It鈥檚 been a wonderful year at the movies for cinephiles, but what do you get for the film lover who has seen everything already?
The holidays always bring anniversary releases of tried-and-true classics, like the 4K Ultra HD 25th Anniversary Titanic re-release, as well as tricked-out 4K sets of the year's biggest hits, like 鈥淏arbie鈥 of course. But there are plenty of more unique options, at all price points, from a high-roller ticket to the Sundance Film Festival in January to a Criterion Channel subscription and more.
Sofia Coppola dug into her personal photos from 25 years of filmmaking for her first book, 鈥淪ofia Coppola Archive 1999-2023.鈥 In the 479-page book, Coppola takes you on a visual journey from 鈥淭he Virgin Suicides鈥 through 鈥淧riscilla,鈥 including intimate behind-the-scenes photos with all the famous faces she鈥檚 worked with, from Kirsten Dunst to Bill Murray. There are inspiration boards, script pages with handwritten annotations, correspondence with collaborators, as well as personal introductions to each film.
Whether you're trying to upgrade a loved one鈥檚 movie poster collection from whatever was in their college dorm room or just trying to find something a little off-beat, this delightful collection of Polish Film Posters is a great place to start. There is a long, rich history to these artistic interpretations of Hollywood marketing materials. Some are surreal, some abstract, and all are reflective of the individual artist. The prices are all over the place depending on whether you choose vintage or reprint: An original 鈥淕odfather鈥 poster designed by will set you back some $912, but 鈥檚 haunting 鈥淓yes Wide Shut鈥 design is only $40 and 鈥檚 pop-inspired 鈥淧ulp Fiction鈥 piece is $43.
Streaming options can be a treacherous place for classic and indie film fans, but thankfully the Criterion Channel is still going strong with thoughtfully curated selections every month. The format is easy to use, and spotlights which movies are new and which will expire at the end of the month. They even have a section where you can choose films based on running time: Only have 90 minutes or less? . Their December lineup includes a spotlight on Parker Posey; retrospectives dedicated to Yasujiro Ozu and Ousmane Semb猫ne; and some holiday noir, MGM musicals and 鈥淗itchcock for the Holidays.鈥
Can you hear the music? Christopher Nolan鈥檚 鈥淥ppenheimer鈥 will finally be available to watch in your living room over the holidays (after Nov. 21). The 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD will include over three hours of special features, including a 70-plus minute making-of documentary, with new interviews with Nolan, the cast and crew. Another special feature looks at the they pioneered for the film. And you can also watch a panel conversation, held earlier this summer, between Nolan, author Kai Bird, and physicists like Kip Thorne.
This is a pricier one, but it is possible to get access to the 40th Sundance Film Festival in January with an in-person or virtual pass. For $850 (not including travel and lodging in Park City, Utah), you could be among the first to see the next 鈥淐ODA,鈥 鈥淏easts of the Southern Wild鈥 or 鈥淧ast Lives.鈥 Or for $225, you can get virtual access to the award winners, and let the juries sift through the gems and duds for you.
The longtime film critic and editor Matt Singer takes a look at the importance and impact of Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel in his book 鈥淥pposable Thumbs: How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever.鈥 It's full of anecdotes about their infamous, ever-watchable sparring, and the ways in which they were able to champion small films like 鈥淗oop Dreams鈥 for a mass audience. Singer writes that the two Chicago critics 鈥渄emocratized criticism鈥 and 鈥渢urned it into mass entertainment.鈥
Described as 鈥渢he ultimate game for movie geeks, film nerds and cinephiles鈥 this set includes five levels of varying difficulties. The filmography level, for instance, asks players to name more films than their opponent for whatever name comes up on the card (like, say, Samuel L. Jackson, which could keep things going for a while.) If you need more of a challenge, the expert level tests your ability to connect two actors in fewer than six degrees (like, Cillian Murphy and Jason Momoa... go!). You can play many of these alone, or with a crowd.
Did you know Steven Soderbergh has an online marketplace with art and clothes and swag? Or, sorry, it鈥檚 鈥渢he artist formerly known as Steven Soderbergh,鈥 according to the website. These are delightful deep cuts, but he biggest seller on is a soft, black, vintage-inspired, cotton T-shirt designed by Joanna Bush with 18 LU 13 printed in bold white letters. Soderbergh comments, "Our biggest seller. Why? No idea. But I know this: if you work on the set of a movie or a series or anything that involves Teamsters and you wear this /t-shirt/ , at SOME point, someone who drives a vehicle will come up and say NICE HAT or . Because this license plate has serious movie cred.鈥欌 It鈥檚 easily google-able, but we won鈥檛 spoil it here.
You don鈥檛 need to make your family disappear or defend your home from gold-toothed bandits to enjoy the silliness of 鈥淭he Unofficial Home Alone Cookbook.鈥 Recipes 鈥 there are 75 of them -- include a 鈥渓ovely cheese pizza,鈥 and 鈥渏unk & rubbish sundaes.鈥 It just might not be for foodies.
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For more of AP鈥檚 2023 Holiday Gift Guides, go to: , , , and , a grab-bag.
