Welcome to the second installment of the Bounty Blu-ray, where this month we’ll look at the summit 4K Blu-ray discs released in December 2024 that you should add to your growing collection or start with if you want to become a 4K Blu-ray collector.
If you missed the Blu-ray Bounty last month covering the best 4K discs of November be sure to check it out to see how a classic noir from the 40s, the latest Planet of the Apes A powerful film and drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch made our list and what we thought of the records.
As always with the Bounty Blu-ray, we won’t be reviewing the films themselves, only the picture and sound quality on the 4K Blu-rays. This month’s films are Alien Romulus, Godzilla (1954), The Sixth Sense And Deadpool and Wolverine – a brilliant blend of scary sci-fi, a stone-cold classic Kaiju a supernatural cooler and Wonder the latest blockbuster.
The equipment used for testing was Panasonic DP-UB820 4K Blu-ray Player one of best 4K Blu-ray players around, the Samsung HW-Q990C the 2023 predecessor of Samsung HW-Q990D soundbar and Panasonic MZ1500 OLED TV .
Extraterrestrial: Romulus
The last entry in the Stranger franchise and directed by Fede Álvarez, Extraterrestrial: Romulus takes place between the events of Stranger And Extraterrestrials the first and second films in the franchise. It follows the story of six teenagers who encounter hostile creatures while exploring a believed abandoned space station.
Extraterrestrial: Romulus captures the visual impact of the first Stranger film well, with areas of dark shadows punctuated by bright, colorful lights throughout the film. The 4K disc supports and benefits from Dolby Vision, with exceptional contrast, authentic textures and superb shadow detail revealing objects in predominantly dark images. Test on the Panasonic MZ1500 OLED the photo was superb.
But where the 4K Blu-ray really shines is with its Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Extraterrestrial: Romulus The excellent sound design is beautifully presented here, with every bit of scraping metal, eerie strings in the creepy score, and moments of punchy bass perfectly balanced throughout. The smack of the face-hugger feet is enough to make you look around the room. This will definitely pair well with one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars .
Godzilla (1954)
The first entry in the 70-year-old Godzilla franchise, Godzilla (1954) is a classic of the Kaiju genre (Japanese term used to refer to any media associated with giant monsters). This iteration of Godzilla is considered the first Kaiju film, in which Godzilla wreaks havoc on an unsuspecting Japanese audience in post-war Japan.
Visually, The Criterion Collection’s 4K restoration has brought new life to the people and places, which look refined and authentic. The film is entirely in black and white and the 4K version has excellent contrast, with a good balance between whites and blacks and a wide range of gray tones in between. Yes, some of the effects look dated (something the 4K restoration sometimes draws attention to), but it’s hard to overlook this film’s charm. On the MZ1500 it was superb.
The soundtrack is monaural; no thrills here. However, speech is clear throughout the film and explosions and gunshots sound nice and crisp. The score takes a bit of a hit but still holds up very well.
The sixth sense
M.Night Shyamalan The sixth sense was one of the sleeper hits of the 1990s. Not only is it the second highest-grossing film of 1999, but it also received six Academy Award nominations and features one of the most memorable endings of all time at the movie theater. It follows the story of Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), a child psychologist who works with 9-year-old Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), who claims to be able to see the dead.
4K HDR restoration of The sixth sense has superb detail, giving the characters an authentic look with accurate facial details. It also features natural colors that come to life with enhanced 4K picture quality. Contrast and shadow detail also play an important role throughout the film and the restoration does an excellent job of rendering them accurately. For movie buffs, the grain of the film is still present.
The sixth sense has a 5.1-channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, so no Dolby Atmos height channels are offered here, although this is not a film that needs that. The soundtrack delivers crystal clear dialogue, meaning even Cole’s delicate, hushed whispers come through clearly. Plus, there’s plenty of tension in the rest of the score and soundtrack effects.
Deadpool and Wolverine
One of the highest-grossing films of 2024, Deadpool and Wolverine is the third entry in the dead Pool franchise. This Marvel blockbuster saw Ryan Reynolds once again don the red costume of the “mouthy mercenary”, and it contains the highly anticipated return of Hugh Jackman to the role he was born to play: Wolverine.
One of Disney’s first 4K Blu-ray releases to feature Dolby Vision, Deadpool and Wolverine is undeniably a stunning film. The vibrant reds and yellows of Deadpool and Wolverine’s respective costumes pop off the screen with a dynamic vibrancy and the textures look great, with Wolverine’s weathered face and costume details clearly visible. It’s the dazzling visuals you’d expect from a larger-than-life comic book movie.
Deadpool and Wolverine The Dolby Atmos soundtrack is fantastic. Every gunshot, punch, knife sound, and thunderous explosion feels rich, dynamic, and realistic (sometimes disturbingly so). Iconic pop hits benefit from extensive and enjoyable reproduction, with the Like a prayer given the ethereal and joyous presentation it deserves. Crucially, no dialogue is lost, even in the chaotic, music-heavy scenes, which demonstrate excellent balance across the board. Listened through the Samsung HW-Q990C Soundbar System, this movie was literally a blast.
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