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Holiday Geek Gift Guide 2010: DVDs & Blu-rays
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Here at Geeks of Doom we know how hard it can be to wade through those frenzied crowds at the department stores during the holidays. We also know that the Christmas season is a time where, let’s face it, we’re all spending tons of money on our friends, family, and colleagues. That’s why every day, we post about great sales on Blu-ray/DVDs, music, video games, and more to help our readers save a buck, especially during this bank-breaking season.

Hopefully, our daily Deal posts have helped you get a lot of holiday shopping done, but there’s still plenty of days left to look for gifts before the holidays begin, so we Geeks have compiled some of our favorite items to help you finish up your holiday shopping. If you plan to buy these items online, we’ve also included the shipping deadlines to ensure that you get your stuff on or before Christmas Eve.

Check out our handy Holiday Geek Gift Guide 2010: DVDs & Blu-rays Edition below for all the coolest items this season has to offer in DVDs and Blu-rays for some great movies and television series. And be on the lookout this week for our other Gift Guides for Books, Comics, Video Games, Specialty Items, and much more!

Back To The Future 25th Anniversary Trilogy
DVD | Blu-ray

Can you believe it’s been 25 years already since the release of Back To The Future? Michael J. Fox stars as Marty McFly, who, thanks to a flux capacitor-powered DeLorean travels in time. It’s sci-fi, it’s action, it’s comedy: it’s brilliant. What better way to reacquaint yourself with Robert Zemeckis’ masterpiece this holiday season than with this 25th Anniversary edition,comes with all three film from the series, and looks amazing in high definition. This new edition comes packed with lots of brand new bonus features, like feature-length audio commentaries, deleted scenes, tons of production and design behind-teh scenes featurettes, and an all-new six-part documentary, Tales From The Future.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show 35th Anniversary Edition
Blu-ray

This 35th anniversary Blu-ray edition of The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the ultimate item for any Rocky Horror fan, especially those who’ve enjoyed seeing the cult classic in theaters over the last few decades in midnight movie screenings. Aside from the fact that the movie looks great in high definition, this Blu-ray includes a host of features with behind-the-scenes details, as well as tracks you can turn on to mimic the in-theater experiences, like all of the ad-libbing.

Toy Story 3
Blu-ray | DVD

Toy story 3 catches up with Woody, Buzz, and the gang when their owner, Andy, is about to leave home for college. His toys are packed away and mistakenly given to a daycare center. From there our plastic pals have to overcome hyperactive kids, incinerators, and an evil pink teddy bear. It’s nostalgic, heartbreaking, and very funny. Like the two movies preceding it, this is proof that the guys at Pixar are among the very best filmmakers today. Perfect for kids and adults alike.

Lost: The Complete Collection
DVD | Blu-ray

It’s that famous show about a group of plane-cash survivors stuck on a mysterious island. You know it, I know it, everybody knows it. And now’s the chance to get it all in one place. This mega-box set comes complete with all six seasons of the hit television series, Lost, along with a bonus disc full of extras, like deleted scenes, a featurette documenting the last few days of filming, a gag feature of various celebrity fans asking showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse unanswered questions about the show. Also, there’s the much-talked about, all-important 12-minute Epilogue, further revealing some secrets and answering some questions about the island.

James and The Giant Peach
Blu-ray

In this live-action/stop-motion animated hybrid, a young downtrodden boy named James who lives with his two wicked Aunts, gets the chance to take a fantastical journey aboard a giant peach in hopes of fulfilling his greatest dream. This new Blu-ray version has a picture quality is superior to the original standard DVD release. James and The Giant Peach is the perfect film for anyone who loves The Nightmare Before Christmas and Pixar films, as well as Randy Newman’s compositions.

The Goonies
DVD | Blu-ray

A rag tag group of prepubescent teens stage a last ditch effort to save their home from being turned into a country club. Following a local legend that speaks of hidden pirate treasure, and is reinforced by an old map discovered in the attic of their home, this band of ‘Goonies’ sets out on the adventure of their lives.

Harry Potter 1-6
DVD | Blu-ray

Now that the seventh Harry Potter film is out in theaters, this box set that collects the previous six films is perfect for the Harry Potter fan in your life. Both DVD and Blu-ray sets contain a host of bonus features, with the Blu-ray edition coming with an extra bonus disc with additional deleted scenes; cast Q&A, a profile on author J.K. Rowling, footage from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, a look at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at the Universal Orlando theme park, and more.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Blu-ray | DVD

From the minds of Edgar Wright and Bryan Lee O’Malley, Scott Pilgrim is a pop culture explosion that will have you grinning from start to finish. Based on my favorite comic series of all time, Scott Pilgrim tells the story of a 20 something slacker who must defeat seven evil exes to win the heart of his literal dream girl, Ramona Flowers.

Alice In Wonderland
Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo
Blu-ray | DVD

Johnny Depp stars as the Mad Hatter in this sequel to the classic Alice In Wonderland. Here, Alice is a young woman when she journeys back down through the Rabbit Hole to a place known as Underland where she must face the tyrannical Red Queen in this live-action/CGI hybrid version, directed by Tim Burton. This release comes packed with lots of interesting behind-the-scenes bonus features. This is a must-have for any Alice In Wonderland lover, and also for fans of Burton’s style.

Avatar
DVD | Blu-ray

When a corporate mining operation threatens to overrun the indigenous population retired marine Jake Sully is sent to broker peace with the natives through the use of an ‘Avatar’ body. James Cameron’s epic motion-capture tale of love and adventure set on the remote jungle world of Pandora is a visually stunning film that sets a new standard for all science fiction and fantasy films to come. The home release for this film comes packed with bonus features, as you can imagine, which delve behind the scenes of the making-of the movie and much more.

Inception
DVD | Blu-ray

Coming out just in time for the holidays is another of my top films of the year, Inception. A very original concept, (perhaps Uncle Scrooge inspired) with jaw dropping special effects. You can go inside dreams with Leonardo DiCaprio, and watch a break out performance by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Since this set comes with the movie on Blu-ray, regular DVD and digital copy, you can watch it anywhere!

Doctor Who: Series 5
DVD | Blu-ray

Series 5 marks the debut as Matt Smith as The Doctor with new companions Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill). Any fan of Doctor Who will want to pick up this DVD or Blu-ray, which comes with short videos, six episode commentary tracks, a multi-part video diary by the show’s lead staff, outtakes and trailers, and the complete season run of Doctor Who Confidential.

Sherlock
DVD | Blu-ray

This BBC series, created and written by Steven Moffat (Doctor Who) and Mark Gatiss, is a modern take on the classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle detective Sherlock Holmes and stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes and Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson. This IS Sherlock Holmes and everything a Holmes story should be, packed in 3 90-minute episodes. The DVD/Blu-ray release also comes with episode audio commentaries and a Making-Of featurette, as well as the original unaired pilot episode.

Family Guy: It’s A Trap
DVD | Blu-ray

Continuing with its successful line of parodies of the original Star Wars trilogy, Family Guy: It’s A Trap takes on the third film Return of the Jedi. The first two specials were hilarious, so there’s no doubt this final installment will be just as good — and, it promises to add in some new faces. The DVD and Blu-ray also come with a few bonus features as well. This home video release comes out just before Christmas — December 21, 2010 — so it’d have to be a last-minute gift idea. But, if you pre-order it now and select “2-day shipping” you’ll get this on the day of its release.

Family Guy Vol. 8
DVD

The Griffin family has been on our screens for over ten years now and Family Guy continues to be one of the funniest shows on TV. Volume 8, the latest collection on DVD, containing the episodes “Not All Dogs Go To Heaven,” “Stew-Roids,” “Brian’s Got A Brand New Bag,” and “Quagmire’s Baby” serves as hilarious proof.

Highlander
Blu-ray

Newly released on Blu-ray, the 1986 fantasy-action film Highlander stars Christopher Lambert as the immortal Connor MacLeod, whose tale begins in the Scottish Highlands in the 1500s and continues to then-present day New York City, as he battles other immortals throughout the centuries for The Prize. The film looks great in high definition, which is reason alone to pick up this new release. If there’s someone in your life that understands what “There can be only one” means, then by all means, this is the gift for them.

Batman Beyond: The Complete Series
DVD

Know a Batman fan? If you do, chances are he will go batty for the Batman Beyond: The Complete Series box set. The set collects all three seasons — 52 episodes — of the popular show, along with creator commentaries, season retrospectives, and three all-new featurettes. There’s also a bonus disc with 95 minutes of new special features, including the Secret Origin The Story of DC Comics documentary. This box set is packaged in a fancy case with a booklet featuring artwork from the DC archives. While this series didn’t last long, it definitely left a mark on Batman fans alike and should be a part of any Batman fan’s DVD collection.

True Blood The Complete Second Season
DVD | Blu-ray

Anna Paquin stars as the psychic waitress Sookie Stackhouse who falls in love with a vampire named Bill (Stephen Moyer) in Bon Temps, Louisiana, where vampires live amongst humans and have civil rights. While the law protects the vamps, most humans don’t take too well to vampire-human relationships, which only adds to the already many complications the unusual couple is faced with.

Dio: Holy Diver – Live
DVD | Blu-ray

Legend Ronnie James Dio’s death from cancer earlier this year was a hard blow to the heavy metal community, as the singer was so influential and at 67 years old still sounded great, writing music, and touring the world as a solo act and as the frontman of Black Sabbath spin-off band Heaven and Hell. Dio: Holy Diver – Live came out back in 2006 on DVD, but was released this year on Blu-ray. This release captures Dio’s concert at London’s Astoria Theatre on October 22, 2005 where he performed his classic Holy Diver album in its entirety, along with some of his more popular Black Sabbath and Rainbow tunes. This is a great gift, especially on Blu-ray, for every Dio fan.

Metallica/Slayer/Megadeth/Anthrax: The Big 4 – Live from Sofia, Bulgaria
DVD | Blu-ray

The four greatest thrash metal bands, known always as The Big 4 in the metal community — Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax — gathered together this Summer for a “one time only event” to play a concert in Sofia, Bulgaria. It was an event metal fans the world over have been wishing for since the 1980s. This DVD/Blu-ray release contains the full live performances from all four bands, along with behind-the-scenes and interview footage. PERFECT gift for the metalhead in your life.

Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage
DVD | Blu-ray

Rush has always been a band that’s kept to themselves. While they’ve enjoyed worldwide success for four decades, they’ve managed to keep their person life private, keeping fans guessing as to what makes this Canadian rock trio tick. Finally, the band has let the cameras in for this documentary, the first-ever made about the band and with their full cooperation. Along with interviews and behind-the-scenes looks at the band members today, there’s also never-before-seen performances of several songs, some of which are with their original drummer John Rutsey from 1974. Any Rush fan will drool just at the thought of getting a peek at this documentary.

Kick-Ass
DVD | Blu-ray

He can’t fly, or spin a web and he can’t shoot lasers out of his eyes. But he can kick ass! Mark Millar’s comics about an ordinary kid – and one highly trained, foul-mouthed young girl – who takes to the streets to rid the city of crime became one of the funniest, most action-packed movies of the year. Aaron Johnson and Chloe Moretz are brilliant as the young crime-fighting superheroes, without any super powers.

Iron Man 2
DVD | Blu-ray

Tony Stark came back bigger and badder in Iron Man 2 which was one of the best action movies of the year. Iron Man faces-off against War Machine and fights an almighty battle against Mickey Rourke’s Whiplash. The 2-disc edition DVD and Blu-ray are crammed with extra features including a digital copy of the movie, alternate opening, numerous featurettes, and a music video for AC/DC’s “˜Shoot To Thrill.’

Apocalypse Now (Three Disc Full Disclosure Edition)
Blu-ray

Apocalypse Now, Apocalypse Now Redux, and Hearts Of Darkness are all on Blu-Ray together in this wonderful box set. Simply put, this is one of the greatest cinematic adventures ever put on film. Francis Ford Coppola’s epic film takes Joseph Conrad’s immortal Heart Of Darkness and switches the action from the Belgian Congo to the Vietnam War. The results are a powerful testament of true bravado filmmaking. The first disco contains Apocalypse Now and Apocalypse Now Redux along with audio commentary from director Francis Ford Coppola. The first disc also features BD Touch and Metamenu Remote. The second disc features a new video interview with Francis Ford
Coppola and Martin Sheen. There is another new video interview with Francis Ford Coppola and screenwriter, John Milius. There is another new feature called, “Fred Roos: Casting Apocalypse”. The third disc features Hearts Of Darkness”” the ultimate behind the scenes documentary of a film since Les Blanks’ Burden Of Dreams which chronicled the chaotic production of Werner Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo. This box set is a must for all movie fans; it contains over nine hours of bonus features and a 48- page collectible booklet.

Netflix Account

Netflix is far and away the leader in the by-mail DVD business, and they keep finding ways to improve their service. With their watch instantly feature, anyone with a computer can watch an always growing number of titles online, and now, anyone with a PS3, XBox 360, or Wii can access the same library. Netflix has taken a hit recently with many new releases being delayed due to Video On Demand exclusivity, but they’re still the best at what they do, and they have a lot of cheap options to replace going to the video store.

If you’re ordering through Amazon.com in the United States, here’s their ordering deadlines for delivery on or before Christmas Eve (12/24):

December 16th – Last day for Free Super Saver Shipping*
December 20th – Standard Shipping

December 21st – Two-Day Shipping (Free with Prime), Last full day to order two-day
December 22nd – Two-Day Shipping (Free with Prime), order as late as 7pm PST [varies by item]; One-Day Shipping ($3.99 per item with Prime) Last full day to order one-day
December 23rd – One-Day Shipping ($3.99 per item with Prime), order as late as 3:30pm PST [varies by item]

For more details about local delivery, see the Christmas Ordering Deadlines For U.S. Shipments page.

*Super Saver Shipping is FREE on orders $25 and over.

Remember, if all else fails, there’s also the Amazon.com Gift Card, you can have emailed to the recipient (arrives immediately) or you can print out the gift card at home and give it to the intended that way. If you order in enough time, you can get the physical gift card sent to you.

The Holiday Geek Gift Guide 2010 was lovingly created by the dedicated, hard-working staff at Geeks of Doom based on their own “Wish Lists”: Empress Eve, Dave3, The Movie God, Henchman21, Vactor, Merkader, Jedi Of Doom, Obi-Dan, Jack Bauerstein83, and Cinema Junkie.

We hope you’ll benefit greatly from this compilation. Happy Holidays from all us here at Geeks of Doom!

See our other Holiday Guide Guides:

Video Games

Specialty Items

More Guides to come this week.

1 Comment »

  1. Put together very well! But what-no Spartacus for Grandma?

    Comment by Wes — November 30, 2010 @ 9:37 am

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