By Geno McGahee
It’s that time of the year again when the holiday season is upon us and buying gifts for your loved ones can be difficult. I try to compile a gift guide every year to help the readers in the quest to find the ideal present to put under that Christmas tree.
This year, I have a great group of potential gifts and stocking stuffers for those that are seeking such things. So, film fans, be on the lookout for these great releases that are ready to be wrapped and given out.
Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Music
SYNOPSIS:
A modern-day movie musical about the making of a network TV special, Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas is the frenetic backstage story and delightful on-camera results of Dolly’s desire to uplift an exhausted world’s spirits by sharing the unique “mountain magic” she has always found in and around Dollywood at Christmas. Throughout the movie’s production numbers and rehearsal chaos, Dolly finds herself taking a private journey into her past, guided by the mysterious appearances of her personal Three Wise Men. When it’s time for her big special to air live, a renewed and inspired Dolly goes rogue and shows the world that the real magic of Christmas lies in the hearts of the children we all once were, the realization that Christmas is about the people we share it with, and how her faith remains the common thread between Christmases past, present, and future.
Babylon 5: The Complete Series
Synopsis:
2258 CE. Five hostile federations dominate the outermost regions of space. Heroes, thieves, and rare and exotic beings find refuge in this time of uneasy peace and the constant threat of war on a lone space station — the last and best hope for peace between a hundred worlds, alien and human alike — Babylon 5
Metalocalypse: The Complete Series – Now Available
Synopsis:
Between the pressures of fame, family, their psycho fans, and a secret organization out to destroy them, the biggest death metal band on the planet will rock the world or die trying. Whether you’re a lifelong fan, or new to the brutality, bow down to Metalocalypse: The Complete Series. It doesn’t get any more metal than this.
Rick and Morty: The Complete Seasons 1-6 – Now Available
Synopsis:
Rick and Morty is the critically acclaimed, Emmy-award-winning half-hour animated comedy series on Adult Swim that follows a sociopathic genius scientist who drags his inherently timid grandson on insanely dangerous adventures across the universe. Rick Sanchez is living with his daughter Beth’s family and constantly bringing her, his son-in-law Jerry, granddaughter Summer, and grandson Morty into intergalactic escapades.
Succession: The Complete Series
Synopsis:
Power, politics, money…it’s all in the family in this provocative, satirical series about a highly dysfunctional dynasty. When the aging patriarch of one of the world’s largest media conglomerates considers retirement, his family members position themselves for a takeover. But tensions rise as corporate battles threaten to turn into a family civil war in this sharp, scathing, binge-worthy series.
The Adventures of Batman: The Complete Series
Synopsis:
The Adventures of Batman was one of the spotlight animated television series to be produced by Filmation, who generated more than 50 animated series, over a dozen television shorts, specials and movies, and eight feature films. The Adventures of Batman was also paired with another famous DC Super Hero to become The Batman/Superman Hour. Filmation veteran Olan Soule (Super Friends, The Towering Inferno) provided the voice of Batman, while American Top 40 co-founder & host Casey Kasem (Scooby-Doo franchise) played Robin. The supporting cast featured two-time Emmy Award winner Ted Knight (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Caddyshack) as Commissioner Gordon, Larry Storch (F Troop) as Joker, and Jane Webb (Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Archie Show) as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl.
The Flash: The Complete Series
Synopsis:
After defeating the Reverse Flash once and for all, the ninth season of The Flash picks up one week after their epic battle, and Barry Allen aka The Flash and Iris West-Allen are reconnecting and growing closer than ever. When a deadly group of Rogues descend on Central City, led by a powerful and unknown new threat, The Flash and his team including Meta-Empath Cecile Horton, the light-powered meta, Allegra Garcia, brilliant tech-nerd Chester P. Runk and reformed cryogenics thief Mark Blaine, must once again defy the odds to save the day. But as The Rogues are defeated, a deadly new adversary rises to challenge Barry Allen’s heroic legacy. In their greatest battle yet, Barry and Team Flash will be pushed to their limits, to save Central City one last time.
The Venture Bros.: The Complete Series
Synopsis:
For the first time in the history of the world, every single episode of The Venture Bros. ever created! Stuffed full of your favorite evil nemeses, and larger-than-life heroes, plus a few smaller-than-life ones. It’s never not a great time to watch your favorite episode from any season, followed by any other episode from any other season. From “Dia de los Dangerous” to “The Saphrax Protocol” it’s all in one place! It’s the Complete Series Venture Bros. Box Set, twenty years in the making. Including all the bonus materials that have been lovingly created over the years, and carefully curated for you now
ORIGINAL ANIMATED MOVIES:
Babylon 5: The Road Home
Synopsis:
Return to Babylon 5 as the epic interstellar saga continues with The Road Home. Travel across the galaxy with John Sheridan as he unexpectedly finds himself transported through multiple timelines and alternate realities in a quest to find his way back home. Along the way he reunites with some familiar faces, while discovering cosmic new revelations about the history, purpose, and meaning of the Universe.
Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar
Synopsis:
After the heroic rescue of Toki Wartooth, DETHKLOK frontman Nathan Explosion finds himself traumatized in a BRUTAL professional and romantic flat-spin all while he is tasked with fulfilling the prophecy and confronting the ultimate songwriting challenge: write the SONG OF SALVATION and save the planet. Can Nathan Explosion look beyond his brutally damaged ego to save his band, stop the Metalocalypse, and finally face the ultimate evil: Salacia?
Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match
Synopsis:
Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match, the fourth animated film in the franchise, sees Johnny Cage in 1980s Hollywood on a mission to become a famous actor. However, his world soon changes when his co-star disappears, and he embarks on a journey filled with danger and deceit.
The Venture Bros.: Radiant is the Blood of the Baboon Heart
Synopsis:
Doc’s latest invention will either bankrupt Team Venture or launch them to new heights, as Hank searches for himself, Dean searches for Hank, The Monarch searches for answers, and a mysterious woman from their pasts threatens to bring their entire world crashing down on them.
BLOCKBUSTER HITS:
Air
Synopsis:
From award-winning director Ben Affleck and starring Matt Damon, the comedic drama AIR reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division, which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand. Air also stars Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Marlon Wayans, with Chris Tucker and Viola Davis in a moving story that follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother who knows the worth of her son’s immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become the greatest of all time.
Barbie
The highest grossing film of the year, as well as in Warner Bros. history from writer/director Greta Gerwig will be available this holiday season.
Synopsis:
To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken.
Blue Beetle
Synopsis:
Recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero Blue Beetle.
DIGITALLY REMASTERED CLASSIC MOVIES:
Cool Hand Luke 4K
Synopsis:
Academy Award® winner Paul Newman stars with George Kennedy in this story of a man who will not surrender to authority–even at the cost of his life. When Luke Jackson (Newman) is sentenced to a Southern prison for a minor infraction, his intelligence, calm under pressure and inability to accept defeat soon gain him the respect of his fellow inmates on the chain gang–and the nickname Cool Hand Luke. But they also earn Luke the enmity of the warden, who cannot allow any inmate to challenge his authority. When Luke’s mother dies, he decides to escape … and he will not allow anyone to stop him.
East of Eden 4K
Synopsis:
In the Salinas Valley in and around World War I, Cal Trask feels he must compete against overwhelming odds with his brother Aron for the love of their father Adam. Carl is frustrated at every turn, from his reaction to the war, to how to get ahead in business and in life, to how to relate to his estranged mother.The 1955 period drama is directed by Elia Kazan from a screenplay by Paul Osborn and based on the 1952 John Steinbeck novel of the same name. The film stars James Dean, Julie Harris, Raymond Massey, Burl Ives, Richard Davalos, and Jo Van Fleet.
ELF 4K
Synopsis:
This hilarious Christmas film tells the tale of a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts on Christmas Eve and is transported back to the North Pole and raised as an elf. Years later Buddy learns he is not really an elf and goes on a journey to New York City to find his true identity. The film is directed by Jon Favreau and written by David Berenbaum. It is produced by Jon Berg, Todd Komarnicki , and Shauna Robertson, and stars Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Edward Asner and Bob Newhart.
Fugitive 4K
Synopsis:
Harrison Ford stars as the wrongly convicted Dr. Richard Kimble, and Tommy Lee Jones is U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard, his relentless pursuer, in this intense thriller based on the hit television series of the 1960s–The Fugitive. Kimble had the perfect life–a beautiful wife, medical career, an expensive townhouse–a perfect life until the night his wife was murdered, died in his arms and he was convicted of the crime. On his way to the penitentiary, Kimble escapes. Now, like hunted prey, he keeps running–determined only to find his wife’s murderer. Caught in a nightmare from which he cannot awaken, Dr. Richard Kimble is the fugitive.
Maltese Falcon 4K
Synopsis:
Academy Award® winner Humphrey Bogart stars in this classic film noir as tough San Francisco private detective Sam Spade in the classic, convoluted story of Spade’s involvement with a deadly band of international thieves who will lie, double cross and murder to obtain a small, jewel-encrusted statue known as The Maltese Falcon. Sam Spade’s (Bogart) partner, Miles Archer (Jerome Cowan), accepts a job protecting a young woman (Mary Astor). Neither Spade nor Archer believe the woman or the story she tells them, but they do believe her money. Then, when Archer is murdered, Spade’s search for the killer drags him in the web of lies and death spun by the desperate people seeking The Maltese Falcon.
Rebel with a Cause 4K
Synopsis:
James Dean stars in a movie that shocked the United States with a performance that still electrifies the screen twenty-five years after his untimely death prior to the film’s release. In this archetypal drama of teenage angst and rebellion, three high school students who should lead idyllic lives in their stable, comfortable suburban families explode with a violence and sexuality that their parents cannot understand. This film–which ripped the façade from the post-war American dream to expose the rage of the country’s youth–resonates with an energy that has made it a modern classic and a powerful coming-of-age story.
