The 2023 /Film Holiday Gift Guide: Hollywood Books: Movie & TV History, Behind The Scenes, Memoirs & More

SlashFilm

By Ethan Anderton and SlashFilm StaffUpdated: Nov. 24, 2023 1:16 pm EST

Everyone here at /Film loves watching movies and TV shows. But every now and then, you need a break from the screens. However, that doesn't mean you can't still bask in the glory of moving pictures. There's an endless array of books out there about your favorite movies and TV shows. Whether it's the story of the two most famous film critics ever, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, a chronicle of the making of movies like Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" or the screwball comedy spoof "Airplane!," memoirs from your favorite stars like Patrick Stewart and Barbra Streisand, an exhausting timeline of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or a cookbook with recipes straight from the "Star Wars" universe, we've got a huge collection of books for the film and TV lover in your life.

So let's dig into Part 2 of the 2023 /Film Holiday Gift Guide now!

Making of Movies & TV Behind the Scenes

Insight Editions

Unleashing Oppenheimer

Christopher Nolan's powerful drama was one of the biggest movies of the year, and now you can read all the fascinating details about how the production came together. In the recently released book "Unleashing Oppenheimer: Inside Christopher Nolan's Explosive Atomic-Age Thriller," you'll find out how meticulous of a filmmaker Nolan truly is, the challenges of rebuilding the famed Los Alamos, delightful anecdotes from the behind the scenes, and incredible insights from Nolan and all of the key cast and crew members from the film. Filled with beautiful photography and exclusive interviews, this is an astounding chronicle about the making of one of the best movies of 2023. You will not be disappointed. (Ethan Anderton)

MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios

SlashFilm

Many of the behind-the-scenes stories involving Marvel Studios have become the stuff of legend. How the company was fading and had to license some of its biggest characters to stay afloat. How Jon Favreau and the "Iron Man" cast essentially made up that script on the fly during production. How Joss Whedon assembled the Avengers for the big screen, only to burn out after "Age of Ultron." /Film readers will know about the big moments in the studio's history, but "MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios" provides the full story, with details and stories you've never heard before. The book delivers a great mix of detailed accounts of the major movie productions as well as a bird's eye view analysis of how Kevin Feige eventually took over Hollywood and became one of the most successful producers in the history of entertainment. It's a great read for MCU diehards and casuals alike. Also, be sure to check out our interview with the book's authors over here! (Ben Pearson)

Making Scary Things

SlashFilm

Did you know that there are some people in this world who actually have the time to sit down and read a book? No, really! They exist! And I am only a tiny bit jealous of their power! If you or someone you love are of the bookworm variety and also love all things horror, there are some truly killer reads available on some fan-favorite titles. In honor of William Friedkin's masterpiece, "The Exorcist" celebrating its half-a-century anniversary, author Nat Segaloff has written "The Exorcist Legacy: 50 Years of Fear." There's also the comprehensive insight of "Halloween: The Official Making of Halloween, Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends'" examining the trilogy by David Gordon Green. Or if you've ever asked yourself "How did this get made?" there's longtime "Sleepaway Camp" historian Jeff Hayes' "Sleepaway Camp: Making the Movie and Reigniting the Campfire" from celebrated horror and pop culture company, 1984 Publishing. Happy reading! (BJ Colangelo)

Crafting Comedies

SlashFilm

Unfortunately, the making of comedies isn't covered in books nearly as often as big blockbusters. Maybe that's because it's hard to capture the hard work that goes into making a comedy come together. But a few bona fide classics have gotten that treatment this year, and they're a real treat. Saul Austerlitz's "Kind of a Big Deal" takes a look at the legend that is Ron Burgundy with a deep dive into "Anchorman." Erin Carlson rounds the bases and keeps the score for the beloved baseball flick "A League of Their Own." Filmmakers Jim Abrahams and Jerry & David Zucker look back at their own history with a detailed and hilarious oral history of the making of "Airplane!" Keegan-Michael Key and his wife Elle Key take us though the history of sketch comedy. And Toby Benjamin looks at the beloved cult classic "Withnail & I," with the full blessing of writer and director Bruce Robinson. (Ethan Anderton)

Rounding Up 'The Dirty Dozen'

SlashFilm

If classic war movies get your heart beating, this book about the making of the World War II classic "The Dirty Dozen" is a must-have. As the synopsis for Dwayne Epstein's book, "Killin' Generals: The Making of The Dirty Dozen, the Most Iconic WW II Movie of All Time," says, "Based on exclusive interviews with the surviving cast and crew, friends and families of the stars, and other Hollywood insiders, 'Killin' Generals' is a riveting must-read for film buffs, military fans, and anyone who loves a down-and-dirty adventure tale. Detailed, insightful, and gossipy, Epstein's homage spotlights the movie's endless barrage of cinematic gold." When a movie stars Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, John Cassavetes, Charles Bronson, Donald Sutherland, Jim Brown, Robert Ryan, Clint Walker, and Telly Savalas, there's bound to be plenty of great stories from behind the scenes. (Ethan Anderton)

Boldly Going Behind the Scenes of 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'

Making of Star Trek II The Wrath Of Khan

Titan Books

For those who are fans of sci-fi battleship scenes, brain worms, and Ricardo Montalbán's manly chest, one might want to check out John and May Jose Tenuto's "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: The Making of the Classic Film." The book includes a lot of behind-the-scenes photography, natch, as well as interviews with director Nicholas Meyer and many other behind-the-scenes filmmakers. Paired with the oral history book "The Fifty-Year Mission," you will know everything there is to know about "Star Trek II." (Witney Seibold)

A Little Bit of Television

SlashFilm

Hey, there's plenty of TV out there too, and here are a couple books with deep dives into the flickering box. One of them provides an extensive oral history of the hit Fox series "The OC," complete with interviews with series creator Josh Schwartz and executive producer Stephanie Savage, and key cast members like Ben McKenzie, Mischa Barton, Adam Brody, Rachel Bilson, Peter Gallagher, Kelly Rowan, Melinda Clarke, Tate Donovan, and more.

On the broader side of TV, a new book from author Peter Biskind dives into the evolution and overhaul of TV. As the synopsis says, "Instead of focusing on one service, like HBO, 'Pandora's Box' asks, 'What did HBO do, besides give us 'The Sopranos?' The answer: It gave us a revolution. Biskind bites off a big chunk of entertainment history, following HBO from its birth into maturity, moving on to the basic cablers like FX and AMC, and ending up with the streamers and their wars, pitting Netflix against Amazon Prime Video, Max, and the killer pluses — Disney, Apple TV, and Paramount." Sounds like it should be quite the informative read! (Ethan Anderton)

Of All the Charlie Browns in the World...

SlashFilm

One of the most beloved Christmas specials of all time is undoubtedly "A Charlie Brown Christmas," featuring the beloved characters of Charles M. Schulz's "Peanuts" comic strips. Now, a new book by professor and cultural historian Michael Keane takes a look back at how the animate holiday favorite came together. As the synopsis for "Charlie Brown's Christmas Miracle: The Inspiring, Untold Story of the Making of a Holiday Classic" says, "Keane compellingly shows that the ultimate broadcast of the Christmas special — given its incredibly tight five-month production schedule and the decidedly unfavorable reception it received by the skeptical network executives who first screened it — was nothing short of a miracle." The book goes behind the scenes with new original research and interviews, and there's no better time to read up on the lovely special. (Ethan Anderton)

Hollywood History

Opposable Thumbs, We're Not Worthy, Last Action Heroes

SlashFilm

Want to know everything about the massive success of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone? How about the rise of Jackie Chan and Jean-Claude Van Damme? Maybe you'd like to know about the history of famed film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, from their adversarial friendship to the pop culture staple that became their "two thumbs up." Or perhaps you want to know anything and everything about the sketch comedy of the '90s, from "Saturday Night Live" to "Mr. Show with Bob & David." We've got three amazing books for you, and each one of them is packed with incredible anecdotes and well-researched history. (Ethan Anderton)

SlashFilm

Every year, Hollywood gets drunk and congratulates themselves with the Oscars. Despite being a glad-handing party thrown just for celebrities to praise each other, audiences love watching their favorite stars get together. If you want to dig into what it's like to win one of those golden guys known as Oscars, a new book (that sadly won't arrive until January) takes a look back at 50 different Oscar nights with a variety of actors and filmmakers looking back at their big nights. For those who want to dig a bit deeper, Michael Schulman's book "Oscar Wars" gets a little saltier, as it "chronicles the remarkable, sprawling history of the Academy Awards and the personal dramas — some iconic, others never-before-revealed — that have played out on the stage and off camera. (Ethan Anderton)

SlashFilm

For those who are more interested in the studio politics of Hollywood's golden age — and who isn't? — a pair of new overarching history books might have the subject well-covered. Mark A. Vieira's "Warner Bros.: 100 Years of Storytelling" appears to be a beatific and celebratory tome devoted to a studio that, thanks to David Zaslav, is currently being stripped for parts. In 2023, a book of WB's century-long history has to be wistful. More direct is Foster Hirsch's "Hollywood and the Movies of the Fifties: The Collapse of the Studio System, the Thrill of Cinerama, and the Invasion of the Ultimate Body Snatcher — Television." After the Paramount Accords were put into place, Hollywood underwent a grand mutation and the film landscape changed from a studio-dictated game into a struggling-but-even playing field. Hirsch seems to cover that era of mutation. (Witney Seibold)

SlashFilm

And, of course, what film library would be complete without a few biographies? As is well known, Alfred Hitchcock had a "type" when it came to women, and Laurence Leamer's new book "Hitchcock's Blondes: The Unforgettable Women Behind the Legendary Director's Dark Obsession" examines the filmmaker's fetishes and the actresses he cast to embody them. Scott Eyman's "Charlie Chaplin vs. America: When Art, Sex, and Politics Collided" examines the years after Chaplin's heyday, detailing his political shifts — and dark sexual proclivities — that led to the filmmaker's eventual fall out of the public eye. Meanwhile, Sam Wasson's "The Path to Paradise: A Francis Ford Coppola Story" retells the well-known story of Coppola's ambitions to rewrite Hollywood's rules via a more creator-driven model. Coppola's story needs an update every few years to catch up with where he is right now, and Wasson's book fits the bill. (Witney Seibold)

SlashFilm

Full of phony people just trying to get their next gig and take credit for everything good about movies and television, Hollywood can be quite an exhausting and toxic place to work. That's why Vanity Fair reporter Maureen Ryan put together the book "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood." As the synopsis explains, "Abuse and exploitation of workers is baked into the very foundations of the entertainment industry. To break the cycle and make change that sticks, it's important to stop looking at headline-making stories as individual events. Instead, one must look closely at the bigger picture, to see how abusers are created, fed, rewarded, allowed to persist, and, with the right tools, how they can be excised." And that's exactly what this book does, taking a closer look at stories involving Evan Rachel Wood, Harold Perrineau, Damon Lindelof, Orlando Jones, and many more. (Ethan Anderton)

Movie Artbooks

Insight Editions

Particularly in an age when it feels like Blu-ray bonus features are going by the wayside, cinephiles who want to dive deeper into a specific movie or TV show often need to find other ways to do that. Luckily, many studios and publishers still collaborate on wonderful "art of" books for big movies and shows. 2023 has been no exception on that front, and we have collected some of the best of the best here. Everything from a reissued deep dive into "Iron Man," the movie that kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe, to director Gareth Edwards' sweeping sci-fi flick "The Creator." We've also got some deeper dives into some of the best animated movies of the year with books exploring "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" and "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse." These books are worthy of adding to any fan's shelf. (Ryan Scott)

Titan Books

Dune

Insight Editions

The holiday season can only mean one thing: it's truly Muad'Dib time. "Dune: Part Two" might've been delayed until 2024 to many fans' chagrin, but that only gives us even more of an opportunity to prepare accordingly. So what better excuse is there to either give yourself the gift of a little spice-related cheer or surprise the sci-fi obsessive in your life with a bevy of books to help make the wait for our return trip to Arrakis somewhat more palatable? From behind-the-scenes insights into Denis Villeneuve's productions to a celebration of David Lynch's adaptation to a deep-dive into author Frank Herbert's original saga, there's enough here to keep fans busy until March 2024 rolls around. (Jeremy Mathai)

1984 Publishing

Abrams Books

Both "DUNE: The Graphic Novel, Book 2: Muad'Dib: Deluxe Collector's Edition" and "DUNE: The Graphic Novel, Book 1: Dune: Deluxe Collector's Edition" are also available to purchase now.

All Things Spielberg

SlashFilm

Steven Spielberg is undoubtedly one of our greatest living filmmakers, and there are decades of work to prove it. For those who are interested in immersing themselves in the film (and television) work of the director who gave us "Jaws," "Jurassic Park," and "Schindler's List," there are two different books that will make that much easier. First, Laurent Bouzereau focuses on the early years of Spielberg's career, specifically the time he spent making "Duel," "The Sugarland Express," "Jaws," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "1941," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," and "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial." Meanwhile, authors Arnaud Devillard, Olivier Bousquet, Nicolas Schaller cover everything the filmmaker has touched in "Steven Spielberg – All the Films: The Story Behind Every Movie, Episode, and Short," for those who are seeking a somewhat more complete portrait of the filmmaker's work. It's Spielberg, so you can't go wrong with either one. (Ethan Anderton)

Nightmare Before Christmas

Disney

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the stop-motion animated classic "The Nightmare Before Christmas," produced by Tim Burton and directed by Henry Selick ("Coraline"). As the first feature-length stop-motion animated movie, the making of this holiday classic (popular at both Halloween and Christmas) is truly fascinating. Featuring interviews with Burton and Selick, as well as composer, songwriter and Jack Skellington's singing voice Danny Elfman, the "Visual Companion" book covers the development and making of the movie, with plenty of additional insight from animators, artists, and other key crew members. For those who want even more from "Nightmare Before Christmas," there's another book that goes "Beyond Halloween Town," exploring the legacy of the movie, including all of the fandom, merchandise, events, and more that has emerged over the past 30 years. (Ethan Anderton)

Halloween gets illustrated

Printed in Blood

In case you didn't know, the original novelization of John Carpenter's "Halloween" is incredibly hard to find unless you want to pay a significant amount of money. Thankfully, Printed in Blood is making it a bit easier to get ahold of the book that has a lot more details about Michael Myers that weren't included in the movie. This is the first time the book has been reprinted in over 40 years, and what makes this one even cooler is that it has nearly a hundred new illustrations created for this release by Orlando "Mexifunk" Arocena. You can pre-order it right now, but it won't ship until January 2024. The horror fan in your life will appreciate it very much. (Ethan Anderton)

Movie and TV Guidebooks and More

SlashFilm

A quality pop culture resource book is one that puts as much care, investigation, and personality as the scripts of the films and television shows they're examining, and we've wrangled up a list of some absolutely stellar reads. Entertainment journalist Kristen Lopez published "But Have You Read the Book?: 52 Literary Gems That Inspired Our Favorite Films" this year, an essential guide to some of the most memorable book-to-film adaptations ever made. Bethonie Butler's "Black TV: Five Decades of Groundbreaking Television from Soul Train to Black-ish and Beyond" is required reading for any TV fan, the first book to ever provide a deep-dive on the rich, over 50-year history of Black stories on the small screen. For the person in your life who just can't help from inserting a movie quote into every conversation (It's me, I'm the person), "'You Talkin' to Me?': The Definitive Guide to Iconic Movie Quotes" makes the perfect stocking stuffer. (BJ Colangelo)

My First Movie Vol. 2

Cinephile

Last year, we featured the wonderful book collection "My First Movie Vol. 1," a trilogy of stylish board books designed to look as if they're introducing specific film genres to kids, though they're not exactly intended for children of all ages. The first volume focused on noir, French new wave, and giallo horror. Now, a second volume has arrived with three new genres to explore:

My First Spaghetti Western
My First Hollywood Musical
My First Yakuza Movie

Cinephile

With acclaim from the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Edgar Wright, and Alex Ross Perry, this latest collection gives fans "a deep dive into an entire world of films — from Spaghetti Westerns to Hollywood musicals to Yakuza movies — sure to delight grown-up movie fans as well as introduce little cinephiles to films they won't be able to see until they're much older."

Cinephile

Written by Cory Everett and illustrated by Julie Olivi, these books are a delight, and if you don't have precocious kids thumbing through the pages, you'll have some cool, artistic books to accent your home decor.

Cinephile

Independently made and produced, the "My First Movie Vol. 2" trilogy will come in a box set for $45, or you can purchase "My First Spaghetti Western," "My First Hollywood Musical," and "My First Yakuza Movie" as individual books for $15 each. They're available to pre-order right now at the 'Lil Cinephile website shop, and they'll be on shelves at independent retailers beginning early 2024.

Celebrity Memoirs (and a Novel)

SlashFilm

Sadly, we lost "Friends" star Matthew Perry at the end of October. It was a loss that sent a shockwave of sadness through Hollywood and audiences alike. Thankfully, there are decades of films and TV shows for us to remember Perry, and last year, the actor also wrote a memoir called "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing." The book chronicles his time on the hit sitcom "Friends," memorable moments from his personal life, and intimate recollections about his struggles with substance abuse. Perhaps the best way to remember Matthew Perry is through his own words and thoughts. (Ethan Anderton)

Stars of the Big and Small Screen

SlashFilm

Forget social media: if you really want to know the ins and outs of a celebrity's life and what it's like working in the film and TV industry, you should check out some of the memoirs in this year's gift guide. You could take a deep dive into "Star Trek" history with Patrick Stewart's "Making It So," or learn all about the ups and downs of Barbra Streisand's legendary career (as well as her personal life, which might be even more fascinating) with "My Name Is Barbra." Or perhaps you would like to learn more about Hollywood from the perspective of trail-blazing queer actors like the late Anne Heche and Elliot Page, or maybe read about the ways Jada Pinkett-Smith and Kerry Washington broke new ground for Black women in showbusiness. And then there are memoirs by lovable old-timers like Sam Neill, Richard E. Grant, and "The Fonz" himself, Henry Winkler, who've got plenty of entertaining stories to share about their many, many years of acting for a living. Whatever curtain you choose to take a peek behind, you're bound to find something pretty fascinating. (Sandy Schaefer)

SlashFilm

This year, a handful of comedians brought new memoirs to shelves, each with their own unique perspectives and experiences, as well as a variety of different senses of humor. Former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Leslie Jones digs into her life and career with her expletive-filled, self-titled memoir. Maria Bamford provides a memoir about show business, mental health, and the comfort of rigid belief systems. Reggie Watts writes a love letter to the town he grew up in after moving from Europe to the United States as a kid. And Aparna Nancharla gives us "insightful meditations on body image, productivity culture, the ultra-meme-ability of mental health language, and who, exactly, gets to make art "about nothing.'" You can't go wrong with any of these. (Ethan Anderton)

"I'm the last one who would do self-analysis"

SlashFilm

Werner Herzog is one of the most fascinating filmmakers out there, so you can only imagine how great a memoir from the "Grizzly Man" and "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" director will be. As the synopsis explains, "'Every Man for Himself and God Against All' is at once a personal record of one of the great self-invented lives of our time, and a singular literary masterpiece that will enthrall fans old and new alike. In a hypnotic swirl of memory, Herzog untangles and relives his most important experiences and inspirations, telling his story for the first and only time." Sounds like exactly what we'd want from a Werner Herzog memoir. (Ethan Anderton)

Does anyone have any orange slices?

Marvel

No, this isn't a joke. Well, I guess it's kind of a joke. At the very least, it's one that Marvel Studios and Disney took seriously, because after being prominently featured in "Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania," Scott Lang's memoir "Look Out for the Little Guy!" is a real book you can buy, and it's actually written as if Scott Lang wrote about his life and experiences with The Avengers. While it might feel like a gag gift, this is actually a pretty cool in-universe piece of merch that's basically your own prop replica. Maybe you can even get it signed by Paul Rudd one day. (Ethan Anderton).

Ladies and gentlemen, Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece

Knopf

Oh, and in case you didn't hear, Tom Hanks didn't write a memoir, but he wrote a novel that is right up our alley. It's called "The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece," and here's the synopsis:

Part One of this story takes place in 1947. A troubled soldier, returning from the war, meets his talented five-year-old nephew, leaves an indelible impression, and then disappears for twenty-three years.

Cut to 1970: The nephew, now drawing underground comic books in Oakland, California, reconnects with his uncle and, remembering the comic book he saw when he was five, draws a new version with his uncle as a World War II fighting hero.

Cut to the present day: A commercially successful director discovers the 1970 comic book and decides to turn it into a contemporary superhero movie.

Cue the cast: We meet the film's extremely difficult male star, his wonderful leading lady, the eccentric writer/director, the producer, the gofer production assistant, and everyone else on both sides of the camera.

Bonus material: Interspersed throughout are three comic books that are featured in the story — all created by Tom Hanks himself — including the comic book that becomes the official tie-in to this novel's "major motion picture masterpiece."

Franchise Favorites

SlashFilm

The only bad thing about a good franchise sometimes is that — be it a TV show or a movie series — it's a finite resource. How many times can you rewatch the same season of TV or the same movie? Luckily, many great franchises expand into other media, particularly books, and that can be a great way to expand your love of a given franchise. Be it an in-universe novel, an art book, or a comic series, there are near-countless books that expand everything from "Star Wars" to "Rick and Morty." Heck, we've even got several books for the Disney Parks obsessive in your life. Love "Back to the Future?" Why not take a look at what went into making the musical? Love "Jurassic Park?" Why not take a deeper look at the script? This is a vast sea of possibilities! (Ryan Scott)

Back to the Future

Disney

Jurassic Park

Marvel

Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe An Official Timeline

Sci-Fi

Star Wars

Comics, Graphic Novels & More

SlashFilm

The Multiverse

Marvel and DC are the big comic book houses, and as long as Hollywood keeps churning out superhero movies, there will always be an interest in the comics that inspire them. Here, we have a couple of guides that dig into the multiverses of both Batman and Spider-Man, exploring the various versions of characters from various worlds. On another multiverse level, there's a double collection of "Superman '78" and "Batman '89," a pair of comic books that continue the stories of their big screen counterparts played by Christopher Reeve and Michael Keaton, as if the movies kept going. (Ethan Anderton)

Marvel Classics Collection

SlashFilm

Penguin Classics is helping Marvel fans get caught up on the classic comics with these collections of various superhero stories from decades ago. Presented with stunning full-color covers and panels, these are outstanding batches of vintage Marvel Comics featuring Spider-Man, Black Panther, Captain America, X-Men, Fantastic Four, and the Avengers. They're available in collectible hardcover versions or regular paperback editions. (Ethan Anderton)

Marvel Prose Adaptations

SlashFilm

Marvel Comics uses beautiful artwork to bring their superhero stories to life. But Titan Books occasionally takes those comics and adapts them into novels for a more focused read. The latest prose novels adapt the comic arcs for "Secret Invasion," "Captain Marvel: Shadow Code," and "Loki: Journey into Mystery." Can these books capture the excitement of the comics they're based on? Will they appear to those who might be averse to reading comics for one reason or another? There's only one way to find out. (Ethan Anderton)

The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Ominous Omnibus Vol. 2: Deadtime Stories for Boos & Ghouls

The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Omnibus Vol. 2

Bongo Entertainment

For fans of "The Simpsons," especially their famous Treehouse of Horror anthology episodes, Abrams Books is releasing omnibus collections of the comic books that provide many horror stories not seen in any of the actual episodes of the series, and the most recent is "The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Ominous Omnibus Vol. 2: Deadtime Stories for Boos & Ghouls." Comics within the collection are written by Kyle Baker, Ian Boothby, Dan Brereton, Gerry Duggan, Pia Guerra, Peter Kuper, Carol Lay, Nina Matsumoto, Terry Moore, Steve Niles, Brian Posehn, James Robinson, Tone Rodriguez, Scott Shaw, and Jim Woodring. The artwork is amazing, the gags you've come to love from "The Simpsons" are intact, and this is just a superb collection of comics. (Ethan Anderton)

Cookbooks

SlashFilm

Sure, you could order takeout, hit up the drive-thru, or finally redeem those podcast promo codes for a subscription meal-kit service ... or you could crack into a pop culture cookbook and make a meal that reflects your tastes in entertainment as much it pleases your tastebuds. "Coco: The Official Cookbook" is a great way for cocineros of any age to learn how to make traditional Mexican dishes, while "Avatar The Official Cookbook of Pandora" will have you eating Na'vi delicices inspired by their peaceful lifestyle. If you're looking for something your meat & potatoes dad will love, there's always "Yellowstone: The Official Dutton Ranch Family Cookbook" from celebrated Cajun chef, Gabriel "Gator" Guilbeau. Personally, I can't wait to get my hands on "The Unofficial Big Lebowski Cocktail Book," because I like my drinks to taste like they were made after a long day talking smack at the bowling alley. (BJ Colangelo)

SlashFilm

That's all for Part 2 of the 2023 /Film Holiday Gift Guide. Be sure to stay tuned for Part 3 and beyond later this week.