The 13 best gifts for film fans this holiday season

A24 x Joya Genre Candles

Price: $48 for one or $120 for a set of three

Ever wondered what a musical smells like? Or a thriller? Or a Western? Brooklyn-based fragrance design studio Joya teamed up with A24 to answer those questions. The result is this line of carefully crafted scented candles evoking 10 classic movie genres, including the above plus: adventure, fantasy, horror, sci-fi, rom-com, documentary, and noir. If the candles are too pricey for you, they also have genre car fresheners available in the same scents for just $12, which could make great stocking stuffers. [Cindy White]

TÁR (Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture)

Price: $11.69

Going into 2022, few other than Todd Field and Cate Blanchett could have predicted that the year’s sexiest film soundtrack would make classical music cool again. Consider treating yourself to the music from and inspired by Tár, which includes original compositions from Emmy- and Oscar-winner Hildur Guðnadóttir, recordings that include star Sophie Kauer on the cello, and orchestras performing the likes of Gustav Mahler and Johann Sebastian Bach led by the baton-wielding Blanchett. Best of all is the CD’s cover, a re-creation of Lydia’s painstakingly crafted Mahler homage from the film itself. P.S. If it’s the vinyl you prefer, you’ll have to pre-order for a January 20, 2023 release. [Jack Smart]

Shawscope Volume Two (Arrow US Limited Edition) (Blu-ray) 

Price: $139.99

If this set only featured The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, it would be worth picking up, but as the second volume in Arrow’s extraordinary collections of martial arts classics, Shawscope Volume Two might just be the best kung fu box set of all time. Featuring not only the benchmark Gordon Liu film but its two “sequels,” along with Mad Monkey Kung Fu and the amazing My Young Auntie, plus nine more meticulously restored gems, hours of bonus materials, and two CDs of the music cues that have become synonymous with Shaw Brothers cinema, this box set offers an embarrassment of riches for any longtime fan of martial arts movies—or a newcomer eager to discover the genre’s early essentials. [Todd Gilchrist]

Mondo Tees Predator Tiki Mug

Price: $59.95

If you know someone who likes a good cocktail hour, help them step up their barware game with a themed tiki mug from Mondo. We like this Predator one because it reminds us how much we enjoyed the latest Predator film, Prey, this past summer. They also have designs inspired by Marvel, Disney, Universal Monsters, and other genre films like Alien, Jaws, and Ghostbusters. If any of them catch your eye, we suggest not waiting too long to order. The best designs are selling out quickly, and will only become more scarce as the holidays draw near. [Cindy White]

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Original Soundtrack

Price: $78.98

As critics and Disney+ audiences alike declare Andor the best small-screen Star Wars property—seriously, how is Michael Clayton in a galaxy far, far away so mind-bogglingly good?—there are surely fans who’d enjoy paraphernalia from the film that inspired it. The original soundtrack of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was this year released on 180-gram black vinyl, featuring previously unreleased music from composer extraordinaire Michael Giacchino. You are one with the Force and the Force is with you this holiday season. [Jack Smart]

Batman Tactical Sling Bag 

Price: $68

The Batman wouldn’t go anywhere without his gear, and the Batman fan in your life won’t have to either with this handy sling bag bearing the Dark Knight’s signature symbol. It has loads of pockets for all those wonderful toys, or water bottles if that’s more useful. It’s made out of ballistic nylon, which means that it’s sturdy and weather resistant. Fill it with all your essentials and take it hiking, on a trip, or just around town. It’s a man bag (or a woman bag, or anyone bag) for all seasons. [Cindy White]

Funko Pop! Marvel: Black Panther - Wakanda Forever, King Namor

Price: $12.99

Funko Pop! figures are like tattoos—once you start getting them it’s hard to stop, and before you know it they’re covering every available surface. Unlike tattoos, though, they’re not painful or expensive, so why not go crazy? The latest batch of Pop! collectables includes a line of old and new characters from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. We’re especially fond of this version of Namor with his intricate feathered-serpent headdress, but all of the Talokanil have pretty cool designs that would make great additions to any Funko shelf. And, of course, no Marvel heroes collection would be complete without the new Black Panther. [Cindy White]

Auditor Of The Month Trophy Candle

Price: $60

Box office smash Everything Everywhere All At Once is poised to dominate the holiday season just as it did Halloween (so many Raccacoonie costumes!). What better way to celebrate A24’s highest grossing film than by gifting an Auditor of the Month trophy candle? That beloved auditor in your life, or perhaps someone who reminds you of Jamie Lee Curtis’ Deirdre Beaubeirdra, deserves such fragrant recognition. I’m not privy to the trophy’s relevance, but look at that pleasingly ovoid shape! (Only joking, of course I’ve seen the film. Just not sure The A.V. Club is allowed to print the explicit way this prop is used in it.) [Jack Smart]

Merrycolor Nicolas Cage Mermaid Pillow Cover Sequin Pillow Case

Price: $12.99

That sequined pillow sure brightens up the room! It would be a lot cuter, though, if it instead featured the face of an Oscar-winning screen icon. What’s that you say? This pillow case’s reversible sequins reveal a close-up image of a placidly smiling Nicolas Cage? Why, we can’t think of a better holiday gift for a movie lover! Note that this item doesn’t come with the pillow itself, so you’ll have to add that if you want to give the full Nicolas Cage experience. [Jack Smart]

Cinephile: A Card Game

Price: $20

If there’s someone in your life who’s both a film nerd and a game nerd, there’s no more ideal sweet spot than Cinephile. Test your moviegoing knowledge with a card-based party game that includes three levels of difficulty, depending on how niche you want to get. Featuring beautifully hand-drawn portraits of your favorite cinematic icons, these striking yellow cards pair perfectly with—what else?—popcorn. [Jack Smart]

Pop Chart 100 Horror Movies Scratch-Off Poster

Price: $21.39

We at The A.V. Club would be the first to tell you horror cinema isn’t just for Halloween. Besides, this interactive horror-themed poster featuring 100 frightening films is designed for fans to scratch off each of the featured titles bucket-list style as they screen them, a task suited for spreading out beyond October. This is a stylish gift perfect for horror lovers and scaredy-cat newbies alike, but if you don’t want your gift to be limited to one genre, there are other variations available with a wider variety of titles. [Jack Smart]

Cinema Speculation by Quentin Tarantino in Hardcover

Price: $21.98

Whether or not he made it “cool” to be a cinephile, Quentin Tarantino has become justifiably synonymous with the term, thanks to his indefatigable wealth of knowledge about films great and small. His newly released book Cinema Speculation offers a feverish and insightful journey through that mental library, peppered with unvarnished takes that not only shed new light on the way Tarantino saw and experienced a variety of iconic films and filmmakers, but also offer glimpses—sometimes more intentional than others—of how their influences filtered into his own work. [Todd Gilchrist]

Star Trek I: The Motion Picture - The Director’s Edition Complete Adventure

Price: $17.99 (Blu-ray), $74.89 (4K)

The latest must-have for the Trekkie completist in your life, this limited collector’s edition of Star Trek: The Motion Picture contains the original 1979 theatrical version and director Robert Wise’s 2001-released cut of his misunderstood blockbuster—plus hours of revealing behind-the-scenes and deleted footage. See William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy as they were meant to be seen, in vivid color and higher definition than ever before. And check out our interview with producer David C. Fein, whose 4K UHD remastering process meant going all the way back to the film’s original camera negatives, here. [Jack Smart]