With the advent of streaming and the costs of movie theaters rising, it’s no secret that many are consuming most of their entertainment from their own home. And while we at Collider are huge advocates for seeing films in actual movie theaters, we also understand the budget restraints—which is why this year’s holiday gift guide is angled towards assembling everything you need to watch films and TV shows from your own home, on a budget, without sacrificing quality.

We’ve got a number of deals on televisions and soundbars highlighted, which go a long way towards immersing you in everything from Star Wars to The Irishman. We’ve also got some gift ideas for the cinephile in your life, from books to games to glorious box sets. And finally, we run down the existing bundles and deals for the most popular streaming services like Disney+, to put that home theater to good use. Let's get shoppin'.

Building a Home Theater on a Budget

TELEVISIONS

VIZIO 75” P-Series Quantum X TV - $999.99 until December 2nd at Costco

VIZIO 40” V-Series V - $199.99 (50% off) at Target until November 30th, and $199.99 at Costco for Black Friday/Cyber Monday

VIZIO 65” M-Series Quantum TV (M656) - $498 at Walmart

VIZIO 65” V-Series - $449.99 at Best Buy for Black Friday/Cyber Monday

VIZIO 55” V-Series - $299.99 at Best Buy for Black Friday/Cyber Monday

VIZIO 55” M-Series Quantum TV (M556) - $398 at Walmart,

Samsung 65” Class LED 7 Series - $599.99 at Best Buy for Black Friday

Samsung 55” Class LED NU6900 Series - $329.99 at Best Buy for Black Friday

Samsung 43” Class LED NU6900 Series - $229.99 at Best Buy for Black Friday

Toshiba 50” Class LED 2160p with FireTV - $269.99 at Best Buy for Black Friday

Insignia 50” Class LED 2160p with FireTV - $259.99 at Best Buy for Black Friday

Sharp 50” Class LED 2160p with RokuTV - $239.99 at Best Buy for Black Friday

Obviously if you’re building a home theater on a budget, you’re gonna want a nice television. VIZIO has actually come a long way in quality and has a number of solid TVs on sale through Thanksgiving weekend, as you can see above, and there are also some very good Black Friday deals on Samsung, Toshiba, Insignia, and Sharp to be found at Best Buy. Picture is everything, and by most accounts these are all incredibly solid picks.

SOUNDBARS

VIZIO 5.1.4-Channel Sound Bar System with Dolby Atmos - $699.99 at Best Buy for Black Friday

VIZIO 3.1.2-Channel Sound Bar System with Dolby Atmos - $549.99 at Best Buy for Black Friday

VIZIO 5.1.2-Channel Sound Bar System with Dolby Atmos - $299.99 at Best Buy for Black Friday

VIZIO SmartCast 5.1 Channel Sound Bar System - $149.99 at Best Buy for Black Friday

VIZIO 2.1-Channel Sound Bar System - $99.99 at Best Buy for Black Friday

VIZIO 2.0-Channel Sound Bar System - $59.99 at Best Buy for Black Friday

Samsung 3.1 Channel 340W Soundbar System with 6-1/2” Wireless Subwoofer - $209.99 at Best Buy for Black Friday

LG 3.1 –Channel Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer and DTS Virtual - $199.99 at Best Buy for Black Friday

The key to creating a home theater experience in your living room is a soundbar and/or sound system. The built-in speakers for the aforementioned televisions are solid, but if you really want to feel immersed, a soundbar is a terrific investment.

I was able to check out VIZIO’s 5.1.2 sound system with Dolby Atmos and can confirm that it’s kind of incredible how good it sounds. Even with just the soundbar and subwoofer, the sound is wonderfully immersive and full-bodied whether you’re watching Edge of Tomorrow or The Great British Baking Show. But once you turn those surround speakers on (especially with something like Star Wars), you are there. So yeah, I can personally attest to the quality of the VIZIO sound systems—they’re top notch, and they’re not gonna break your bank.

For the Movie Lover in Your Life

 

Cinephile, a card game – $25 – This gorgeous card game is a must-own for all cinephiles with movie-loving friends. There are multiple ways to play with three levels of difficulty, all involving a deck of 150 cards. Filmography is a game where you try to name more films by one actor than your opponents; Six Degrees finds you trying to connect two separate actors through films in which they’ve appeared. It’s honestly tons of fun.

Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954-1975 Criterion – $112.49 at Barnes & Noble – This Criterion box set is not only absolutely beautiful, but it’s a must-own for monster movie fanatics. It includes 15 Godzilla films, each with its own Criterion cover, and is packed with incredible bonus material.

The Science of Breaking Bad - $18.14 – For the science nerd who is also really into Breaking Bad, this book is a fantastic read and was co-written by Collider’s own Dave Trumbore! The Science of Breaking Bad explains, analyzes, and evaluates the show’s portrayal of science from the pilot to the series finale. Ever wonder how harmful it would be to really dissolve a body in hydrofluoric acid? This book has the answer!

Twin Peaks: From Z to A - $132.99 – This complete box set is a must for any serious Twin Peaks fan. It includes not just Season 1 and 2 of the original series, or Twin Peaks: The Return, or Fire Walk with Me, or Deleted Scenes, but also over 7hours of new behind-the-scenes footage for all 18 parts of the limited series plus the Episode 1 and Episode 8 of The Return in 4K Ultra Hi-Def.

Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes’s Hollywood - $17.99 – This book from You Must Remember This podcast host Karina Longworth is a deep-dive into the inner workings of Hollywood’s glamorous golden age through the stories of the women who were pursued by Howard Hughes.

Heroes and Villains Merch – If it’s cool shirts, pins, jackets, etc. you’re looking for, branded with the likes of Star Wars, X-Men, Batman, and more, the Heroes and Villains store has some solid selections—including some great The Mandalorian merch. Plus, you can get 10% off your entire purchase by using the code COLLIDER10 at checkout.

Streaming, Streaming, Streaming

Disney+ - $6.99 a month – So if you want to just get Disney+ for someone, it’s $6.99 a month. But there’s also the Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ bundle option for $12.99. Or, if you buy a Google Chromebook, you get three months of Disney+ free. You can also get Disney+ free for a year if you’re a new or existing Verizon Wireless customer.

Criterion Channel - $10.99 a month/$99.99 a year – For the true cinephile in your life who’s missing FilmStruck like crazy, spring for a Criterion Channel subscription. Criterion movies and plenty of classics and foreign films on demand. 

Apple TV+ - $4.99 a month – Granted, Apple TV+’s first burst of original content has been pretty mixed, but I find The Morning Show to be incredibly entertaining and Servant looks creepy af.

Shudder - $4.75 a month – For the horror lover in your life. They will not be disappointed.