Haven’t yet finished your Christmas shopping? Haven’t started? Or just looking to treat yourself to something sweet before the end of the year?
Disc Dish recommends the present everyone loves to get: movies and TV shows on DVD and Blu-ray, of course.
And to help you get your shopping done quickly, we’ve compiled our best reviewed DVD and Blu-ray releases of the past few months:
Thrillers
The Disappearance of Alice Creed — Two kidnappers, one victim and a bleak apartment keep the tension high in this film.
Salt — Angelina Jolie’s turn as a badass Russian spy/CIA agent turned into a thrilling Blu-ray with three versions of the movie.
Classics
True Grit — A new version of True Grit is hitting theaters, but the original John Wayne western just debuted in high-definition Blu-ray and it looks great.
Nanny McPhee Returns — Emma Thompson’s magical nanny is back with another delightful story.
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice — It has magic, laughs, action and a great homage to the classic Mickey Mouse cartoon.
Independent Films
Handsome Harry — This indie drama starring Campbell Scott, Titus Welliver and Aidan Quinn looks at what you have to do to reach your golden years with no regrets.
The Quintessential Guy Maddin — If you or someone on your list likes indie films with a unique style, try this DVD box set.
Valhalla Rising — This indie is cringe-worthy in parts, but if your friends and family are adventurous, they might like to try this one.
Animation
Despicable Me — This animated film has huge laughs and huge heart, and on Blu-ray, there’s even more to enjoy.
Fantasia/Fantasia 2000 — For animation and classical music fans, there’s nothing better gift than this high-definition Blu-ray release.
Shrek Forever After — The last movie in the animated series offers more fairy tale laughs, and the Blu-ray has even more Christmas fun.
Toy Story 3 — The latest adventure of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of Andy’s toys is a must-have disc.
Drama
Mother and Child — This powerful art house film about the lives of three mothers features an all-star cast with Annette Bening, Naomi Watts, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Jimmy Smits and Cherry Jones.
Comedy
Cyrus — With John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill and Marisa Tomei, what more do we need to say?
The Extra Man — This comedy starring Kevin Kline, Paul Dano and Katie Holmes has lots of spirit and makes New York City look great.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World — This comic-book-based romance is filled with music and butt-kicking fun.
Documentary
The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story — Any Disney-file will love this documentary about the men behind the songs in Disney’s best classic movies.
Restrepo — Fighting is still going on in Afghanistan, and this documentary gets up close and personal with soldiers on the front lines.
Science-fiction/Fantasy
Alien Anthology — With all the films and hours and hours of special features, this box set is one for every sci-fi fan’s library.
Avatar Extended Edition — James Cameron’s stunning science-fiction adventure is even better in the extended version, and you can explore the movie more in the huge pile of special features.
The Complete Metropolis — Fritz Lang’s 1927 silent masterpiece is still influencing sci-fi films, and with its makeover, it looks better than ever.
Inception — The blockbuster dream-bending movie from Batman Begins director Christopher Nolan is even more intriguing when you can watch it over and over in your home.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse — Perhaps the best movie in the franchise so far.
TV
Tonight: 4 Decades of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson — This DVD boxed set includes all the best moments from the last-night talk show.
The Six Million Dollar Man: The Complete Series — This set is all bionic, offering everything from the 1970s TV show, the three pilot movies and even the cross-over episodes from the Bionic Woman.
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