Big in this week's DVD releases is the final "Harry Potter" movie. There are also some boxed sets to consider if you are already doing your holiday shopping.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," Grade A-: The epic battle between good and evil reaches a fevered pitch in this series finale.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" is a rare gift. Long-running film franchises generally fade away or leave fans hanging. Director David Yates takes advantage of the opportunity to close the book on the story by creating a film finale that embraces deep emotional moments with the same passion that it celebrates huge action sequences. That combination makes the final offering magical.
"Part 2" is an action film that occasionally takes a deep breath to allow for the touchstone emotional moments of the story. Under a less-seasoned hand, these two elements would have fought it out like students from Gryffindor and Slytherin. But Yates blends it all so smoothly that the very different tones support each other.
"Band of Brothers / The Pacific," Grade A: These two first-rate miniseries are being released as a special collector's set.
"Band of Brothers" is one of those special productions where art and humanity become so entangled that the final product becomes large in scope and very personal in delivery. The power of this 10-part series will change the way war movies are made. No longer will it be acceptable just to allow events to drive such productions. Future war films will have to focus on the human stories.
It's not enough to blast viewers with big special effects. Viewers will have to be moved by the people.
"The Pacific" is not your father's war movie. The lines between good and evil get washed away in a sea of mud, sweat and tears as shown through the lives of a handful of men and women who served as Marines in the Pacific Theater.
It takes a little long to establish its central characters, but once they take shape it becomes a production that'll haunt you with its realism.
"Mr. Magoo – The Television Collection," Grade B+: Those of you looking for some nostalgic animation fun should pick up this 11-disc box set.
Comedy comes from the almost blind Magoo, who manages to survive disasters without ever seeing them.
It's simple humor that's timeless.
The collection contains more than thirty hours of content that includes 26 episodes of "The Mr. Magoo Show" (1960-61), the prime-time TV movie, "Uncle Sam Magoo" (1970). There's also 26 episodes of "The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo" (1964), plus 16 episodes of "What's New Mr. Magoo?" (1977).
Also coming to DVD on Tuesday:
"The Courtship of Eddie's Father: The First Season": Bill Bixby stars in this family TV series.
"Boy Wonder": James Russo plays a man obsessed with finding his mother's killer.
"The Change-Up": A married guy switches bodies with his best friend.
"Atlas Shrugged: Part One": Film version of the Ayn Rand novel.
"Bedlam: Season 1": British series about an apartment building that was once an asylum.
"Dirty Little Trick": A man's life is changed by a beautiful hitchhiker.
"13": Mickey Rourke stars.
"Barbie: A Perfect Christmas": It's the holiday season for the popular doll.
"Bachelorette: Season 7": Twenty-five bachelors woo Ashley Hebert.
"Alleged": Romance set against the battle between moral responsibility and journalistic opportunity.
"Case Histories": Series based on the Jackson Brodie novels.
"The River Why": Fishing creates a wedge between father and son.
"The Wild Thornberrys: Season 2, Part 1": Animated series about a family who study koalas, wombats and more.
"Little Big Man": Dustin Hoffman film is available on Blu-ray.
"The Business of Being Born": Four-part series that looks at modern maternity-care system.
"Friends and Family": Includes Thomas & Friends, Angelina Ballerina, Bob the Builder, Barney, Fireman Sam and Timmy Time.
"Life In a Day": Documentary shot on a single day by people around the globe.
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