Christmas

I got a mixed bag this year.

From my older brother, who has been strapped for cash this year, I got one of those public domain collections of Hitchcock movies. This one is from Brentwood Video, an outfit known to transfer their DVDs from videotape sources. My brother had apparently forgotten that he gave me a similar (and better) Hitchcock set three years ago. I didn't have the heart to tell him this, because he's trying his best, after all, and it's difficult to buy these sorts of things for me. Plus, this particular set has Blackmail and The Ring, neither of which are on the other set from three years ago.

From friends: Banlieue 13, an action film produced (but not directed) by Luc Besson. I know nothing whatsoever about this movie.

From my significant other: The Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 3. This one is paydirt. She also got me the King Kong production diary package a couple of weeks ago for my birthday; it's a strange creature, this package: it's the DVD extras without the feature.

For my part, I got her the first season of Gilmore Girls, which was very well received, and added House of Flying Daggers, The Aviator, Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary, Infernal Affairs, The Triplets of Belleville, Minority Report, and Bad Santa to the communal movie shelf (all purchased on the cheap, used, from my local mom and pop video store).

I'm generally relieved to be out from under the holiday now. I can actually think of buying things without stepping on anyone's toes. Most importantly, I can put in that order for the new Disney Treasures tins without worrying about whether or not someone has bought it for me for Christmas. Yay!