Notting Hill

Along with 28 Days, the DVD of Notting Hill is one of the most satisfying and complete DVD packages for a romantic comedy. Starting with a widescreen, anamorphic transfer and Dolby Digital Surround and 5.1 Audio, the disc presents the film and its supplemental material in a lavish way that befits a Julia Roberts blockbuster. Extras like an entertaining commentary with director Roger Mitchell, producer Duncan Kenworthy, and writer Richard Curtis, production notes, and cast and crew biographies shed light on the making of the film and the people behind it, while the travel guide to the Notting Hill area, "Hugh Grant's Movie Tips" (which basically consists of Grant joking around with the crew, and the bookmarks that cue up the film's musical highlights capture Notting Hill's witty, romantic spirit and setting. Deleted scenes and the theatrical trailer round out this entertaining and substantial disc, which reaffirms that films other than special effects extravaganzas can make effective use of the format's extra features.