I need to buy a DVD player as a late Christmas present.  What should I look for as far as features, brands, models?
I don't need cutting edge tech, or a lot of useless features, but I want to buy a good one with all the needed features.

Thanks

Look for the APEX brand. Normally about $130 bucks, I have seen them for as low as $50.
They are cheap, so far reliable, and the one we've got here plays DVDs, Audio-CDs, CD-R, CD-RW, self-made mp3 CDs, VCD, and MPEG videos.

What features do I need?

Get the Panasonic CP72 (sister to the RP82, but with a 5 disc changer).  About $225, plus a $30 rebate until March.  The only reason I recommend the CP72 over the RP82 is that the RP82 is pretty much out of stock everywhere, and unofficially discontinued.

The CP72 has one of the best MPEG decoders on the market (same as in the RP91 and RP82), and the Faroudja deinterlacer with DCDi ([url]http://www.dcdi-video.com/technology/articles/sage-dcdi-overview.html[/url]) if you have a progressive capable TV (I don't, and it still looks amazing).  Even if you don't, it's nice to know it's there if you want to upgrade.  It also decodes Dolby Digital and DTS, so if you have a 5.1 ready reciever, all you have to do is plug it in.  It plays DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-A, VCD, SVCD, MP3, and WMA's.

I have an Apex as well.  It sucks.  The picture makes me want to vomit.  Avoid it at all costs.  When I first bought it, I thought it was ok.  When I saw what the picture on a quality DVD player could be, I put it in the closet.

Short of spending $1200, the CP72 has the very best picture quality you're going to get in a DVD player.