Holiday Guide: Fox!

Our friends at Fox have the biggest holiday guide this year (runner-up being HBO, our last guide) coming in at a whopping 11 titles!  This list truly has something for everyone you can possibly need to buy movies from.  We have love stories, comedies (one that tries to be a comedy), sci-fi, family fair, and an indie gem.
  Let's jump right in shall we?

 Love it or hate it, Avatar is a bona fide phenom.  I personally wasn't impressed.  The story is unoriginal and self indulgent.   The only thing it really has going for it is the beauty of Pandora and the incredible special effects.  So why include it in the holiday guide if I'm not a particular fan of the film?  Well, because millions of people love this movie and they are going to definitely want this collection.  The 3-disc set features three different versions of the film: Theatrical, the special edition re-release, and the all-new 3-hours collector's extended cut that features 16 minutes of additional footage.  All that in addition to many many special features including 17 featurettes, deleted scenes (over 45 minutes worth), alternate opening, and much much more.  There is even a Family Audio track that removes any objectionable language so you can watch it with the kids.

This set is a certain must have for fans of Avatar and while the story may be a little flat and unoriginal, the movie really is a beauty to behold, especially on Blu-ray.  It's jaw dropping to see and even in 2-D, you feel like it's in 3-D.  I suspect that this will give those people leaving the theaters in tears something to hold them over until Cameron returns to Pandora in a few years.

From blue people to flying cars, it's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! A super fun adventure movie with the ever charming and funny Dick Van Dyke.  Super fun movie that is great for the whole family to watch.  It's a musical so if you aren't into that then maybe look elsewhere.

It really looks great on blu-ray.  Even films over 40 years old look brand new on this format.  It's pretty amazing.

Special features include a DVD copy of the film, a sing along track, games, featurettes and a photo and vintage advertising gallery which I found quite fascinating.  The amazing 7.1 audio is wonderful and really fills the room.

Fun for the kids, parents, grandparents, pets, pretty much anyone will be pleased to find Chitty Chitty bang Bang in their stocking.

 How's about some uncomfortable relationship stuff this holiday?  Maybe in the form of an odd relationship between a mother and her adult son?  Indie gem Cyrus might be one you will want to consider for the cinephile on your list.  Jammed with some great performances, especially from Marisa Tomei, Cyrus is a darkly funny, weird, yet charming little film.

It's not for everyone for sure.  It's quirkiness might not appeal to a wide audience but indie fans should love it.

It has such an interesting way it was shot, almost documentary style with focusing in and out and quick zooms.  Fascinating choices.  It looks great on blu-ray of course.

If I had any complaints it's that there isn't enough of Jonah Hill.   I wanted to see more of his character and learn more about why he acts the way he acts.  Really great performance from Jonah in this one.  Further solidifies his place as one of my favorite young comedic actors.

Cyrus is very much worth picking up this holiday.

 Cruise.  Diaz.  Knight and Day.  Chemistry, action, romance, globe-trotting.  It's not the wreck you've heard it was.  I think people are just trying to push Tom Cruise further and further down for some reason.  He still has it.  He's extremely charismatic on screen and Knight and Day, while not brilliant by any means is a pretty fun watch.

This is total summer popcorn fun with two leads who have great chemistry together.  Action packed, pretty funny, and awfully entertaining.

The Blu-ray of course looks incredible and the sound is exceptional.  It feels a little light on features but really not sure it needs that many.   I don't think anyone's going to be studying this movie for all the behind the scenes shooting.  Still, there are a few featurettes if you are interested.  

Knight and Day makes for a good stocking stuffer for fans of the cast or fans of fun action flicks.

Mad Max is back finally on blu-ray.  The film that kicked off the franchise, soon to be blessed with a fourth chapter Fury Road.

Truthfully, Mad Max isn't all that great.  Its sequel is far superior but I include this because any fan of Gibson or of the franchise is going to want it in their collection.  It's not terrible and is still an enjoyable watch but compared to The Road Warrior...

Weirdly, most of the special features are on the DVD leaving the blu-ray with a commentary and one featurette.  the DVD has a documentary, more featurettes, trailers, commentary, trivia, photos and TV spots.

Not sure what the reason for this is but there you have it.

Save this film for die hard Mad Max or Mel Gibson fans (are there any left?)!

 Next up are the Baz Luhrmann classics Moulin Rouge and William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet.  Two simply gorgeous movies restored under the supervision of Baz himself and it shows.  Stunning picture that takes them both to an entirely new level.

These are definite love or hate titles.  I still have trouble wrapping my head around the dialogue in R+J but visually it's simply stunning.

Moulin Rouge leads the way with features including all new featurettes, uncut footage, commentary and much much more.

R+J has fewer features but no less exciting to see with uncut footage, featurettes and commentary.

These films both prominently display a filmmaker at his best.  His ability to coax amazing performances from his cast, his eye for beauty, his skill as a storyteller, all are in full force with these two films.

They are simply stunning to watch.  I'd almost beg you to get R+J for any of those Twilight fans out there so they can see how a REAL love story unfolds.  None of this werewolf/vampire/pasty girl nonsense.

Next up is the reboot/sequel Predators.  This one's for the dads.  Action packed and welcome addition to the franchise.  It's not perfect and there is at least one inexplicably awful moment but it's still an enjoyable ride.

The blu-ray has a few features worth noting mainly the motion comics.  We also get commentary, featurettes, and deleted scenes.

I must admit I was pretty skeptical when I heard the cast of this included Adrien Brody and Topher Grace, nothing against them, but they didn't seem to fit in this universe all that much.

I was wrong though.  They both turn in great performances and when we learn what exactly is going on it makes all the more sense.  It has a really interesting plot twist to it. 

Predators isn't the best of the franchise but it goes a long way towards making up for the travesties the AvP movies are.  Grab this for the action fans on your list.


Next up, it's the seminal classic The Sound of Music.  If Predators was for Dad, than I guess you can say this one is for Mom but really everyone should enjoy it at least once. 

The blu-ray set is a 45th Anniversary set that is LOADED with special features including a high definition remastered picture and an incredible 7.1 DTS-HD soundtrack.  That alone makes this worth the price of admission.  Full of great songs, wonderful performances, and beautiful shots, The Sound of Music is a masterpiece to behold on blu-ray.

Add to that dozens of special features including sing alongs, commentary, featurettes, virtual maps, screen tests, and so much more.  It's a must own for film lovers of all walks of life.

Personally, I'm collecting all of the AFI Top 100 films on blu-ray (as they come out) and I've been hoping this would be out soon.  It's out now and I'm calling it a must have.

The circle closes as the epic Family Guy Star Wars Trilogy comes to a close with It's A Trap!  It's a good thing too as it was starting to feel a little tired.  Granted, I found It's A Trap! to be funnier than Something, Something, Something Dark Side.  Even at its lowest points, Family Guy still makes me laugh.

It's A Trap! is not Family Guy at its lowest.  In fact, it has some really great laughs.

The blu-ray has numerous features including commentary, featurettes, sock puppet outtakes (you'll see) and more. 

This is a must have for Family Guy fans, Star Wars fans, and fans of laughing because you'll do plenty of it.  You might want to pick up the complete set for a pretty cheap price.  Laugh It Up Fuzzball: The Family Guy Trilogy features all three episodes on blu-ray in a little package for a (at the time of this writing) $22.99!  Not bad if you ask me.

Lastly, Vampires Suck.  The title says it all.  So why include this on a holiday list of things to buy for someone?  Well, you're bound to know someone who will like it.  Maybe you know a Twilight fan who isn't hypersensitive to everything Twilight and will actually enjoy the spoofing of it.  Maybe you know someone who hasn't lost complete hope in the spoof movie.  I don't know.

It's an option.  A crappy option but it's an option none the less okay? They can't all be winners.


The Sound of Music, Knight and Day, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Vampires Suck, Predators, Mad Max, Family Guy:  It's A Trap!, Cyrus, Moulin Rouge, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet, and Avatar are all available now.

That's all folks!

Next up, our final holiday guide:  HBO!