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Dec 11, 2015 By Mark Redfern

Christmas, Hanukkah, and Festivus (for the rest of us) are all on the way. Whichever holiday you celebrate, chances are you’ll have an occasion to give some gifts in the coming weeks and we’re here to help you make some smart purchases. We’ve already posted our 2015 Holiday Gift Guide in five parts. Now below we’ve collected some of our favorites from each guide into one handy post. This gift guide includes technology, collectibles and games, music box sets and reissues, DVDs and Blu-rays, graphic novels and books, and apparel.

But be sure to read our full guides for graphic novels and books, DVDs and Blu-rays, music reissues and box sets, technology and apparel, and collectibles.

One of the best gifts of all, in our humble opinion, is a subscription to our lovely print indie rock magazine. A two-year subscription even gets you a free CD. Info on how to subscribe is here. But beyond that, here are our other 2015 gift ideas for lovers of music, film, TV, and comic books.

Technology:

Third Man Records Kids Mini Record Player and Various Artists: This Record Belongs To __________ Vinyl Compilation (Light in the Attic)

SRP: $89.95 (Record Player + LP), $17.00 (LP Alone)

Vinyl has been making a big comeback in the last few years and now it’s time for kids to get in on it. Back in the ‘60s, ‘70s, and early ‘80s kids and teenagers would have portable turntables and they’d play 7-inches with read along storybooks, along with spinning the latest hits. Then boom boxes and Walkmans took over in the ‘80s, followed by Discmans, iPods, and now phones. But Jack White’s Third Man Records are here to help get the young ones back into vinyl with their delightful kids mini record player. It’s a yellow portable 3-speed stereo player with good built in speakers that folds up into a nice leatherette carrying case. But this isn’t your daddy’s record player, it comes with a USB port and software for converting vinyl content to the MP3 format and also has an auxiliary input jack for connecting iPods and other MP3 players. And while the built-in speakers are quite good, there are also RCA line-out jacks to connect it to higher end external speakers. You can plug it in via the power cord or it can be powered by batteries. Third Man has also teamed up with Light in the Attic, who are known for their fantastic reissues, for the vinyl compilation This Record Belongs To __________, which comes with the record player or can be bought separately (and is also available on CD and digitally). It’s a great kids music collection that includes songs by Harry Nilsson, Nina Simone, Shel Silverstein, Van Dyke Parks, Woody Guthrie, Carol King, Jerry Garcia, The Pointer Sisters, Vashti Bunyan, Roger Miller, Bobby Bare, Ella Jenkins, Miss Abrams & The Strawberry Point 4th Grade Class, and, of course, Kermit the Frog. The record comes with an original storybook illustrated by Jess Rotter and is recommended for “ages 0 to infinity.” Personally, I’ll be giving the record player and compilation to my soon-to-be-three-year-old daughter. Start ‘em young! By Mark Redfern (Buy the record player plus This Record Belongs To __________ on vinyl here. Buy This Record Belongs To __________ LP only here.)

JBL Everest ELITE 700 Noise-Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones

SRP: $299.95

The JBL Everest flagship model, the ELITE 700, is the top of the line in noise-cancelling Bluetooth headphones. The beauty of these wireless headphones is the NXTGen Active Noise Cancelling Technology which allows you the ability to balance the outside ambient sound and music, giving you the power to control your experience. The comfortable around the ear design and built-in microphone makes these headphones perfect for work and play. And don’t worry, you won’t have to plug in too often, as the JBL Everest ELITE 700 also includes a 15-hour rechargeable battery. By Wendy Lynch Redfern (Buy it here.)

JBL Flip 3 Speaker

SRP: $99.95

This surprisingly compact, powerful, and weatherproof portable Bluetooth speaker is perfect for anyone on the go who is ready to enjoy their favorite tunes just about anywhere. This gem offers 10 hours of continuous high-quality stereo audio as well as a built-in noise and echo cancelling speakerphone for when you need to conference call on the run. Available in eight vibrant colors, and able to connect with other JBL speakers to amplify as much as you like, this would be the perfect gift for the active music lover. By Wendy Lynch Redfern (Buy it here.)

Collectibles and Games:

Star Wars Commander Luke Skywalker - Hoth Sixth Scale Figure (Sideshow Collectibles)

SRP: $199.99

When I was a young child, pre the Star Wars prequels, I had some of the original Star Wars action figures, including a Luke Skywalker in his Hoth snow garb from Empire Strikes Back. But I doubt the six-year-old me could comprehend a future in which not only are some of those original action figures worth a lot of money if you still have them in the original packaging, but where there’s also such cool and richly detailed Star Wars toys as this Luke Skywalker Hoth collectible by the good folks over at Sideshow Collectibles. This is a beautiful sixth scale figure, meaning Luke is about a foot tall. He comes in hand-tailored insulated cold-weather fatigues clothing. Included also is an extra head with a hat and goggles, binoculars, a light saber, a blaster, various switch out hands, and more. If time travel was possible you could make your childhood self very jealous by buying one of these. Oh wait, it’s a gift guide, and you’re meant to buy this for someone else. You can do that too. (Buy it here.)

Star Wars R2-D2 Deluxe Sixth Scale Figure (Sideshow Collectibles)

SRP: $149.99

Star Wars fever is at a peak this year thanks to Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Hoping to wash away the bad aftertaste left by George Lucas’ poorly received Star Wars prequels, director J.J. Abrams is taking us back to that far, far away galaxy. A sequel to 1983’s Return of the Jedi, the movie is set around 30 years later and brings back all the major cast from the original trilogy (including Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill). Also back is Kenny Baker as everyone’s favorite beeping droid, R2-D2. A nice gift for a big Star Wars fan, the kind who bought their Force Awakens tickets months early, as soon as they went on sale, for the earliest showing possible, would be Side Show Collectibles’ deluxe R2-D2 figure. The sixth scale figure is one of the more intricate we’ve seen. Not only does it light up with sequencing lights, it has lots of cool features, including “a hidden Skywalker lightsaber hilt with a magnetic tip that allows access to a range of his internal gadgetry, including periscope, life-scanner, and multiple articulated arms for performing various intergalactic duties.” It also comes with Ben Kenobi’s table, a little figure representing Princess Leia’s secret holographic transmission, and the beverage tray that R2-D2 used while undercover on Jabba the Hut’s sail barge in Return of the Jedi. Despite Obi-Wan Kenobi’s best mind wiping efforts, this is the one droid you are looking for. (Buy it here.)

Superman (Christopher Reeve) - 1/4 Scale Action Figure (NECA)

SRP: $104.99

For the last couple of years Superman fans have debated the merits of 2013’s Man of Steel and Henry Cavill’s performance as the hero. And before that 2006’s Superman Returns and Brandon Routh’s take on the title role was under scrutiny. But few will argue that Christopher Reeve wasn’t perfect in the dual roles of Superman and Clark Kent. To those who grew up in the ‘70s and ‘80s he is the definitive Superman, bringing real strength and humanity to the super-powered alien from the planet Krypton. NECA have put together this very lifelike 1/4 scale action figure of Reeve as Superman. The figure is 18 inches tall and features the authorized likeness of Reeve (they worked closely with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and Warner Bros. when designing the figure). It features a tailored soft fabric cape and comes with interchangeable hands. The last decade was both tragic and inspiring, as he became a true life hero after becoming a quadriplegic following a horse accident and then lobbied on behalf of people with spinal cord injuries and for stem cell research. This handsome figure is a fitting tribute to the man who was a hero both on and off the screen. (Buy it here.)

DC Comics Bombshells Holiday Wonder Woman Statue (DC)

SRP: $99.99

DC Direct has had a great series of statues the last few years called Bombshells, which re-imagines some of their female heroes in new 1940s costumes. They have proven popular enough that there’s a recently launched Bombshells comic book series that features the heroines in World War II. Now DC has released a holiday themed version of their Wonder Woman Bombshells statue. Sculpted by Tim Miller from artwork by Ant Luca, this hand-sculpted cold-cast porcelain statue alters the colors of her costume to be a more Christmas-y red and green, instead of red and blue. Whereas in the original statue she was holding broken chains in her hands, here she holds vintage Christmas lights. It’s not so Christmas-y that it can’t also be enjoyed year-round, but it’d make a great centerpiece at a geek-themed Christmas dinner. And while you’re at, you might want to throw in to the package for your giftee a copy of Bombshells #1. Also available is a DC Comics Bombshells Holiday Harley Quinn statue, where she is dressed like a Santa’s elf. (Buy it here.)

The X-Files Board Game (IDW) and The X-Files: Season 11 #1 Comic Book (IDW)

SRP: $59.99 (board game), $3.99 (comic book)

The X-Files legacy may have been slightly sullied by a less-than-great final couple of seasons and a disappointing series finale, as well as 2008’s poorly received second movie, The X-Files: I Want to Believe. But FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully are coming back in a big way in January in a six-episode event TV series on FOX. Any X-Files fanatic may appreciate IDW’s X-Files board game. It’s labeled as “a board game of paranormal investigation and cover-up.” The board is map of the United States and you must travel across the country gathering enough evidence to stop the nefarious Cigarette Smoking Man. It’d be perfect to pull out at a geek-friendly holiday party to get everyone pumped for the new X-Files episodes. In the long gap since the last X-Files movie Mulder and Scully have been kept alive in comic book form, most recently by IDW. The original X-Files lasted nine seasons and IDW picked things up with a series of comic books set during a potential season 10 and now they are onto season 11. If you’re giving someone the board game then why not throw in a copy of the first issue of season 11, which features Mulder, Scully, and the Lone Gunmen. The truth is still out there! (Buy the board game here. Buy the comic book here.)

Music Box Sets and Reissues:

Air: The Virgin Suicides - 15th Anniversary Box Set (Parlophone/Aircheology/Rhino)

SRP: $96.29

Air skillfully sidestepped the sophomore slump when they followed up their acclaimed debut album, 1998’s Moon Safari, with the score to Sofia Coppola’s debut feature film, 1999’s The Virgin Suicides. The mainly instrumental score (bar the single “Playground Love,” which featured vocals from Phoenix’s Thomas Mars under the pseudonym Gordon Tracks) was released in early 2000 and now we have this 15th anniversary limited edition box set. Contained in its beautiful packaging are three vinyl records, two CDs, two posters, and a VIP pass replica from a Los Angeles Air after show party in 2000. The original soundtrack is presented on 180g red vinyl and on CD. Then there’s a live album on both a picture disc vinyl and a CD, both include a KCRW radio session and a live concert from Los Angeles. Finally the Playground Love EP is also included on red 180g vinyl. Any fan of Air and/or The Virgin Suicides is going to love this. (Buy it here.)

David Bowie: Five Years 1969-1973 (Parlophone/Rhino)

SRP: $119.99

These days it sometimes takes four or five years for a band to release a new album, and usually at least two years (unless you’re Ty Segall, that guy seems to release at least three albums a year if you count his various side projects). But back in the 1960s and ‘70s artists would release new albums much more regularly. This new David Bowie box set collects the albums he put out in between 1969 and 1973 and it’s astounding to see what he accomplished in those five years. It includes six albums, many of them classics (David Bowie, The Man Who Sold the World, Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, Aladdin Sane, and Pinups), as well as two live albums, the 2003 mix of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, and RE:CALL 1, a two-CD collection of rarities and alternate mixes. What’s even more amazing is that a lot of Bowie’s best work, such as Low, was yet to come and he’s still going strong, with a new album due out next month. (Buy it here.)

Miles Davis: Miles Davis at Newport 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4 (Columbia/Legacy)

SRP: $30.50

The back cover of this new four CD live collection is a photo of Miles Davis taken by my late father David Redfern (a well known music photographer) at the 1969 Newport Jazz Festival in Newport, RI. Listening to Davis’ set that day, which is included in this collection, I envisioned my dad there, taking pictures from the photo pit and also listening along. This collection includes eight sets recorded at various Newport festivals, including the original Rhode Island ones in 1955, 1958, 1966, 1967, and 1969, as well as Newport festivals in Berlin (1973), New York (1975), and Switzerland (1971). My dad would’ve loved it. (Buy it here.)

The Flaming Lips: Heady Nuggs: 20 Years After Clouds Taste Metallic - 1994-1997 (Warner Bros.)

SRP: $24.99

The Flaming Lips had been at it for awhile before their true critical breakthrough with 1999’s The Soft Bulletin and their commercial breakthrough and ascension to music festival mainstays with 2002’s Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. This new reissue celebrates the 20th anniversary of 1995’s Clouds Taste Metallic and also includes demos, live performances, and other rarities. Divisive recent Flaming Lips collaborator Miley Cyrus is thankfully nowhere to be found, as she was only two when Clouds Taste Metallic was released! (Buy it here.)

Garbage: Garbage: 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (ALMO/UME)

SRP: $16.99

Garbage arrived fully formed with their near-perfect self-titled debut album in 1995, which probably still remains their finest achievement. Founding member Butch Vig was already an established producer (he did Nirvana’s Nevermind and The Smashing Pumpkins’ Gish, for starters), which probably helped Garbage to have such a strong sound from the get-go, that and having a frontwoman as charismatic as Shirley Manson It’s hard to believe the album is 20 years old, as Garbage still sounds fairly modern. In honor of this anniversary the band (which also featured Duke Erikson and Steve Marker) has gone back out on tour, playing the record in its entirety, and have reissued the album in different formats with a slew of bonus tracks. The deluxe edition includes nine B-sides (or “G-sides” as they are calling them). There are also LP versions and a digital version that includes 29 remixes and 12 alternate versions. But the original album itself is strong enough on its own, considering the songs it features (many of them alternative rock hits): “Supervixen,” “Queer,” “Only Happy When It Rains,” “Not My Idea,” “Vow,” “Stupid Girl,” and “Milk,” to list out just half the album. (Read our recent interview with Shirley Manson on the reissue.) (Buy it here.)

Lush: Chorus (4AD)

SRP: $49.98

Following the return of Slowdive, Ride, My Bloody Valentine, and Swervedriver (who have all reformed in recent years), Lush were the last of the originators and main icons of the shoegazing genre to announce their reunion, which they did this fall. Lush released three albums in the ‘90s, but split up after the 1996 suicide of drummer Chris Acland. Their final show was in Tokyo, Japan in September 2006. Lush’s three surviving members, guitarist Emma Anderson, singer/guitarist Miki Berenyi, and bassist Philip King, will be performing their first shows in almost 20 years in 2016 and are releasing a brand new EP next spring (with a new album in the works too). In the meantime there’s Chorus, the band’s career-spanning box set. It includes all three of their full-length albums (1992’s Spooky, 1994’s Split, and 1996’s Lovelife), their 1990 early singles compilation Gala, and their 1996 B-sides compilation Topolino (the Canadian version). Chorus also includes B-sides, radio sessions, remixes and demos, some previously unreleased. Chris Bigg did the artwork for the box set. He, along with 4AD design chief Vaughan Oliver, was responsible for designing Lush’s original album covers. Lush’s reunion was one of the less likely ones to happen, considering the tragic circumstances of their breakup and that Anderson and Berenyi have repeatedly cited the challenges of reforming in interviews, so it’s a nice surprise to have them back and this box set is a treat for fans new and old. (Read our two recent interviews with Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson on Split and Lovelife.) (Buy it here.)

Manic Street Preachers: The Holy Bible (20th Anniversary Edition) (Legacy)

SRP: $64.89

The Holy Bible was Manic Street Preachers’ third album, released in 1994, and is considered their masterpiece. It is also their last album to feature lyricist and rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards, who disappeared on February 1, 1995 in one of the great rock ‘n’ roll mysterious yet to be solved. While presumed dead, no one really knows what happened to Edwards and there were unconfirmed reports of sightings of him after his disappearance, including one in India. Manic Street Preachers soldiered on without him, releasing several albums, including 2009’s Journal for Plague Lovers, which featured unused lyrics by Edwards for every song, and 2014’s excellent Futurology. This 20th anniversary edition of The Holy Bible was released in the U.K. in 2014 and the U.S. early this year (in conjunction with a U.S. tour where they performed the album in full). The ultra deluxe edition includes the original album on 180g vinyl as well as CD (in both the original mix and the U.S. mix), plus an extra CD of B-Sides (including a cover of Suede’s “The Drowners”) and a live disc featuring a concert from 1994 and a BBC radio session from 2014. With this handsome box set Edwards’ legacy, wherever he may be, remains intact. (Read our recent interview with bassist Nicky Wire on The Holy Bible.) (Buy it here.)

Ride: Nowhere25 (Ride Music)

SRP: $69.12

Nowhere, the 1990 debut album by Oxford, England quartet Ride, is one of the true classics of the shoegazing genre and includes “Dreams Burn Down” and “Vapour Trail” (probably the band’s best known song). This new 25th anniversary reissue includes the Fall and Today Forever EPs and a DVD featuring a recording of a 1991 concert at London’s Town & Country Club. (Read our recent Track-By-Track interview with Ride’s Mark Gardener on Nowhere.) (Buy it here.)

Alan Silvestri: Back to the Future: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Back to the Future Part II: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, and Back to the Future Part III: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Mondo) and Back to the Future #1 (IDW)

SRP: $35.00 (each vinyl reissue) and $3.99 (comic book)

2015 was the year Marty Mcfly and Doc Brown came to the future in Back to the Future Part II and it also marks the 30th anniversary of the all-time classic first Back to the Future film. In honor of all this, the fine folks at Mondo are re-releasing the scores to all three films on 180g colored vinyl. Each features the complete original scores by composer Alan Silvestri on vinyl for the first time ever along with beautiful new album artwork by Matt Taylor. The reissues for Part II and Part III each also include 20 minutes of previously unreleased cues. All three are also available in a $105 box set. These reissues won’t ship until early 2016, so in the meantime you can buy for your giftee a copy of issue one of IDW’s new Back to the Future comic book. Partially written by Back to the Future co-creator and scriptwriter Bob Gale, the new IDW series isn’t so much a sequel to the Back to the Future trilogy, but fills in the narrative nooks and crannies of the series, telling side stories and back stories (“untold tales and alternate timelines” as IDW describes it). Issue 1 tells for the first time how Marty and Doc Brown initially met and also shows how Doc got involved in the Manhattan Project. (Buy the vinyl reissues here. Buy the comic book here.)

Sly & The Family Stone: Sly & The Family Stone - Live at the Fillmore East October 4th & 5th 1968 (Epic/Legacy)

SRP: $36.75

Sly Stone’s live performances may have been incredibly erratic at best in recent years (I almost witnessed a particularly embarrassing performance at Coachella 2010, if you could call it much of a performance from all reports, except that he went on several hours late and I gave up). But the original Sly & The Family Stone lineup in the 1960s was a force to be reckoned with, as evidenced in this new live collection. Live at the Fillmore East October 4th & 5th 1968 is a four-disc set that includes four previously unreleased 1968 shows from the New York venue. It includes two shows each from October 4 and 5, 1968, an early and late show from each day, which was a month after releasing their third album, Life. The band is on fire as they run through early singles such as “M’Lady,” “Life,” and of course “Dance to the Music.” (Buy it here.)

Graphic Novels and Books:

Alternative Movie Posters II: More Film Art From the Underground (Schiffer)

RRP: $27.95

“Stunning artwork not coming to a theater near you,” reads the back of this book. Author Matthew Chojnacki has collected 200 movie posters from 100 artists based in 20 countries. These are not the original official posters but rather are new modern artworks that pay homage to the original films. Movies range from the classic (2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, The Godfather, Night of the Living Dead) to the more current (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Her, Django Unchained, World War Z). Each double page spread features two posters from one artist and an interview with the artist about the posters and his or her inspirations. One restyles the original Star Wars poster to feature the Guardians of the Galaxy. A High Fidelity poster consists solely of the spines of vinyl record sleeves on a shelf. An ad for Stay Puft Marshmallows doubles as a Ghostbusters poster. The Incredibles and The Matrix become the covers of cheap and worn 10-cent paperback novels. This supremely cool coffee table book will appeal to any film fanatic. (Buy it here.) By Mark Redfern

Batgirl Volume 1: Batgirl of Burnside (DC)

RRP: $24.99

It could have gone so wrong. Trying to update a classic female superhero for the social media age, turning her into a hipster of sorts (Batgirl, aka Barbara Gordon, moves to Burnside, the Brooklyn of Gotham City, for example), should have been a recipe for disaster, a soon to be dated comic book. But somehow writers Cameron Stewart and Brenden Fletcher and artist Babs Tarr pulled it off, turning Batgirl into a surprisingly relevant character and her comic series into one of the best superhero books of the year. (Buy it here.) By Mark Redfern

Hip Hop Family Tree Book 3: 1983-1984 (Fantagraphics)

RRP: $27.99

Ed Piskor’s graphic novel history of hip-hop continues. This volume tackles 1983 and 1984 and focuses on Run DMC, Whodini, The Fat Boys, LL Cool J, and Beastie Boys. It also chronicles the formation of Def Jam Records by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons. It’s a valuable music history lesson that’s also cool as hell to look at. (Buy it here.) By Mark Redfern

The iZombie Omnibus (Vertigo/DC)

RRP: $75.00

Fans of the well-received CW TV show iZombie might be taken aback when diving into the source material. Whereas AMC’s The Walking Dead pulls many characters and plot points from the original comic books, The CW’s show deviates significantly from its origins. In the show Rose McIver brilliantly plays Liv Moore, a zombie who works in the Seattle medical examiners office and feeds on already deceased human brains to help her maintain her humanity. She gets visions of the murder victims whose brains she eats and helps the police to solve their murders. In the original comic, created by artist/writer Michael Allred and writer Chris Roberson, the main character was named Gwen Dylan and she was a zombie in Eugene, Oregon who works as a grave digger and eats brains and gets visions (but doesn’t help the police). The comic book is much crazier than the show; Gwen’s best friends are a mod ghost who died in the 1960s named Ellie and a were-

Peanuts Every Sunday: The 1950s Gift Box Set, Snoopy vs. The Red Baron, and Charlie Brown’s Christmas Stocking (Fantagraphics)

RRP: $79.99, $24.99, $9.99

Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the other Peanuts characters came back in a big way this year, with this fall’s critically well-received hit, The Peanuts Movie. Fans young and old might get a kick out of checking out Fantagraphics’ three recent Peanuts books. Peanuts Every Sunday: The 1950s Gift Box Set collects all the Peanuts Sunday newspaper strips from 1952 to 1960 in glorious color (often they’ve been reprinted in black & white). Snoopy vs. The Red Baron collects all the original newspaper strips (both the daily and Sunday ones) that chronicle Snoopy’s dog house plane battles with the infamous World War I German flying ace The Red Baron. Finally there’s Charlie Brown’s Christmas Stocking, which collects two Christmas stories Peanuts creator Charles Schulz wrote and drew for national magazines. “Charlie Brown’s Christmas” was created in 1963 for Good Housekeeping and features the entire Peanuts gang. “This Christmas Story” was produced for Woman’s Day in 1968 and features Lucy and Linus explaining the meaning of the holiday to Snoopy. Good grief, all three combined equals a whole lot of Peanuts fun! (Buy it here.) By Mark Redfern

DVDs and Blu-rays:

American Ultra Blu-ray/DVD (Lionsgate)

SRP: $29.99

American Ultra was a big flop when it came out this summer and got mixed reviews (although it had its supporters, Village Voice gave it a 10/10). Audiences missed a fun stoner action comedy. Jesse Eisenberg stars as Mike Howell, a pothead who works in a small town convenience store. Kristen Stewart is his girlfriend Phoebe Larson. Unbeknownst to Mike, he’s an experimental C.I.A. sleeper agent, programmed to kill but also programmed to forget that he’s been programmed to kill. When elements in the government decide to kill him he gets “activated” and Tarantino-esque levels of violence and humor ensue. But at its heart the movie is a touching and credible love story between Mike and Phoebe, which builds off the duo’s strong chemistry (forged in their 2009 collaboration Adventureland). (Buy it here.) By Mark Redfern

The Apu Trilogy Blu-ray Box Set (Criterion)

SRP: $99.95

Satyajit Ray’s universally recognized milestone, miraculously rescued from a fire, has been restored and is available thanks to Criterion. Ray instills a soft, vulnerable humanity in his characters throughout this film, exhibiting what an essential filmmaker he was. (Buy it here.) By John Everhart

Back to the Future 30th Anniversary Trilogy Blu-ray/DVD (Universal)

SRP: $49.98

2015 featured two important dates for fans of the Back to the Future trilogy. July 3 marked the exact 30th anniversary of the release for the first film and October 21, 2015 was the exact date that Marty McFly and Doc Brown (along with Jennifer Parker and the dog Einstein) traveled to the future in 1989’s Back to the Future Part II. The latter date led to a slew of news stories and retrospective articles. In honor of all this Universal has re-released the trilogy on Blu-ray and DVD, which includes a brand new bonus disc featuring a new short starring Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown. Also available is Back to the Future: The Complete Adventures, which comes in light up Flux Capacitor packaging and also includes all 26 episodes of the animated series from the early ‘90s. Read our recent interviews with Back to the Future stars Lea Thompson and Claudia Wells and co-creator/co-writer/co-producer Bob Gale. (Buy it here.) By Mark Redfern

DC Comics Collection: 6 Graphic Novels, 6 Animated Movies Blu-ray/DVD/Graphic Novels (DC/Warner Bros.)

SRP: $145.99

Marvel may have gotten a head start launching a shared cinematic universe, but DC has them beat when it comes to great direct-to-DVD animated movies and each year have been releasing several such well-received PG-13 movies based on famous DC graphic novels. This new box set collects some of those movies along with the original comic book/graphic novel that inspired it. Each hardcover book includes the movie on both DVD and Blu-ray. Included is Frank Miller’s iconic and influential Batman: Year One (from 1986) and the movie adaptation of the same name and 1992’s The Death of Superman (touted as the “best selling graphic novel of all time”) and its adaptation Superman: Doomsday. Also included are Batman Black and White Volume 1 + the Batman: Gotham Knight movie, JLA: Earth 2 + the Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths movie, Justice League: Origin + the Justice League: War movie, and Wonder Woman: Gods and Mortals + the Wonder Woman movie (which featured Keri Russell as the voice of Wonder Woman). This is a fantastic collection for any DC fan that doesn’t already own most of these graphic novels and movies. (Buy it here.) By Mark Redfern

Doctor Who: The Christmas Specials Gift Set Blu-ray/DVD (BBC)

SRP: $42.98

What better way to get into the Christmas spirit than to watch The Doctor stop an alien invasion and fight monstrous snowmen? This new set collects all 10 Doctor Who Christmas specials thus far, from David Tennant’s very first full episode as the Tenth Doctor in 2005’s The Christmas Invasion to Peter Capaldi’s first Christmas special as the Twelfth Doctor in 2014’s Last Christmas. It also comes with a cool Twelfth Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver replica that lights up and makes sounds, even though lately The Doctor has been using Sonic Sunglasses. (Buy it here.) By Mark Redfern

The End of the Tour Blu-ray/DVD (Lionsgate)

SRP: $24.99

This biopic chronicles journalist David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) as he interviews a pre-fame David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel) during a book tour supporting Infinite Jest. A nicely nuanced character sketch of a brilliant author who tragically took his own life in 2008. (Buy it here.) By John Everhart

Ex Machina Blu-ray/DVD (Lionsgate)

SRP: $24.99 (Blu-ray) and $19.98 (DVD)

Surely one of the best science fiction films of recent years, Ex Machina features a star-making performance by Alicia Vikander as the seductive android Ava, as well as strong turns by Oscar Isaac as her reclusive inventor/famous CEO and Domhnall Gleeson as the programmer (Caleb Smith) brought in to test Ava. The directorial debut from Alex Garland (the writer of 28 Days Later, Sunshine, and Dredd) is a brilliant mind-bender. Read our recent interviews with Gleeson and Vikander on the film. (Buy it here.) By Mark Redfern

Hannibal Season Three Blu-ray/DVD (Lionsgate)

SRP: $24.99

Hannibal was unfortunately cancelled this year, but it’s a miracle it lasted three seasons on a channel like NBC. The show was incredibly disturbing and violent for a network TV show, but also beautiful to look at. Some of the imagery was so twisted, but also so masterfully lit and filmed that you couldn’t avert your eyes. It was also one of the most psychologically complex shows of recent memory. Inside all of that was a chilling performance by Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen as the serial killer and psychiatrist Hannibal “the Cannibal” Lecter, whose performance almost matches Anthony Hopkins’ iconic turn in the role in Silence of the Lambs. Hugh Dancy’s haunting portrayal of FBI special investigator Will Graham also garnered praise. Show creator Bryan Fuller has cited David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick as influences on Hannibal and it shows in some of the surreal imagery. The third and final season found Lecter on the run in Europe following his outing as a serial killer at the end of season two. With Lecter is his psychotherapist/lover Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier (Gillian Anderson) and they are pursued by Graham and FBI agent Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburn). The second half of the season also pulled from Red Dragon, Thomas Harris’ first novel to feature Lecter and Graham (and already adapted into two movies, Manhunter and Red Dragon). Fuller had plans for three more seasons, including intentions of bringing in elements of the Silence of the Lambs storyline and introducing the character of Clarice Starling (played by Jodi Foster in the movie, with Fuller eying Ellen Page for the role), so it’s unfortunate it got cancelled before any of that could happen. There has still been talk of Hannibal being resurrected as a movie or a miniseries on another network (Fuller, Mikkelsen, and Dancy are all interested in continuing the story), but until then there’s this masterful third season. (Buy it here.) By Mark Redfern

Ikiru Blu-ray (Criterion)

SRP: $39.95

Perhaps Akira Kurosawa’s most compassionate film, Ikiru is a necessity for anyone who appreciates the director, one of the finest of the 20th Century. (Buy it here.) By John Everhart

Jurassic World Blu-ray 3D/Blur-ray/DVD (Universal)

SRP: $34.98

Jurassic World was the biggest movie of the last year (although Star Wars: The Force Awakens hasn’t come out yet), but it was also a lot of fun, as long as you didn’t take it too seriously. Director Colin Trevorrow had only directed one feature length movie before (the well-received quirky indie time travel comedy Safety Not Guaranteed), so he could have easily been over his head, but he pulled off an enjoyable popcorn movie with enough references to the original Jurassic Park to keep old school fans happy. A typically charismatic lead performance by deserving new superstar Chris Pratt helped. (Buy it here.) By Mark Redfern

The Leftovers: The Complete First Season Blu-ray/DVD (Warner Bros.)

SRP: $44.96

Damon Lindelof, co-creator of HBO’s The Leftovers with Tom Perrotta (whose book the show is based on), learned some lessons from years producing Lost, whose series finale left too many unanswered questions and disappointed fans. Lindelof has warned from the outset that he has no plans to answer The Leftovers’ central mystery, why 2% of the world’s population disappeared at the same time in the Rapture-like “Sudden Departure” event. Much how The Walking Dead will likely never reveal exactly how and why the zombie virus started, The Leftovers is more concerned with the aftermath, in particular how a small town deals with a divisive cult named The Guilty Remnant. Season two has completely flipped the script, moving the show’s setting to another town, but has received even more acclaim than season one. For the uninitiated, now’s as good a time as any to get on board one of the most provocative and complex shows currently airing. (Buy it here.) By Mark Redfern

Love & Mercy Blu-ray/DVD (Lionsgate)

SRP: $24.99 (Blu-ray and $19.98 (DVD)

Paul Dano and John Cusack both shined as Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson at different points in their life (in the 1960s and 1980s) in this critically acclaimed biopic. Bill Pohlad directs a cast that also includes Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti. Even Wilson, who had little to do with the film, liked it, calling it “very factual” and praising Dano’s performance. (Buy it here.) By Mark Redfern

Mr. Holmes Blu-ray/DVD (Lionsgate)

SRP: $24.98 (Blu-ray + Digital) and $19.98 (DVD + Digital)

There have been a lot of Sherlock Holmes adaptations in the last few years. On the small screen Benedict Cumberbatch has been drawing raves in BBC’s modern London-set Sherlock while Jonny Lee Miller has been doing his Englishman in New York bit on CBS’ Elementary. Whereas on the big screen Robert Downey, Jr. has been a Victorian London set detective in two Sherlock Holmes movies. But Mr. Holmes is unlike any of these. Bill Condon directed the critically well-received film, which was based on Mitch Cullin’s 2005 novel A Slight Trick of the Mind. Sir Ian McKellen stars as a 93-year-old Holmes, a retired great detective who tries to remember the details of his final case while his mind deteriorates. It looks like there was room for one more interpretation of Holmes after all. (Buy it here.) By Mark Redfern

Mulholland Drive Blu-ray (Criterion)

SRP: $39.95

David Lynch’s byzantine, miasmatic masterpiece is at last available on a gorgeous Criterion Blu-ray transfer. Worth seeing if only for the mellifluous Spanish sung rendition of Roy Orbison’s Crying during the film’s crucial moment. (Buy it here.) By John Everhart

Shaun the Sheep Movie Blu-ray/DVD (Lionsgate)

SRP: $34.99 (Blu-ray) and $29.95 (DVD)

Shaun the Sheep Movie may seem to be a film tailored for small children and in some respects it is (my two-and-a-half-year-old saw it in the theater twice and loved it), but it also won over most of the major adult film critics to become one of most critically acclaimed wide release movies of the year. The titular sheep first appeared in the 1995 Wallace and Gromit short film A Close Shave before the Shaun the Sheep TV series was launched in 2007. The movie features all the same characters from the show in a stop-motion animation adventure as Shaun and his flock venture to the big city to help save their farmer who has amnesia. The film, like the TV show, features no dialogue (the characters speak only in grunts and the like), and the whole things plays like a delightful and very funny silent film, one that will appeal to everyone from toddlers to senior citizens. (Buy it here.) By Mark Redfern

Thunderbirds: The Complete Series Blu-ray/DVD (Shout! Factory)

SRP: $69.97

This classic Gerry Anderson-directed puppets and models sci-fi series from the 1960s is given a deluxe treatment thanks to Shout! Factory. The news of Jarvis Cocker helming a concert celebrating the series should serve to whet fans’ appetites. (Buy it here.) By John Everhart

Apparel:

Mondo Slasher Sweaters

SRP: $85.00 (sweaters), $75.00 (cardigan), $40.00 (scarves)

The good folks over at Mondo continue their tradition of movie-inspired holiday sweaters. Last year there were the great Fargo and Gremlins Christmas sweaters. This year they’ve got a range of Slasher Sweaters, which are inspired by classic horror films from the ‘70s and ‘80s. There’s a Halloween sweater that features the face of Michael Myers on it and is a bit more suited to, well, Halloween of course (there’s also a matching scarf). Then Friday the 13th gets a look in with a sweater that features Jason Voorhees’ iconic hockey mask with a bloody knife sticking out of the right eye, which is over top of a “Welcome to Camp Crystal Lake” sign. As it features pine trees it’s a bit more Christmas-y than the Halloween one. There’s also an 8-bit glow-in-the-dark variant of the Friday the 13th sweater and a matching scarf. The subtlest of sweaters is the A Nightmare on Elm Street one, which is simply a replica of the sweater Freddy Krueger wears in the films. Since the sweater is red and green striped it’s also the most Christmas-y of the series and it comes in two versions, one with striped arms and one with no stripes on the arms. Our favorite might be the A Nightmare on Elm Street cardigan variant. All the sweaters and the cardigan are designed by Middle of Beyond, are 100% acrylic heavy knit (in other words, they are warm), and run from sizes XS through to 3XL. Any one of them will help you have a killer Christmas! By Mark Redfern (Buy it here.)

R.E.M. Throwback Tees

SRP: $25.00

Missed out on the Pageantry Tour in 1986? Well, you can likely view a show on YouTube, and when you do, you can pick up one of these cool throwback tees, spanning not just Lifes Rich Pageant, but R.E.M.‘s entire fabled career. The “Monkey on a Bicycle” has long been an Ebay favorite, and you can get it now at a reasonable price, in impeccable condition. (Buy it here.)