Knowing that many of you blew off your Christmas shopping until the last minute I decided to make a top 5 list for each genre this year so you can run to the store and wrap up your shopping or get Amazon to hustle you the goodies in time to throw them under the tree.
Family
UP
Possibly the best movie of the year this movie will work for people of any age.
The Wizard of Oz (70th Anniversary)
The classic returns with enhanced visuals and features and you can get a ridiculous collector’s set for a die hard fan.
SpongeBob SquarePants: The First 100 Episodes
You may think that this is silly since they run on repeat on TV, but how else do you keep the kids quiet in the car?
Coraline
Another solid family hit which comes in 3-D which is always a treat.
X-Men, Volume 1
I waited a long time for this show to be unleashed on DVD and I imagine young kids will enjoy it as I did as a youth, especially given the resurgence of Marvel heroes at the Box Office.
Drama
The Shield: Complete Series
This was the best show of the past decade, and one of the only examples of a show that was excellent from start to finish.
North by Northwest (50th Anniversary Edition)
Hitchcock is starting to get some DVD love, and you can share this classic with anyone who loves good film.
Castle: The Complete First Season
This is the best procedural on TV as it infuses some good humor and originality into the stale medium of police murder mysteries. Use this to pry someone away from one of the CSIs or NCIS.
No Country for Old Men (3-Disc Collector’s Edition)
A stunning and immense set for the Coen Brothers best dramatic film.
Taken
A non-stop thriller that doesn’t disappoint for a minute. Liam Neeson should never stop making action movies.
Horror/Sci-Fi
Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut
A painful double dip DVD, but worth the upgrade as it includes all the ancillary DVDs and new features in an epic set.
Star Trek (Two-Disc Edition)
A worthy reboot of the Star Trek franchise, this would be an especially good idea for those on your list with a Blu-ay player or a shiny new TV.
Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series
Right behind The Shield as the best series of the decade, you can console your Sci-Fi friend with this massive set or give an unknowing friend a terrible new addiction.
Let The Right One In
The best horror film of the year, but sadly it went unnoticed due to its subtitled foreignness. Pick it up anyway, and then raise your nose at the eventual weaker American version.
American Werewolf in London
This re-issue of a horror classic was released quietly and was likely missed by your Horror loving friend.
Comedy
The State: The Complete Series
A cult hit on MTV this comedy sketch collection sat in the vault for a long time as they worked out a new soundtrack to replace songs they no longer had the rights to, and now you can finally unleash it on your friends.
Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Remastered
This is a slam dunk for any older comedy fans, or people who appreciate fine British humor.
The Hangover
It just came out on DVD so it should be a safe bet that the person you are shopping for doesn’t have it, and really wants it.
I Love You, Man
The best of the Apatow style comedies this year, and a serviceable date night movie that guys can enjoy.
Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia: Season 4
You can also pick up the Holiday special which would be season appropriate, just don’t watch it with family where it will be wholly inappropriate.
Romance
(500) Days of Summer
If you wait until the very last minute you can grab this on December 22nd when it is released for a sure fire romance hit that they couldn’t possibly have bought for themselves.
Slumdog Millionaire
This was released early in the year but it is a powerful romance story that rocked the Awards season last year.
The Proposal
Sandra Bullock is having a wild career resurgence and you can cash in with her big romance hit of the year.
Gone with the Wind (70th Anniversary)
Another solid bet for your older romance fan and it comes with a lot of insightful featurettes they should enjoy as well.
The Nicholas Sparks Collection
If you can’t think of a single movie just unload four in their lap and hope they liked at least one of them.