It’s the holiday season, and we all know what that means: it’s time to freak out. Because what the hell do you get people in a consumer culture so deeply steeped in a collector’s mentality that they didn’t already get for themselves?
Have no fear, CraveOnline is here! We’ll help you single out the best possible gifts for the movie-lovers on your shopping list. What’s more, we’ll be back throughout the next two months with more and more guides for the specific types of movie-lovers out there, who each have their own “special” obsessions and needs.
But everyone loves movies, and everyone likes to own their favorites. And it’s important to own the movies you love on hard copies, because downloading them may be convenient, but it’s not future-proof. If you “buy” a film from Amazon Instant, you still only own it as long as Amazon deigns to provide it for you. That’s not actually owning anything. Technically speaking, that’s renting something for an indeterminate amount of time.
Besides, movie-lovers are collectors. They collect experiences, quotes and trivia along with the movies they love. They collect trinkets and rare boxed sets and more. So they will definitely appreciate you getting them something special this holiday season, and unless they have enough spare change to buy every single movie every single week, the odds are good that they don’t own everything on our 2014 Blu-ray Movie Gift Guide. Or, at least, the odds are good that they don’t own the best version of it.
So take a look and see what seems most appropriate for the movie-lover in your life. Action movies? Got that covered. Horror movies? Yup, we’ve got that too. Art house French films? Oh yeah, this is the 2014 Blu-ray Movie Gift Guide for you.
The 2014 Blu-ray Movie Gift Guide:
William Bibbiani is the editor of CraveOnline’s Film Channel and the host of The B-Movies Podcast and The Blue Movies Podcast. Follow him on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.
The 2014 Blu-ray Movie Gift Guide
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Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Caesar's Warrior Collection
PRICE: $116.97
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits Blu-ray on December 2, but why settle for just one disc when you can get this fabulous bust of Caesar containing both films in the rebooted franchise, a 32-page book and four “battle-ready ape character cards.” Whatever that means.
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Guardians of the Galaxy
PRICE: $24.96
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
Everyone is going to want to own James Gunn’s groovy blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy on home video, but Disney isn’t releasing it until December 9. That means the typical move-lover probably won’t buy it for themselves, because they’re expecting to receive it from you. Don’t let them down!
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Halloween: The Complete Collection Limited Deluxe Edition
PRICE: $112.90
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
One of the few “must own” Blu-ray sets of 2014 may have been a little too pricey for the horror movie-lover in your life to buy in September. You should reward their frugality by getting them Halloween: The Complete Collection Limited Deluxe Edition, containing all ten films in the franchise (all eleven, if you include the new cut of Halloween 6). Comprehensive special features sweeten the already great deal.
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The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Extended Edition) Amazon Exclusive
PRICE: $80.99
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
Lord of the Rings fans want it all, so whether they love the new Hobbit trilogy or love to complain about it, they wouldn’t turn down the Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - Extended Edition, and its 25 minutes of all-new footage. Throw in the Amazon exclusive barrel-riding statue and they’ll be calling YOU “my precious” in no time.
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Snowpiercer
PRICE: $14.94
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
The mainstream movie-lover in your life, the kind who wouldn’t be caught dead in an art house theater, has serious lesson to learn. Get them the action-packed sci-fi spectacular Snowpiercer starring Chris Evans (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) to show them exactly what they’re missing. It’s smart, thrilling, and one of the most criminally overlooked films of the year.
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Steven Spielberg Director's Collection
PRICE: $91.99
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
Everyone loves Steven Spielberg movies, so although they may own several films in this brand-new set, like Jaws and Jurassic Park, they’re bound to be grateful for the first-ever HD releases of Duel, The Sugarland Express, 1941 and Always. It’s the sort of gift a movie-lover might not buy for themselves, since they already one half the set, but they will definitely appreciate being able to upgrade.
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The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Electro Collector's Edition (Amazon Exclusive)
PRICE: $134.99
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
If someone on your list loves the new Amazing Spider-Man movies, well, that’s their right. It takes all kinds. And since it’s the season of love and understanding, the rest of us can justify buying them this fancy collector’s edition of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, housed inside Jamie Foxx’s big blue electric head.
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The Complete Jacques Tati
PRICE: $99.99
BUY IT NOW: Criterion.com
Not every movie-lover likes blockbusters, and not everyone knows what to get those people. Something from the Criterion Collection is usually a slam dunk, and this year their biggest, best release is definitely The Complete Jacques Tati, featuring all six of the acclaimed French comedian’s films and tons of special features. It’s on Amazon, but the folks at Criterion sell it themselves for a lot less money.
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Texas Chain Saw Massacre: 40th Anniversary Black Maria
PRICE: $68.99
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
One of many big horror Blu-ray boxed sets this year, this Texas Chain Saw Massacre stands out because of this really nifty packaging, recreating the semi-truck from the end of Tobe Hooper’s classic, cruel and utterly terrifying original film. It’s an all-new 4K remaster of one of the best horror films ever made, with new special features as well. What more could your favorite horror movie lover ask for?
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Transformers: Age of Extinction Limited Edition Gift Set with Grimlock and Optimus Collectible Statue
PRICE: $79.99
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
Critics and audiences were divided on Transformers: Age of Extinction, but everyone who values their home theater set-up will want to own it. Michael Bay’s films are always impressive in high-definition, and if the movie-lover on your list has 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound, they’ll thank you for blowing out their speakers with the year’s biggest explosions. Plus, look at that statue! That’s kind of cool too, isn’t it?
