Forget gift cards; the best holidays gifts involve home entertainment. This year, consumers have a plethora of DVD or Blu-ray options to give to their friends or family.
“The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius: The Complete Series” (Shout! Factory) packs all three seasons of the Nickelodeon animated series into a 10-DVD boxed set. For those who didn’t see the 2002-2006 series, Jimmy is a gadget inventor that, inevitably, seem to go awry. But his robot dog, Goddard, and best friends, Carl and Sheen, manage to stay by his side, anyway. Mischief is always in order.
Bonus features include five behind-the-scenes featurettes, storyboards, the pilot episode, and all three “Jimmy Timmy Power Hours” crossover specials with “The Fairly OddParents.”
Speaking of gadgets, “Rick and Morty: Seasons 1-4” (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) is an out-of-this-world animated adventure. Available in Blu-ray or DVD, the boxed set follows the crazy scientist (Rick), his grandchildren (Morty and Summer), and his daughter and son-in-law (Beth and Jerry). Rick constantly works on sci-fi gadgets with hilarious results. The set contains all 41 episodes from the first four seasons plus an exclusive poster.
“Future Boy Conan” The Complete Series” (GKIDS), an anime series, is released for the first time in North America as a Blu-ray boxed set with a new 4K restoration and English language dub. The four-disc Blu-ray, containing 26 episodes, also includes an exclusive 16-page booklet featuring character artwork.
“The Stand” (CBS Home Entertainment, Paramount Home Entertainment) is a two-pack on three discs, featuring the original 1994 miniseries and the 2020 adaptation. Whoopi Goldberg and Greg Kinnear star in the series about only 1% of the world surviving the apocalypse. A gag reel and behind-the-scenes featurette further makes this set appealing.
“Hacksaw Ridge” (Lionsgate) came out in 2016, but this rerelease is available at Best Buy as a 4K Ultra HD plus Blu-ray plus digital SteelBook. The film tells the extraordinary true story of a soldier (Andrew Garfield) who, in Okinawa during World War II, saved 75 men without firing or carrying a gun. The Mel Gibson film also stars Sam Worthington and Vince Vaughn.
“Two from Sergei Eisenstein: October & Alexander Nevsky” (Corinth Films) pairs together two Eisenstein films in one package. “October” is from 1928; “Alexander Nevsky” is from 1938. Together, then bring Russian history to life from the Latvian-born Eisenstein. The former was produced to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the Russian revolution. The latter shows a change in his cinematic approach after stints in Hollywood and Mexico. This is a can’t-miss two-pack.