DVD: Classic gets short shrift

"Jane Eyre" counts as one of the most-adapted novels for the screen, with Cary Fukunaga's version the latest of dozens. Surely part of the novel's appeal is its upright title character, who suffers miserably and unfairly, first at the hands of her abusive aunt, then at a sadistic girls' school and finally with that master of mixed signals, Edward Rochester. But for many readers, Jane is no quivering heath blossom, meekly waiting for Mr. Rochester to cast an eye her way. She has spirit enough to call out the social mores and religious hypocrisies of 19th-century Britain, and it's that rebellious spark that draws Mr. Rochester to her. Here, Mia Wasikowska's portrayal is elegant but inert. This "Jane Eyre" is gorgeously appointed and finely detailed, but still lacks the essential fire to make it come fully to life. The DVD and Blu-ray (Universal, $30-$35) include commentary, deleted scenes and making-of featurettes.

  • WASHINGTON POST

Also out on DVD Tuesday:

  • "The Conspirator"
  • "Dexter" (Season 5)
  • "The Grace Card"
  • "The Gruffalo"
  • "Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil"
  • "Meet Monica Valour"
  • "Priest"
  • "Something Borrowed"
  • "The Ward"

Out on Blu-ray:

  • "The Big Lebowski"
  • "Cobra"
  • "Cul-de-Sac"
  • "Demolition Man"
  • "The Killing"
  • "Muppets From Space"
  • "The Muppets Take Manhattan"

Q&A: No TV shows in the car

Q: I used to be able to listen to television on my car radio before broadcast TV switched in 2009 from analog broadcasts to digital. What a joy to hear my favorite shows while driving. Is there a way to do so again?

A: Sadly, those days are over. TV's switch to an all-digital signal two years ago means analog radios can't pick up TV's audio signals. And no one makes a digital radio that can tune in and decode digital TV signals. But then, there are ways (such as Slingbox) to watch your TV on your smartphone, which is certainly smaller and more visual than our old transistor radios.

  • CHICAGO TRIBUNE

GAME: Like 'Birds,' but heavier

If you like the concept behind "Angry Birds" but wish it were less chirpy and a whole lot more metal, try "Trucks and Skulls NITRO" ($1 for iPhone, $2 for iPad via iTunes Store; rated 4+). It replaces the birds with trucks and rockets while swapping out the pigs in favor of skulls and demons. But whereas "Skulls" initially feels like a transparent knockoff of the hottest game around, it goes its own way enough to freshen things up. There's a greater emphasis on full-scale destruction, along with awesome contraptions that assist in the wreckage from multiple angles. A more flexible scoring system makes it possible to achieve top scores by completely destroying a level instead of defeating the skulls using the fewest amount of moves. "Skulls" stays fresh over more than 200 levels by introducing new gadgets and obstacles at a steady pace.

  • MCCLATCHY NEWS SERVICE