Posted Fri Nov 10, 2017 at 11:41 AM PST by Matthew Hartman
Unlike in The Purge, the annual holiday season is one for celebration, joy, and excitement! Finding the perfect gift for the people on your list can be a bit tough, but we're here to make things run a bit more smoothly for you. 2017 saw a huge number of great releases on a variety of formats. From movies and television shows to special edition Blu-rays and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray debuts, there are some truly great titles out there worth adding to the collection of that special someone on your shopping list.
To help you sort through all the great titles, we're pleased to bring you High-Def Digest's Holiday Gift Guide 2017 Edition!
Spider-man made a grand return in this high flying web spinning tie-in to the official Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not only did it reinvigorate one of the screen's biggest and best superheroes, this movie also proved that old webhead has plenty of life left in it! Check it out on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, or 3D Blu-ray!
Just when you think the romantic comedy is dead and buried, along comes a wonderful movie like The Big Sick. With a terrific cast and a smart script, this little gem is perfect for a great laugh with plenty of heart. We're sure someone on your list will want this one.
Superheroes are all the rage these days. Just when you thought the genre might be getting a little stale, Wonder Woman comes along and gives you something to cheer for. Not only is it one of the best superhero films of the year, it's one of the best superhero films ever made. Great for kids and adults of all ages who want to have a great time! Snap it up on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and 3D Blu-ray.
One of the best films of 2016 makes for one of the best home video titles of 2017. The arrival is the perfect gift for the thoughtful science fiction fan on your list. If you've never seen it, maybe make room under the tree for a copy for yourself! Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
Who would have thought that a rebooted Planet of the Apes film would turn into one of the best science fiction trilogies ever made? If your loved one enjoyed Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, this film is an essential part of the collection. Available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and 3D Blu-ray.
Know someone who loves musicals? The holiday season is the best time to give them one of the most colorful movies of 2016 - it also sports some damn catchy tunes and raked in some serious Oscar gold. It's a great addition to any collection so you can't go wrong! Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
Know any Harry Potter fans? Moving beyond the seminal J. K. Rowling books, this prequel film sets the stage for events that happen long before Harry was born - and it's a thrilling magical adventure. Good for kids of all ages and adults with active imaginations, this is an easy one to recommend! Available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and 3D Blu-ray.
Ridley Scott returns to the Alien franchise with his latest prequel film. Like Prometheus before it, this flick may have divided some fans, but it's a solid entry in the series and marks the return of our beloved chest-bursting two-mouthed Xenomorph! No Alien collection is complete without this one. Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme, this live-action update of the animated Disney classic is certainly one to add to the collection! As one of the biggest movies of the year, it's a beautiful disc and is the perfect gift for any Disney fan on your shopping list.
Get caught up in the hijinks of the galaxy's worst group of heroes! The first film was an instant fan favorite and this sequel is one of Marvel Studios best. All of the adventure, excitement, and groovy tunes make for the perfect gift for just about anyone on our shopping list! Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
Talking about movies with great soundtracks, this action adventure comedy from Edgar Wright is something to keep on your radar. If you know someone who loves fast cars, great action sequences, and some of the best classic tunes ever recorded, this flick is a must get for that person on your list. Also available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
Anytime you get a Christopher Nolan film on disc, it's virtually guaranteed to make someone happy on your shopping list. This terrific film about one of the most important events of WWII will keep people pinned to their seats and left breathless. Arriving just in time for the holidays, this is absolutely one you should keep an eye out for. Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
Wonder Woman wasn't the only gal to kick some serious ass this year. Hot off her turn in Mad Max: Fury Road, Theron proves herself more than adept at carrying her own solo action franchise. Perfect for the action junkie on your list, we're hoping this one gets a follow-up flick - and fast! Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
Another great flick from 2016 becomes a must own disc in 2017. If you love important historic events, have a love for space travel, this film more than delivers the goods. Filled with great performances, it's sure to delight just about everyone on your list. Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
The force is strong with the Star Wars franchise. Audiences ate up this anthology film that bridged the gap between Episode III and IV and showed fans a different side of events that happened a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. It's the perfect stocking-stuffer for the fan on your list.
Horror had a bang-up year in 2017 with several new thrilling and chilling entries in the franchise. Get Out was a clever and shocking flick with twists at every turn. As a phenomenal success at the box office, this one is perfect for any horror fan on your list. Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
With all of your favorite superheroes hitting the big screen these days, Marvel decided it was a good time to cast a little magic with this colorful and exciting adventure film. With a great cast, awesome action, and impressive visuals, there's nothing strange about picking this one up for someone on your list. Available on Blu-ray and 3D Blu-ray.
Winner of Best Picture at the 2017 Oscars, Moonlight is a powerful piece of filmmaking that deserves all of the accolades it achieved. With some great performances, terrific writing, and exceptional directing - someone on your list is sure to need this in their collection. Available on Blu-ray and coming soon to 4K UHD.
Sure, some folks could call this a kid's movie, but if you were a kid in the 90s, you're the perfect audience for this big-budget update of the classic television show. It's bright, beautiful, and action packed with more than a few nods to the original show. Available in 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
From the director of the sci-fi fan favorite The Fifth Element, this film may not have lit up the box office, but it's sure to brighten just about any home theater setup. It's colorful, loud, and loaded with action and adventure. Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
Did you or someone on your shopping list love 2014's Godzilla? Well, get ready for Kong! This action adventure movie brought the big ape back to life with great action and spectacular visual effects. While fans wait for the new Godzilla flick to arrive, satiate their cravings for big monster action! Available in 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and 3D Blu-ray.
8 films strong and this franchise shows no signs of running out of gas anytime soon! No collection of Furious movies is complete without this off the wall flick. Where else are you going to see a bunch of cars on ice take on a submarine? The action junkie on your list will love you for this one. Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
Keanu Reeves proves once again he's more than up to the challenge of delivering a solid action flick. The first film was a grand tale of cold-blooded revenge. This sequel quickly picks up soon after the events of the first film with guns blazing. It's a thrill a minute action fest and makes the perfect gift. Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
It's hard to say goodbye to a favorite character - or at least a particular actor playing a particular character. As Hugh Jackman's final bow as everyone's favorite Canadian with rage issues, this is a violent, somber, and emotional rollercoaster ride of action. It's a hell of a film and will make a great addition to any collection. Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
Ten years is a long time to go without our favorite fast-talking gals of Stars Hollow. A bittersweet reunion packed with laughs, drama, and all of the great colorful characters we know and love. If you have a Gilmore Girls fan in your home, this is the perfect gift to wrap up for them this holiday season.
Well, winter is here. What better way to spend your cold days than watching the latest happenings from Westeros? No collection is complete without this season as the show stears itself towards the inevitable yet unfortunate conclusion. This is an easy one to wrap up for someone on your list.
If you've already seen the original Planet Earth, you can trust Planet Earth II to deliver all of the fascinating splendor of nature with some of the most striking images ever photographed. We're pretty sure there's someone on your list who would love to have this as part of their collection. Available in 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
Pick up your chainsaws and boomsticks, Ash's dealings with the deadites ain't over yet! Everyone's favorite cowardly hero smashes his way back onto the small screen in another terrifyingly hilarious season! If you've got an Evil Dead or Army of Darkness fan on your list, speak from the pages of the Necronomicon and make sure they get this in their collections!
With a new Star Trek show streaming, it's a good time to get caught up with past shows. While Enterprise may not have been the greatest piece of Star Trek to reach TV screens, it was a solid series and gave hours of great entertainment. This Complete Series set is the perfect gift to beam to the away team who can't make it home for the holidays.
Ever wanted an answer to the wild and cryptic end to the original run of Twin Peaks? Well, get ready for some more questions with this Limited Event Series from David Lynch. It's 18 hours of great characters, mystery, and intrigue that only David Lynch could deliver. This is a must own for series fans.
When there's no more room in movie theaters, the dead will walk TV screens. The walkers show no signs of slowing down as The Walking Dead keeps rolling along with Rick and the rest of the band of survivors coming up against their deadliest human foe yet. Any zombie fan on your list will happily unwrap this one!
Never count out HBO when it comes to delivering impressive entertainment value. This brutal and visually stunning piece of science fiction storytelling has plenty of twists and turns to please Western and Sci-fi fans. It's also HBO's first release on 4K, so if you have someone on your list who loves the best picture and audio possible, this is one to add to their pile of gifts. Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
Who would have thought that fans would be getting the first 11 seasons of one of the funniest animated shows on Blu-ray? Fans have been waiting for ages for this news and these seasons are finally on their way - help them out by picking up a few! Even just one or two seasons should be enough to get them laughing for hours. Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, Season 4, Season 5, Season 6, Season 7, Season 8, Season 9, Season 10, and Season 11 will be available this holiday season.
One of Disney's brightest and best gets one heck of a great Blu-ray release. Sure, this one is meant for the kids of the family, but there's plenty for adults to love as well. Disney pulled out the stops for this one making it an easy title to recommend you pick up for the youngster on your list. Available on Blu-ray and 3D Blu-ray.
Just when you thought you've seen every superhero get their big screen debut, along comes one of the best kids movies of the year. Again kids will love it, but there's plenty of stuff for adults to love. It's bright, colorful, and two tons of fun. Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
Not only is this one a great LEGO movie, it's also one of the best Batman movies ever made. it's hilarious and action-packed. Kids and comic book fans alike will love having this one in their collection. Pick one up and brace yourself for a great time. Available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and 3D Blu-ray.
Just when you thought your kids couldn't get any more minions, here comes a couple more along with their old pal Gru! If your little ones loved the first movies, this one is guaranteed to delight. If you happen to like the yellow beeping buddies, you should have an equally good time watching this one too. Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
One of Pixar's speediest and most colorful flicks zooms out of the gate strong with this entertaining third entry. If your little ones loved the first two films, they're sure to be overjoyed with this latest race from Lightning McQueen and his trusty pal Mater. Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
If there is someone on your list who loves samurai movies or was a big fan of Criterion's Zatoichi box set, keep Lone Wolf and Cub on your radar. Six films in all, this three-disc Blu-ray set is an essential piece to anyone's Criterion Collection. For fans of classic sword slinging Japanese action, look no further.
One of Stanley Kubrick's greatest, most visually sumptuous films gets a truly terrific Criterion Collection release. With a new picture restoration, an audio track in keeping with Kubrick's intentions, and a host of new bonus features will sure to please any collector on your list.
This is one of the most exciting releases to come down the Criterion Collection pipeline! A "Ramen Western," this film blends traditional Japanese ramen soup and American westerns in this wildly exciting, fun, and entertaining yarn. We're sure someone on your list will love tearing off the wrapping paper for this delicious flick.
Any day we can get another Andrei Tarkovsky film on Blu-ray is a good one. Stalker is yet another ambitious science fiction film from the visionary filmmaker. This film was years in the making and features some of the most breathtaking visuals ever captured. It's well worth the look if you've never seen it - or know the perfect person who would love to open it!
Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll, nothing quite lives up to that phrase quite like the sordid story of the Sex Pistol's bassist and his girlfriend. While also serving as a biopic of the late rock legend, the film is a grand and dirty tour of the Punk Rock scene - and it's a magnificent addition to Criterion's lineup. It's a good one to keep in mind for fans on your shopping list.
One of the most complex adaptations ever made is given the full Criterion Collection treatment it rightly deserves. Orson Welles struggled for years to complete this intricate and beautifully shot film. With stellar picture and audio as well as a bunch of great bonus features, this is an easy one to wrap up for the classic movie fan on your list.
There's nothing quite like a great 70s era thriller and Blow-up is no slouch. From Michelangelo Antonioni, this thriller is a race against time that keeps the audience guessing - while also sitting on the edge of their seats. It's a great film with a solid Criterion Collection release and should be one to keep in mind for someone you're shopping for.
Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy were one of Hollywood's most famous couples on screen - as well as off. Making nine films together over a period of 25 years, Woman of the Year is where their whirlwind romance began. Not only is the behind the scenes drama interesting, it's also a wonderful romantic comedy and anyone who loves the classics will be glad to have this one wrapped up for them.
Alfred Hitchcock may have made only a few silent films, but one of his best was this 1927 classic retelling of the Jack the Ripper murders. It's moody, atmospheric, thrilling, and intensely entertaining. A worthy entry in the Criterion Collection and a great one to give to the Hitchcock fan on your shopping list.
Know any fans of sleazy cinema? The master, John Waters finally breaks into the Criterion Collection with one hell of a great release. Prepare to be shocked, grossed out, possibly offended, but guaranteed to be entertained. If you know someone who loves Waters' films, keep an eye out for this terrific disc.
One of the best science fiction films ever made gets the full 4K UHD treatment it has always deserved. With a new picture transfer and new Dolby Atmos audio mix, this is a must-have for any 4K UHD fan on your shopping list!
Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy is getting the full 4K upgrade fans need and deserve. We're extremely excited to get our hands on this release as it arrives just in time for the holidays making it the perfect gift for the Batman fan on your list. Also - keep an eye out for 4K UHD release of Interstellar arriving later this year!
You shouldn't need a sorting hat to figure out who to give this terrific set to. Just about everyone would love to get their hands on this set. One of the greatest series of films is making its debut on 4K UHD in a nice and tidy little package. Keep this one in mind for an especially good boy, girl, or worthy adult on your list.
Not only is this film one of Clint Eastwood's best films, it's also one of the best westerns ever made. On top of this being a great film and a fan favorite, it's absolutely glorious in 4K with terrific picture and audio quality. Even no one on your list is ready for 4K, the included Blu-ray disc features an upgraded audio mix making it a terrific all-around package.
One of the most visually stunning films of the 90s gets a beautiful picture and audio upgrade. Even if you thought the film looked great on Blu-ray, you haven't seen - or heard - anything yet! It's a must-have for fans and it's a great one to keep in mind for the horror buff on your list.
Superman: The Movie Extended Cut 2-Film Collection
Rebecca (Criterion Collection)
The Lion King: The Signature Collection
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly 50th Anniversary Edition
Teen Wolf: Collector's Edition
The Pink Panther Film Collection
Heat: Director's Definitive Edition
Bambi: The Signature Collection
Streets of Fire: Collector's Edition
Serial Mom: Collector's Edition
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