Two holidays down! Have a look at our Holiday Page for entertainment options to cover the rest of 2020!

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (THEATRICAL & EXTENDED CUTS) [4K UHD] (2014): "Does The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies finish the trilogy in a satisfying fashion? Yes and no – while it comes with plenty of excitement, it lacks the emotional depth/impact that it needs." Starring Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman. New Line, $89.98, 12/1/2020.

BLADE [4K UHD] (1998): "Back in 1998, Blade came out of nowhere and managed to become a modest hit. It deserved its success, as the wild vampire flick offers a lively, vivid comic book adventure." Starring Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff. New Line, $24.99, 12/1/2020.

MISTER ROBERTS [BLU-RAY] (1955): "Though it lacks much of a story, Mister Roberts compensates with engaging characters and a fine cast. These factors become enough to turn it into an enjoyable effort." Starring Henry Fonda, James Cagney. Warner, $21.99, 12/15/2020.

ARTHUR CHRISTMAS [BLU-RAY 3D] (2011): "Will Arthur Christmas become a holiday classic? Probably not. While it has some fun moments - and gets better as it goes - the project feels somewhat lackluster as a whole." Starring James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie. Sony, $19.98, 11/6/2012.

THE GODFATHER CODA: THE DEATH OF MICHAEL CORLEONE [BLU-RAY] (1990): "Three decades after The Godfather Part III emerged to a lackluster reception, Francis Ford Coppola attempts to improve the movie via The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone. Alas, Coda falls short of these stabs at redemption, as it becomes a minor improvement at most." Starring Al Pacino, Diane Keaton. Paramount, $22.98, 12/8/2020.

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (THEATRICAL & EXTENDED CUTS) [4K UHD] (2013): "As the second chapter in a trilogy, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug does fairly well for itself. Though the tale can drag and feel padded at times, it still packs enough adventure and drama to make it an enjoyable experience." Starring Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman. New Line, $89.99, 12/1/2020.

DISNEY'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL [BLU-RAY 3D] (2009): "Disney’s A Christmas Carol provides a flawed version of the story. Robert Zemeckis adapts the tale well, gives it a satisfying dark side and moves it along well with his direction, but his decision to use ugly motion capture animation robs it of some impact, as the visuals simply remain too ugly and unnatural to allow the viewer to really dig into it." Starring Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman. Disney, $49.99, 11/16/2010.

CATS & DOGS: THE REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE [BLU-RAY] (2010): "A mediocre mishmash of spy film clichés and cheap humor, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore seems unlikely to entertain more than the youngest viewers. While it occasionally offers some funny bits, most of it feels cheap and lame." Starring Bette Midler, Chris O'Donnell. Warner, $14.98, 11/16/2010.

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (THEATRICAL & EXTENDED CUTS) [4K UHD] (2012): "As the opening chapter of a three-part saga, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey introduces us to its tale well. Though some scenes threaten to sag, they remain enjoyable and engaging, so the film keeps us with it across its long running time." Starring Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman. New Line, $89.98, 12/1/2020.

COLLATERAL [4K UHD] (2004): "With a lot of prominent talent both in front of and behind the camera, Collateral raises expectations. For the most part, it doesn’t disappoint, as the movie becomes a lively and involving thriller." Starring Jamie Foxx, Tom Cruise. Paramount, $29.99, 12/8/2020.

AVA [BLU-RAY] (2020): "Part of a well-worn genre, Ava fails to create a lively tale. Mediocre at best – and usually not even that good – the movie seems unconvincing and half-baked." Starring Jessica Chastain, Colin Farrell. Vertical, $19.99, 11/24/2020.

THE NIGHT BEFORE [BLU-RAY] (2015): "Occasionally funny but mostly trite, The Night Before doesn’t click. Despite all the components for a fun 'R'-rated Christmas movie, it relies on too many cheap gags to succeed." Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen. Sony, $9.99, 3/1/2016.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (THEATRICAL & EXTENDED CUTS) [4K UHD] (2003): "A terrific conclusion to a remarkable trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King provides a real winner. It moves quickly, keeps us involved and excited, and pays off with a satisfying and emotional finish." Starring Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen. New Line, $89.98, 12/1/2020.

MAKO: JAWS OF DEATH [BLU-RAY] (1976): "Even by the intensely low standards of Jaws knockoffs, Mako: Jaws of Death stinks. Barely coherent and downright dull, the movie exhibits no positive qualities." Starring Richard Jaeckel, Jenifer Bishop. Arrow, $99.98, 11/17/2020.

THE OTHER SIDE OF MADNESS [BLU-RAY] (1971): "Shot close in time to the events that inspired it, The Other Side of Madness creates an unusual take on the Manson Family and their actions. Unfortunately, it never becomes anything more than an amateurish attempt to exploit those events." Starring Brian Klinknett, Debbie Duff. Film Detective, $29.99, 11/24/2020.

Colin Jacobson (Publisher, Webmaster and Reviewer): colinjacobson@dvdmg.com