'Indiana Jones: The Adventure Collection': Timed in conjunction with the release of the long-awaited "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" in theaters, director Steven Spielberg and producer George Lucas' original films based on Hollywood's classic adventure serials -- "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (PG), "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" (PG) and "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (PG-13) -- all get the special edition treatment with new bonus features not included on previous DVD releases, including new introductions to the film and bonus sneak peeks.

While all of the films are classics -- where professor/archeologist Jones (Harrison Ford) first seeks the Ark of the Lost Covenant (in "Raiders"), then a mystic set of stones ("Temple of Doom") and lastly, the Holy Grail ("Last Crusade") -- "Raiders" (co-starring Karen Allen) is without question the best of the three.

"Raiders" featuring a trio of bad guys -- headed by the playfully slimy Rene Belloq (Paul Freeman) -- is loaded with adventure, from the massive, round boulder that threatens to roll over Indy after he discovers the iconic Fertility Idol at the beginning of the film; to the opening of the Ark of the Covenant by the Nazis at the conclusion. It also proved that adventure films could be smart and suddenly made the seemingly boring studies of archeology seem cool.

On the flip side, "The Temple of Doom" is arguably the weakest of the films. The opening sequence, like "Raiders," is memorable, as we're introduced to the film's new heroine, a club dancer named Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw), who gets caught up in the middle of a rift over a priceless diamond between Indy and the Chinese. Willie joins Indy and his child sidekick Short-Round (Ke Huy Quan) for adventure above the Himalayas to recover a set of mystical stones -- and the viewers get to embark on a seemingly endless trip (save the mine shaft scene) of forced comedy and annoying screaming and ranting by the adventure hero's two new counterparts.

"The Last Crusade," co-starring Sean Connery as Indy's father, and the late River Phoenix as the young Indy in a thrilling opening segment that traces the origins of the character, comes in a close second to "Raiders." More of a character piece than the other two adventures, the film reunites Indy with his estranged father, Dr. Henry Jones Sr. (Indiana was the dog's name), as the Nazis resurface again -- this time to unearth the Holy Grail and secret to eternal life. Alison Doody plays the ambiguous villain this time around, and the film also features a chilling scene with Indy accidentally encountering Adolf Hitler.

The stars of "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" take part in a special feature on the "Raiders" disc to take a look back at the original film trilogy, although the result is so-so. There's a lot of reminiscing from the filmmakers and stars, including observations from "Crystal Skull" cast members Cate Blanchett, Shia LaBeouf, John Hurt and Ray Winstone. But the segment is far too short and keeping to the film's pre-release non-publicity campaign, and nearly nothing is revealed about the "Crystal Skull."

The introduction pieces by Lucas and Spielberg on each disc are in-depth winners, but the other bonus featurettes are mixed bag. The "Raiders" disc features the fun "The Mystery of the Melting Face," which delves into the special effects techniques behind the meltdown, quite literally, of villains Major Toht (Ronald Lacey) and Colonel Dietrich (Wolf Kahler) during climactic opening of the Ark of the Covenant scene from the climax of the film.

The original Lucasfilm effects artists who worked on the scene, Chris Walas and Richard Edlund, playfully take us through the process of molding the actors' faces to the meltdowns, making for a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at one of the most memorable scenes in movie history. "Creepy Crawlies," the main bonus feature on the "The Temple of Doom" disc focuses on the snakes, spiders, bugs and rats that slither and creep through the three films, complete with interviews by Spielberg, Ford and several others.

The premiere bonus feature on "The Last Crusade" isn't exactly original for the disc -- a 2003 American Film Institute panel discussion with Indy's women -- but it's interesting nonetheless. (Paramount Home Entertainment)

Also New

'National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets' (PG): Nicolas Cage and his whole treasure-hunting crew are back for the sequel to the 2004 blockbuster adventure – which in a roundabout way owes its inspiration to the original Indiana Jones trilogy.

This time, Benjamin Franklin Gates (Cage) and his father, Patrick (Jon Voight), seek to clear the family name after evidence that surfaces appears to implicate Ben's great-great-grandfather as a key conspirator in President Abraham Lincoln's death.

Cage brings his marvelous sense of quirk and charisma back to "Book of Secrets," and while the film has the sorts of thrills and twists that made the 2004 original such a joy to watch, the sequel stretches the plausibility factor to the breaking point. And while the Lincoln plot is a smart excuse to do another "National Treasure" film, "Book of Secrets" ultimately ends up going down the same road as the first.

Oscar winner Helen Mirren is a wonderful addition to the "Treasure" cast as Ben's mom, Patrick's ex-wife and a vital clue-solver, as is Ed Harris, who reveals the conspiracy against the Gates family to earn his family's name a prominent place in history. Diane Kruger and Justin Bartha reprise their roles from the first film, delivering satisfying performances again as Ben's history curator girlfriend and wisecracking sidekick, respectively. (Touchstone Home Entertainment)