Notting Hill (DVD 1999)

The Main Feature: A delicious romantic comedy - one of the earliest and unquestionably one of the best. Hugh Grant plays the floppy-haired and quietly charming William Thacker who owns a Travel Bookstore in Notting Hill. Julia Roberts stars as, well, herself - the most famous film star in the world. One day, the two collide. What follows is a wonderfully soothing tale of romance; where divine comedy is sprinkled with poignant reflection, and where both leads and supporting actors are excellent, often beguiling. This is one of those rare films that's as good the first time you curl up with it on a Friday night, as it is when you're laughing (and crying) at it for the twenty-seventh time on a drizzly Sunday afternoon.

Highlights: A fabulous script that deftly weaves humour with occasional melancholy - no better showcased than the ill-fated guinea foul meal. William's Welsh lodger, Spike - "well chosen briefs I'd say; chicks love grey. Nice, firm buttocks."! Elvis Costello's heart-wrenching version of `She' that opens and closes the film. Julia Roberts' smile and eyes - enchanting.

Overall Package/Extras: Disappointingly few extras - and even those are text based: a travel guide to Notting Hill and Cast and Filmmakers Biographies, both of which are far better done by London Tourism websites and IMDB...

The one disk is packaged in a boring, standard plastic DVD case. There is a thin accompanying booklet which contains more brief - and unremarkable - biographies of the cast.

Verdict: Dazzling film. Dire DVD. Fortunately, the former is that good that it still makes this DVD fantastic value.