(November 16, 2022) It's time for our annual Holiday Gift Guide, detailing this year's top movie releases. Whether you're looking for a sure-shot gift for a movie fan in your life, or want to round out your own personal collection, the brain trust of movie reviewer and disc expert Michael Scott is at your disposal, right here, right now. Scott sent me his top picks and asked me to fill in the gaps, which I did by suggesting two measly titles. So, consider yourself well covered by someone who knows a little something about movies.
If you're interested in reading a detailed review or finding a "Buy It Now" button, I've supplied links to Scott's official reviews for each title (when available). Just click on a film's title and you'll be whisked away to a host of information and an Amazon link. Instead of detailing a full Top 20 Countdown, as we've done in years past, you'll find our consensus Top 5 picks followed by a simple list containing the "Best of the Rest." If you have any questions or would like to share your own suggestions, please comment below!
Top 5 Disc Releases of 2022
5. Everything Everywhere All at Once (4K)
This mesmerizing tale is a visual delight for the eyes and ears, featuring a rich Dolby Atmos track and four different aspect ratios loaded with amazing colors and detail. It's not a great choice for film fans that crave mindless popcorn flicks, but it has enough action to keep its thick and winding plot fresh and fluffy. If you'd like to buy this film from Amazon, click here.
4. To Kill a Mockingbird, 60th Anniversary Edition (4K)
Landing on 4K with a stellar audio and video transfer, Michael Scott says To Kill a Mockingbird is "one of [his] highest-rated packages of the year," bestowing it with five stars and a "Must Own" stamp of approval. That goes without saying, it's a timeless classic.
3. Spider-Man: No Way Home (4K)
Spider-Man: No Way Home is one of the best of the newer Spidey entries with a nice setup for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and some great redemption story arches for old characters that we all know and love. The 4K UHD disc is amazing, with stunning video, great audio, and some hefty extras to enjoy. Definitely grab it if you are in any way a fan.
2. Belle (4K)
Belle was one of Scott's favorite 2021 films, taken from the conceit of Beauty and the Beast with director Mamoru Hosoda specifically blending in allegorical references to how social media has consumed our lives and grounding it in reality. Scott says, "it’s sweet, sorrowful, and completely engrossing to watch." Adding, "the Gkids release through Shout Factory is head and shoulders better than the Blu-ray, with much-improved video, slightly better audio, and a metric buttload (yes, a very technical term there we use in “the industry”) of special features."
1. Top Gun: Maverick (4K)
Top Gun: Maverick stands as one of the best disc releases we've seen in years. Loaded with reference-grade video and thunderous audio, this film is a must-own for home theater fans and a slam-dunk gift at that. Buy it!
If you'd like to purchase this film from Amazon, click here.
Best of the Rest
- Dune (4K)
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 40th Anniversary Collection (4K)
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Six-Film Collector's Edition (4K)
- Ambulance (4K)
- Columbia Classics Collection: Volume 3, It Happened One Night, From Here to Eternity, To Sir, With Love, The Last Picture Show, Annie, and As Good as it Gets (4K)
- Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (4K)
- Child's Play, films 1 through 3 (4K)
- The Matrix Resurrections (4K)
- The Northman (4K)
- Nope (4K)
- The Halloween 4K Collection (1995-2002) (4K)
- Jurassic World: Dominion (4K)
- Bullet Train (4K)
- The Batman (4K)
- The Classic Christmas Specials Collection (4K)
- The Woman King (4K)
- Scream, the original and 2022 release (4K)
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