MOVIES: 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2,' 'Horrible Bosses' and 'Monte Carlo'

Following are Susan Granger's reviews of the latest movies in area theaters.

"HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 2"

Brace yourself. The fast-paced, spectacular conclusion of this franchise has everything you could want in an action-adventure. Throughout previous episodes, Harry Potter has struggled with the difficulties of adolescence along with being a famous wizard with a villainous enemy. Now Lord Voldemort is using Horcruxes to become immortal, secreting fragments of his soul within various objects so he can be regenerated or resurrected.

Determined destroy the remaining Horcruxes, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), who have been hiding from the Ministry of Magic and Voldemort's Death Eaters, must sneak past the goblins into Gringotts Bank on Diagon Alley and then find the Diadem of Ravenclaw, which is hidden somewhere at Hogwarts. And in the terrifying, final battle for control of the Wizarding World, Harry must eventually confront not only reptilian-looking Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) with his snake Nagani, but also enigmatic Severus Snape (Alan Rickman). Plus, there's the Elder Wand, Invisibility Cloak and Resurrection Stone which, together, are said to provide mastery over Death.

What's extraordinary about the "Harry Potter" series is how producer David Heyman, screenwriter Steve Kloves, production designer Stuart Craig and various directors -- this time, David Yates -- have not only explored J.K. Rowling's classic good vs. evil themes of loyalty and love, friendship and understanding, but also cinematically chronicled how these innocent, often bewildered 10- and 11-year-olds have evolved into bright, brave, resourceful, albeit flawed young adults. And as the children grew up, so has the audience.

In this fun-filled fantasy world, even the peripheral characters have their climactic moments, like when Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) curses Ginny (Bonnie Wright) and Mrs. Weasley (Julie Walters) comes to her rescue, yelling, "Not my daughter, you bitch!" And nerdy Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis) heroically wields the sword of Godric Griffindor.

On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" is a triumphant 10 -- with an epilogue tying the final knot in the narrative thread of this spellbinding series.

"HORRIBLE BOSSES"

It's a terrific premise for a farce because who hasn't had a horrible boss? And how much abuse is an employee willing to take before he actually considers committing coldly calculated murder?

That's the dilemma faced by a trio of likeable losers trapped in workplace agony, a situation underscored by the arid job market. Uptight Nick Hendricks (Jason Bateman) is constantly humiliated by sadistic CEO Dave Harken (Kevin Spacey, channeling "Swimming With Sharks"). After his beloved mentor (Donald Sutherland) unexpectedly dies, Kurt Buckman (Jason Sudeikis) finds himself at the mercy of his coked-up, amoral son, Bobby Pellit (almost unrecognizable Colin Farrell), who inherits the family's chemical business. And whiny Dale Arbus (Charlie Day) is a dutiful dental technician sexually harassed on a daily -- if not hourly -- basis by predatory Dr. Julia Harris (Jennifer Aniston).

Desperate but admittedly inept, they each pay $5,000 to an ex-con, Dean "Mother*****r" Jones (Jamie Foxx), who advises them how to assassinate their tormentors. Of course, lacking experience, knowledge and basic common sense, the three stooges bungle their way into one misadventure after another, emerging predictably victorious.

Writers Mark Markowitz, John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein set up the nasty, if contrived, workplace situations, including sitcom-like one-liners and unexpected cinematic references -- like Alfred Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train." After the set-up, however, the screenplay seems to flounder, particularly in a motel urination sequence. Nevertheless, director Seth Gordon ("Four Christmases," "Freakonomics") is savvy enough to let his competent cast display their expert comedic timing, particularly Jamie Foxx as the tough ex-con "consultant."

Despite working only five days on the film, Jennifer Aniston has been garnering the most publicity because of her blatantly sexy attire and brunette wig. Aniston conscientiously, if self-consciously, spews smut and obscenities, obviously playing the vamp against her charming, carefully cultivated, good-girl "Friends" TV image.

On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, "Horrible Bosses" is an outrageously crude, silly 6, but be prepared for rampant misogyny and gross vulgarity. And there's a blooper reel that runs during the concluding credits.

"MONTE CARLO"

If you endured "Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer," this is at least two grades up -- and for pre-teens, it's a double dose of fresh-faced Disney star Selena Gomez, who's currently keeping company with Justin Bieber. For 10- to 12-year-olds, it's necessary to know these things.

After saving up her money working as a waitress in a diner, spunky high school grad Grace (Gomez) travels to France with her best friend Emma (Katie Cassidy) and prim stepsister Meg (Leighton Meester from "Gossip Girl"). Disenchanted with Paris and ditched by their dreary tour guide (Valerie Lemercier), this trio from a small town in Texas jets to Monte Carlo after discovering that a look-alike spoiled British socialite, Cordelia Winthrop-Scott (also played by Gomez), is planning to abandon her hotel suite and commitment to host a charity auction in Monaco. Their plan is for Grace to impersonate Cordelia.

Piles of designer luggage loaded with Vera Wang gowns and Bulgari jewels ignite a romantic, adolescent wish-fulfillment fantasy, adroitly timed to coincide with Monaco's Prince Albert's real-life marriage to commoner Charlene Wittestock from South Africa. In a further nod to past royalty, there's the French-dubbed version of "To Catch a Thief."

Of course, there's Cordelia's suspicious Aunt Alicia (Catherine Tate) and that charming young aristocrat, Theo (Pierre Boulanger), who's amazed that the icy heiress is actually much nicer than the tattling tabloids have depicted her. Inevitably, Grace comes to appreciate Owen (Cory Monteith from "Glee"), the good-hearted guy-back-home, while Meg hangs with Riley (Luke Bracey), a hunky Australian backpacker.

Based on Jules Bass' novel "Headhunters" from a story by Kelly Bowe, it's been tritely adapted by writer/director Thomas Bezucha ("The Family Stone") and co-writers April Blair and Maria Maggenti. It's also been "youthified" -- to coin a word -- since the original plot revolved around four middle-aged New Jersey women looking for rich husbands. And although some scenes were filmed in Paris and Monaco, Budapest doubles for Monte Carlo.

On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, "Monte Carlo" is a frothy 5, a corny, stolen-identity caper.