Innaugural DVD

My vote would go to "The Matrix". However, "Seven Years in Tibet" is also stunning on DVD. Not a special effects wonderland, but the photography is great.

U-571 has fantastic surround effects and your wife can ogle The Matthew.

Although it doesn't have a lot of glitzy surround effects, Harry Potter has gorgeous sound.

will

With your caution about your wife's lack of interest in the "supernatural", I am still going to recommend "Dark City", one of the most original sci-fi films of the past 10 years. It is not only a wonderfully unique movie, but also has a soundtrack that will really wring out your HT system.

Here are a few other favorites of "demo" quality:
1. "Super Speedway" -- originally an IMAX film about the development of the 1999 Newman-Haas Indy car, it has some great footage and excellent sound (but will probably not have much appeal to your wife...).
2. "Stop Making Sense", the DVD of the 1985 concert by the Talking Heads. Arguably the best rock concert on DVD.
3. "Calle 54", a superb music DVD featuring a number of the best contemporary Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz stars. The soundtrack was the 2001 Grammy Award winner for Best Latin Jazz recording.
4. "Saving Private Ryan" -- at least the first 30 minutes is demo quality.

Well, a few things come to mind. Some of the above are great demo disks, but many great demo disks have little or no appeal to most (not all) women. Like speedway as SD mentioned--great disk but likely little appeal for your wife. I would probably have put Saving Private Ryan on the "even less appeal" list. The first 30 minutes, while absolutely demo quality, is about the most horrific war scene I've ever scene. I can barely stomach watching it. Seven Years in Tibet--now there is a great story and great filming. It's not going to be an audio demo, but for picture quality it's superb---long movie though. The Matrix is great--but very Treky. Mission Impossible 2--great fun, great filming, and what woman won't watch Tom Cruise for 1.5 hours, even if the story line is a little zany? Now there is one sci-fi, that even my wife likes, and it's a great demo--the Fifth Element. Get it on the superbit version if you don't already have it. If you like Pacino and DeNiro--Heat is great all around. Story line, filming, acting--everything. One of my favorites.

Cdelplato:

In order to break in your new home theater right, I heartily recommend "Terminator 2: Judgement Day", starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is a "sci-fi" film to be sure. But if it's special effects and action that you crave, then there is nothing else out there like "Terminator 2". If "Terminator 2" turns out to be too supernatural for the wifey, then I would recommend something else like "Lethel Weapon I". This movie has a lot of action in it, but no "supernatural" effects are in this movie. If she loves Mel Gibson (and I cannot find a woman who doesn't), then maybe this movie is more her speed. But do, try "Terminator 2: Judgement Day" first and see what you think. That also was MY first DVD (and I have about 60 now) too, by the way. Other movies that can challenge your new home theater system also include those like "Top Gun", "The Matrix", "Independence Day", and "The Specialist".

By the way, congratulations on your new home theater system. By buying a new home theater system yourself, what you did now was join a sacred fraternity. Once you experience home theater, believe me (and I'm talking from experience), you will NEVER go out to see a movie EVER again.

Again....... Congrats........

--Charles--