NEW ON THE SHELF:

“The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies,” Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen. The final installment of Peter Jackson’s epic adaptation of the Tolkien prequel goes out with a bang and then some, delivering a battle for the ages, making nearly every cinematic mass altercation that came before it look like a walk in a park. Indeed, were one to lob criticisms at this massive undertaking, they would have to be of the too-much-of-a-good-thing variety. When it comes to Jackson, we generally aren’t looking for restraint; rest assured, he does not provide it. Watch it on the biggest TV you can find. Rated PG-13. Running time: 2:24. Suggested retail price: $28.98; Blu-ray $42.99

Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins and Ian McKellen as Gandalf in “The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies.” Warner Bros.

“Into the Woods,” Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt. Masterful adaptation of the ever-popular Tony Award-winning musical by James Lapine (who also scripts) and Stephen Sondheim, with Streep netting yet another Oscar nom as The Witch, who tasks a struggling young couple (Blunt and James Corden of “Begin Again”) with procuring a number of magical items from famous fairy tales in order to help her break a curse. A visually stunning toe-tapper. Rated PG. Running time: 2:00. Suggested retail price: $29.99; Blu-ray $39.99

“Unbroken,” Jack O’Connell, Garrett Hedlund. Angelina Jolie’s second directorial effort to date is blessed with a can’t-miss true story: that of Italian immigrant Louie Zamperini (O’Connell, “Skins”), who overcame a hurtful childhood to become a star athlete, running track in the 1936 Olympics, a promising career cut short by WWII, where a stint in the Air Force eventually lands Zamperini in a Japanese war camp. An ode to the possibilities of human endurance, the incredible highs and lows of Zamperini’s life are tailor-made for the big screen, and Jolie doesn’t waste the opportunity. Special features include a featurette on the real Zamperini. Rated PG-13. Running time: 2:18. Suggested retail price: $29.98; Blu-ray $34.98

VIDEOPORT PICKS:

“Liars, Fires and Bears,” Megli Micek, Lundon Boyd. There are few more well-worn tropes in cinema than that of the buddy movie, but when it’s done well there are few more irresistible. This sweetheart of an indie comedy favors subtle, situational humor over madcap antics, and is far more successful for playing its cards close to its vest. “Liars” pairs hard-nosed 9-year-old runaway Micek (“Little Monsters”) with frequently inebriated thirtysomething manchild Boyd (who also co-scripts here), the former ruthlessly manipulating the latter in an effort to escape her foster family and reunite with her brother. Soon enough, both are on the run from the law, but strangely better off for it. A lovely feature-length debut for Jeremy Cloe, “Liars” is just a no-frills great movie Not rated. Running time: 1:39. Suggested retail price: $16.95

“Song One,” Anne Hathaway, Johnny Flynn. Allowing her characters plenty of room to breathe and grow, first-time writer/director Kate Barker-Froyland has a winner right out of the gate with this mournful, mature romantic-drama. We find anthropology student Franny (Hathaway) becoming close with James (Flynn, “Something in the Air”), a musician she encounters while attempting to learn more about her estranged, and now comatose, brother and his former life as a struggling musician. More is said in the space between lines in Barker-Froyland’s stirring debut. Rated PG-13. Running time: 1:26. Suggested retail price: $14.93; Blu-ray $19.97

NEW TO DVD:

“Monster High: Haunted,” animated, with the voices of Erin Fitzgerald, Celeste Henderson. The pre-tween set has rabidly latched onto this bizarre cross between “Bratz” and “Groovy Ghoulies,” following the exploits of your typical fashion-obsessed teen girls who just so happen to be monsters. Not rated. Running time: 1:16. Suggested retail price: $19.98; Blu-ray $26.98

“Mr. Bean: The Whole Bean,” Rowan Atkinson. The sublime, peerless physical comedy of esteemed British comedian Atkinson was never on better display than in this beloved series, which finds the titular well-meaning buffoon bumbling from one memorable setpiece to another, leaving hilarity and destruction in his wake. Not rated. Running time: 5:50. Suggested retail price: $24.97

NEW TO BLU-RAY:

“Best Seller,” James Woods, Brian Dennehy. Unjustly forgotten late-’80s crime drama gets an overdue dusting off, with Woods giving one of his entertainingly high-strung performances as Cleve, a supposed assassin attempting to convince cop-turned-author Dennis (Dennehy) to write his action-packed memoir. The seasoned vets play well off each other, and the central mystery will have viewers guessing until the final moments. Rated R. Running time: 1:50. Suggested retail price: $29.95

“Gates of Heaven/Vernon, Florida,” “The Thin Blue Line,” documentaries. Three of documentarian extraordinaire Errol Morris’ earlier efforts – still arguably his best-reviewed – get the Criterion treatment this week, with “Gates” and “Vernon” delving into the quirky intricacies of deep South small-town life, and the groundbreaking “Thin Blue Line” successfully arguing that the supposed perpetrator in an infamous Texas murder was framed by a corrupt legal system. Not rated. Running time: 2:17/1:41. Suggested retail price: $29.95; Blu-ray $39.95

– Courtesy of Videoport

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