The beauty of film and television is the medium’s ability to sweep us away on a magic carpet ride of imagination, wonder and memory. There’s plenty here to guide the gift recipient regardless of their movie preference.
It’s a Wonderful Life, 70th Anniversary Platinum Edition (Paramount)
Seven decades after it was released, this 1946 Frank Capra classic remains a perennial favorite around Christmas time, thanks to the warm and humble performance the late James Stewart gave to the film’s lead character George Bailey. For this special reissue, Paramount has included collectible, limited edition art cards featuring images of original ads and lobby cards.
Sony Pictures Animation Collection Lunchbox Gift Set (Sony Pictures)
Animation fans of all ages will not only get a kick out of the tin lunchbox packaging that holds these 10 animated movies, but the full-length cartoon features themselves. In it you’ll find Arthur Christmas, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 1 & 2, Hotel Transylvania 1 & 2, Open Season, The Pirates! Band of Misfits, The Smurfs 1 & 2 and Surf’s Up.
Labyrinth 30th Anniversary Collector’s Edition (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
David Bowie’s death in January kicked off 2016 on a sour note, what better way to remember him than by diving into this 30th anniversary reissue of the Thin White Duke’s collaboration with Jim Henson? Bowie plays the shock-haired Goblin King. This version contains featurettes (Inside the Labyrinth making-of, Journey Through the Labyrinth: King of Characters documentary), commentary by conceptual designer Brian Froud and the theatrical trailer.
The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection (Universal Studios Home Entertainment)
The kings of slapstick and surrealism are given their due here via the five full-length films they shot for Paramount Pictures. You get four of the five Marx Brothers (Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo) in The Cocoanuts, Animal Crackers, Monkey Business, Horse Feathers and Duck Soup. Also included in this three-DVD set are film historian feature commentaries (including Harpo’s son Bill Marx) and Today Show interviews with Groucho, Harpo and Bill Marx.
Soundbreaking: Stories from the Cutting Edge of Recorded Music (Acorn Media)
Produced in association with the late Sir George Martin, the eight-part documentary series features more than 150 interviews with rare archival studio footage—and an extensive soundtrack featuring almost 300 songs—to explore the extraordinary impact of recorded music on our lives. Bonus features for this three-disc set include Martin and Elton John in conversation, Ringo Starr talking about the drums and Roseanne Cash talking about Sun Studios.
2016 World Series Champions: The Chicago Cubs (Shout Factory)
This encapsulation of a World Series win that broke a century-plus curse features narration from actor and super Cubs fan Vince Vaughan. If you’re looking to relive every moment, wait for the eight-disc 2016 World Series Collector’s Edition: Chicago Cubs that contains every inning and a handful of audio options including the call from the Indians Radio Network.
Beauty and the Beast: 25th Anniversary Edition (Walt Disney Studios)
Disney is currently transforming its animated full-length features into live action movies. And while the story is still out on how the upcoming version of Beauty and the Beast starring Emma Watson is going to turn out, this DVD/Blu-Ray reissue features three versions of the film (original theatrical, special edition and sing-along) and featurettes (The Recording Sessions, 25 Fun Facts About Beauty and the Beast, Walt, Fairy Tales & Beauty and the Beast).
The Twilight Zone: The Complete Series (CBS Home Entertainment/ Paramount Media)
All 156 episodes from the original series that ran from 1959 to 1964 are found on this 25-DVD set. All five seasons of Rod Serling’s classic anthology series set in that “wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination” are with extras that include the Serling bio-documentary Submitted for Your Approval, compelling interviews with the show’s writers, the series’ un-aired pilot and audio commentaries with Martin Landau, Leonard Nimoy, Cliff Robertson and more.
Downton Abbey: The Complete Limited Edition Collector’s Set (PBS Distribution)
Anglophiles can stave off deprivation of no new season for the first time in seven years by diving into this 22-DVD set. Not only will fans get to sup on all 52 episodes, but there are also more than five hours of brand-new bonus video including The Story of Downton Abbey, seven character documentaries, Downton Abbey, Great Houses with Julian Fellowes, The Manners of Downton Abbey and More Manners of Downton Abbey. Also included is a pull bell and six coasters.
The Bourne Ultimate Collection (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment)
Robert Ludlum’s deadly trained assassin is front and center here as Matt Damon stars in four of these five films as an amnesia-riddled killing machine (Jeremy Renner stepped in as the lead character in 2012’s The Bourne Legacy). The remaining movies in this six-DVD set are The Bourne Identity (2002), The Bourne Supremacy (2004), The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) and Jason Bourne (2016). Loads of extra behind-the-scenes goodies are also included.
Dr. Strange (Shout Factory)
While the current version of Dr. Strange, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, will rightfully blow your mind between the acting and superb CGI, this 1978 television movie was made during a far simpler time. It was the one live action series that Stan Lee had the most input on and while the lead was played by 1970s character actor Peter Hooten, it’s a pre-Arrested Development/Archer Jessica Walter who you’ll want to check out playing villainess Morgan Le Fay.
Game of Thrones, Seasons 1-6 (HBO Home Entertainment)
With the wait between seasons being so long for this fantasy series based on the world of novelist George R.R. Martin, what better way to catch up and binge watch? Starting with the 2011 debut episode, this set rolls through 27 discs that includes 20 hours of deleted scenes, documentary features on the making of the Battle of the Bastards and Vaes Dothrak, 13 commentaries and 18 History and Lore videos.
4-Film Collection (Lionsgate Home Entertaiment)
The gold standard for teen dystopian films also gave Jennifer Lawrence worldwide fame. This 8-DVD set includes all four films: The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 1 and Part 2. This set brings together the whole series and 14 hours of bonus content. Among the all-new bonus extras are 12 deleted scenes from the original movie and two making-of features, Picturing Panem and Capitol Cuisine.
