New to Blu: November 16-22

The week’s biggest Blu-ray release, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, also could be the year’s biggest.

And early reviews from the US reckon it’s one of the best.

“Simply put, the dark, brooding visuals of Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 1080p will blow you away … truly a breathtaking visual feast.”

“As if an outstanding video transfer weren’t enough, The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 conjures up a jaw-dropping, window-rattling, sternum-thumping DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track that takes every advantage of the eighth Harry Potter instalment’s absorbing sound design.”

“As with the past couple of films, the Blu-ray presentation far exceeds its included DVD counterpart, which looks dark and lacking in detail in comparison.”

Even the extras “perfectly complement” the movie, with the outstanding Maximum Movie Mode picture-in-picture feature being the highlight.

“This expansive, nearly three-hour long bonus feature explores the production’s impressive visual effects design while exploring the story and characters in often touching ways.”

Part 2 goes on sale in multiple 2D and 3D editions, including a complete Harry Potter collection, and coincides with the release of Part I on Blu-ray 3D.

Also out this week is Super 8, from Star Trek director JJ Abrams.

“Besides the sparse representations of grainy 8mm footage here and there, the rest of the movie looks as slick and polished as Star Trek did, lens flares and all.”

“Super 8’s 1080p Blu-ray transfer is typical of Paramount new releases. It’s gorgeous.

“This is a beautifully filmic transfer that retains a very light and balanced layer of grain that accentuates all the positives and gives it that fresh-from-theatres veneer.”

The rest of the week’s newcomers are limited to the direct-to-disc Faces in the Crowd (“an excellent Blu-ray, visually”), and the repackaged Millennium Trilogy and Band of Brothers/The Pacific box set.