Fully Immersed, Volume 5
2016 is coming to a close and the last of this year's major releases are finally making their disc debut in order to cash in on the holiday shopping season. And although it's unfortunate that Disney still isn't on board with Dolby Atmos or DTS:X on their home video releases, the other major studios continue to support these exciting sound formats with numerous compelling titles. Looking ahead at the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X titles coming soon, here's what we'll see during the next few weeks:
I hope to cover several of the above titles soon but here's what I've been listening to recently...
The Da Vinci Code (4K)
Sony | Buy Now | Dolby Atmos available on 4K Ultra HD only
Fact: when a novel sells a zillion copies, Hollywood takes notice and within a few years, you'll be able to say, "the book was better." Need proof? Look no further than Dan Brown's bestselling novel about a murder at the Louvre and the elaborate, religion-fueled mystery it precipitates. Ron Howard's film adaptation is capable and faithful - to a fault, one could argue - but 2.5 hours is an awfully long time to stare at Tom Hanks' worst movie hairstyle to date. To celebrate the film's 10th anniversary, Sony has released a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray featuring a new Dolby Atmos soundtrack. The Atmos mix is, like the film, extremely capable if somewhat unremarkable. The dialogue-heavy film isn't a sonic tour de force, but it's subtly effective with a wide and spacious soundstage. The overhead speakers are primarily used to extend the reach of the front left and right, but a few scenes, such as Professor Langdon's lecture hall speech towards the beginning of the film, take advantage of the discreet height channels to make the listener feel he's in a much larger space. For more, read Peter's Blu-ray review.
The Hunger Games (4K)
Lionsgate | Buy Now | Dolby Atmos available on 4K Ultra HD only
Remember what I just said about books that sell a zillion copies? Here we have Exhibit B. Although the books were arguably superior, Lionsgate did a bang-up job with all four films in Suzanne Collins' dystopian future franchise - and it all started with The Hunger Games. Lionsgate already released this film on Blu-ray with a great DTS-HD soundtrack, but now they've re-released it (and the other three films) on 4K Ultra HD featuring a new Dolby Atmos soundtrack and the results are incredible. The film sounds bigger and more spacious than it did on the previous Blu-ray and the new overhead channels are used frequently and to great effect. My favorite sonic moment is a subtle one and it's when Katniss is stuck on a high tree branch, avoiding some other tributes who are camped out at the bottom. When Haymitch sends her a much-needed tin of salve for her wounds, it's delivered to her tree via parachute. With this new Atmos mix, you can actually hear the parachute flutter and land in a branch just above and behind Katniss. Very cool. For more, read Joe's movie review.
Ice Age: Collision Course (4K)
Fox | Buy Now | Dolby Atmos available on 4K Ultra HD only
Parents may agree that this franchise is getting a bit long in the tooth - I should really make a sabretooth tiger joke here - but odds are good that household members under age 13 will find plenty to enjoy in Collision Course. And if the continuing adventures of Manny (Ray Romano), Diego (Denis Leary), and Sid (John Leguizamo) aren't enough to move you, I will say that watching Scrat battle extreme gravity aboard a spaceship is worth the price of admission all by itself. Here again, Fox continues their frustrating trend of only offering the Dolby Atmos soundtrack option on the 4K Ultra HD disc. If you're set up for the format though, the soundtrack is quite good. Dialogue is clear and the surround channels are used extensively with excellent panning and directionality. Early in the film, when Manny forgets his anniversary, a fireworks show makes good use of the height channels, giving each burst an overhead layer adding to the realism. Interestingly, this was one of the few scenes where I noticed discreet use of the overheads, though they definitely helped round things out giving music and effects more room to stretch.
Sausage Party (4K)
Sony | Buy Now | Dolby Atmos available on 4K Ultra HD only
If your kids liked Ice Age, then they'll going to love - NO. STOP. I'm only kidding. Please do not expose your children to this crass, cartoon food orgy. Ever. It's completely inappropriate for children in every way possible, so don't let the cute little hot dogs on the cover fool you. Pay more attention to that big, red "RATED R" stamp. Seth Rogen and Kristen Wiig lead a hilarious voice cast of grocery store characters impatiently awaiting their turn to get chosen and rise up to the next plane of existence beyond the store, which will surely be one giant, endless sex fest. Interestingly, despite its constant use of F-bombs, crass language, and subtle (and not-so-subtle) innuendo, Sausage Party does have a lot to say with respect to organized religion and the value of making the most of this life as opposed to just waiting for the next. Who knew, right? The film's Dolby Atmos soundtrack - sadly available only on the 4K Ultra HD disc - is surprisingly good with crisp, intelligible dialogue, constant use of the surround and overhead channels, and impressive low-end oomph when it's called for.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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