Reference DVDs  

Reference List

Reference DVDs
LATEST RESULTS

This list reflects the most recent selections of "Reference" DVDs by the members of AVS Forum. Each asterisk represents a negative vote against that title. All DVDs are region 1 unless otherwise stated.

2 Fast 2 Furious
The 6th Day
21 Grams*
Adaptation
Adventures of Robin Hood*
Air Force One (SB)
All About the Benjamins DTS
Alien (2003 release)
Alien 3 (2003 release)
Alien Resurrection (2003 release)**
Animatrix
Austin Powers: Goldmember Widescreen
The Bad and the Beautiful
Band of Brothers
Batman Begins*
Batman Returns**
Below
Black Hawk Down SB (Region 1)
Black Hawk Down SB (Region 3 (also plays in Region 1 players))
Blade
Blade 2*
The Bourne Identity**
Braham Stoker's Dracula SB*
Bring it On
Brotherhood Of The Wolf - Region 1 - Canada - 3-Disc DTS Collectors Edition
A Bugs Life 2-disc Collector's Edition*
Cape Fear (1991)
Casablanca SE*
Cat in the Hat
Chicken Run
The Chronicles of Riddick (Director's Cut)
Collateral*
The Cooler*
Coral Reef Adventure
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Cradle 2 the Grave
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon SB
Dances With Wolves Ext. Ed.*
Dare Devil
Death to Smoochy
Deep Blue Sea*
Desperado SB
Dinosaur: 2-disc Collector's Edition
Driven
Drumline
Equilibrium*
The Fast and the Furious
The Fifth Element (Ulitimate Edition)
Final Destination II
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (single disk)
Freddy vs Jason***
From Hell
Get Carter (Region 1)
Gone With The Wind: Collector's Edition
Ghost Ship
Gothika
Hannibal*
The Haunting
Hellboy
House of 1000 Corpses
Hollow Man (SB)
Hulk**
The Hunted - Widescreen (2003)
I, Robot
Ice Age
IMAX: Super Speedway - The Mach II Special Edition
IMAX: The Magic of Flight
The Incredibles
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom*
The Insider
Insomnia (2002)
Jason X**
Jurassic Park (SB) (Region 2)
Jurassic Park III (SB) (Region 2)
A Knight's Tale (SB)
Lion King
Lost In Space
LOTR: Fellowship Of The Ring EE*
LOTR: The Two Towers EE*
LOTR: Return of the King: EE*
Man On Fire
Mask of Zorro (SB)
Matrix Reloaded
Matrix Revolutions
Memento SE
Microcosmos
Mission Impossible 2
Monsters Inc.*
Moulin Rouge (2001)
Mummy Returns**
North by Northwest*
Now, Voyager
The One (SB)
Pearl Harbor SE (4 disc set)
Pitch Black**
Pleasantville
The Pledge*
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Ready to Rumble
Rebecca
Resident Evil (SB)
The Rock (Criterion)*
The Rundown
The Running Man: Special Edition
Saving Private Ryan
Seabiscuit
Se7en SE
Seven Years In Tibet (SB)
Shark Tale
Shrek**
Shrek 2
Sin City
Singin in the Rain SE
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
Solaris (2003 Clooney)
Spartan
Spider-Man (SB)**
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
Star Ship Troopers (SB)
Star Wars: Ep II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars: Ep III: Revenge of the Sith*
Star Wars: Ep IV: A New Hope*
Star Wars: Ep V: The Empire Strikes Back
Sunset Boulevard
Swordfish
Tears of the Sun*
Terminator 2: Extreme
Terminator III**
Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2003*
Thirteen Ghosts
Titan A.E. (SE)
Tomb Raider: Cradle Of Life
Torque
Toy Story 1
Toy Story 2
Toy Story 10th Anniversary
Training Day
U-571
Undercover Brother
Underworld
Underworld: DTS (Region 3)
Underworld (SB)
Van Helsing
Vertical Limit (SB)
Winged Migration
X-Men
X-Men 2**


Removed from list with three or more negative votes

Title....................................................... .................Reason(s)
Aliens ------------------------ 3 negatives ------------ lacks detail
Apollo 13 DTS (2001) ------- 3 negatives ------------ EE
Bad Boys II ------------------- 3 negatives ------------ EE, framing problems
Braveheart ------------------- 3 negatives ------------ white speck, noise
Die Another Day (Region 1) ---- 3 negatives ------------ EE
Fargo SE --------------------- 3 negatives ------------ EE and noisy
The Fifth Element SB ---------- 3 negatives ------------ EE/ringing
Finding Nemo ----------------- 4 negatives ------------ compression noise, macro blocking
Freddy vs Jason --------------- 3 negatives ------------ EE
Gattaca SB ------------------- 3 negatives ------------ EE
Gladiator --------------------- 3 negatives ------------ EE
The Last of the Mohicans DTS (Dir's Exp Ed) --------- 3 negatives ----- soft
Mummy ----------------------- 3 negatives ------------ noise
Once Upon a Time in Mexico --- 6 negatives ------------ Contrast, soft
Open Range ------------------ 3 negatives ------------ EE, soft, heavily filtered in the high frequencies, noisy in dark scenes
Pirates of the Caribbean ------- 5 negatives ------------ EE, compression noise
Stargate: Ultimate Ed. -------- 4 negatives ------------ EE
Unbreakable ------------------ 3 negatives ------------ EE, video noise

EE = Excessive Edge Enhancement


How the list works:
1) Please use the below definition of "reference" when evaluating DVDs for this list.
2) We need for you to critique the DVDs without regard to content (it's OK if the movie stinks, we're looking at PQ).
3) DVDs require 2 nominations to be added to the list and must receive three negative votes in order to be removed.
4) There is no need to read the entire thread to offer your opinion but if you want to do so, please feel free to read it.
5) We are looking for DVDs that would be a 9 or 10 on a 10 point scale; 10 being the best.

Definition of Reference DVD:
"Reference DVD" for this list - a DVD should look like the best possible print, pristine or restored, reproduction of the movie as presented in theaters. The DVD transfer should have low noise, very low edge enhancement, deep blacks and very few motion or compression related artifacts. The presence of these is allowed but they are NOT to be distracting.
If there is more than one source for a digital theater presentation, HD or film, a title may be considered for the list if it reproduces any in a true sense without significant transfer faults.

Ten Point Scale:
10) Reference - Ultimate in DVD experience. No noticeable flaws
9) Excellent - reference quality other than one minor flaw which is not distracting. Has superb quality throughout.
8) Very Good - a very remarkable DVD but has two or three minor flaws (not distracting).
7) Good - has several outstanding points but may have several minor flaws (none distracting)
6) Fine/ Above average - DVD that has a couple of notable qualities
5) Average - The minimum one would expect from a DVD in reasonable PQ and Audio but nothing special. Fully watchable and allows the viewer to enjoy the contents on the DVD.

Everything below this grade point would allow for distracting flaws which pull you out of the film and/or be VHS quality and below.
4) Below Average - Above VHS quality but has distracting flaws
3) Poor Plus - VHS quality
2) Poor - Below normal VHS quality
1) Poor Minus - no redeeming qualities whatsoever other than content. Bad DVD all around

Nomination List

NOMINATION LIST
Here is the most recent nomination list. These DVDs have received one nomination but have not been "seconded".

A Very Long Engagement
About Schmidt
Alien Resurrection 1999
An Ideal Husband
Analyze This
Angel Season 3
Apollo 13 Anniversary Edition (new release)
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Seasons 2 and 3
Army of Darkness (Region 3(by Deltamac HK for MGM))
Atlantis The Lost Empire 2-Disc CE
Baraka
Batman and Robin SE
Beverly Hills Cop
Blade DTS (Region 2 (Japanese))
Blue Crush
The Bourne Supremacy
Casper
Charlotte Gray
Cinderella
City of God ("Cidade de Deus") Region 2 UK
Dante's Peak DTS
Das Boot (SB)
Deathwatch
Deuce Bigelow, Male Gigolo
Die Another Day (Region 4)
Down with Love
Dune SE - Region 0 - UK
EAGLES-Hell Freezes Over
Exorcist: The Beginning
Finding Nemo (Region 2)
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - The Diamond Collection
Gladiator (SB) (R2 UK)
Godzilla
HERO
House of Flying Daggers
IMAX: Africa: The Serengeti
IMAX: Blue Planet
IMAX: Dolphins
The Iron Giant: SE
Kangaroo Jack
Lawrence of Arabia (SB) (Region 2 UK)
The Letter
Man Without A Face
Men In Black II
Men of Honor
Metropolis (animated)
Monster's Inc. (Region 2)
Natural Born Killers (theatrical version)
Near Dark
Northfork
Notting Hill
Once Upon a Time in America
The Others
Patriot SB
Paycheck
Playmakers (Season 1)
Red Dragon: Single Disc Collector's Ed. (widescreen)
The Red Violin
Rock Star
Rocky Horror Picture Show 25th Anniversary Edition
So Close
Soul Plane (unrated)
Spy Kids 2
Star Trek First Contact CE
Starship Troopers
Super Troopers
THEM!
There's Something (More) About Mary
Tomb Raider - Cradle Of Life (Region 3) DTS
Under the Tuscan Sun
Underworld - 2 Disc Unrated Extended Cut
Unstoppable
Vanilla Sky

One Nomination but already has one negative comment
2001: A Space Odyssey*
Behind Enemy Lines*
Brotherhood Of The Wolf - Region 1 - U.S. - Universal Pictures 1-Disc*
Catch Me If You Can*
The Cell*
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind*
Das Boot*
Dawn of the Dead Director's Cut (2004)*
Dirty Pretty Things*
The Good Thief*
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Johnny English*
Return of the King:Exended Edition*
Mars Attacks*
The Matrix*
A Nightmare on Elm Street*
Panic Room SB*
Planet Of The Apes 25th Anniversary Edition*
Resident Evil*
Rules of Engagement*
Scorpion King*
The Sixth Sense: Two-disc Special Edition*
Spy Game*
Strange Days*
THX Ultimate Demo Disc*
Tomb Raider*
True Romance directors cut*
WishMaster 3*

One nomination but already has two negative comments
Alias Season 1**
Amelie**
Chicago**
Hidalgo**
The Last Samurai**
Master and Commander**
O Brother, Where Art Thou**
Spider-Man: 2-Disc Special Edition**
THX 1138**
Twenty Million Miles to Earth**

Bumped before being added to the list because of three negative votes
Enemy of the State***
Jackie Brown***
Kill Bill Vol. I*** Bumped due to lack of detail
Lawrence of Arabia SB*** Bumped due to EE
Tombstone: Vista series*** Bumped due to EE and noise

Please post any comments or nominations for the lists in the Real Reference thread.