Well if this isn’t the most amazing thing: tree trunks re-purposed to become a pop-up library for strangers to share books.  Makes you wonder, if you could put just one book inside for strangers to read, what would it be?

More photos at Inhabitat.

So I don’t know if we’re calling this TV or a web program or a DVD or something else.  My big question is, how are we going to organize our “to watch/read/listen” lists now that everything is split amongst a thousand platforms?

In any event, I shall be watching this one.  Might be time to break down and get that bloody Smart TV.

Edited by J. Patrice Marandel

Prestel

In shops now

Over the holiday I was finally able to see one of the most talked-about exhibits of the Los Angeles season.

As you walk into the Resnick Pavillion at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, you can’t help but be overwhelmed by the majestic works of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio in the grand space.  And to see these pieces up close and personal – much like taking in Rembrandt or other works that appear very dark on the printed page and on your computer – is a wonderful lesson in this master’s technique and skill.

The great disappointment in the exhibit is that there are only eight Caravaggio paintings on display – half of them on loan from American museums.  What follows though, are the works of his contemporaries and followers – and it is a mesmerizing introduction.  Artists like Orazio Riminaldi, Carlo Saraceni, Matthias Stom and Gerrit van Honthorst line up next to the master.  We see tales of Christ crowned with thorns, the denial of Saint Peter, Daedalus and Icarus.  Caravaggio’s influence as well as the culture in western Europe at that moment in time begin to tell a larger story, thanks to the careful curation and narrative both on the walls of LACMA and in the pages of the catalogue – which as we all know is the lasting treasure of exhibits like this.

The small handful of actual Caravaggio works is a tough hurdle to overcome, but thankfully this collection introduces us to a slew of artists whom we may otherwise never now, and certainly not in such an illuminated context.

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.

Watch Episode 1

Rooster Teeth Productions

You may have a nerd-fit when you see this. Kerry Shawcross and Chris Demarais are obsessive LOTR fans on a mission to walk in the hairy, fat footsteps of Frodo and Sam – all the way from Hobbiton to Mount Doom. It’s a journey of 120 miles and they have chosen to cover that area in just six days. They also like to startle herds of cows and goats and generally geek out all along the way. Episode one debuted today and four more episodes will air throughout the rest of the year. Maybe it’s just me, but I find it to be a delightful exercise and can’t wait to see the rest of the journey.

The teaser will debut on 17 December as well, and I’m counting the days…

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

In shops now

When Disney and Pixar get together to make a film and put out a DVD, they’re not messing about.

“Brave” is the heroic journey that follows young Merida through the Scottish highlands around her family’s castle.  There are bears and spirits and bows and arrows, and for a generation that has grown up with the Pixar film library, this female lead is a first, and both the story and its smooth, heartfelt execution will not soon be forgotten.

Beyond the film though, you will find a pile of extra bits and pieces (there are 5 discs in this particular box if that gives you any indication).  The film comes on Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD and Digital Copy.  Then there are the actual extras, beginning with the bonus short, ‘The Legend of Mordu,’ which further explores the mythology of the film.  You’ll also find audio commentary, a great special about the creative team’s research trip to Scotland called ‘Brave Old World,’ an art gallery, extended scenes, and specials on Bears and Magic and an alternate opening.  Plus a lot more too numerous to mention here.

As usual, it’s the whole package, and I can only imagine what a welcome treat this would be for parents who need to keep their little ankle-biters busy for a few hours as they get on with the holiday preparations.  As always, the film itself is the real gem, but it’s these extras that remind us how much care the Disney and Pixar folks put into their creative process.  And it just makes us yearn for the next one much sooner than they could possibly deliver it.

Vendome

by Jacques Boulay

If you’ve been lucky enough to travel to Venice then you already know what a marvel it is to behold.  Next to walking along the Grand Canal yourself, the only way to take it all in is with a panoramic view.

Jacques Boulay’s photographs capture two things you can typically only appreciate while you’re there: the natural light and the sheer sprawl of the city.  They are laid out in a lavish and heavy volume that will easily cover half your coffee table (and perhaps the whole of it when opened).  Throughout, you’ll find epic pullouts as well, presenting that rare opportunity to experience the scope of a city with nothing but paper.  With the exception of a brief introduction by Alexis Gregory, what you get is nothing but photographs, because words alongside them would just not suffice.

It’s an astounding book and gift, and the closest thing you can get to city itself.

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

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.