If you’ve got a true film fanatic on your holiday gift recipient list this year, I’ve been scouring the internet for some ideas that should satiate the tastes of even the most depraved eccentric of them. To follow are a few of the most unique finds I’ve uncovered, and which – as a card-carrying Sicko – I’d be happy to find under my holiday totem or foliage.
New Releases From Criterion
Some exciting new additions to the Criterion Collection are set to drop this holiday season, starting off with two ‘weird guys in grey suits’ releases on December 16. Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985) is available on both 4K UHD and Blu-ray, with a 4K restoration approved and supervised by Tim Burton. There’s a ton of great extras in this package, but what really jumped out at me was the awesome cover art and foldout booklet by illustrator Luigi Olivadoti.
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure‘s 4K UHD and Blu-Ray Special Edition will feature:
- New 4K digital restoration, supervised and approved by director Tim Burton, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
- New cover by Luigi Olivadoti
- Alternate 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
- One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
- Audio commentary by Burton and actor-cowriter Paul Reubens
- Audio commentary by composer Danny Elfman (over a music-only soundtrack to the film)
- New interview with Burton and actor-filmmaker Richard Ayoade
- New interviews with producer Richard Abramson, production designer David L. Snyder, cowriter Michael Varhol, and editor Billy Weber, conducted by critic Mark Olsen
- Hollywood’s Master Storytellers interview with Reubens from 2005
- Excerpts from the fortieth-anniversary screening of the film presented by Nostalgic Nebula and hosted by comedian Dana Gould
- Deleted scenes
- Trailer
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: An essay by podcast host and culture critic Jesse Thorn
Also on December 16, Spike Lee’s documentary David Byrne’s American Utopia (2020) hits the closet with a 4K digital master on UHD and Blu-Ray supervised by Ellen Kuras, the film’s director of photography. This is considered one of the greatest concert/music films of its kind, and if you have a Talking Heads or Spike Lee fan on your list, American Utopia is a must.
Included in the special edition:
- 4K digital master, supervised by director of photography Ellen Kuras, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
- A new cover based on a collage by Annie-B Parson
- One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
- New documentary featuring Kuras, musician-producer David Byrne, dancer-vocalist Tendayi Kuumba, director Spike Lee, choreographer and musical stager Annie-B Parson, lighting designer Rob Sinclair, and bassist Bobby Wooten III
- Conversation from 2020 between Lee and Byrne
- Trailer
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing and English descriptive audio
- PLUS: An essay by critic K. Austin Collins and an appreciation by critic Jia Tolentino
A third title coming to Criterion, but which is absent of any weirdos in gray suits, is Mira Nair’s terrific debut Salaam Bombay! (1988), which chronicled the story of a young street kid named Krishna who battles the hardships of poverty to make his way through urban India. The 4K UHD and Blu-ray special edition features a digital restoration, which was supervised and approved by Nair, along with several other special features. If your gift recipient is a fan of Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire (2008), get them this package with the film that paved the way.
The special edition releases on December 9 and features:
- New 4K digital restoration, supervised and approved by director Mira Nair, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
- One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
- Audio commentaries featuring Nair and director of photography Sandi Sissel
- New conversation between Nair and composer L. Subramaniam
- Archival interviews with screenwriter Sooni Taraporevala and actors Aneeta Kanwar, Bernard Sissel, Shafiq Syed, and Hansa Vithal
- Program about the Salaam Baalak Trust and its mission to support the street children of Mumbai
- Trailer
- New English subtitle translation
- PLUS: An essay by film critic Devika Girish
Off-The-Wall Odds and Ends From A24
Eccentric studio A24 can always be counted on for some unusual film tie-in merch and gift ideas that your normie friends won’t think to pick up. These include such delights as a tree topper from the movie Pearl, a set of ornaments tied in with Ti West’s X, and movie concession-themed chocolate.
If you’re interested in nurturing the next generation of film fans and have some kids on your list of any age, A24 also has a new book for just that audience. Hey Kids, Watch This! “is jam-packed with over 100 kid- and adult-approved movie night recommendations that span decades, countries, and genres.” It also chronicles not just your mainstream Disney-approved fare for young’uns, but also deeper cuts like the work of Abbas Kiarostami, Jacques Demi, Sidney Lumet, Zhang Yimou, and more. There are also fun activities like a Mad Libs Oscar Speech, essays about the Magic of [Hideo] Miyazaki, and an interesting guide to talking and thinking about film.
With chapters for Preschoolers, Little Kids, Big Kids, and Tweens, there’s something for kiddos of all kinds. Featuring:
- An introduction by Julian Shapiro-Barnum, host of Recess Therapy
- An illustrated symbol system that flags age-inappropriate elements like scary characters or bad language
- Special sections dedicated to beloved genres and directors, including “Animal Heroes” and “The Magic of Miyazaki and Takahata”
- Fun activities and how-tos, including “How to Make Your Own Movie Night” and “How to Watch and Talk About Movies”
- A family film tracker to log your loves, likes, and mehs
Uncommon Goods’ Gifts For Horror Fans
How about some fun gifts from the Uncommon Goods collection? True to its name, practically anything on the Uncommon site should fit the bill if you’re looking for something that no one else is likely to give out in the old Secret Santa. Personally, I’m a big fan of (surprise) the horror section, where you’ll find a scratch-off chart of 100 Horror Movies to keep track of the ones you’ve seen:
“Spend your next movie night in the company of the most ravenous creatures, unstoppable maniacs, and insidious spirits that ever graced the silver screen. Ben Gibson and Patrick Mulligan’s interactive horror-themed poster takes scary movie fans on a trip through 100 frightening films from the past century. First, pick one of the terrifying titles represented by a blood red tile. After screening the nightmare-inducing flick (alone and with the lights out, if you dare), scratch away its surface to reveal a sinister, colourful scene hidden just below the surface. Work your way from the classics to the new screamers, or invite another brave soul to help choose your fate. Made in North Carolina.”
Perhaps the most unique gift in this list, there’s the innovative Scare Mail subscription that’ll mail you 24 letters throughout the year, each spookier than the last and unravelling a portion of a “terrifying tale.”
“Tucked inside a mysterious black box lies the beginning of a year-long descent into dread—the fun kind. With your first envelope already in hand, you’re instantly swept into the shadows of a chilling mystery that unfolds through 24 handcrafted letters, delivered twice a month. But these aren’t ordinary letters. They’re the breadcrumbs of a terrifying tale, packed with strange photographs, cryptic clues, and a creeping sense of unease that builds with every page. Each dispatch invites the recipient deeper into a story they’ll never forget—and maybe never escape (bwhahahaha!).
Made in Texas.
- Includes letter opener, pen, bookmark, and the chilling first letter to begin the journey.
- Features a redemption code to activate the 12-month, 24-letter subscription—first letter included, next ships within 1–3 business days.
- Each letter arrives twice a month with eerie extras like photos, symbols, and aged newspaper clippings.
Written and designed by horror author David Viergutz for a cinematic, slow-burn thrill.”
These are just a few ideas for your gift-giving needs this year, and I’m sure that any of the movie-loving madmen, madwomen, and mad-nonbinary folks on your list would be happy to receive any of them. Poke around at the other wares on offer at Criterion, A24, and Uncommon Goods for more ideas. Happy holidays!