2011 Holiday Gift Idea – Movies Edition

By Ken in Reviews on Sunday, December 11, 2011
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Drama and Action Movies | Superhero Movies | Animated Superhero Shows

Still having trouble finding a gift for someone? If you are, consider DVDs and Blu-ray discs. They are relatively inexpensive and they are not hard to find. Below is my list of movies I recommend as stocking stuffers. For the most part, I didn’t bother to mention obvious DVD choices (like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 [review] for the wizards in your life, or Cars 2 and Kung Fu Panda 2 [review] for the little ones). Update: here are two late additions to my list: Dolphin Tale [review] and Rise of the Planet of the Apes [review].

Drama and Action Movies

  • The Help
    As I mentioned in my review of The Help, this film is one of the best movie of the year. The story is about a writer and her attempts to write a book about the help (maids) from their point of view. The emotional drama is based on Katheryn Stockett’s novel with the same name. It’s a wonderful story with great acting.
  • Super 8
    This is another great movie. I watched it last week on DVD and it is one of those films that is much better than its trailer. Super 8 is like The Goonies, but in a sci-fi setting. The story is about a group of kids making a 8mm video. A train crashes while they are filming. After the accident, the military steps in and the kids’ sci-fi adventure begins. The movie is rated PG-13 for some intense scenes, but it’s not gory.
  • Another Earth
    I wrote a review of Another Earth recently. As I mentioned in my review, the movie isn’t really a sci-fi story. It’s a drama about a young woman and her attempt to find redemption for accidentally killing a mom and her son. The appearance of a second Earth in the film represents another chance at life for the young woman.
  • The Warrior’s Way
    I checked out this DVD from the library several months ago and I loved it. From what I remember, the visual was dazzling and engaging. It’s a martial arts film, but the movie is very different from other films in its genre. At times, the martial arts scenes were more like dancing than fighting. BTW, Warrior’s Way isn’t just about martial arts — there are a lot of other things going on in the movie too. Including a little romance.
  • Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
    I reviewed Snow Flower and the Secret Fan recently. It’s a movie based on a book written by Lisa See. Elements of the book are in the film, but the movie is actually quite different than the book. Snow Flower kinda reminded me of the Joy Luck Club, but the ending doesn’t make you want to cry.
  • Never Let Me Go
    This is another sad movie that I like. It’s based on a novel by Kazuo Ishiguro. The movie is fairly faithful to the book. It’s a story about a school of children that were cloned and raised to become organ donors. That’s their sole purpose in life. The movie is very sad, but it’s an excellent drama. Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley are both in this film.
  • Mao’s Last Dance
    This film is based on a true story and would make an excellent stocking stuffer for a fan of the arts. The story is about a poor Chinese boy who becomes a ballet dancer. While on a cultural exchange in America, he falls in love and decides to defect. The acting isn’t great, but it’s a good drama and the ballet scenes are excellent (not to imply I’m an expert or know anything about ballet).

Superhero Movies
If you know someone who is into superheroes, there are four good superhero movies that were recently released on DVD. Green Lantern [review] offers the best special effects, while X-Men: First Class [review] offers the most superheroes for your money. If the fanboy in your life likes a really good story, Thor and Captain America [review] are great choices.

Animated Superhero Shows
For the young ones into superheroes, there are a couple of animated superhero shows that would be fun stocking stuffers: Young Justice and The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. I usually prefer DC Comics over Marvel, but this time around, I actually think The Avengers is the better animated series. However, the superheroes in Young Justice are younger than the ones in The Avengers, and that might make Young Justice a little more appealing to younger fanboys.

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