DVDCorner’s 2018 Holiday Gift Guide List
In need of gift ideas for Black Friday, Christmas, Small Business Saturday, Hanukkah, Cyber Monday or for yourself? You’ve come to the right place. Given that my site largely covers physical media, most of my listings are Blu-ray and 4K related, but there are a few other non movie items mentioned. You’ll just have to read on to find out what they are. On with the list!
MOVIES ON BLU-RAY:
* Universal Monsters Collection- Of all of the sets released this year, this was number 1. Not only are you getting beautiful Blu-ray transfers of some of the all-time best horror films like “Frankenstein,” “Dracula,” “The Wolf Man,” “Creature From The Black Lagoon,” and “The Invisible Man,” but you’re getting a boat load of extras to boost. This is an absolute bargain for the price.
* The Cat Returns- For the Studio Ghibli and animated film fan on your list.
* Ride The High Country- Warner Archive has crushed it with their catalogue releases this year and this classic Sam Peckinpah western just might be their best disc of the year.
* The Hanging Tree- A Warner Archive released western that you sadly probably haven’t heard of. This one stars Gary Cooper, Karl Malden and George C. Scott.
* Silence of the Lambs Criterion- Hannibal Lecter + Criterion= Better than fava beans and a nice Chianti.
* The Death of Superman- There are a lot of DC animated movies out there to choose from, but this newer one is a top tier release. Note: Look for the gift set edition which includes a Superman figure.
* The Shape of Water- The perfect gift for creature feature fans, Oscar movie lovers, and Guillermo Del Toro aficionados.
* Black Panther- What is there to be said about this groundbreaking film that hasn’t already been said? It’s simply one of 2018’s best.
* Avengers: Infinity War- This epic Marvel film is the definition of a movie you want to watch over and over.
* Ready Player One- My personal favorite movie of the year thus far. Buy it for a friend or loved one or just buy it for yourself.
* RiffTrax Live! Space Mutiny- I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, few things bring me as much joy as RiffTrax cracking wise on a bad movie. Their live shows are especially energetic and hilarious. Such is the case for their Space Mutiny show. You can grab this one off of their website on Blu-ray or DVD here: https://www.rifftrax.com/rifftrax-live-space-mutiny
* Pacific Rim: Uprising- This entertaining sequel didn’t get the attention it deserves. If you enjoyed the first one and or love Kaiju monsters, seek it out.
* Justice League- Seeing Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, Batman, Superman and Cyborg on screen together really is a treat for comic book and comic book movie fans.
* Love, Simon- A wonderful John Hughes esque LGBTQ romantic comedy.
* Peter Pan: Anniversary Edition- Be transported to Neverland all over again with this new Blu-ray edition of Disney’s animated classic.
* Billy Budd- A riveting sea faring adventure that features a young Terence Stamp in a role that justifiably earned him an Oscar nomination.
* Sex, Lies, and Videotape- You can’t go wrong with Criterion’s release of Steven Soderbergh’s indie movie gem.
* 7 Brides For 7 Brothers- A joyous musical that has been given a STUNNING new hi-def transfer. Keyword: Stunning.
* The Last Hunt- Yes, another Warner Archive released western that should be more well known!
* City Slickers: Collector’s Edition- I realize this is a western heavy gift guide list this year but I make no apologies for it! 2018 has been a great year for western home video releases. It doesn’t hurt that this particular western was easily one of the best 90’s comedies too.
* The Great Silence- Forget about “The Hateful 8” and check out the dark Spaghetti western movie that inspired it.
* Mission: Impossible- Fallout- Best action movie of 2018? Check. Best Mission: Impossible movie? Check. Best Henry Cavill mustache? Check. You can pick this one up December 4, 2018.
* Incredibles 2- Pixar’s smash hit sequel is bound to be one of the hottest sellers this holiday season.
* Creepshow- Scream Factory’s new release of the George A. Romero and Stephen King horror anthology film classic is perfection.
* The Day of the Jackal- This 1973 film is one of the best thrillers you will ever see.
* It’s Alive Trilogy- Fans of campy horror, director Larry Cohen and killer mutant babies- rejoice! The It’s Alive trilogy has recently been given a Blu-ray release courtesy of fan favorite label Scream Factory. Not only does this set contain extras like interviews and commentaries, but there are also fantastic new restorations of all 3 films. A bargain to be sure.
* The Critters Collection- If killer mutant babies aren’t your thing, maybe murderous alien creatures are? Yes, Scream Factory has also put out all 4 films in the Critters series. Now you can see a young Leo DiCaprio in “Critters 3” and experience all the campy horror bliss this franchise has to offer.
* Pyewacket- A deeply underappreciated indie movie that is sure to appeal to horror fans.
*The Greatest Showman- Now’s the time to relive the hit 2017 musical and have the memorable soundtrack stuck in your head all over again.
* The Strangers: Collector’s Edition- There aren’t a lot of horror films (let alone modern horror films) that I would consider scary. This is one of them.
* Scarecrow- If you want to see two acting greats (Gene Hackman and Al Pacino) in their prime, look no further than this drama.
* The Crazies- While the remake is actually solid too, George A. Romero’s original horror film is one of the late master’s best.
* Superman: The Movie- If you’re a fan of the original Superman film, you’re in luck. Warner Archive put a special two-disc set that contains both the 188 extended TV cut along with the Director’s Cut version. As an added bonus, the movie has also just hit 4K which leads to the next section of this list…
4K DISCS:
* Saving Private Ryan- In honor of the 20th anniversary of the film that SHOULD have won Best Picture, Paramount has released a new commemorative edition of one of director Steven Spielberg’s best films and one of the greatest war films ever made. This title is sure to be a demo disc for home video enthusiasts as the Dolby Atmos audio track provides stunning audio quality (especially during the D-Day Invasion) and picture quality that really shows you what the 4K format is capable of. On top of that you get a Blu-ray disc of the film as well as a Blu-ray disc containing all of the extra features.
* Jack Ryan 5-Film Collection- Released as a tie-in to the recent “Jack Ryan” Amazon series, this 5 film, 10 disc 4K set is tough to beat in terms of sheer value. Not only do you get “The Hunt For Red October,” the two Harrison Ford starring entries “Patriot Games” and my personal favorite of the series “Clear and Present Danger,” the underrated “The Sum Of All Fears,” and the 2014 reboot “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” on Blu-ray with extras like commentaries, interviews and featurettes, but you also get all 5 film in 4K for the first time. Naturally, the 4K discs offer up substantially better video quality.
*Die Hard- Is it a Christmas movie? Is it not? Make up your own mind and check out this new 30th anniversary 4K release of the John McTiernan action classic. How does the 4K transfer look? Let’s just say John McClane stepping on glass has never looked this bloody good! The set also comes with a Digital copy, a Blu-ray copy, along with a host of extras including commentaries, interactive galleries and articles, a featurette, the screenplay and trailers/TV spots.
* Solo: A Star Wars Story- I have a feeling I’m going to beat the drum for this movie for a long time. More people should be seeing it, more people should be talking about it and more people should be buying it. It’s a truly great “Star Wars” film that perfectly captures the essence of the original trilogy while also doing it’s own thing.
* Constantine: City of Demons- This DC animated film came out with little fanfare which is a shame because it’s a dark, twisted, violent, and, best of all, surprising movie.
* First Blood- The first Rambo film gets a snazzy new 4K release. The second and third films are also on shelves in case you are interested.
* The Big Lebowski- Sure, you can just grab the 4K disc, but you’re better off picking up the thematic big box gift set which contains a bowling ball bag, a bowling ball pen/pencil holder, a sweater sleeve for the disc case, and a polishing cloth that resembles the rug.
* Thor: Ragnarok- Hulk say buy the 4K.
* Grease- The beloved musical hits 4K in honor of its 40th anniversary. What’s not to like?
TV SERIES:
* Game of Thrones Seasons 1-7- Do you know someone who has never seen GOT? Are you aching to rewatch the show while the agonizing wait for season 8 lingers on? Are you into dragons, wolves, and epic battles? Do you just want to watch Peter Dinklage act? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, I have a solution for you in the form of the seasons 1 through 7 Blu-ray (or DVD set) box set release from HBO. In terms of sheer value, it doesn’t get much better than this, folks. Not only do you get 67 episodes of the greatest fantasy series of all time (and arguably one of the best series of all-time), but you get a set that is filled to the brim with extra features like commentaries, featurettes, deleted scenes, and so much more.
* Twin Peaks: Season 3- David Lynch resurrected his cult favorite TV series last year with a third season. The result was one of the most puzzling, weird, rewarding and downright fascinating pieces of TV of recent years.
* The Flash Seasons 1-4- There’s a lot of great comic book TV series out right now, but none are more fun and comic booky than “The Flash.”
* Mystery Science Theater 3000 Season 11- If you are an MST3K completist or if you don’t have Netflix, this recent release of the entire season 11 is a must own.
* Girlfriends: The Complete Series- A smart, funny, and topical sitcom.
* Gravity Falls: The Complete Series- After much anticipation, the cult animated Disney series at long last got a complete series set release that is loaded with extra features and goodies that will surely please the devoted fanbase.
* Avatar: The Last Airbender- The Complete Series- One of the greatest animated series of all-time finally gets a Blu-ray release.
BOOKS, COMIC BOOKS, AND MANGA:
* Dragon Ball Super Manga- When it comes to 2018 Viz Media manga releases, “Dragon Ball Super” is the cream of the crop. The series keeps getting better and better with each new release.
* Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story Book- The “Art Of” Star Wars books are always essential reading for fans of the franchise.
* Dr. Stone Manga- Another Viz Media manga series. This weird post-apocalyptic saga feels decidedly different from the norm.
* 100 Greatest Film Scores- Not only is this book a great starting point for learning about key music scores and their history, it also offers up numerous obscure scores that you will want to check out.
* Star Wars Adventures- A fun-filled “Star Wars” comic book series from IDW that makes great reading material for kids.
* The Wes Anderson Collection: Isle Of Dogs- An absorbing deep dive look into the making of a stop-motion animated film and the mind of filmmaker Wes Anderson.
* Turner Classic Movies- For the film buffs out there might I recommend one of the TCM books? There’s a whole host to choose from including “Must See Sci-Fi Movies,” “Christmas In The Movies,” and “52 Must-See Movies.”
* Star Wars: Thrawn: Alliances- A true return to form for veteran SW author Timothy Zahn.
MUSIC:
* Tenacious D: Apocalypto- The D returns in peak form with a new rock opera album. Check out the animated series on YouTube as well.
* The Witches of Eastwick Soundtrack- Composer John Williams may be best known for creating music for iconic films such as “Star Wars,” “Superman,” and so many others, but he’s also done great work that is overlooked. This score is one of those overlooked gems.
* Suspiria Soundtrack (2018)- Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke dips his toes into the world of film scores. The result? A trippy musical journey that is well worth embarking on.
* Halloween Soundtrack (2018)- The best part of this year’s “Halloween” sequel/reboot was John Carpenter’s fantastic score that contains a blend of new and old music.
DVD:
* Robin Williams: Comic Genius- Time Life has released new 22 disc and 12 disc sets that celebrates the late great actor, entertainer and comedian’s numerous talents. The sets contain no actual films that he starred in, but they do include a veritable treasure trove of material including late night talk show appearances, episodes of the show that put him on the map (“Mork And Mindy”), the HBO documentary “Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind,” interviews with celebs and other comedians about Williams, featurettes, stand-up/concert specials, footage from USO performances, rare footage, an “Inside The Actor’s Studio” episode, as well as a booklet titled “Robin Williams: Uncensored” which contains photos, quotes, tour notes, Mork and Mindy material, and pics with friends. Plus, there’s so much more than just that!
MISCELLANEOUS:
* Game of Thrones Goblets- Whether you want to drink in style or merely collect GOT merch, the new line of Goblets over on shop.HBO.com has you covered with a variety of offerings including Weirwood Tree and Seven Kingdoms map cups. Of course, if Goblets aren’t your thing there’s plenty of other GOT merch available such as action figures, shirts, mugs, hats, and even plush Dragons!
* Rocket League (Xbox One and PS4)- My current gaming addiction is this game which can be described as a cross between soccer/football and Mario Kart. It’s pure fast paced fun and I can’t get enough of it. Multiplayer is a MUST.
That’s a wrap!
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