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Stress gets to all of us. In the case of Eddie Brock, our hero in the Venom movie, the stress of losing everything is nothing compared to being the host for the symbiote, Venom. I was able to watch an early digital screening of Venom along with The Equalizer 2 with Denzel Washington. Both movies are perfect stocking stuffers for those action movie loving guys in your life. I’d also say that they are must haves for action and superhero movie fans. Make sure that you pick up The Equalizer 2 on Blu-ray on Walmart.com and also Venom on Blu-ray on Walmart.com. Then carve out some “Guy Time” for your husbands and older sons to watch these movies together. I have a few ways in which you can make that whole experience even better. I’m thinking snacks. More on that below.

When I was growing up my dad and I would watch all sorts of action movies. We loved seeing the hero triumph over their adversaries. We also liked wicked huge explosions and insane action sequences. Sure it was totally far fetched and physics went out the window most of the time. It was a rush, a fun time to bond over a movie. Now that I am older I can appreciate the movies being made today like Venom where the hero isn’t so clear cut. We may be getting to critical mass with super heroes all over the place. Maybe an anti-superhero is what is needed. Venom certainly fits that bill.

I am a fan of Tom Hardy and his body of work. He makes a very convincing Eddie Brock character. He starts out as an aggressive investigative reporter. He has uncovered all sorts of injustices throughout his career. However, he keeps pushing the envelope even when he is specifically ordered not to do so. This behavior causes him to lose everything. However, people still reach out to him to uncover the truth. He goes to investigate the disappearance of people further and comes in contact with an alien Symbiote called Venom. Venom and his fellow Symbiotes cannot live in our environment without a host. So, Eddie Brock unwittingly becomes the new host for Venom.

Once this happens the movie picks up a lot of speed and the action gets wild. Can Eddie Brock and Venom coexist in the same body, who is in control? Will Venom become a hero or a villain? Just how much can Eddie take? I had not seen the movie before and I really liked it. Venom is such an interesting character and Tom Hardy playing Eddie Brock/Venom is fantastic. Tom also voices Venom (through some voice modulation and movie magic) and I honestly did not think it was him doing the voice but it is and that is amazing.  Venom will be available on Blu-ray at Walmart starting 12/18/18. You can pick up the Venom Retro Action Figure movie gift set on that date as well.

When you do pick up Venom on Blu-ray you may also want to pick up some snacks for the movie night. Here are a couple of suggestions that are super easy to do and will thrill your guys as they watch the movie. Sure you can do popcorn and candy, that works great. Put some thought into which candy you choose. Try to make sure that it is some sort of candy that wraps around another candy like chocolate wrapping around caramel, or candy coating around chocolate. That is perfect for the Venom theme. You can always do soda for a drink but mix it up and you can do chocolate shakes or even chocolate milk. Just keep thinking on the theme of the Venom Symbiote covering Eddie Brock and there are endless possibilities for snackage.

Personally I like melted chocolate on potato chips. It is a quick and easy thing to do. Get a plate of potato chips and some melting chocolate. Microwave the melting chocolate with a tiny bit of vegetable oil for 30 seconds. Take out and stir. Repeat in 30 second intervals until all the chocolate is melted and you can pour the chocolate on the potato chips. There you go, Venom themed chocolate covered potato chips.

Another fun snack is this special sundae. I got gingerbread men and put them on the top of a scoop of ice cream and then covered it with a liquid chocolate that hardens into a candy shell. That is the Venom sundae.

As far as something special for The Equalizer 2, man I just don’t know. Denzel Washington returns to one of his signature roles in his very first sequel. This is his most badass tough guy role to date and honestly, nothing less than a bowl of rock candy is tough enough to have as a snack with this movie. You could pick up jawbreaker type candy and sourballs and things like that to enjoy as you watch Denzel kick an incredible amount of butt.

I used to work with a guy who was the ultimate Denzel Washington fan. This would be the perfect movie for him. The movie is loaded with over an hour of extra action-packed bonus features. One of those special features is “Retribution Mode” which allows fans to watch the film with Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua as they take fans through the making of their favorite adrenaline-filled action scenes with exclusive in-depth and personal conversations. I love all the behind the scenes features that are released on Blu-ray. This movie and those features will be available when you buy Equalizer 2 on Blu-ray on Walmart.com, available 12/11/18. You can also get a Walmart Exclusive Equalizer 1 and Equalizer 2 movie collection on Blu-ray on that date which would be a perfect gift.

And speaking of special features. The Venom Blu-ray is packed with over an hour of extended content and special features such as:

• Venom Mode: When selecting this mode the film will engage informative pop-ups throughout the film to provide insight on the movie’s relationship to the comics, and to reveal hidden references that even a seasoned Venom-fan may have missed!
• Deleted & Extended Scenes: These deleted and extended scenes will give fans even more of the Venom action they loved in theaters!
• Ride to Hospital – Eddie and Venom take a ride to the hospital.
• Car Alarm – Let’s just say that Venom is not fond of car alarms.
• San Quentin – Extended post-credits scene at San Quentin.
• From Symbiote to Screen: A mini documentary about the history of Venom in comics and his journey to the big screen. Interviews with Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Ruben Fleischer, Oliver Scholl, and Director and Comic Fanboy Kevin Smith.
• The Lethal Protector in Action: Go behind the scenes with the production crew and learn the secrets behind the awesome Motorcycle stunts, wire stunts, and drones. Venom Vision: A look at how Ruben Fleischer came to the project, gathered his team, and made Venom a reality. Utilizes interviews from cast, crew, and producers as well as Fleischer himself.
• Designing Venom: Designing and creating Venom meant a huge challenge for VFX artists; follow the amazing journey.
• Symbiote Secrets: Blink and you may have missed it! Enjoy the hidden references throughout the film.
• 8 Select Scenes Pre-Vis sequences: See the progression of the visual effects, storyboards and fight choreography compared to the finished film.
• “Venom” by Eminem – Music Video

So, this Christmas head to Walmart or Walmart.com and give the gift of Guy Time with Venom on Blu-ray and the Equalizer 2 on Blu-ray. Each will give your guys an action-packed adrenaline rush guy’s night.