Christmas DVD Releases: From Superman To Minions - See What's Out, When
It’s been a pretty special year for cinema: we had Henry Cavill donning the big S and playing Superman in Man of Steel; Steve Carrell and his Minions sending everyone into raptures, and low budget horror, Insidious: Chapter 2 thrilling its way to the top of the box office. And with all these titles either just released, or coming out at some point in December, here’s your definitive Christmas DVD list, so you can be sure not to miss out on a single stocking filler. All release dates are American.
Kick Ass 2 - Released on December 17th
There was a lot of hype surrounding the follow up to the immensely popular Kick Ass. Jim Carrey relinquished all promo duties by distancing himself from the film’s considerable violence, and while the critics agreed that the second coming didn’t quite live up to the first, Chloe Grace Moretz’s performance as Hit Girl makes this a vital title for any comic book fan out there. Wrap it up in in an old Kick Ass comic; just make sure it’s a duplicate first.
Watch the trailer here and read our review here
Drinking Buddies – Released on December 3rd
Olivia Wilde and Jake Johnson star in Drinking Buddies – a lovable comedy surrounding the would-be relationship between its two leading characters, Kate and Luke. The pair work together at a brewery while sharing a love for the product they produce. It’s basically them hanging out in Chicago, making each other laugh and wearing flannel shirts. Throw $14.95 at it. Go on.
Watch the trailer here and read our review here
The Wolverine – Released on December 3rd
A sure-fire hit for any Marvel fans out there, The Wolverine saw Hugh Jackman return as the furious Logan, in Japan – where he was held in a POW camp in 1945 – to fight ninjas and pretty much save the day. Jackman will be back as Wolverine in X-Men: Days of Future Past in 2015, so his antics in this year’s super-hero adventure will tide you over until then. Collectors and casual fans alike will be delighted to open this, bleary eyed, come Christmas morning.
Watch the trailer here and read our review here
Elysium – Released on December 17th
Director Neill Blomkamp stunned sci-fi fanatics with District 9 – the documentary-style feature that took an alien spin on apartheid in South Africa. His follow up, Elysium, features his debut’s star, Sharlto Copley, but this time he’s turned antagonist to Matt Damon’s hero status. It didn’t enamour the critics quite like the first, but for an all-action, provocative, dystopian thriller it certainly suffices.
Watch the trailer here and read our review here
Fast and Furious 6 – Released on December 10th
The Fast and Furious franchise is normally dismissed as being a tacky, Hollywood blockbuster. And certain entries to the series could certainly categorized as that, but with the 6th incarnation, director Justin Lin managed to carve something special. Critics and fans agreed, this is the best of the bunch, as Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson go all guns, tanks and, most importantly, cars blazing into an all-out war. If you don’t believe us, the film’s solid Rotten Tomatoes rating should be enough to sway you.
Watch the trailer here and read our review here
Despicable Me 2 – Released on December 10th
It’s official: Minions rule. The follow up to the hugely successful Despicable Me was shrouded in pressure bestowed upon it by its predecessor – so often a death sentence for a title. But Steve Carrell, Benjamin Bratt and Kristen Wiig pulled it off in style, dominating the box office with a huge $916 million box office, making it one of the year’s bona-fide smash hits. Buy it for those ridiculous minions, watch it for the inevitable family laughs over Christmas/ensuing winter sick-days in January and February.
Watch the trailer here and read our review here
Man of Steel – Released… It’s already out!
With the news that Ben Affleck is the new Batman, and that he’ll be fighting Superman in 2015’s Man of Steel 2, it’s easy to forget that the lycra-clad journalist-cum-super hero enjoyed a solid modern re-imagining in Man of Steel. From the very beginnings of his journey towards becoming Metropolis - and the world’s - saviour, this comic book epic sees what should be another brilliant movie franchise from DC, starring Henry Cavill.
Watch the trailer here and read our review here
Prisoners – Released on December 17th
Hugh Jackman makes the list again here, but this time he’s a distraught dad, fresh from the trauma of losing his daughter to a kidnapper. Along with her friend Joy, Anna is missing, and with only one lead – an inconspicuous RV parked on his street earlier – Jackman and Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) set about finding the lost children. Only - following Alex Jones’s (Paul Dano) release due to a lack of evidence - time is fast running out.
Watch the trailer here and read our review here
Insidious: Chapter 2 - Christmas Eve!
If horror fans love one thing more than a scary film, it’s a low budget scary film, and Insidious 2 seems to transcend the lowly amount of money spent on it to deliver a chilling tale from notorious duo: director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell. The haunted Lambert family attempt to uncover the mysterious childhood secret that has left them dangerously connected to the spirit world. And that’s it, we’re too scared to write anything else.
Watch the trailer here and read our review here
One Direction: This Is Us - Released on December 17th
The last title in our list will probably be the biggest in terms of sales. It’s pretty simple, One Direction will be on, we predict, 99% of girls aged 9-17’s Christmas list – and that’s a conservative estimate. Morgan Spurlock’s style might not be immediately translatable to a young audience, but the Supersize Me director admitted to be excited about working with the 1D boys, likening their fan base to that of The Beatles’ in the 60s.
Watch the trailer here and read our review here
So there you have our top 10 DVD releases for Christmas, because, despite every single film ever made being on television over the festive period, you’ve just got to have DVDs, don’t you?