For better or worse, 2016 was an incredible year for cinema. We’ve had amazing highs with Spider-Man joining the MCU and a plethora of powerful independent movies, to brutal lows with multiple box office flops and critical failures. It’s an exciting time to be a movie buff, so we’ve compiled a list of great services and products for new and seasoned fans of films.
Xbox One S – $249 Microsoft
As we are predominantly a video gaming website, I wanted to start by suggesting a piece of gaming hardware. For the best entertainment experience on a console, the Xbox One S is the go-to system. When the Xbox One was originally announced, there was a heavy focus on entertainment which completely alienated gamers. In the last three years, Microsoft has corrected the ship and has done a complete 180 with the Xbox One, much like Sony did last generation with the PlayStation 3. However, it is still the best console for entertainment. While both the Xbox One S and the PS4 Pro support 4K streaming, the Xbox One S is the only console to support 4K Blu-Rays, which is mind boggling when you consider it was Sony that basically invented the format. It’s also cheaper than the PS4 Pro if you settle for the 500GB model, and there are a swath of bundles out this holiday. It is also the best-designed console on the market so it’ll look great in your entertainment system.
The Collected Works of Hayao Miyazaki – $199 Amazon
Hayao Miyazaki is one of the greatest storytellers to have ever lived, with his films not only being visual delights but thought provoking statements on humanity and morality. There is no such thing as a bad Miyazaki film; they range from great to perfect. This collection brings together on Blu-Ray all 12 of the films he himself directed. The disks are held in a booklet that discusses the themes of each film as well as Miyazaki’s growth as a filmmaker. There is a significant caveat to this collection: whilst it does have special features, it doesn’t have nearly the wealth of behind-the-scenes that the individual releases have. So if you’re a Miyazaki die hard you might want to stick with those. For everyone else, this collection is the way to go.
MoviePass Subscription – Various Prices MoviePass
If you frequently go to the movie theater or would like to be one of those people, MoviePass is an excellent way to do so. For a flat fee (dependent on location), you can see a movie a day. You use their app to choose what cinema you want to go to, what movie you want to see and what showing you’d like to attend and then use their card like you would a credit card to pick up your ticket. If you see even just one movie a week, especially living in a big city where ticket prices can be 15 dollars and upwards, it’s a huge saving. With ticket prices increasing nationwide it’s a deal that gets better with time.
The Making of Star Wars – $56.61 Amazon
It’s a great time to not only be a film buff but also a Star Wars fan, with Disney seemingly nailing their take on the franchise. Films in almost every genre owe everything to Star Wars, and this book is the definitive behind-the-scenes look at the original film. Including excerpts from old drafts of the script to on-set photographs gorgeously printed, this book reveals how close Star Wars was to completely collapsing under its own weight. If the force is with you or a loved one you owe it to yourself to own this.
Apple TV – $149 Apple
There are multiple set top boxes available nowadays all with their own pros and cons, but Apple TV features the most well-rounded experience. If you have an iPhone AirPlay is an elegantly simple way to stream music or video content to your TV, which you can also do with your Mac. On top of having your entire iTunes library, you also have almost every single video streaming app available. The box also comes with Siri built in, so you can simply speak into the controller and ask “show me movies from the 1980’s” or “show me films featuring Robin Williams” and not only will the box list those options for you, but seamlessly show you which video streaming apps they’re available on. Apple recently took this to another level with the new TV app, which collates your entire iTunes video library and video apps in one location. It’ll also be great for holiday parties as you can stream the photos you took this year to the screen and reminisce on your best moments, beam holiday tunes to your speakers whilst prepping the mulled wine, and even play games with friends and family.
