MoviePlus X5 by Serif is video editing software that just gets better with every new version. We've had this product on our lineup for a few years, and we've seen the company take monumental leaps forward in the last few iterations of the software.

Serif targets the mass consumer market with MoviePlus X5. The company knows that its customer market has little to no working knowledge about video editing. However, since they bought the product, it's safe to assume that they have at least a marginal amount of passion to learn. To that end, MoviePlus X5 touts one of the most complete instructional guides of any video editing software we reviewed. Use the tutorials to learn everything from basic timeline operation to complex tasks like chroma key and color correction.

MoviePlus X5 has all the basics of video editing down. Capturing or importing files is easy to figure out, even if you skip the tutorial. The timeline, storyboard and media library are all where they should be and work the same as those in most of the other software on our lineup, and even professional suites such as Apple's Final Cut. The fact that Serif stuck to the uniform standards of video editing means that when consumers decide it's time to graduate to a prosumer or professional suite, they will have a functional, working knowledge of how video editing works. That is invaluable if and when you decide to make that leap.

When you're doing heavy video editing work, timeline mode is really the place to be. Storyboard mode is functional and easy to use, but it doesn't offer the granular controls and precise manipulation available in the timeline. MoviePlus X5's timeline is especially useful because it offers unlimited tracks for your audio and video files. Therefore, no matter how many videos or audio tracks you need to cram into your project, MoviePlus X5 handles them all with few problems. It does it in a surprisingly effective manner for a consumer-grade video editing product.

The transition and effects library in MoviePlus X5 is nothing to sneeze at. The software comes preloaded with all the most common dissolves, cuts and effects. That alone would be sufficient for your average home editing needs. The real kicker in this department is that Serif includes a bonus content pack in every copy of MoviePlus X5. This disc is filled with hundreds of extras and goodies that transform your plain ol' home videos into the envy of Hollywood. Well, maybe not, but it sure does help.

Something we really like about MoviePlus X5 is the support for multiple monitors. You may not think that's a big deal, but once you've used two monitors on a computer system, you'll wonder how you ever got by with only one. Having MoviePlus X5 running on one monitor, leaving other monitors available for other tasks, means that your computer is not useless while the video editing software renders or exports a file. You'd be surprised how often professional video editors sit at their desks burning time because they're babysitting a progress bar.

When you've finished your video project, MoviePlus X5 provides several methods for exporting and sharing your new movie. The application allows you to burn a DVD or even a high-definition Blu-ray Disc. The latter option requires a special burner that isn't standard in computers yet. You can also create a computer file in all the most common formats.

The disc-creation tool featured in MoviePlus X5 not only allows you to burn your video project to a disc compatible on most players, but also to design that disc with menus and extra features. It's one thing to have a disc with just a movie, and it's completely another to have a polished product that is hardly disguisable from discs made in Hollywood. With a little time, the only indicator that your film is an amateur production will be the recordable disc itself.

Any consumer-grade video editing suite worth its salt possesses some social functionality that allows you to upload your videos to sites such as YouTube directly from the export screen. MoviePlus X5 doesn't omit this feature, and it's a good thing it doesn't because it eliminates a few steps to sharing your movie. Instead of exporting a video file and then uploading it to YouTube in a browser, the application automatically posts videos directly to any of your YouTube channels.

Among its export features, support for iOS devices (iPhone, iPod and iPad) stands out because very few video editing suites include mobile functionality out of the box. Exporting a finished product straight to your iOS device is as simple as exporting a file or uploading it to YouTube from within the application.

We've already mentioned Serif's expansive tutorials available in MoviePlus X5. However, the company also offers other technical support. If you run into problems or just have a question, you can call the friendly customer support team. We didn't wait long when we rang the call center.

Serif also offers online help in the form of email and live chat right on its site. Live chat is the quickest way to get answers to your questions. Other online help resources include FAQs and user forums. These allow you to connect with other creative minds and learn from those who have traveled this road before.

In the MoviePlus X 5 package, you'll find a user guide with more than 200 pages. This book gives you precise instructions on how to use every feature in this video editing software. Every button, function and feature is explained in explicit detail. If nothing else, this book is a great reference and should be kept near your computer at all times.