Every year, people rush out to the stores in a panic at the last minute to buy Black Friday and Christmas gifts. This year, Irish Film Critic is going to help those people by getting a head-start on the holiday rush by presenting to you, the 2019 Holiday Gift Guide. Because movies and TV shows make for perfect stocking stuffers and are ideal for those last-minute gift ideas, we will be covering 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Box Sets.
We were so inundated with gift ideas for our 2019 Holiday Gift Guide that we had to expand with a second one. Enjoy!
“IT: Chapter Two” – Now available on Digital HD and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD December 10th
Come back and play when “IT: Chapter Two” arrives on 4K UHD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital. Evil resurfaces in Derry as director Andy Muschietti reunites the Losers Club in a return to where it all began with “IT: Chapter Two,” the conclusion to the highest-grossing horror film of all time.
The film is Muschietti’s follow-up to 2017’s critically acclaimed and massive global box office hit “IT,” which grossed more than $700 million worldwide. Both redefining and transcending the genre, “IT” became part of the cultural zeitgeist.
Twenty-seven years after the Losers Club defeated Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård), he has returned to terrorize the town of Derry once more. Now adults, the Losers have long since gone their separate ways. However, people are disappearing again, so Mike (Isaiah Mustafa), the only one of the group to remain in their hometown, calls the others home. Damaged by the experiences of their past, they must each conquer their deepest fears to destroy Pennywise once and for all…putting them directly in the path of the shape-shifting clown that has become deadlier than ever.
“IT Chapter Two” 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack and Blu-ray Combo Pack contain the following special features:
• Pennywise Lives Again!
• This Meeting of the Losers Club Has Officially Begun
• Finding the Deadlights
• The Summers of IT: Chapter One, You’ll Float Too
• The Summers of IT: Chapter Two, IT Ends
• Commentary with Director Andy Muschietti
“Aquaman” – Now available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital
The ocean comes alive with “Aquaman” on 4K UHD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD Special Edition and Digital. From Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, DC and director James Wan comes an action-packed adventure that spans the vast, visually breathtaking underwater world of the seven seas, “Aquaman,” starring Jason Momoa (“Justice League,” TV’s “Frontier,” TV’s “Game of Thrones”) in the title role.
The Atlantean child Orin, son to the Queen of Atlantis (Nicole Kidman), was abandoned as an infant and left to die; however, he was rescued and raised by a kindly lighthouse keeper. The keeper (Temuera Morrison) adopted the boy as his own son, renaming him Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa). Able to survive the harshest depths of the ocean and on the surface world above, the child of two worlds grew to be a hero to both eventually returning to Atlantis to become their King in addition to being a founding member of the Justice League as Aquaman!
“Aquaman” 4K UHD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack & DVD Special Edition contain the following special features:
• Going Deep Into the World of Aquaman
• Becoming Aquaman
• James Wan: World Builder
• Aqua Tech
• Atlantis Warfare
• The Dark Depths of Black Manta
• Heroines of Atlantis
• Villainous Training
• Kingdoms of the Seven Seas
• Creating Undersea Creatures
• A Match Made in Atlantis
• Scene Study Breakdowns
• Exclusive Sneak Peek of Shazam!
“Shazam!” – Now available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital
Watch all of the powers and none of the practice with “Shazam!” on 4K UHD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital.
We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson’s (Asher Angel) case, by shouting out one word — SHAZAM! — this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult superhero Shazam (Zachary Levi), courtesy of an ancient wizard. Still a kid at heart — inside a ripped, godlike body — Shazam revels in this adult version of himself by doing what any teen would do with superpowers: have fun with them! Can he fly? Does he have X-ray vision? Can he shoot lightning out of his hands? Can he skip his social studies test? Shazam sets out to test the limits of his abilities with the joyful recklessness of a child. But he’ll need to master these powers quickly in order to fight the deadly forces of evil controlled by Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong).
“Shazam!” 4K UHD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, and DVD Special Edition contain the following special features:
• Shazam Exclusive Motion Comic
• The Magical World of Shazam
• Super Fun Zac
• Carnival Scene Study, Shazamily Values
• Shazamily Values
• Who is Shazam?
• Deleted Scenes
• Gag Reel
“The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part” – Now available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital
It’s time to go where no brick has gone before with “The LEGO® Movie 2: The Second Part” on 4K UHD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD Special Edition and Digital. The much-anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed, global box office phenomenon that started it all, “The LEGO® Movie 2: The Second Part” reunites the heroes of Bricksburg in an all-new in an all-new action-packed adventure to save their beloved city.
It’s been five years since everything was awesome and the citizens are now facing a huge new threat: LEGO DUPLO® invaders from outer space, wrecking everything faster than it can be rebuilt. The battle to defeat the invaders and restore harmony to the LEGO universe will take Emmet (Chris Pratt), Lucy (Elizabeth Banks), Batman (Will Arnett) and their friends to far away, unexplored worlds, including a galaxy filled with fantastic planets, strange characters, and catchy new songs. It will test their courage, creativity and Master Building skills, and reveal just how special they really are.
“The LEGO® Movie 2: The Second Part” 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack and Blu-ray Combo Pack special features:
• Everything is Awesome Sing-along – Sing-along, trivia, games and more!
• Commentary – Fun behind the scenes commentary by filmmakers
• They Come in Pieces: Assembling The LEGO Movie 2 – Featurette highlighting A-list voice
talent including Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, and Tiffany Haddish
• Emmet’s Holiday Party: A LEGO Movie Short – Holiday-themed animated short
• LEGO Sets in Action – Animations of the LEGO product tied to The LEGO Movie 2
• LEGO Designers – LEGO toy designers highlight key play sets in TLM2 product line
• Outtakes & Deleted Scenes – Never before seen scenes
• Super Cool Music Video – Music video by Beck featuring Robyn and The Lonely Island
• Promotion Spots – Fun custom spots featured during the theatrical campaign
“The Shining” – Now available on 4K Ultra HD
Stanley Kubrick’s terrifying 1980 horror masterpiece “The Shining” is now available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Digital. The 4K remastering is of Kubrick’s original 144-minute version of the film which premiered in the United States on May 23rd, 1980.
Now widely regarded as one of the greatest horror films ever made, “The Shining” was directed and produced by Kubrick, who wrote the screenplay with Diane Johnson. The film was based on the novel ‘The Shining’ by Stephen King and stars Jack Nicholson in an iconic role as Jack Torrance, Shelley Duval as Wendy Torrance, Scatman Crothers as Dick Halloran, and Danny Lloyd as Danny Torrance.
The 4K remastering was done using a new 4K scan of the original 35mm camera negative at Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg and Stanley Kubrick’s former personal assistant Leon Vitali worked closely with the team at Warner Bros. during the mastering process.
Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) becomes the winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado, hoping to cure his writer’s block. He settles in along with his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and his son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), who is plagued by psychic premonitions. As Jack’s writing goes nowhere and Danny’s visions become more disturbing, Jack discovers the hotel’s dark secrets and begins to unravel into a homicidal maniac hell-bent on terrorizing his family.
“The Shining” 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray contains the following previously released special features:
• Audio commentary by Steadicam inventor Garrett Brown and Stanley Kubrick biographer John Baxter
• Video from the Overlook: Crafting The Shining
◊ Enter the terrifying world of the Overlook Hotel as only Stanley Kubrick could envision it
• The Visions of Stanley Kubrick
◊ A detailed look at one of cinema’s greatest visual storytellers and his unique ability to move
audiences through the magic of unforgettable images
• The Making of The Shining
◊ This cinema verite documentary offers a rare glimpse into the directing style of Stanley Kubrick
as he interacts with stars Jack Nicholson, Shelly Duvall, and others
• Wendy Carlos, Composer
◊ Composer Wendy Carlos reflects on working with complex auteur Stanley Kubrick and developing
music scores for “The Shining” and “A Clockwork Orange”
“Pan’s Labyrinth” – Now available on 4K Ultra HD
“Pan’s Labyrinth,” the highly-acclaimed 2006 modern-day dark fairy tale, written and directed by Academy Award-winner Guillermo del Toro, is now available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Digital.
Written and directed by del Toro (“Hellboy,” “Pacific Rim,” “The Shape of Water”), “Pan’s Labyrinth” premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival where it received a 22-minute standing ovation, followed by its North American premiere at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival. The critically-acclaimed film won multiple awards, including three Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards, the Ariel Award for Best Picture, the Saturn Award for Best International Film, and the 2007 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form. The film also appeared on more than 20 critic’s top ten lists for 2006.
“Pan’s Labyrinth” is available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack for $41.99 SRP*, and features an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc with the feature film in 4K with HDR and a Blu-ray disc of “Pan’s Labyrinth.” Fans can also own “Pan’s Labyrinth” in 4K Ultra HD via purchase from select digital retailers. The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack of “Pan’s Labyrinth” will include more than seven hours of previously released special features, including an audio commentary by Guillermo del Toro.
Following a bloody civil war, young Ofelia enters a world of unimaginable cruelty when she moves in with her new stepfather, a tyrannical military officer. Armed with only her imagination, Ofelia discovers a mysterious labyrinth and meets a faun who sets her on a path to saving herself and her ailing mother. But soon, the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur, and before Ofelia can turn back, she finds herself at the center of a ferocious battle between good and evil.
“Pan’s Labyrinth” 4K Ultra HD disc contains the following special features:
• Audio commentary by Guillermo del Toro
“Pan’s Labyrinth” Blu-ray disc contains the following special features:
• Audio commentary by Guillermo del Toro
• Video prologue by Guillermo del Toro
• The Power of Myth
• The Faun and the Fairies
• The Color and the Shape
• The Director’s Notebook
“Elf: Buddy’s Sing & Cheer Along Edition” – Now available on DVD
One Christmas Eve a long time ago, a baby crawled into Santa’s bag of toys… Raised as an elf, Buddy (Will Ferrell) grows into an adult three times larger than the biggest elf–and realizes that he will never truly fit in at the North Pole. This holiday season, Buddy goes looking for his true place in the world–in New York City. Buddy finds his workaholic father (James Caan)–who’s on Santa’s “naughty” list, a new mother (Mary Steenburgen) and a 10-year-old brother who doesn’t believe in Santa Claus or elves. Here, now, Buddy discovers his destiny–to save Christmas for New York and the world!
DVD Special Features:
Disc 1:
• Commentaries by Will Ferrell and director Jon Favreau
• Deleted/alternate scenes
• Music from Elf
• Elf karaoke
• The story of Buddy the Elf: tapping all the way
• Elf, the Broadway Musical: Gumley’s Tour
• Behind-the-scenes
• And much more!
Disc 2:
• Includes bonus CD soundtrack sampler
“John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” – Now available on a 2-Disc Steelbook Blu-ray
Super assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) has a $14 million price tag on his head after killing a member of the High Table, the shadowy international assassins’ guild. Now excommunicado, and with an army of the world’s most ruthless hit men and women on his trail, John must find a way to survive in this third chapter of the adrenaline-fueled action series.
Blu-ray/Digital Special Features:
• “Parabellum: Legacy of the High Table” Featurette
• “Excommunicado” Featurette
• “Check Your Sights” Featurette
• “Saddle Up Wick” Featurette
• “Bikes, Blades, Bridges, and Bits” Featurette
• “Continental in the Desert” Featurette
• “Dog Fu” Featurette
• “House of Transparency” Featurette
• “Shot by Shot” Featurette
• Theatrical Trailer #1
• Theatrical Trailer #2
• John Wick Hex Game Trailer
• “Behind the Scenes of John Wick Hex” Featurette
“Apocalypse Now: Final Cut” – Now available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital
The restored 4-disc “Apocalypse Now: Final Cut” anniversary set also includes the film’s Theatrical Cut and Extended Cut (Redux), as well as the acclaimed “Hearts of Darkness” documentary. Loaded with hours of in-depth special features, the set will also feature the fascinating 2019 Tribeca Film Festival Q&A with Coppola and the prolific Steven Soderbergh (“Sex, Lies, and Videotape”), which has not been seen or heard outside of the festival until now, and newly discovered behind-the-scenes footage. The “Apocalypse Now: Final Cut” 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack features new, collectible Mondo artwork and is available for the suggested retail price of $34.99.
4K Ultra HD Special Features:
Disc One
• NEW: Final Cut intro by Francis Ford Coppola
Disc Two
• Audio Commentary by Director Francis Ford Coppola (Apocalypse Now Redux)
Blu-ray Special Features:
Disc Three
• NEW: Final Cut intro by Francis Ford Coppola
Disc Four
• Audio Commentary by Director Francis Ford Coppola (Apocalypse Now Redux)
Disc Five
• An Interview with John Milius
• A Conversation with Martin Sheen and Francis Ford Coppola
• “Fred Roos: Casting Apocalypse” Featurette
• The Mercury Theatre on the Air: Heart of Darkness – November 6, 1938
• “The Hollow Men” Featurette
• Monkey Sampan “Lost Scene”
• Additional Scenes
• “Destruction of the Kurtz Compound” End Credits (with Non-Optional Audio
Commentary by Francis Ford Coppola)
• “The Birth of 5.1 Sound” Featurette
• “Ghost Helicopter Flyover” Sound Effects Demonstration
• “The Synthesizer Soundtrack” Article by Bob Moog
• “A Million Feet of Film: The Editing of Apocalypse Now” Featurette
• “The Music of Apocalypse Now” Featurette
• “Heard Any Good Movies Lately? The Sound Design of Apocalypse Now” Featurette
• “The Final Mix” Featurette
• “Apocalypse Then and Now” Featurette
• “2001 Cannes Film Festival: Francis Ford Coppola” Featurette
• “PBR Streetgang” Featurette
• “The Color Palette of Apocalypse Now” Featurette
Disc Six
• Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (with Optional Audio Commentary
by Francis and Eleanor Coppola)
• NEW: Tribeca Film Festival Q&A with Francis Ford Coppola and Steven Soderbergh
• NEW: Super 8mm Behind-the-Scenes Footage
• NEW: “Dutch Angle: Chas Gerresten & Apocalypse Now” Featurette
• NEW: “Apocalypse Now: Remastering a Legend in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmost®
• NEW: “Apocalypse Now: A Forty-Year Journey” Featurette
• NEW: “Sensual Sound Technology from Meyer Sound” Featurette
• John Milius Script Excerpt with Francis Coppola Notes (Still Gallery)
• Storyboard Collection
• Photo Archive
◊ Unit Photography
◊ Mary Ellen Mark Photography
• Marketing Archive
◊ 1979 Teaser Trailer
◊ 1979 Theatrical Trailer
◊ 1979 Radio Spots
◊ 1979 Theatrical Program
◊ Lobby Card and Press Kit Photos
◊ Poster Gallery
Digital Special Features:
• Audio Commentary by Director Francis Ford Coppola (Apocalypse Now Redux)
“The Cotton Club Encore” – Available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital December 10th
A brand-new and timely cut of Francis Ford Coppola’s critically acclaimed 1930s period film, “The Cotton Club Encore” will arrive on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital on December 10th featuring Never-Before-Seen Footage and exclusive new Bonus Material from Lionsgate.
In this lavish, 1930s-era drama, Harlem’s legendary Cotton Club becomes a hotbed of passion and violence as the lives and loves of entertainers and gangsters collide. Now, Francis Ford Coppola’s extraordinary film is brought to vivid new life in “The Cotton Club Encore.” Featuring never-before-seen scenes and musical sequences that deepen and enrich the storylines, this remastered and beautifully restored version represents Coppola’s fully realized vision of the film.
“Rambo: Last Blood” – Available on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, and DVD December 17th
Almost four decades after he drew first blood, Sylvester Stallone is back as one of the greatest action heroes of all time, John Rambo. Now, Rambo must confront his past and unearth his ruthless combat skills to exact revenge in a final mission. A deadly journey of vengeance, “Rambo: Last Blood” marks the last chapter of the legendary series.
4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Special Features:
• “Drawing Last Blood: Multipart Production Diary” Featurette
• “From First Note to Last Blood: Music for the Massacres” Featurette
• Theatrical Trailer
Available on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital), Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital), DVD, and On-Demand December 17th
“Judy” – Available on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD December 24th
Thirty years after rising to global stardom in “The Wizard of Oz,” showbiz legend Judy Garland (Renée Zellweger) arrives in London to perform a five-week sold-out run at The Talk of the Town. While preparing for the shows, Garland battles with management, reminisces with friends and adoring fans and embarks on a whirlwind romance with soon-to-be fifth husband Mickey Deans — all while bravely struggling to overcome intensifying anxiety and physical decline. Featuring some of her best-known songs, the film celebrates the unyielding spirit and matchless talent of “the world’s greatest entertainer.”
Take home “Judy” and immerse yourself in the world of Judy Garland with a never-before-seen featurette “From the Heart: The Making of Judy,” as well as a gallery of stunning images from the film.
Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Special Features:
• “From the Heart: The Making of Judy”
• Judy Image Gallery
• Theatrical Trailer
“Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” – Now available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital
It’s 1968 in America. Change is blowing in the wind…but seemingly far removed from the unrest in the cities is the small town of Mill Valley, where for generations the shadow of the Bellows family has loomed large. It is in their mansion on the edge of town that Sarah, a young girl with horrible secrets, turned her tortured life into a series of scary stories, written in a book that has transcended time. For a group of teenagers who discover Sarah’s terrifying home, the stories become all too real in this spine-tingling film.
Take home “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” and immerse yourself in the terrifying world with exclusive special features, including six featurettes on the 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and Digital releases and two featurettes on the DVD looking at the development of the creepiest creatures in the film, as well as the process of taking these classic tales from page to screen! Experience four times the resolution of full HD with the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, which includes Dolby Vision, bringing entertainment to life through ultra-vivid picture quality. When compared to a standard picture, Dolby Vision can deliver spectacular colors never before seen on a screen, highlights that are up to 40 times brighter, and blacks that are 10 times darker.
4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray/Digital Special Features:
• “The Bellows Construct” Featurette
• “Creature from the Shadows” Featurette
• “Mood Reels” Featurette
• “Behind-the-Scenes Trailers: Set Visits” Featurette
• “Dark Tales” Featurette
• “Retro Horror” Featurette
DVD Special Features:
• “Dark Tales” Featurette
• “Retro Horror” Featurette
“3 From Hell” – Now available on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital), Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital), DVD and Digital
First, there was “House of 1000 Corpses.” Then there was “The Devil’s Rejects.” Now, from writer-director, Rob Zombie, comes the next blood-soaked chapter in the most violent crime saga in movie history — “3 From Hell.” After barely surviving a furious shootout with the police, Baby Firefly (Sheri Moon Zombie), Otis Driftwood (Bill Moseley), and Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig) are behind bars. But pure evil cannot be contained, and a firestorm of murder, madness, and mayhem will be released in this terror ride to Hell…and back.
Take home “3 From Hell” and immerse yourself in its blood-soaked world with exclusive and extensive special features, including an audio commentary with director Rob Zombie and a 4-part “making of” featurette. Additionally, the 3 From Hell 4K and Blu-ray discs will feature the unrated cut, even more sadistic and terrifying than the theatrical version of the film. The “3 From Hell” 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, and DVD are available for the suggested retail price of $29.99, $24.99, and $19.98, respectively.
4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Special Features:
• Audio Commentary with Writer-Director Rob Zombie
• “To Hell and Back: The Making of 3 From Hell” Featurette
(4-Part Documentary Available on 4K and Blu-ray Only; Part 1 Available on DVD)
“A Reindeer’s Journey” – Available on DVD November 26th
Meet Ailo, a newborn reindeer who embarks on an incredible odyssey with the help of his mother. Narrated by Donald Southerland and set against the frozen majesty of northern Finland, their journey is an uplifting story for the whole family. Directed by Guillaume Maidatchevsky.
