Critics had a ball sniping at Cloverfield, complaining that its jarring thrills were empty calories without context -- but in the DVD release, the filmmakers finally get their rebuttal. This secret government "document" still leaves much to the imagination when it comes to the film's human components, but it reasserts its bid for supremacy by revealing the mind-boggling detail that was put into every single shot. Deleted scenes, alternate endings and several making-of featurettes all make a case for Cloverfield because of -- not despite -- its preference for gasket-blowing special effects over petty human concerns. In January I emerged from the theater feeling bumped and bruised. Getting to share in the filmmakers' enthusiasm on DVD, however, is a ride I don't mind going on again.

The Orphanage rubbed critics the wrong way -- if the characters' agonizing search for their son didn't seize you, then technically, this was just another missing child/ghost story. Early comparisons to Pan's Labyrinth didn't help either, since what could ever live up to that? On DVD, however, The Orphanage is burnished to a warm glow by featurettes that expose the nuts and bolts of hair-raising makeup and scenic effects that director Juan Antonio Bayona brings to a boil. And frankly, images of the little boy's ghostly playmates never fail to put me back in the mood to see this movie. "Anyone with children is advised to think twice before buying a ticket," said the AV Club when the film debuted. Enough hemming and hawing, already! Put the kids to bed early, pop in the DVD, and just be grateful you're spared the immersive big-screen experience.

One thing that everyone seemed to agree on was that if you were going to watch One Missed Call, you might as well watch the Japanese version, Chakushin Ari, instead. I know it's repetitive to complain about these Asian horror remakes (you know a fad is seriously dead when even complaints about it are cliche), but seriously, who is going to rent this movie? Kids who don't know any better, and will settle for whatever PG-13 claptrap they can go to with their friends, that's who. Parents and friends of teenagers, you owe it to tomorrow's generation to sit them down with a snack and a copy of an reliably terrifying movie.