"Early Christmas morning, we crept downstairs in our socks. Hoping and dreaming that Santa had brought us more than just rocks. That's when we saw it, there under the tree. A pile of Blu-Ray discs stacked high for you and for me. We smiled and screamed, this could only mean one thing. That big wrapped box was a Blu-Ray player, and Christmas was about to go out with a bang!"
That's right, America! This holiday season, a record number of you are going full blown High Definition. With the player wars over, and Blu-Ray the ultimate winner, you no longer have to stand in that electronics isle scratching your head over which console to buy. Its hard to believe that just last year people were still diving head first into this new world, purchasing HD players as if they'd never go out of style. A lot has changed in twelve months, and now is the moment most of our country is going to go Blu-Ray crazy.
With the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act looming and ready to go into full effect on February 17th of 2009, more and more families are throwing out there analog equipment. If you're prone to peeping in on other people's Christmas trees, you'll notice an amazing amount of bow wrapped HD widescreen TVs and Blu-Ray disc players littered about the living room of this great country. But without a couple of Blu-Ray discs to go along with them, these highly sophisticated hunks of plastic become nothing more than Art Deco pieces and coffee cup holders.
That's why we've put together this extensive list of brand new Blu-Ray discs that will surely liven up your holiday shindig. Better yet, we've also included direct purchase links so that you don't have to leave the comfort of your computer screen, or even this website, to buy these great films and TV shows. Lets get started, shall we? As Elvis once sang, this truly will be a "Blu Christmas"!
Dark Knight [WS] [Digital Copy] [2 Discs] Blu-ray There is only one gift worth giving that fanboy in your life. And it is a little something called
The Dark Knight. This comic book adaptation featuring Batman burned up the box office charts this summer, breaking every record in the book. Christopher Nolan's masterwork is now poised to do the exact same thing on DVD, as it is the must have movie of this holiday season. With the exception of a few whining crybabies, you can't go wrong in handing this out as a door prize at your upcoming Kwanzaa party. And it's the gift that will keep giving throughout all eight crazy nights of Chanukah. It's the Blu-Ray disc that everyone wants. And if you buy it for someone that already has it, not to worry. It's the perfect regifter.
Dark Knight [WS] [Digital Copy] [2 Discs] Blu-ray will swing into stores on December 9th. Beat the rush, order it from us right now!
Lost: The Complete Fourth Season Blu-ray Why continue on the mind-bending journey of the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 in standard definition when you can do so in 1080p? Yeah, thought so. You not only get all 14 episodes of this amazing fourth season, but this wonderful set also includes a host of bonus features, including commentaries, deleted scenes and featurettes on the Freighter Folk, the firepower used on the show, the music and how they transform Hawaii into a desolate island for the show. This set will make the perfect gift for any fan of the show that enjoys the high-def side of life.
Lost: The Complete Fourth Season hits the BD shelves on December 9th.
Step Brothers [WS] [Unrated/Rated] [2 Discs] Here's another one for after you put the kids to sleep. This hilarious R rated comedy will be the best ender to your long holiday celebration, and it also serves as the perfect gift for that lonely Aunt or Uncle who will be heading home drunk and alone. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly haven't been this funny since
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and there is even a Christmas scene. So, technically, that does make this a holiday movie. The laughs come home on December 2nd. Let's just hope you can keep them under wraps until the 25th.
Batman: The Movie Blu-ray Before Christian Bale, George Clooney, Val Kilmer and even Michael Keaton there was the ORIGINAL Batman movie from way back in 1966 that you can finally enjoy in Blu-ray high definition. This brand new souped-up version of the classic film starring Adam West, Burt Ward, Eartha Kitt and Ceasar Romero, includes such Blu-ray exclusive special features like a 360-degree navigational tour of the very first Batmobile. You can explore every inch of this classic superhero ride with your remote control... and you can even make the Bat Phone ring! This BD disc is a must-buy for any high-def fanboy or comic book historian on your Christmas list.
Batman: The Movie Blu-ray can currently be found on the Blu-ray shelves everywhere.
What Happens in Vegas Blu-ray With Digital Copy This wild Vegas romp will be a great gift for any romantic comedy fan in your family... or any fan of Ashton Kutcher, Cameron Diaz or the fabulous city of Las Vegas as well. This Blu-ray comes with the increasingly-popular Digital Copy feature, which enables you to transfer the feature film into any mobile device, but this BD disc offers a lot more than that... especially to viewers over the age of 21. This disc has a special interactive "I Never" feature, which appears randomly during the film. If the viewers have done what the "I Never" saying says, they're supposed to take a drink. How 'bout that. Even drinking games are in high-def these days!
What Happens in Vegas Blu-ray With Digital Copy is available in stores now.
Planet of the Apes 40th Anniversary Blu-ray Those damn dirty apes are finally in 1080p! This 40th Anniversary BD disc will finally enable you to see this classic film in the best format around, and there is just a wealth of bonus features to explore as well, including a few that you can only find on Blu-ray. The BonusView feature offers a picture-in-picture experience that gives some unique perspective on this sci-fi classic. This feature offers visual commentary from scientists, anthropologists & sociologists who discuss the relevance of the film and the possibilities of such a society. There is also a BD exclusive game called Beyond the Forbidden Zone, which is an interactive board game that viewers can play while watching the film. This wonderful new BD title will be a perfect gift for any fan of the original film, or those who enjoy the interactive features that Blu-ray has to offer.
Planet of the Apes 40th Anniversary Blu-ray is on the BD shelves now.
The Day the Earth Stood Still Special Edition Blu-ray With the
The Day the Earth Stood Still remake heading to theaters on December 12, the timing is perfect for this original 1951 sci-fi classic to get the high-def treatment. This new special edition is fully loaded with bonus features and there is a particularly interesting bonus item that you can only get in the BD edition. This feature allows you to essentially implement your own musical creation into the score of the film! This Interactive Theremin feature will train you on how to perform this unique musical device and it will also allow you to save the music you have created and actually apply it to a scene in the film! Oh, the things you can do when you go Blu, these days. This wonderful new title will be a perfect addition to any sci-fi fan's collection... or anyone who wants to see if they have a future in film scoring.
The Day the Earth Stood Still Special Edition Blu-ray hits the shelves on December 2.
Super Troopers Blu-ray A recent comedy classic that first showcased the comedic abilities of the Broken Lizard comedy troupe is finally coming to Blu-ray just in time for the holiday season. You can revisit this uproarious 2002 film in 1080p for the first time and, it seems that those BD drinking games might be the latest trend, since there is another drinking game on this high-def disc. Viewers (who are over the age of 21, of course...) can play an interactive drinking game that pops up throughout the film. When the viewer answers a question wrong, they must take a drink and they also cue up the drinks every time the words "Farva," "Meow," or "Shenanigans" is said AND, viewers are prompted to drink every time the Johnny Chimpo logo appears. If you've seen this film before... you know that's an awful lot of drinks coming your way just from reading that. There are also seven other mini-games that you can drink and watch along with as well. So tap the keg and pick this comedy classic up on Blu-ray on December 9.
Horton Hears a Who Blu-ray This is a perfect gift for any youngster on your list, and the high-definition format is just perfect for this animated hit based off the legendary Dr. Seuss's creation. While you can pick this up on DVD and in a nifty gift set as well, this BD disc offers a BonusView feature that allows you to watch the film with the tiniest Who there is, JoJo. You can watch and listen to JoJo react to the film, almost as if he was sitting right in your living room with you. This unique new feature is sure to be a hit with the young audiences that made this film such a hit in the box office. If there is a young one on your Christmas list, this new BD disc would be a perfect gift.
Horton Hears a Who Blu-ray is on the BD shelves now.
Death Race [WS] [Slipsleeve] [2 Discs] Blu-ray If you want to look really, really cool on Christmas morning, why not add this as a third feature to the
Grindhouse double dip. It goes really well with the themes of
Death Proof. And it will even appeal to those young foxy ladies that are totally down with Jason Statham and his six pack abs. Have you tried to convince your older cousin that this is as good as Roger Corman's original? And he just won't listen to you? Why not force him to watch it by gifting it in shiny silver wrapping paper. It is full of flying body parts, fast cars, and a super cool cast.
Death Race is the perfect gift for those older kids in the house. It comes racing into stores on December 23rd, so it might just make a really great last minute gift if you are behind on your shopping.
Wanted [WS] Blu-ray If you have any older teens in the household, they will love this action packed adaptation of Mark Millar's popular comic book. It has non-stop gunplay, the sexy Angelina Jolie, a hero they can identify with, and the best car chase seen on screen all year. Heck, you might even catch dad watching it when no one else is looking. If you get to the store to find
Dark Knight [WS] [Digital Copy] [2 Discs] Blu-ray all sold out, this is the next best thing. With copious amounts of violence and a strong storyline, the replay value on this disc will pay for itself after the fourth viewing. It screeches into stores on December 2nd. Just be careful and keep an eye out for all of the shrapnel that it will be sending your way.
Wall-E Blu-ray Here is the perfect family film for the kid in all of us. If you are planning to watch something while you eat, you can't go wrong with Pixar's summer hit about the little lost robot that finds true love in outer space. It is sure to entertain everyone from your dementia-ravished grandmother to your mildly simple goddaughter, to your drug-addled niece. If you have a group of young cousins, or a couple of neighborhood siblings coming over, and you only have enough money for one gift, this is something that they can all share.
Wall-E and his gang of mischievous robot friends will be making their way into your home on November 18th. If you are really wanting to show off that Plasma/Blu-Ray combo, this is certainly the way to go.
Hancock [WS] [Unrated] Blu-ray Okay, so everyone's favorite movie star Will Smith can't make it to your house for Christmas dinner. That doesn't mean his jolly spirit can't be there in the form of
Hancock, the drunk super hero that learns to redeem himself in the face of an American tragedy. Starting November 25th, you can bring Will Smith home in this exciting and hilarious take on the superhero lifestyle. It was one of July's biggest hits, and it will surely be a big hit with the entire family when they find it stuffed deep inside their Christmas stoking.
Hancock and his bottle of booze are flying into stores November 26th, just in time for turkey and mash potatoes! This is definitely a Hi-Def experience you don't want to pass up.
X-Files: I Want to Believe [WS] [2 Discs] [Digital Copy] Blu-ray The weather outside is frightful, but not quite as frightful as what Mulder and Scully have to face in this highly anticipated follow-up to the original Fox television series. After you put the kids to bed, you and your spouse will want to cuddle under the blankets and hide from the horrifying sights that are offered up in this delicious snow covered treat. For those that live in a warmer climate, let this thriller's ice cold atmosphere put a little bit of moody dampness in your life. It is the perfect gift for sci-fi enthusiasts and extreme fans of the original show. Mulder and Scully return to the small screen December 2nd. I know you still want to believe!
Supernatural: The Complete Third Season Blu-ray Who doesn't want to spend their holiday gift-giving season with Sam and Dean Winchester? This sixteen-episode set contains all of the excitement from last year's critically acclaimed season. And it also contains the yuletide themed special "A Very Supernatural Christmas", which finds the Winchester brothers battling an evil Anti Claus. Perfect for the demon hunter in your life, this set is available now. And if you want to be super popular, why not wrap up all three seasons, now available on Blu-Ray disc?
Chuck: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Has your son or daughter become an office drone? Is this their first year back to the house after moving out and getting a job? Then they will love the crazy adventures of Chuck Bartowski, an average everyday computer whiz that has the only remaining copy of the world's greatest spy secrets downloaded into his head. There are thirteen episodes included in this set, along with some hilarious bloopers and a very special holiday episode entitled "Chuck Versus the Crown Vic", which sees Chuck attending Buy More's annual holiday party. This is the perfect gift for those twenty-somethings that haven't given you any ideas on what to buy them. It will be heading to stores on November 11th.
Band of Brothers Blu-ray The acclaimed HBO series finally comes to Blu-Ray, and it is one heck of a package. It's the perfect gift for dad, and he will derive hours of enjoyment out of this beautiful tin packaging. Features exclusive to the Blu-Ray format include dynamic, optional picture-in-picture commentary by the Easy Company veterans and an Interactive Field Guide that features timelines, maps, soldier profiles, and much more. You can bring the Brothers home on November 11th.
Planet of the Apes 40th Anniversary Collection [WS] [5 Discs] Blu-ray The Apes never did get around to making a Christmas special. Heck, who knows if they even celebrate the holiday. That shouldn't stop you from stocking up on the 40th anniversary edition of this original film for parting gifts at your next holiday party. Why Apes? Why not? They go good with fruitcake, and its such a fantastic film, people really do feel bad when they decide to send it back or regift it. Yes, I did just call
Planet of the Apes the fruitcake of Christmas classics. The sci-fi fan in your household already has it. And it seems like he gets another version or copy of it every year. The good news is, he doesn't yet have it on Blu-Ray disc. Too bad he doesn't have a Blu-Ray player. I guess he'll just have to hold it up to the sun. The poor bastard. I just hope that when he opens it, he screams out ala Charlton Heston, "No!!!!!" That would make my holiday complete. What about yours?
James Bond Blu-Ray Collection, Vol. 2 [WS] [3 Discs] Blu-ray Finally, we come to the perfect gift for your step dad. The one that lives alone in Florida. He's not going to be able to make it out for dinner this year, so why not send him this redigitized set of Bond classics. Included in this box are all of your step dad's favorites, including
From Russia with Love,
Thunderball, and
For Your Eyes Only [WS] [Ultimate Edition] Blu-ray. Don't forget to pack his stocking with enough Martini mix to get him through this long and lonely holiday. It's a long drive to New Year's Day. And the ultimate Bond experience wouldn't be complete without a little Gin lip.
JFK Blu-ray Looking for the perfect gift for that conspiracy theorist in your life? Well, then, you can't go wrong with Oliver Stone's 1991 look at the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Original released on Christmas day back in 91, you can now relive Kevin Costner's harrowing decent into madness in all of its beautiful Hi-Def glory. Stone has gone back and reedited seventeen minutes of unseen footage into the film, and it comes packaged with a neat little cover book full of intimate details about the JFK assassination. It might not make the dry turkey go down any easier, but it sure will liven up that boring Festivus party. JFK returns to small screens starting November 11th. Just in time to relive all of that election night excitement from the week before.
Casablanca Blu-ray Casablanca finally comes home in Hi-Def this holiday season, and it is the perfect gift to give on Christmas Eve or Chanukah. It is one of the all time classics, and serves as a reminder of just how great cinema can be. Film enthusiasts will rejoice and sing your name in praise when they unwrap this true gem. Sure, they might have to wait until the kids get finished watching
Wall-E, and you get done watching
Step Brothers, but once they get their hands on that Blu-Ray player, you better watch out. You might never get it back. This one will be looking at you, kid, starting December 2nd, 2008.
I Am Legend [WS] [Ultimate Collector's Edition] [3 Discs] [Digital Copy] [With Book] For those of you that didn't get enough Will Smith to go along with your turkey dinner courtesy of
Hancock, not to fret. Now you can enjoy him with your spiced rum and pie deserts as he is also coming home this holiday season in the Ultimate Collector's Edition of
I Am Legend. This expansive jumbo box set contains everything you'd ever want in a Will Smith movie. And its broad appeal means that you could give it to pretty much anyone without seeing them too disappointed. It also makes a nice gift for that Mike Patton fan in your life, as he's the man responsible for all of those horrible mutant creature noises you hear coming out of your new sound system. Will Smith's second turn at Hi-Def this Christmas arrives on December 9th. Hopefully, that date will get here before the apocalypse does.
Mummy Trilogy [WS] [4 Discs] Blu-ray Finally, all three Mummy movies are being offered in one single package. It's a great treat for horror, adventure, and Brendan Fraser fans alike. Things kick off with the one that started it all, 1999's
Mummy. Also included in the set are 2001's
Mummy Returns and this past summer's exciting hit
Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. What Christmas is complete without the Yeti, Jet Li, and the living dead? Not yours, I can assure you. This deluxe box set is priced right, and it will thrill the entire family for years to come. The entire mummy army arrives December 16th, and it is definitely one that you will want to unwrap. (Get it? Because of the mummy being wrapped in gauze. Oh, never mind.)
Planet Terror [WS] [2 Discs] Blu-ray Are you stymied over what to get that older teen or twenty-something goth in your life that seems to have everything? How about chapter one of the cult hit
Grindhouse, a gruesome little shocker that will please even the hardest to shop for cretins. Directed by Robert Rodriquez, this thriller is being offered in Hi Def for the first time since its release last Easter. And it has never looked better.
Planet Terror is set to titillate and sicken your pie filled stomach on December 16th.
Death Proof [WS] Blu-ray Come on, you cheap skate. You don't want to just give part one of this awesome double feature as a gift. If you are going to give someone
Planet Terror, you better be ready to give them Quentin Tarantino's film as well. This gruesome hour long car chase is also perfect for Kurt Russell fans and classic car enthusiasts. It has tons of dismemberment scenes, a lot of Tarantino's trademarked dialogue, and a breathtaking Texas backdrop. Want to look like the cool aunt or uncle this Kwanzaa? Then give two DVDs instead of one. Give them the full
Grindhouse double feature experience as it was meant to be seen...Wait a minute. I don't think it was every meant to be seen in Hi-Def. Oh, well. You can't blame the Weinsteins for trying. Or can you?
Tenacious D: The Complete Master Works 2 Blu-ray Speaking of expensive holiday scotch and after dinner poker parties with the family, you don't want that new plasma screen and Blu-Ray player to go to waist in the background. Nothing compliments a slice of pie and an Irish coffee like the soothing sounds of Tenacious D. This season, KG and JB are back with a second, all-new, digitally remastered collection of their greatest hits. This two-disc set features the greatest rock band in history performing live in Seattle at the Moore Theater. There are also numerous television performances, music videos, and other assorted goodies. And it serves to create the perfect background atmosphere for any late night Christmas revelry that you may hope to join in. This Master Exploder will be in stores November 11th.
Firefly: Season 1 Blu-ray A crazy aunt, an eccentric brother-in-law, your own little sister. Do you have a depressed Browncoat moping about your house this holiday season, distraught over the fact that Joss Whedon's
Dollhouse doesn't yet have a premier date? Well then, sprinkle a little yuletide cheer on their life by giving them
Firefly: Season 1 Blu-ray. Joss' sci-fi cult hit has finally been remastered in all of its true Whedon glory. All fourteen episodes are present, along with Blu-Ray only special features that include a brand new commentary from Joss Whedon, Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk and Ron Glass on the episode "Our Mrs. Reynolds" and a new featurette entitled "Firefly: A Reunion lunch with Joss, Nathan, Alan, and Ron". If you can only make one person happy this holiday season, make it the Browncoat in your life. This set is available starting November 11th.
Superman: Doomsday Blu-ray What do you get the fanboy or comic book fan in your life that already owns two or more copies of
Dark Knight [WS] [Digital Copy] [2 Discs] Blu-ray? How about the award winning original animated movie
Superman: Doomsday Blu-ray, which is a direct adaptation of the DC comics storyline "The Death of Superman". All of the thrilling excitement of this 2006 direct-to-DVD outing has been lovingly redigitized to meet Hi Def standards. Batman isn't the only hero vying for your holiday dollar. Give ol' Supes a chance. It's a perfect time killer for the tweens that no longer play with action figures, and it will get them through the rest of the morning without giving you too much hassle.
Superman: Doomsday will make its Blu-Ray premier on November 25th.
Futurama: Bender's Game Blu-ray The third in a series of
Futurama straight-to-dvd films finally made its way onto Blu-Ray disc this past week, and it offers one of the funniest adventures our gang has been through yet. This is the perfect bookend to anyone's
Futurama DVD collection, and the animation is extremely beautiful when viewed on that new plasma screen in all of its Hi-Def glory. Does Bender the Drunk Robot remind you of your uncle? Well, then, maybe he'd like to know about it. Wrap this one up and give it to him as a gift. He'll love you forever. But not quite as much as he loves his new bottle of Maker's Mark that he got from your older brother.
Harry Potter Years 1-5 [5 Discs] The presents have been unwrapped, the Christmas ham has been devoured, and now you want to hush away the kids so that the adults can play poker and drink up all that expensive scotch. What better way to keep the youngsters occupied than this Years 1 through 5 collection of Harry Potter films? Now you and your family can relive Harry and Ron's first Hogwarts Holiday away from home as they spend Christmas alone at the coveted school of magic in the one that started it all:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The set also contains the other four previously released films in all of their HD glory. With a running time of more than ten hours, this reasonably priced collection will keep your kids occupied all the way until bedtime. Harry's five-year digital almanac will be in stores November 11th.
That's it for this year's ultimate holiday gift guide. We hope you were able to find that perfect something for that special someone in your life. Don't forget. All of these discs can be purchased directly from us. No need to fight off that holiday crowd come Black Friday, swinging at them like a horde of zombies. Everything you need is right here, at your fingertips, in one convenient shopping place. Until next time, have a happy holiday!
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