Disney Blu-ray

In shops now

Such, such joy. If you saw my review of the film then you know how much I loved it. But now that it lives in the house with me, it’s even better. For a movie as wonderful as this, I really don’t need bonus features, but this one has some good ones:

Most importantly – the soundtrack. Of course there’s ‘The Muppet Show theme’, but also ‘The Rainbow Connection’ and the new and lovely ‘Life’s a Happy Song’ and the Oscar winning tune, ‘Man or Muppet.’ A digital soundtrack should be included in every DVD set. Just saying.

Also you’ll find “The Longest Blooper Reel Ever Made (In Muppet History),” “Scratching the Surface: A Hasty Examination of The Making of ‘The Muppets,’” Deleted Scenes, Screen Tests, Unreleased Spoof Trailers and more.

All these special features will make you snicker and smile because they are so wonderfully Muppet-y. But really they’ll just want to make you watch the movie all over again. Which is completely fine by me. I may even put it on a loop, so come on over.

HBO Home Entertainment

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Considering that this series has four different Entertainment Weekly covers this week, it certainly needs no additional publicity from me. But if you are a fan of this show, which returns next month, the unwrapping of the DVD will lead to much hyperventilating.

Among the delicious tidbits here in the bonus department, you’ll find: ‘Making Of,’ From the Book to the Screen,’ ‘Creating the Show Open,’ and seven audio commentaries. The Blu-ray boasts additional pieces: ‘Complete Guide to the Westeros,’ ‘Anatomy of an Episode,’ and something about ‘Hidden Dragon Eggs’ which sounds like a lot of work. Each disc is labelled with the episodes you’ll find on it and just the vague “bonus features” – so each one has a full menu, but don’t get too comfy because you may have to change discs. But really it’s a small price to pay and the ones I’m partial to are all on disc 5, FYI.

If you are already a fan then you don’t need me to sell you. If not, it’s time to give it up and join the nerds. It’s not an easy mythology to dive into, but the DVD set will help you immensely. There’s even a family tree you can refer to. Delightful.

Touchstone Home Entertainment
In shops now

The Academy Award nominations are still more than a month away, but I’m rooting for “The Help” to get all the attention it deserves. Kathryn Stockett’s novel topped the best seller list when it was first published, and the film has made almost $200m worldwide, so I’m sure that I don’t need to fill you in on the particulars. I saw the film when it first came out in theatres, and loved its story about a group of maids in Mississippi who finally tell their stories to a spunky young aspiring journalist played by Emma Stone. Ms. Stone and the rest of the cast (Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney and Octavia Spencer) give wonderfully balanced performances under writer-director, Tate Taylor. The result is the best film about the American south (and the secrets it cherishes) since “Fried Green Tomatoes.”

What the bonus features on the Blu-ray offer is a more complete telling of the story. By far the most interesting is the “making of” called “From Friendship to Film” which shows us the friendship between Stockett and Taylor that was tested time and again as they struggled to get this story on the page and later on the screen. Stockett was rejected by 60 literary agents before finding someone to represent her, and once it was a hit, the Hollywood powers-that-be tried to push Taylor off the project for a more seasoned and name-y director. There’s also a batch of deleted scenes which Taylor introduces with great love, as if they were puppies he just couldn’t find a home for. Finally, you’ll find a touching feature called “In Their Own Words: A Tribute to the Maids of Mississippi.”

It’s a great film and DVD set, and absolutely something you need to have in the library.