Movie Mom

Best DVD gifts of 2007

 

Thursday December 6, 2007

Categories: Lists

Gift ideas for the whole family:

For the preschooler-2nd grader

Treasury%2520of%2520100%2520Story-NS.jpg
Scholastic's Treasury of 100 Storybook Classics is my very favorite DVD series ever for 3-8 year olds, with the very best in children's books. The visuals, narration, and musical accompaniment are perfectly matched with stories that are funny, wise, inspiring, spooky, and always, always, an invitation to reading. Every one in the series is outstanding family entertainment and for the first time they are available as a set as well.

The latest from Veggie Tales is The Wonderful Wizard of Ha's, inspired by the story of the prodigal son. Like Dorothy, he learns that there's no place like home.

Dora's Christmas Everyone's favorite explorer gives Santa a gift.

For the 3th-8th grader

nakedbros.jpg
The Naked Brothers Band and the companion television series with real-life brothers Nat and Alex Wolff playing superstar versions of themselves is hilarious and charming.

Like Disney superstar Hannah Montana, life is imitating art, with the real-life performers becoming very successful as performing artists. hannahmontana.jpg High School Musical 2 continues the phenomenon that was the surprise hit of 2006.

For high schoolers

Transformers is the best of both worlds for teens -- a nostalgic reminder of a childhood favorite and a full-on summer popcorn pleasure with all the special effects and explosions anyone could ask for.

blade_runner_dvd_picture_045.jpg A dream come true for fans serious enough to proudly call themselves fanboys this is the "ultimate collector's edition" of arguably the finest science-fiction film ever made -- Blade Runner. It has every version theatrically released and all kinds of juicy extras.

Show the coolest person you know (probably a teenager) that you know cool with Futurama - Bender's Big Score. Futurama Geeks are as cool as it gets, and at last their patience has been rewarded with this straight-to-DVD feature.

The movie version of the Broadway musical version of the 1988 John Waters classic about the chubby teen who helps integrate a 1960's Baltimore teen dance television show is pure delight. John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, and newcomers Nikki Blonsky and Elijah Kelley are simply sensational in Hairspray. hairspray2.jpg
And while you're at it, why not add the original?

Make it work, people! Your resident fashionista will enjoy reliving Project Runway - The Complete Third Season as this season's episodes start the process up again.

Pride & Prejudice is a sensitive adaptation of the beloved Jane Austen classic that transformed the way love was portrayed. Too much left out of the 2-hour version? Try the equally marvelous 1996 miniseries with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.

The influence of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy continues in movies like Love and Basketball about the ups and downs of a contemporary romance featuring two very competitive athletes.

Sports fans will also appreciate Once in a Lifetime -- The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos, about the rise and fall of the North American Soccer League, one of last year's best documentaries.

And those looking for a clever, imaginative, funny, and exciting fairy tale will enjoy Stardust, starring Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Robert DeNiro.


For grown-ups

History buffs will apprecite the brilliant PBS miniseries about World War II, The War by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick.

The classic television series Route 66 is a baby boomer favorite.

"Masterpiece Theater" fans will love The Amazing Mrs Pritchard, about a housewife who becomes Prime Minister.

Now that the trilogy has been completed, "Bourne"-ites can sit back and enjoy six hours straight with The Bourne Trilogy (The Bourne Identity / The Bourne Supremacy / The Bourne Ultimatum).

Is there a woman left who cannot quote line for line the Christmas eve conclusion of An Affair to Remember? Next year is the 50th anniversary of this beloved weepie, a holiday tradition.


For the whole family

Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series is a brilliantly filmed series filmed by 40 camera teams at over 200 different locations all over the world for more than 5 years.

For the first time, the Pixar Short Films Collection has been released on DVD. These are the brief films the geniuses at Pixar made to try out new ideas and technologies and just to show off for each other and each one is a treat.
Pixar.jpg


The Jungle Book "The Bear Necessities" sung by Phil Harris. "I Wanna Be Like You" sung by Louis Prima. And the last animated film personally supervised by Walt Disney. All in a glorious 40th-anniversary edition.

Essential Classics - American Musicals (The Music Man / Meet Me in St. Louis / Seven Brides for Seven Brothers) Robert Preston and Shirley Jones sing "Seventy-Six Trombones" and "Goodnight My Someone." Judy Garland sings "The Trolly Song" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." And the seven brothers dance at the barn-raising. These are three of the greatest musicals ever made -- for once they are right when they call them "essential."

Lilies of the Field lilies.jpg Sidney Poitier won an Oscar for his brilliant performance as a handyman who builds a chapel for a group of German nuns in this touching and inspiring story that shows how sometimes accepting help is the greatest gift you can give.

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Comments
Big_Dave_T
December 6, 2007 12:26 PM

Great. I have a young niece and nephew and never thought about a DVD for them. I can't make out the first collection posted here with my aging eyes however. Link?

Nell Minow
December 6, 2007 5:32 PM

Thanks, Big Dave! I've added the link to Treasury of 100 Storybook Classics above.

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