10 to try: Summer DVDs

Like it or lump it, over the coming weeks much more of your life, at least during the hottest times of the day, is going to be spent indoors. So plan ahead now and make sure you’re not left twiddling your thumbs with our guide to ten of the best new DVDs to hit the shelves in recent weeks.

The Artist
The Artist is a feel-good hit you can watch again and again. Its jaunty soundtrack and carefree mood recall the bygone days of early Hollywood, the era in which the film is set. Yet below the surface-level whimsy, this introduces more serious themes to the screen by stealth: the harsh glare of the media, the nature of celebrity and the fallacy of pride are all explored amid the brisk dance steps and cartoonish raised eyebrows. The strength of the story is so universal, The Artist almost didn’t need its novelty silent-movie hook to secure its status as one of our favourite movies of last year.