John Candy gives one of his best performances in "Cool Runnings" a "based-on-a-true" comedy about Jamaica's first bobsled team.  Director John Turteltaub offers the right blend of sentimentality to this comedy to make it endearing for the whole family to enjoy.  The dvd transfer looks wonderful.  The various locations offer beautiful backdrops and they're captured with all their lively colors in this sharp looking transfer.  The dolby surround is somewhat lacking in directional effects when compared to the laserdisc version.

"I Love Trouble" must have been what the director thought when he took on this film.  Whoops, he wrote it too!!!  This is really a disappointment when considering what the writing and directing team of this film had accomplished in the past with films like "Baby Boom".  There's nothing original here, and Julia Roberts is "TERRIBLE!!!!"  How does she keep getting film roles????   While critics centered on the lack of chemistry between the two leads, one must give Nolte credit, because he wasn't constantly getting nauseous next to Roberts!

For those who may have liked the film, take heart:  The transfer is first-rate!!!   There's some dark scenes here that look perfect due to the excellent contrast and detail!  The dolby digital 5.1 offers an agressive sound mix as well. 

An overlooked comedy, "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion" is one of the most innovative comedies to be released in recent memory.  Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow give great performances, and Janeane Garofalo is really funny in every scene.   The tale about party girls trying to make a big impression at their 10 year high school reunion has plenty of laughs, and there's something for everyone to identify with throughout the film. 

The dvd transfer is sharper than the laserdisc version, with greater clarity and color values in every scene.  The dolby digital 5.1 soundtrack offers a multitude of directional effects.  There's also a trailer and production featurette!

While this reviewer found "MR. Holland's Opus" to be greatly overrated, it's more pleasurable on the small screen, and it's never looked as good as it does here.   The 2.35:1 aspect ratio is a necessity in order to fully capture Director Stephen Herek's beautiful compositions.  The script is mediocre, but the performances are strong and the music, while uneven, pushes the envelope for dolby digital 5.1 sound.   We found little difference between the sound mix here and on the superb DTS laserdisc version.

Alas, BUENA VISTA HOME VIDEO has finally released their first 16:9 enhanced film, "Shakespeare in Love".  While they haven't made any other announcements to anamorphically enhance their releases, we hope they realize what a difference it makes.   "Shakespeare in Love" is one of the best looking dvd releases available!   From the opening credits, we can see unbelievable detail distinguishing the various rooftops of competing theaters in Elizabethan England.  The dolby digital 5.1 sound is also wonderful!  From the beginning seconds of the film's opening sequence, the music engulfs the audience and brings it into a special world. While there's not an abundance of directional effects, they're used effectively and intelligently.  While there are plans to release a Collector's Editon for Christmas, it will have an SRP of $39.98.