Fully Immersed, Volume 30
Did you catch last week's news that UltraViolet is shutting down on July 31 of this year? A digital locker to store your movie and TV digital copies, many had high hopes for UltraViolet. Alas, a lack of universal support from every studio (read "Disney") and the recent momentum behind Disney's Movies Anywhere service makes this an unsurprising announcement. My takeaway? I'll keep purchasing and collecting discs until they pry them from my cold, dead hands. The quality is superior, I can easily loan them to friends and family, and my discs are guaranteed to work regardless of whatever digital licensing hiccup or legal battle may be affecting its streaming counterpart. To that end, here are some immersive audio titles you'll be able to puchase on disc in the weeks ahead:
I hope to cover at least a few of the above titles soon so watch this space. In the meantime, here are a few of the latest immersive audio releases I've been listening to...
Cliffhanger 4K
Sony | Buy Now | Dolby Atmos available on 4K UHD only
On their recent 4K Ultra HD release of Wolfgang Petersen's Air Force One, Sony's impressive new Dolby Atmos soundtrack breathed new life into the otherwise forgotten actioner. Fans of Renny Harlin's Cliffhanger - another underrated mid-90s gem - will be thrilled to learn that Sony has done it again. Like Air Force One, Cliffhanger feels like a brand new film thanks in large part to the gangbusters, all-new Dolby Atmos track on its 4K release. Whether it's the distinct overhead sounds of helicopter rotors or the bursts of highly directional machine gun fire, Cliffhanger's new immersive mix makes frequent and aggressive use of the surround channels as well as the new height channels. When Gabe (Sylvester Stallone) falls through the ice and is trapped underwater, the height channels are used to convincingly submerge the listener; the same is true when an avalanche rains down on Gabe and the baddies below. Here the height channels add a great deal to the scene, with a mountainside of rushing snow beginning its journey above the listener before pouring out into the surrounds to fully surround the listener. Highly recommended.
First Man
Universal | Buy Now | Dolby Atmos available on Blu-ray, 4K UHD
If you only looked at the poster, it's understandable if you assumed First Man is a slick and fast-paced re-telling of Neil Armstrong's historic moon walk. And if upon learning that First Man was directed by Damien "La La Land" Chazelle, you refined your assumptions by pegging the film as a colorful and high-energy ensemble production, that too would be understandable. You'd be wrong on all counts, but it's easy to see how you got there. In truth, First Man is a somber, drab, and affecting slow burn. Chazelle takes his time getting us inside the head of the man who took that "one small step," oscillating the viewer between thought-provoking melancholy and eye-popping, soul-stirring wonder. Universal does the film justice on disc, opening up the aspect ratio for its IMAX-filmed finale and augmenting the video with a reference quality Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Although the film's launch sequences later in the film have the greatest low end oomph, you needn't go any further than the riveting opening scene - featuring a test flight where Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) attempts to return to the ground after his aircraft bounces off the atmosphere - to feel completely immersed and engaged by this stellar Atmos soundtrack. Highly recommended. (Also: check out Matthew's less-enthusiastic take on the film in our Movie Reviews section.)
Halloween (2018)
Universal | Buy Now | DTS:X available on Blu-ray, 4K UHD
It's hard to put into words just how frustrating this latest Halloween reboot/sequel is. The first half, maybe even the first two thirds, is solid enough - good even. Like John Carpenter's original classic, character motivations are still paper thin, teenagers are still horny, and there's a flat-out hilarious youngster named "Julian" (Jibrail Nantambu) who singlehandedly makes this film worth watching. However, and here's a spoiler alert: the moment Michael Meyers gets hit by a car is where I recommend turning off your television. At that point, close your eyes and imagine a conclusion for the film in your mind. I guarantee it'll be better than the rubbish David Gordon Green and Danny McBride gave us. As for the film's presentation on disc, Universal offers up a highly capable DTS:X soundtrack on both the standard Blu-ray and the 4K Ultra HD edition. Carpenter's music sounds better than ever, dialogue is clear and intelligible throughout, and the overhead channels are used to good effect on occasion. During a babysitter make-out session, a thump can be heard upstairs at Julian's house. It's your typical "Did you hear that?" scene, but the overhead channels take it to the next level. The same is true when Laurie and her daughter are in Laurie's basement panic room - don't get me started - and Michael can be heard walking directly above. Fun stuff, sonically speaking at least.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
Disney | Buy Now | Dolby Atmos available on 4K UHD only
I'm not certain I could coherently explain the original story of "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" or its subsequent ballet adaptations, so I suppose it's fitting that I'm having the same difficulty breaking down Disney's latest take on the fairy tale, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. I can tell you that the film follows young Clara into the land of the Four Realms where she meets up with a real, live Nutcracker soldier (Jayden Fowora-Knight), a squeaky Sugar Plum (Keira Knightley), Mother Ginger (Helen Mirren), plus delegates from the Lands of Flowers, Snowflakes, and Sweets. It's all pretty to look at but I can't say I was particularly invested in anything or anyone but Clara. To her credit, young actress Mackenzie Foy does a remarkable job as Clara, making her a strong, resourceful, and clever heroine worthy of my daughter's affection. The House of Mouse brings the film to disc with only the 4K Ultra HD edition receiving the Dolby Atmos treatment. It's a solid and engaging mix, though the overhead channels are mainly used to support and round out the other channels. That said, Tchaikovsky's music sounds wonderful and there is one rather fun sonic moment in Drosselmeyer's (Morgan Freeman's) workshop, when an owl swoops in from behind and above the listener before finding its perch up front. My daughter and I actually ducked, startled by the sudden whoosh, as it truly sounded like a large bird had just flown by directly above us.
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