With the holiday season rapidly approaching that wonderful climactic ending, where the fruits of our shopping labors render reactions of joy and excitement (hopefully) onto the faces of friends and family, we take a moment to ponder the art of good gift-giving tactics. We Are Movie Geeks — as our name implies — has a soft spot for giving/receiving just the right gifts, so we’d like to offer some suggestions to those out there struggling to find just the right gift for the movie geeks in your life… gifts that will surely have them jumping up and down, giddily giggling like a child on Christmas morning.

Movie Theater Gift Cards

Plain and simple… movie geeks LOVE going to the movies. (duh!) So, what better gift-in-a-pinch for the movie geeks in your life than a gift card to a local theater? Multi-plex chain theater with 3D digital, or small, independent art houses like Landmark, they all offer gift cards. Whether it’s enough for just a night out at the movies with popcorn or soda, or big enough for a lifetime all-access pass to the movies, this is one fail-safe gift to fall back on, anytime.

Movie Magazine Subscriptions

These days, most movie buffs get the film news from blogs and online sources like We Are Movie Geeks, but it still doesn’t compare to walking out the mailbox to find your monthly subscription. Be it Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Entertainment Weekly, or Fangoria, there’s nothing like reading all the latest on upcoming films and seeing the colorful, first-look photos in a magazine. And if it’s a commemorative or double-issue, it’s as exciting as Christmas morning. So when the power goes out and your computer’s battery has died, no other gift comes in handy than a movie magazine.

STAY PUFT Marshmallows

Everyone likes getting sweets in their stocking on Christmas morning, but the traditional chocolate Santa and candy canes can get tedious. So, what can you replace them with to surprise the movie geek in your life? How about putting some “perk” in their party pajamas with these Stay Puft Caffeinated Marshmallows? They’re tasty and they come in this snazzy collectible box, honoring the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from GHOST BUSTERS, from which the idea was inspired.

Movie-Based Action Figures

Todd McFarlane first revolutionized the world of action figures, simultaneously taking the often lame and poorly produced movie-based action figures and turning them into awesome and affordable works of three-dimensional art for movie geeks’ collections. Spawn.com is the Internet home of McFarlane Toys, which includes motion picture, horror and television characters rendered in detailed plastic action figures.

MEZCO is a company that produces cool little Lego-esque action figures called Mez-Itz — amongst other toys — many of which are movie-themed. They’re funky and weird, but fun and cute… even the ones of Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger. MEZCO is always adding new ones to the already long list of classics including BACK TO THE FUTURE, A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, GHOSTBUSTERS, HELLBOY, KICK-ASS, THE GOONIES, SCARFACE and SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.

Graphic Novels

The first impression of many may be to ask “why graphic novels” but, when it comes down to brass tacks, graphic novels are the closest thing to the cinema found in book form. Aside from the droves of original ideas found inside (not all graphic novels are about superheroes), graphic novels employ the same concepts of visual storytelling as the movies, implementing dramatic uses of frames, lighting and shadows, even movement and depth are key in this otherwise two-dimensional media. After all, what are storyboards, if not essentially graphic novels?

Here’s just a few graphic novel titles already adapted into movies to get you started: KICK-ASS, SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD, BATMAN: YEAR ONE, SIN CITY, 300, GHOST WORLD, WANTED, 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, AMERICAN SPLENDOR, FROM HELL, CONSTANTINE.

Motion Picture Soundtracks

From composers Max Steiner to John Williams, movie scores have a special place in the hearts of true movie geeks. For us, they become a real character of their own with the voices of horns, violins and drums. Music for films provide the emotional bridge into another world up on the screen and we usually know who the composer is from the instant the first few bars of play. There’s always so many scores from which to choose – (including the above pictured special collector’s edition for HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS Pt1,) from Alexandre Desplat to one of the best this year – Hans Zimmer’s INCEPTION. There’s no better holiday gift than giving a movie geek the soundtrack to their favorite film to add to their already vast collection.

NETFLIX Account

If you don’t already have it, this is a must. It will change your life. The days of paying $4 per movie, plus gas money are over! You can stream them right to your TV or computer, or have a BLU-RAY or DVD shipped right to your door. It’s so EASY! I don’t even know how we MOVIE GEEKS leave our homes. You cannot go wrong with this gift. It says “Hi… Stay inside and get comfy while watching some awesome movies! It’s OK, they are free… I already bought them ALL for you!”. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is. No matter what your favorite type of movie is, they have it! It is possibly the most genius invention since pre-wrapped cheese. (And I like cheese…)

PIXARPEDIA

Whenever someone asks me about which films I always rush out to see when they open, I don’t reply with an actor or actress’s name but with a studio: Pixar. Some folks call them the Beatles of feature animation. I’d like to think that they’re the closest we have today to the Termite Terrace gang (Chuck Jones, Bob Clampett, Tex Avery, Friz Freeling) who made the Looney Tunes shorts during Warner Brothers’ Golden Age. With Pixar you’re always guaranteed a beautifully done work of animation anda very well told cinematic story. Well, here for your movie geek is a celebration of the studio’s feature films so far. You get an overview of the studio’s history, bios of the artists, a time-line, and a chart showing how a film is put together from start to finish. Ah now,I know what you’re most interested in: the visuals! And what lush works of art we have here. You get pre-production sketches and character thumbnail drawings. Did ya’ know that Woody was almost a ventriloquist’s dummy? Of course they show off the wonderful comic strip-like storyboards and paintings that establish the look of the story. The icing on the cake are the large frame blowups that show all the little details and inside jokes (like panels from old Mad comics) that you might miss in the theatres. This gorgeous volume will make your geek happy and counting off the days till the release of CARS 2. Pure dazzling eye candy!

CINEMA TREASURES

Co-author’s Ross Melnick and Andreas Fuchs compiled photographs (many rare) and information about the classic movie theaters that have long since closed, been renovated or are just plain gone. The “Cinema Treasures” book accompanies the ongoing on-line project (cinematreasures.org) to archive the history of these classic movie theaters. Unfortunately, this fascinating and beautifully assembled 204-page book of pre-multiplex cinema shrines is itself out of print, meaning you’ll pay an average of $85-90 to gets your mitts on a copy of this movie geek’s pleasure.

THE ART OF DREW STRUZAN

The book THE ART OF DREW STRUZAN shows us stunning works such as posters for HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE, THE THING, BACK TO THE FUTURE, THE GOONIES, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, E.T. and HOOK. It touches on his feelings about the death of creativity in the film industry, which he does have a point, and even showcases never before seen works.Every movie lover will have one of their favorites represented in this book. The thing that I found most interesting about the book is that he is honest. He talks about his opinion on photo-shopped movie posters, studio executives, and all aspects of the industry. Not to mention that it is a beautifully written lament to his career. This is a stunning tabletop book for any movie lover!

FOX 75th Anniversary Collection

Now here’s a gift that’s a bit on the pricey end, but if you want to really pamper your movie geek here’s a ticket to film nirvana. This 76 (!) disc set comes with a hardcover history of this major movie factory and home to stars like Shirley Temple, Tyrone Power, and Marilyn Monroe. It starts with the DVD debut of the 1933 Best Picture Oscar winner CALVALCADE (Although when I think of 33 I think of Kong) through the rest of the 30′s with Temple and Will Rogers then to Fox’s golden age under Zanuck with THE GRAPES OF WRATH,LAURA, and MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET. From the Monroe 50′s you get ALL ABOUT EVE, GENTLEMAN PREFER BLONDES, the Sci-Fi classic THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, and the screen debut of Elvis Presley in LOVE ME TENDER. The 60′s were swingin’ at Fox with THE HUSTLER,THE SOUND OF MUSIC, and another pair of Sci-Fi gems, FANTASTIC VOYAGE and PLANET OF THE APES. The70′s  started with wars on Earth in M*A*S*H* and PATTON and later into space with STAR WARS (and a detour to Transylvania with my fave film of all time YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN). The 80′s are represented by BIG and DIE HARD, and the 90′s with HOME ALONE and another trip to space with INDEPENDENCE DAY. Finally the last decade varies from indies like JUNO, and SIDEWAYS to more Sci-Fi blockbusters like X-MEN and the final film, AVATAR. Whew! That’s enough movie watching to take you to next Christmas!

Kino Ultimate Box Set Collection

Buster Keaton, Fritz Lang, F.W. Murnau, Georges Melies, D.W. Griffith, John Barrymore, Wong Kar-Wai, Thomas Edison, Douglas Fairbanks, Michael Haneke, Derek Jarman… just a few of the names that span ages, genres and nations included within this boxed set to end all boxed sets from Kino International. Well, so actually the Kino Ultimate Box Set Collection is really a collection of 29 separate boxed sets, all sold together at a steep 35% discount especially for that most discerning of movie geeks. At a staggering $1578.53 this movie geek’s dream is actually a pretty good deal. There is so much art, so much history and so much cinema in this gift, it’s like a time machine all wrapped up in pretty paper and a bow… go ahead, make a movie geek’s day. You’ve gotta spend that federal tax refund on something, right?

Vintage Movie Posters

They’re unique and colorful and when you enter a movie geek’s home, you can immediately identify their taste in film by the ones hanging on their walls. Sure, vintage movie posters can be expensive, but they’re an investment! I’m not talking about the CASABLANCA repro-poster you can buy at the mall, but the real thing. An original THE MUMMY one-sheet from 1932 sold for $600,000 and the original FRANKENSTEIN six-sheet (only one known to exist) has been appraised at a cool million. This geek has desired an original ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN poster for years and one can be acquired for a measly three or four thousand bucks, so what are you waiting for? I’m clearing some wall space now.

Criterion Collection

For years, the name Criterion has been synonymous with the creme de la creme of quality home video. For the collectors and connoisseurs of great film, to own the Criterion Collection release of a film is the ultimate goal… short of owning an original print, but what’s the likelihood of that? Criterion is a mark of excellence, a stamp of approval that says “watch me and you’ve watched the best version home video has to offer.” So, naturally, to give a movie geek a Criterion Collection film — each identified by it’s own, exclusive number on it’s spine, signifying it’s place amongst the ongoing library of gems, the rare and elusive truffles of motion pictures — to give this gift is akin to saying “I love you more than anything on Earth.” DVD or Blu-Ray (hey, they even did laser disc, back in the day), Criterion offers the best in film on the best in home viewing technology for the time… and, isn’t your movie geek worth the best?