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Gift ideas for the movie and music lovers in your life

Treat the movie geeks and music fans in your life to something special this holiday season

Credit: Getty Images / Pinkypills

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

Holiday shopping can be a nightmare if you don't find yourself invested in the same interests as those on the receiving end of your gifts. That said, at least knowing what those interests are can go a long way in narrowing down your options.

As a student of film and a fan of music, let me start by saying this: Relax. There's never been a better time to shop for people with a serious appreciation for the arts. Online shopping makes it easy to discover gifts for the cinephiles and music geeks alike. Here's just a handful of options.


Blood Simple (The Criterion Collection) on Blu-ray ($27.99)

Even if you're not familiar with the Coen Brothers by name, I guarantee that you've seen at least one of their flicks (and your film fanatic friend or family member has probably seen most of them). The duo is responsible for some of the best films of all time, including Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and Barton Fink.

Before they solidified their status as two of the best screenwriters and filmmakers of all time, they wrote and directed their first film—a low-budget 1984 thriller called Blood Simple. It's a taut, surgically-crafted movie that shows flashes of their future work, and thanks to the restored 4K transfer on this special Criterion Collection Blu-ray, it's never looked or sounded better.

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Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk (Paperback, $11.30)

Don't let the name fool you—there's more to this book than punk music, and in fact, more to punk music than you might think.

Please Kill Me is one of those quintessential books that's cited with astounding frequency in music circles of all kinds. Whether your loved one is a musician, music critic, or just enthusiastic about music history, Please Kill Me is pretty much required reading. Inside are hundreds of pages worth of interviews and anecdotes from rock's most volatile and influential voices. It's a raw, honest, and insightful: precisely what an oral history should be.


48-inch Vizio E Series UHD LED TV (Vizio E48u-D0) ($379.99)

The 2016 Vizio E Series recently took home both our Editor's Choice award and a Best of Year award for doing what Vizio does best: churning out solid, competitive TVs at super-affordable prices.

This 48-inch 4K TV isn't the best-of-the-best, but thanks to its backlit panel with full-array local dimming and a user-friendly smart platform, the E Series is a tremendous value for movie lovers looking to make their home theater a little more special.

The E Series is available in several sizes and resolutions, so be sure to browse around before landing on the one that's right for you or your loved one.


The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film (Hardcover, $56.61)

Everyone loves a good star war; the overlap between Star Wars enthusiasts and film aficionados is a big one. The Star Wars saga resonates with just about everyone and can be appreciated from both a storytelling and a technical point of view.

The Making of Star Wars is famous among fans as being the definitive, behind-the-scenes story of Star Wars. The book is available in both paperback and hardcover versions, but we recommend the handsome hardcover version because it's Star Wars and you should treat yourself.


The Rap Year Book: The Most Important Rap Song From Every Year Since 1979, Discussed, Debated, and Deconstructed (Paperback, $12.88)

We're living in one of the best eras of rap to date, but in case you need a little brushing up on how we got here, look no further than The Rap Year Book.

Author Sean Serrano's honest and frequently hilarious book catalogs the history of rap year-by-year with the type of passion one expects from a diehard fan. Much like Please Kill Me, The Rap Year Book is essential for any music enthusiast's bookshelf, regardless of whether or not hip-hop is a regularly listened-to genre.


Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless over-ear headphones with noise cancelling ($349)

The Bose QC35s, our winner for best headphones of the year, will satisfy music enthusiasts and casual listeners alike.

These comfy cans perform at the top of their class regardless of what type of music you're into, and the noise-cancellation puts you in total seclusion. They won't come cheap, but the experience is worth the price of admission, particularly for folks who do a lot of listening on-the-go.


Razer Leviathan soundbar ($179)

In our round-up of soundbars under $250, the Razer Leviathan took our top spot thanks to its compact size, 5.1-channel support, and relative affordability.

The Leviathan is the perfect gift for cinephiles looking to upgrade their home theater or music fans looking to fill their home with their favorite tunes.


Xbox One S, 2TB launch edition ($399.99)

We've said it before and we'll say it again—not only is the Xbox One S is the most affordable option when it comes to playing 4K Blu-rays, but it's also a heck of an entertainment platform.

This version of the Xbox One S comes with 2TB of internal storage and even supports high dynamic range (HDR), which makes it perfect for cinephiles who want to download and watch movies in the best possible format.

Other great gift ideas:

A great pair of in-ears that tested well in our lab: Beats by Dre Powerbeats3 wireless earbuds ($199.99)

A big, premium UHD TV that tested well in our lab for under $1,000: 49-inch Samsung KS8000 4K LED TV ($897.99)

One of our favorite pairs of wireless in-ear headphones: Jaybird X2 Wireless ($79.99)

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