Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

In shops now

Before the holidays I went to an art talk at the Getty where Peter Weller was speaking about the renaissance in Florence. He brought up a conversation he’d had with cinematographer, Vittorio Storaro about the painter Giotto. When Weller asked the assembled audience how many of us knew who Storaro was, only a couple of hands went up (these were art people, not film people). But those of us who are just as likely to stare at a 16th century oil painting for days on end are also the ones who can recognize the beautiful work of the artists of the silver screen.

If you have seen “Dick Tracy,” then you already know what I’m talking about. I remember when the film first came out and the behind-the-scenes features that aired on television that explained the bold and colourful world that the production design brought to life through Storaro’s lens and under Mr. Beatty’s direction. Much to my surprise, that little featurette is not here on the Blu-ray. In fact, there are no features at all. This DVD release is purely to get the remastered film out in the format that it was intended for. 1990 was just a bit too early.

So enjoy “Dick Tracy” for the first time (probably the 7th for me) – it really is a looker. And in a couple months we can add “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” to our nostalgic collection.

The teaser will debut on 17 December. Though this is already a pretty great tease…

Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download

Warner Home Video

In shops on 4 December

After all the hubub of teasers and trailers for the final installments of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, I managed to never find an opportunity to see it in the cinema.

So I was delightfully pleased when it arrived in the post and sat down to immerse myself in the dark and haunting final chapter. Even without the surround sound activated, the epic score from Hans Zimmer and the terrifying sound of Tom Hardy’s voice fill up the room. And once the film is over – those last ten minutes that you don’t want to end – then, it’s time to move onto the special features.

The extras here cover Nolan’s more-is-more strategy when it comes to hundreds and thousands of extras, the secrets of destroying a city block, and piles more.

Here’s the full-list of specials you can look forward to. They’re all great, but I must say, I won’t be appeased until we see the follow-up franchise. And if you’ve seen the film, then you know what I mean…

THE BATMOBILE DOCUMENTARY

ENDING THE KNIGHT
Production
- The Prologue: High Altitude Hijacking
- Beneath Gotham
- Return to the Batcave
- Batman vs Bane
- The Bat
- Armory Accepted
- Gameday Destruction
- Demolishing a City Street
- The Pit
- The Chant
- The War on Wall Street
- Race to the Reactor

Characters
- The Journey of Bruce Wayne
- Gotham’s Reckoning
- A Girl’s Gotta Eat

Reflections
- Shadows & Light in Large Format
- The End of A Legend

It was revealed early this morning, and it sure does look dark. CAN’T WAIT.

The first trailer will accompany the non-IMAX screenings of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” from 14 December, and the film comes out on 17 May 2013.

Lonely Planet

In shops now

First of all, hot air balloons are on the bucket list, so I had to pick this one up. Also the Northern Lights. And also, swimming with a whale shark. So here is the Lonely Planet guide to the high-octane travel adventures we sometimes forget are so bloody cool.

You can easily pick and choose your poison here as the book is organized into adventure categories like Hike, Dive, Bike, Climb, Animals, Water and Drive. It begins with “the finest walk in the world,” New Zealand’s Milford Trail, which essentially takes you through every kind of landscape imaginable in just a couple days. Then you’ve got the great white sharks off the coast of South Africa, the tectonic plates in Iceland or that aforementioned whale shark in Manila. Other adventures include the Tour de France, caves in Belize or scaling frozen waterfalls in the Northwest Territories. Then you turn the page and it’s Pandas in China!

Whatever you fancy, Great Adventures (like its companion title, Great Journeys) has something to quench your outward bound spirit. And each adventure is accompanied by rich and rare photographs with map details and tips on how to prepare and what time of year to plan for. It’s an astounding volume and a wonderful gift for anyone you know who doesn’t rely on indoor plumbing to have a good time.

Fox Home Entertainment

In shops now

In the year that brought us “Ted” and Seth MacFarlane hosting ‘SNL’ with his cannon of voices, it’s pretty great to sit down with the perennial comedy classic that is ‘Family Guy.’

Not only is this edition uncensored with extended episodes (the mouths on these characters!), but there’s also commentary and deleted scenes and a music special for the brilliant “Road to the North Pole” episode, which is easily one of the best in the series’ history.

There’s 14 episodes here, which is more than enough to kill an afternoon and put a smile on your face.

FOX

Premieres Thursday @ 9p

There has been much discussion in the press over the last year or so about how “Glee” would be handling the batch of very talented graduating seniors as the story of this Ohio high school glee club went forward. As the series returns this week, Rachel is already in New York studying her craft under the likes of guest stars Kate Hudson and Whoopi Goldberg. As Rachel’s world in New York is built up (including a handsome straight boy who sings in her co-ed shower), the series is slightly favoring the kids back in Lima, Ohio, where the Glee Club is holding auditions for new talent.

The new kids on the block are a refreshing addition to the cast and are bringing new life to the series. Some are rather…familiar, but in a really good way. Other characters have just gone away (Puck, Coach Beast, Santana) but I imagine we will see them or hear explanations very soon.

Beyond the split locales and new blood, however, the series is getting back to its roots with the darker side of teenage lives – kids who are mean for fun and kids who are mean just to keep themselves safe and in the good graces of the popular mafia. And in that way the musical interludes are all these students have in the way of a brief respite from reality. That, and their friends, new and old, who are a most welcome sign of Fall.