize a franchise that had been ground into silliness, in the process becoming, in the eyes of some, the best take to date on one of the world’s most popular superheroes. Warner Bros. wasted no time in capitalizing on its box office success, turning around a strong DVD release within months of its exit from the theater. You’ll get no complaints from fans, either, who were given a two-disc Special Edition release chock full of extras covering all aspects of the character and film. This is surely the start of a new Batman franchise … and the start is a good one. Superhero fans won't want to miss this release.

06) Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith Say what you will about the Star Wars prequels, they were wildly successful, drew fans by the million and, empty as some critics say they were, filled the screen with spectacle. And say what you will about some of the questionable decisions George Lucas has made with his golden egg franchise in recent years, because he’s gotten at least one thing unquestionably right: his DVD releases. The Star Wars prequel DVD releases have all been laden with goodies and some of the best disc quality on the market. Revenge of the Sith is no exception. Packed with extras – commentaries, deleted scenes, documentaries, and much more – this is a DVD release no Star Wars fan should be without.

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