Serious movie geeks can be frustratingly difficult people for whom to shop. Their movie collections typically range in the hundreds of titles, making it impossible to tell what they do and don't have. Often they buy the movies they want for themselves just as soon as the DVD hits the shelves. What, then, to buy for the movie maven who has everything? Check out these suggestions of alternate gifts for that hard-to-please couch potato.
(On a budget? See our Under $20 section below.)
Put Him In Control
If your movie enthusiast is like most, he probably has three or four different remote controls. Help him reduce the coffee table clutter with a really good universal remote.
The Sony RM-VL900 Universal Remote Commander is by far the handiest day-to-day remote control I've ever used. Not only does it come pre-programmed with hundreds of codes for existing audio and video components, it also has the ability to learn codes from your existing individual remotes. It can control eight separate units and re-programming individual keys is also an option, so even if the buttons don't match exactly you can still get all the functionality you need. Best of all, its rugged construction, glow-in-the dark buttons, and intuitive design make it easy for everyone to use. Price: about $30.
If your film buff is the Type A sort, consider something even more powerful: the Sony RM-AV3000. This remote has the same learning capabilities as the VL900, but it includes even more pre-programmed components (including some Tivo models) and a configurable backlit LCD touchscreen. This is a Cadillac of a remote: not only will it do just about everything you want it to do, but it also requires both hands to operate. I keep this model handy for when I want all of the controls for all of my components at my fingertips, but the VL900 is what I use for most TV and movie watching. Price: about $80.
I've also heard good things about the Philips Pronto TSU3000 remote, which even has a USB port to allow code upgrades using your computer's Internet connection. Since I'm pretty happy with the two remotes I have, however, I don't plan on spending the $250 required to find out just how good the Pronto really is.
And speaking of coffee tables, this Pablo coffee table features a glass-top shelf for the remotes while still leaving room for those prized movie-picture books beneath, and even features two drawers for hiding away the remotes you've replaced with your universal. Since your movie buff probably spent all of his money on DVDs, it falls upon you to make sure his house has decent furniture.
Change the Way She Watches TV
Cable TV provides your favorite sofa spud with all the movies she could possibly watch in a lifetime, but it's tough to be sitting on the couch at the right time -- you know, unless you quit your job. A Tivo personal digital video recorder will not only allow her to search for upcoming movies and record them to be seen at her leisure, but it will also record episodes of her favorite TV show and even suggest new movies to watch based on her previous selections. The series 2 models even have other media options, like the ability to upload MP3s and digital photos for even more fun. Available in 40 hour, 80 hour, and 140 hour models. Price: $200 - $350, plus service, which is $13 a month or $300 for lifetime service. (Certain rebates of up to $100 may be available this holiday season.) Believe me, it's worth every penny.
Say Hello to Surround Sound
One easy way to enhance movies at home is to add a surround-sound home theater system to the mix. Formerly accessible only to those with wiring experience and a boatload of money, home theater sound is now available for everyone. If you're listening to just the speakers that came with your TV, you won't believe the difference that a subwoofer and 5 satellite speakers (three in the front, two in the back) can make. Pre-packaged systems that even include a DVD player can be had for about $100, and brand-name systems are only slightly more expensive. Amazon's top seller is the Panasonic SC-HT920 5-Disc DVD Home Theater System, which they sell for around $300.
Play DVDs From Around the World
Hard core film aficionados can find themselves stymied from watching new foreign films by the geographic "region coding" that restricts DVD players on one continent from playing the discs recorded on another. One way around this is to buy a DVD player from one of the unfamiliar Asian companies who produce players intended for a variety of markets. If you know where to look, you can find instructions on how to switch these DVD players from one region to another, allowing you to play discs from other countries. Stomp Tokyo's favorite manufacturer of the moment is Akai -- our previous favorite, Norcent, appears to have fallen off the map. This is definitely an "alternate" DVD player, though -- don't expect it to work as well as your brand-name unit. Price: about $70. Akai also makes a region-free portable player for just over $200, which is the first example of one of these we've seen yet.
Surf the Web While You Watch
If you haven't turned your home into a wireless hot spot, you really don't know what you're missing. Wondering who that actor is or what other movies you've seen him in can be a thing of the past when your laptop computer becomes a mobile Internet portal. With a Netgear WGR614 Wireless 802.11g 54Mbps Router hooked up to your DSL or cable modem and a Netgear WG511 Wireless 802.11g 54Mbps PC Card for your laptop, you can look up all that stuff on the IMDb and even order pizza without getting up from the couch. And if your movie geek is watching something you can't stand, you can always walk into another room and check your e-mail in peace. Price: about $75 for the router, about $50 for the PC Card.
Head For the Snack Bar
Want that movie-theater snack bar experience at home? You can do even better: great popcorn, hot dogs that are actually hot, and it doesn't even cost you an arm and a leg.
For that authentic oil-popped movie theater flavor popcorn, there's the West Bend 82306X Stir Crazy 6-Quart Popcorn Popper, which can whip up six quarts of tasty corn in about five minutes. The stirring rod is an improvement on self-contained oil poppers of the past, which allowed corn to sit on the bottom of the pan to burn. This model keeps all those kernels moving so the unpopped bits pop and the popped bits stay hot without turning black. The cover doubles as a serving bowl. (For recommendations on which oil to use, see our "under $20" section" below.) Price: about $30.
Some folks prefer something more traditional, like the Back to Basics Stovetop Popper, though we suspect your enjoyment of such a popper will be in direct proportion to your idea of its appeal as a novelty activity. Those looking for a slightly healthier alternative to oil-popped corn can always opt for the Presto 04821 Orville Redenbacher Hot Air Corn Popper, which pops up huge bowlfuls in just a couple of minutes. Price for each: about $20.
If you want something with a bit more protein than popcorn, consider making your own hot dogs in the Concepts Electronics Hot Diggity Dogger, a tabletop hot dog cooker that grills your pups and toasts your buns at the same time. Price: about $40.
Does your film junkie prefer those goopy cheese nachos to hot dogs? Never fear: you can get a nacho cart instead! Mmmmm.... nachos. Price: about $80.
Under $20
Sometimes you need to give an unusual gift to a movie lover while working within a restricted budget. These suggestions will help you do just that.
All of the suggestions so far focus on items other than movies, but now we have one movie suggestion that your movie lover is practically guaranteed not to own. Made just this past year with a tiny wee budget and a troupe of enthusiastic filmmakers, Make A Killing is a horror comedy for any movie geek who ever wondered how cinematic serial killers get things done. Check out the movie's official web site (Flash plug-in required) and trailer to get a taste of what the flick is all about.
We'll have to admit to a certain amount of bias when it comes to this film, as Scott and I did contribute a few jokes to the script. But don't take our word for it, check out this EFilmCritic.com review which declares:
"Make a Killing" is proof positive that microbudget film making might finally be headed in the right direction.
Best of all, Make A Killing is available on DVD for a mere $10 plus shipping, direct from the filmmakers.
A little sister to the Sony universal remotes described above is the Sony RM-V302 Universal Commander Remote Control, which controls up to 5 video/audio components and has much the same ergonomic design as the VL900. It even has a 3-minute backup to remember your programmed codes while you switch out the batteries. For less than $15, it's probably the best remote for the money. Released this past year, so it's likely to have codes for your components.
A couple of the poppers mentioned above are $20 or less, but if your film freak already has a popper, then you need to help her fill it. This popcorn gift set from WisconsinMade includes four different varieties of popcorn (Wisconsin White Birch popcorn, Savanna Gold, Starshell Red and High Mountain Midnight), White Cheddar Seasoning Popcorn Salt, and two Popcorn Forks. Also included: a handsome 11-inch wood bowl. If you're using an oil popper, allow me to recommend refined gourmet coconut oil for a flavor you just won't get from standard kitchen vegetable oil. (Gift set, $20. Coconut oil, $5.)
Movie buffs invariably end up with unlabeled video tapes containing flicks they recorded from TV or received from fellow film geeks. (Let's face it folks, VHS ain't completely dead yet.) Years later, the tapes surface (usually unwatched), and the hapless geek has no clue what was on it. Help this poor soul by buying him an electronic labeler like the DYMO LetraTag 11944 Electronic Labelmaker, which not only prints tidy little labels for these orphaned tapes, but is fun to use. By applying shiny fun technology to the problem, chances are greater that when the tape is unearthed, its owner will have some idea of what the heck was on it and whether now is the right time to watch. Hey, it labels other stuff too! Price: about $20.
And now, it's time for the final recommendation and my shameless plug. Though your movie geek likely has a vast library of film books, chances are she doesn't have a copy of Stomp Tokyo's very own limited-edition book: Reel Shame: Bad Movies and the Hollywood Stars Who Made Them. Only a thousand copies were printed, so this is a rare item and it's only going to get rarer. Visit the book's web site to find out what it's all about, or you can read the reviews on Amazon to find out what other movie geeks thought. Order directly from us or through Amazon marketplace. See? It's easy to make your movie geek happy.
