September turns out to be D-Day for sexy Blu-ray sets.
Looking at the new set, however, A-game is an understatement.
Its more like exercising the nuclear option.
Good luck making a splash with this 600-pound gorilla in the room.
Hit the jump for my full review.
And in a lot of ways, I mean that quite literally.
Image via Warner Bros.
It resembles a wizards chest, revealing all manner of drawers, folders and slots inside.
The first two include extended editions as well as the theatrical versions.
Well take basic familiarity with the Potterverse as a given.
The inaugural entry in the series actually gets off to a comparatively rocky start.
Harrys stated specialness allows him to overcome obstacles seemingly without effort, robbing the story of its early drama.
I stand by what I said last year: you would have done well in Slytherin.
That sells us on the universe completely.
Hogwarts had served as a sanctuary for him, and his concerns remained largely those of a young pre-teen.
Had Newell stopped there, he still would have had a winner.
ButThe Goblet of Firedelivers all that without forgetting Harrys more personal struggles as well.
The fifth entry in the series shows the first signs of franchise fatigue.
Hes gunning for Harry!
What are we gonna do!?
Oh right, were going to wait for three more movies before finally getting around to their big face-off.
He follows Columbuss example by keeping his eye on the big picture.
With time running out,The Half-Blood Princeconcerns itself mostly with stage-setting.
(God help anyone who walks in toPart 2without being properly briefed.)
The consistent level of quality marks the most extraordinary thing about this series.
(They often did anyway.)
That these films got made so well and so true to Rowlings spirit constitutes a minor miracle.
The discs themselves adhere to high standards of quality, though Warners is a little disingenuous with the count.
Even with the duplicates, however, the material never fails to impress.
Specifically, that means Parts 7 and 8 of the Building the World of Harry Potter documentaries.
(Parts 1 through 6 are included with the six earlier movies).
Image via Warner Bros.
(Hint: it wasnt CGI.)
A certificate of authenticity and a scroll containing information on digital downloads complete the set.
Theyre not just double-dipping: theyre quadruple- or quintuple-dipping at this point.
On the other hand, things dont get any more definitive than this.
