Fully Immersed, Volume 1
As I stated in Over My Head: A Dolby Atmos/DTS:X Upgrade Story:
Regular BPBS readers know that we've written quite a bit about Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, the new, object-based, immersive audio formats from the surround sound pioneers at Dolby and DTS, respectively. Editor Chris Boylan and our team here have been tracking these formats closely, writing How-To articles, trade show coverage, and answering reader questions about hardware compatibility and software availability. Rachel Cericola has even put together an exhaustive Buyer's Guide on Dolby Atmos/DTS:X-capable audio/video receivers. Just do a site search on "Atmos"and you'll find all of that and more.
Given our extensive coverage of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, I'm ashamed to admit it has taken me this long to get myself fully immersed. On more than one occasion, Chris has argued that adding ceiling speakers to my basement theater would be well worth the effort and that I'd be amazed with the results. As much as it pains me to admit it, Chris was 100% right. It was totally worth it. And I am indeed amazed. [editor's note: I TOLD YOU SO!]
Now that I'm a total convert, I'm listening to everything I can get my hands on featuring a Dolby Atmos or DTS:X soundtrack. There are more titles available than you might think. Some of these soundtracks are available on standard Blu-ray Disc, while others are only available on the newer Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc format. I'm equipped for both here and this column will attempt to highlight some of the best of what's out there.
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
Paramount | Blu-ray Disc | Dolby Atmos | Buy Now
No one has ever accused Michael Bay of exhibiting too much restraint or using too soft a touch when it comes to filmmaking. And that's what makes this riveting, slow-burn telling of a tragic true story all the more surprising - and easily his best work to date. But make no mistake, Bay is absolutely the right man for the job when the bullets start flying. Paramount's Dolby Atmos soundtrack is one of the best I've heard to date, featuring a bombastic, highly immersive soundfield. Bullets zip directly overhead with excellent front-to-back directionality. One great Atmos moment comes around 58:30, where fire is licking the ceiling in a corridor and the flames roll past overhead. The attacks on both the embassy and the annex come in relentless waves and feature concussive and thunderous bass routinely interspersed with men yelling, buildings crumbling, and automatic gunfire of every caliber erupting from multiple angles and at different distances. The definition of immersive audio, this Atmos soundtrack drops you right into the middle of a frighteningly realistic war zone and will have you gripping your armrest until the dust settles.
Read Rachel's full disc review.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Ultimate Edition
Warner Bros. | Blu-ray Disc | Dolby Atmos | Buy Now
Zack Snyder's 3-hour, R-rated Ultimate Edition doesn't fix the film's most egregious flaws (here's looking at you, "Martha"), but it does fill in a few blanks and make for a more cohesive story than we got the first time out. One area where the Theatrical Cut didn't need improvement was the sound department and the same is true here. Warner's Dolby Atmos soundtrack is crazy good, starting at the 5-minute mark where we relive the destructive climax of Man of Steel from Bruce Wayne's perspective on the ground in Metropolis. From the bass-heavy pulses of the World Engine to the crumbling buildings overhead, it's a hell of a way to kick things off. The final battle with Darkseid will test the lower limits of your subwoofer and the titular throw down is (literaly) a knock down, drag out marvel. But my favorite scene starts around 2:14:55, when Batman leaps off his Batwing to engage in a hand-to-hand battle royale with a band of baddies. Featuring breaking bones, splintering wood, and one kickass body slam, this entire sequence is a sonic tour de force that will leave Atmos fans grinning.
Read Rachel's full disc review.
Now You See Me
Lionsgate | Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc | Dolby Atmos | Buy Now
With its sequel now playing in theaters, Lionsgate has taken the opportunity to release a new Ultra HD Blu-ray edition of Now You See Me, complete with a new Dolby Atmos soundtrack not available on the previous Blu-ray release. For a film about chatty magicians, Now You See Me features a surprisingly excellent and engaging soundtrack. Music is frequently used to great effect and pulsates from every channel, not just front and center. There's a fun scene early on (20:00) where a bank vault has its cash sucked out through its ceiling vent. The sound of swirling bills fills the room, with plenty of overhead fluttering audible before the cash is inhaled by the vent. As fun as that is though, the car chase starting at 1:13:24 is the scene to write home about. This high energy scene puts you right in the passenger seat at times with convincing road noise, engines revving, and transmissions aggreseively shifting. This exciting chase culminates in a car fire where the overhead speakers are used to great effect when the camera brings us inside the car before it explodes.
Star Trek: Into Darkness
Paramount | Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc | Dolby Atmos | Buy Now
Justin Lin's Star Trek Beyond, which is currently in theaters, is a great time at the movies and does a superb job of feeling like a big budget episode of the original series. It also stays true to the fine work J.J. Abrams did on his 2009 Star Trek reboot and its 2013 sequel, Into Darkness, both of which are now available on Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc featuring new Dolby Atmos soundtracks. Both discs are worth buying, but the Atmos track on Star Trek Into Darkness is home theater nirvana. Man does this disc sound good! The entire film sounds amazing, but the pre-credits sequence is evidence enough of what you're in for. Immediately following the Bad Robot logo, the camera puts us atop an angry volcano on an alien planet. As the camera brings us lower, the overhead sounds of sparks and flames give way to distant, pterodactyl-like bird sounds - but only until we reach ground level where Kirk and Bones are being chased by spear-throwing natives. As one might imagine, these spears fly convincingly overhead and around the listener, really pulling you further into the chase. And while all of this is going on, we mustn't forget about Spock, who's actually lowered into the volcano with hope of quieting its wrath. Inside the volcano, the sound of leaping flames and shifting rock are incredibly immersive and there's a fantastic guttural growl that precedes an eruption. By the time the Enterprise rises out of the ocean and the credits begin, you'll conclude, as I did, that not having this disc in your collection seems highly illogical.
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