We're smack bang in the middle of November and we've spent the past few weeks hearing a never ending bombardment of explosives being let off outside our bedroom windows. Now, we're all coming to terms with the fact that, despite there already being Christmas lights everywhere you turn, November is very much our last month of freedom from the panic of gift-buying and our final paycheck before the big day. So, before society goes batshit, chucking their money at Apple for a phone they've already got, putting trees in their front rooms and pretty much robbing Comet, why not prepare yourself with HCTV's shopping list? What follows is a list of 10 ideas for great gifts or, indeed, some little somethings to treat yourself with.
1. BBC Olympics on Blu-ray - £23
Who here remembers how fun the Olympics were? Go back and have a listen to one of HCTV's podcasts where Roo & Will discuss how Channel 4's slightly naff coverage of the Paralympics compared to the BBC's flippin' fabulous coverage of the Olympic games. It was without a doubt the biggest, most exciting chunk of our 'great British summer' this year and now you can relive the drama (and that spiffing opening ceremony) in eye-bleedingly clear high definition. It's like you're really there, all over again. If you're proud to be British or you know somebody who loves a bit of London, this makes the perfect gift and, surprisingly, costs considerably less than if you purhcased a cuddly 'Wenlock' or 'Mandeville' in the Olympic park's offical store. That probably set you back a month's groceries.
Bond made an appearance in the 2012 opening ceremony alongside Her Majesty The Queen, but Skyfall was his first proper full-length cinema outing as 007 since the awkwardly received Quantum of Solace. Skyfall has been reviewed positively by almost everyone's who's been to see it (91% on Rotten Tomatoes) so it's a shame that it's still on the big screen rather than on our small-ish ones at home. Until the Blu-ray is released next year, boom this soundtrack loudly, shut your eyes and imagine you're the man himself. Many have said Mr Newman doesn't do as well as David Arnold, but this soundtrack sounds new, exciting and most importantly fresh, which is precisely what Skyfall was. It's great.
3. i, Robot Limited Edition 3D Blu-ray - £150
How many years until we're able to buy a NS-5? 23 years, apparently. For now, you'll have to make do with owning just a lovely pretend head of one that comes with i, Robot's limited edition 3D Blu-ray release. A reason to buy a movie if ever there was one. If you've not yet seen it, you're missing out. It's the perfect blend of science fiction, action, adventure and mystery! All that, plus Will Smith gets naked for a few seconds. Hopefully we'll still be watching this and enjoying it in 23 years time rather than fighting off hordes of psychotic robots designed to help us around the house. Order your special box immediately from Amazon.
4. Star Wars lightsaber room light - £25
Are you an enormous Star Wars fan (and most Star Wars fans are enormous, let's be honest...) who can't wait for there to be another trilogy pumped out by Disney, along with a stack of cheap lunch boxes and action figures? Why not cough up for this cool bit of merchandise then? This lightsaber room light available from Firebox comes complete with swooshy sound effects and you can get hold of three different colours, blue, red and green - Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader or Obi-Wan Kenobi. Careful, your inner child will be massively tempted to COLLECT THEM ALL! And, in case you're concerned, they're completely safe - not deadly weapons at all. They're just for show and to be fair, whether or not you're a Star Wars fan or an obsessive child, the calm colourful glow is bound to help you nod off.
5. 007 Legends - £36
More 007, here. Sod Star Wars, James Bond is where it's at right now. When you went to see Skyfall you may or may not have had to sit through a gobsmackingly chaotic trailer for the brand new James Bond video game that's trying desperately to win back some of that 'Goldeneye' magic. If you didn't - go and watch it on Youtube immediately. Naaah na na naaah na-na-naaah! Look at it! Explosions! Gun fights! Helicopters! Car chases! Snipers! Lasers! Tacky villains! FUCKING ROCKETS! And all in glorious first person! Holy moly! Take a breather, have a seat, calm yourself down. If you didn't want to play the game before, you sure as hell do now! Whoever edited these trailers should either be awarded or arrested. Buy it and blow loads of shit up.
6. The One Ring - £29
It's precious. Have you ever wanted to hold it? Stick it on your finger? Well, you can. It's not a particularly rare piece of jewellery - everyone's been cashing in on the success of The Lord Of The Rings trilogy and you don't have to look very hard to find a replica of the film's iconic golden, legendary ring but you may never have thought of it until now! Strangely things like this don't seem to cross people's minds. You can own just about anything you like these days, even if it is cheap and fake (see item number 3). Here's one place you can get it from. Think for a second - do you know anyone who's is literally obsessed with Gandalf and Frodo and all things Middle Earth? With The Hobbit coming up they'd probably love you forever if you gifted them this. Better hope they don't already have one though!
7. Family Guy - Back To The Multiverse on PS3 - £38
It's not released until November 23rd, but here's betting you're excited about it. The first Family Guy video game was released in 2006, so it's been a long wait, especially considering how often The Simpsons bash these sorts of things out. Judging from the front cover it's going to be packed with characters from all areas of the series and what a fantastic idea to set it in Brian and Stewie's confusing yet hilarious 'multiverse' - the perfect place for a video game! It'll no doubt enable us to play through levels that are completely unpredictable and with unpredictability in Family Guy comes their funniest gags, usually. Here's hoping it'll make us laugh! Give GAME a helping hand and pre-order yours today!
8. Lost iPhone case - £25
Never forget the almighty TV series - or, rather, magnificent piece of artwork - that was 'Lost'. From start to finish its mission was to confuse us and make us wonder. It was successfull. It also made us cry and laugh and panic and shit ourselves too. Not everybody 'got it' or was satisfied by it, but for those who fell in love with the messed up world of 'The Island' and its 'smoke monsters' it felt like losing a loved one the very moment season six came to a close, and then it finally sunk in - that was the end. And what an ending it was! Cast your mind back over all the little bits and pieces you've forgotten about with this nifty little iPhone case, covered in symbols from the land of Lost.
9. Psychoville on Blu-ray - £17
Halloween is out the way but you still want to be scared? But not in a creepy Sinister sort of way? You want to be spooked and have a laugh all at once? Impossible! Or not. If you're unaware of the brilliance of BBC's Psychoville, brought to you by those marvellous chaps behind The League of Gentlemen, you really ought to be shot. But not until you've made your way to the end of the second series, where the story comes to an end, and in true Psychoville style. It takes a little while to draw you in but at about mid-way through the first series you'll wonder why it took you so long to fill that Psychoville-shaped gap in your life - and what you'll fill it with when you're done! Get the collection, here.
10. Steve Brookstein: Against All Odds - 1p
Remind yourself why The X Factor is one big fat lie, horrendous television and a waste of money and why you shouldn't be watching it this year by purchasing Steve Brookstein's X Factor winner's single from Christmas 2004. Not because the song is rubbish (quite the reverse actually, it's nice!) but because he's a nobody now. Gazillions of people voted for him to win. They loved him! Now can they even remember his name? And where's Shane Ward, Leon Jackson, Joe McElderry and Matt Cardle? The odd success story pops up here and there but poor old Steve Brookstein has been wiped from the show's history, Simon Cowell has disowned him and he's left watching re-runs in a darkened room. It only costs a penny. Go on. It probably cost you more to vote for the guy!
4. Star Wars lightsaber room light - £25Are you an enormous Star Wars fan (and most Star Wars fans are enormous, let's be honest...) who can't wait for there to be another trilogy pumped out by Disney, along with a stack of cheap lunch boxes and action figures? Why not cough up for this cool bit of merchandise then? This lightsaber room light available from Firebox comes complete with swooshy sound effects and you can get hold of three different colours, blue, red and green - Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader or Obi-Wan Kenobi. Careful, your inner child will be massively tempted to COLLECT THEM ALL! And, in case you're concerned, they're completely safe - not deadly weapons at all. They're just for show and to be fair, whether or not you're a Star Wars fan or an obsessive child, the calm colourful glow is bound to help you nod off.
More 007, here. Sod Star Wars, James Bond is where it's at right now. When you went to see Skyfall you may or may not have had to sit through a gobsmackingly chaotic trailer for the brand new James Bond video game that's trying desperately to win back some of that 'Goldeneye' magic. If you didn't - go and watch it on Youtube immediately. Naaah na na naaah na-na-naaah! Look at it! Explosions! Gun fights! Helicopters! Car chases! Snipers! Lasers! Tacky villains! FUCKING ROCKETS! And all in glorious first person! Holy moly! Take a breather, have a seat, calm yourself down. If you didn't want to play the game before, you sure as hell do now! Whoever edited these trailers should either be awarded or arrested. Buy it and blow loads of shit up.
It's precious. Have you ever wanted to hold it? Stick it on your finger? Well, you can. It's not a particularly rare piece of jewellery - everyone's been cashing in on the success of The Lord Of The Rings trilogy and you don't have to look very hard to find a replica of the film's iconic golden, legendary ring but you may never have thought of it until now! Strangely things like this don't seem to cross people's minds. You can own just about anything you like these days, even if it is cheap and fake (see item number 3). Here's one place you can get it from. Think for a second - do you know anyone who's is literally obsessed with Gandalf and Frodo and all things Middle Earth? With The Hobbit coming up they'd probably love you forever if you gifted them this. Better hope they don't already have one though!
It's not released until November 23rd, but here's betting you're excited about it. The first Family Guy video game was released in 2006, so it's been a long wait, especially considering how often The Simpsons bash these sorts of things out. Judging from the front cover it's going to be packed with characters from all areas of the series and what a fantastic idea to set it in Brian and Stewie's confusing yet hilarious 'multiverse' - the perfect place for a video game! It'll no doubt enable us to play through levels that are completely unpredictable and with unpredictability in Family Guy comes their funniest gags, usually. Here's hoping it'll make us laugh! Give GAME a helping hand and pre-order yours today!
Never forget the almighty TV series - or, rather, magnificent piece of artwork - that was 'Lost'. From start to finish its mission was to confuse us and make us wonder. It was successfull. It also made us cry and laugh and panic and shit ourselves too. Not everybody 'got it' or was satisfied by it, but for those who fell in love with the messed up world of 'The Island' and its 'smoke monsters' it felt like losing a loved one the very moment season six came to a close, and then it finally sunk in - that was the end. And what an ending it was! Cast your mind back over all the little bits and pieces you've forgotten about with this nifty little iPhone case, covered in symbols from the land of Lost.
Halloween is out the way but you still want to be scared? But not in a creepy Sinister sort of way? You want to be spooked and have a laugh all at once? Impossible! Or not. If you're unaware of the brilliance of BBC's Psychoville, brought to you by those marvellous chaps behind The League of Gentlemen, you really ought to be shot. But not until you've made your way to the end of the second series, where the story comes to an end, and in true Psychoville style. It takes a little while to draw you in but at about mid-way through the first series you'll wonder why it took you so long to fill that Psychoville-shaped gap in your life - and what you'll fill it with when you're done! Get the collection, here.
Remind yourself why The X Factor is one big fat lie, horrendous television and a waste of money and why you shouldn't be watching it this year by purchasing Steve Brookstein's X Factor winner's single from Christmas 2004. Not because the song is rubbish (quite the reverse actually, it's nice!) but because he's a nobody now. Gazillions of people voted for him to win. They loved him! Now can they even remember his name? And where's Shane Ward, Leon Jackson, Joe McElderry and Matt Cardle? The odd success story pops up here and there but poor old Steve Brookstein has been wiped from the show's history, Simon Cowell has disowned him and he's left watching re-runs in a darkened room. It only costs a penny. Go on. It probably cost you more to vote for the guy!
Grand Total = £352.01
Roo