ARTICLE: Best 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs of 2017

Thanks Steve, although amazed War for the planet of the apes isn’t here. Next to Dunkirk, easily the best 4K disc for me.
 
Some good picks there, although I'd never have included anything which wasn't in 4K personally as the detail just isn't there. Once you're used to full fat 4K, it's difficult to go back.

Dunkirk may be my favourite disc last year. So much detail it looks almost 3D at times. Amazing stuff.
 
good list Steve - I have nearly all of them

took all of 3 comments for 2KDI to come up - agree to a point but I have some stunning UHD disks based on 2KDI so will continue to be open minded on the issue when purchasing as the best available version of a film I want is my main motivation.

interstellar for me was a reference level release as well

I also thought the 5th element was a stunner but maybe not on list as you have to import it?

tempted by westworld as it looked great even on sky hd
 
Nice list, seen them all and agree great discs. Can’t have been easy arriving at these, I imagine the initial list was pretty big.

Leon and Fifth Element would be up there for me.

I’m surprised no computer animated films made the list. They’re not my cup of tea but reading posts on the forum titles like Smurphs and Boss Baby got rave reviews for PQ.

@jakimp Westworld looks great in UHD, you get grain on the disc that isn’t present on the Sky UHD series but better detail, colours and HDR makes a huge difference. Actually the grain is fitting with the genre and homage to the original Westworld film.

And yes, 2K DI’s should definitely feature!
 
I was a DI snob, but have to say HDR makes the biggest difference to my eyes. Things just look more natural, and war for the planet of the apes is a great example of this in 4k (2k DI). The lighting in every single scene is just more real and while the picture detail increase is only marginal the overall effect is glorious-looking and totally immersive. Daylight looks like real daylight, fire like real fire etc. HDR makes it all look less like home video, which boosts the suspension of disbelief and therefore immersion. For me, at least.
 
Dunkirk audio is not great and overrated, yes it's very loud but that's all
And only 16 bit with a bitrate so low it's dvd quality and lacking more than 5.1 channels
So 5* on audio is very misleading on the review.
DTS-HD Master Audio English 2411 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2411 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
 
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Good list. Although Passengers wasnt great I really feel like picking up the 4K disc to watch again. Quite a nice surprise this one!

yes try the UHD and hear what a difference the audio brings:

Dolby Atmos/TrueHD Audio English 4684 kbps 7.1-Atmos / 48 kHz / 4684 kbps / 24-bit (AC3 Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps)

Audio: English / DTS-HD Master Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2119 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
 
Life???? :suicide:

I could not care less if it was even classed as reference standard in terms of UHD picture, the film is terrible in every conceivable way. I just hope people aren't persuaded to buy it based on it appearing in this list.
 
War for the Planet of the Apes was the standout title for me as well.

Picture quality is just amazing, the sense of depth is crazy, just goes on forever.

The film is pretty good too.

Blade Runner does look great though for such an old movie, looks better than 99% of newer 4k releases.

Dunkirk looks and sounds great but it's a bit of a lame duck, not much happens at all, I get it's more about the people rather than the experience but for me it's Nolan's worst movie.
 
John Wick 2 for me , great presentation and unlike some in the article has a stonking Atmos mix to boot. Also it's a better 2KDI presentation than the 4KDI John Wick .

Go figure ......
 
With so many nice tittles out, you are not going to please everyone. Though i hope these were picked as reference tittles, to demonstrate what 4K HDR is all about!?

Anyway some of the ones that are not in the list that stand out from the rest are.........

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets(disc 2 in the boxset) - This one was perfect in every way IMO, superb PS/SQ!

John Wick Chapter 2 - Again the PQ/SQ was superb

War of the Planet of the Apes - Again the PQ/SQ was superb

The Dark Knight(disc 2 in the The Dark Knight Trilogy box set) - Everything was perfect!!!!!!!

I could go on but i will stop lol
 
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Life???? :suicide:

I could not care less if it was even classed as reference standard in terms of UHD picture, the film is terrible in every conceivable way. I just hope people aren't persuaded to buy it based on it appearing in this list.
Some here like Transformers films mind [emoji6]. Life was OK but not one to buy for me.
 
Certainly Horses for Courses. For me Dunkirk was one of his best films!

I think a lot of people were expecting a Saving Private Ryan Opening sequence type affair, and of course that wasn't what he was trying to do. At the end of the day, unlike his other films, this one was based on an actual life event.

Your never going to please everyone compiling a list. Plenty of "Why is that in there?" and "Why isn't that in?".......for me I suppose The Batman Trilogy. Particularly DK and DKR, with the view that the 35mm/65mm and Imax time translating beautifully over to a 4k UHD press... and the fact the two films score so highly on this site. That said I will hold my hand up, I've not viewed these films on UHD yet!... but I trust a review from AVF and admittedly I am a bit of a Nolan fan!
 
Blade Runner - The Final Cut and PE 2 are top of my list to watch when I get my 4K TV. The new Blade Runner 2049 was so disappointing, after watching it in the cinema, after critics were raving about it. It was no where near to the cult classic original.
 
Blade Runner - The Final Cut and PE 2 are top of my list to watch when I get my 4K TV. The new Blade Runner 2049 was so disappointing, after watching it in the cinema, after critics were raving about it. It was no where near to the cult classic original.

Being a big fan of the original I actually ( to my surprise) found 2049 a better more rounded experience with an even more thought provoking storyline along with some great charecters and indeed acting . Visually even more stunning than the original and even now I find myself thinking about the 2017 offering more so than any other film of last year .
 
Strange list both for inclusions and exclusions.
Blade Runner "jaw-dropping detail" is not something I'd say about it compared to say Transformers The Last Knight or others like Passengers. Detail is the best it's been for Blade Runner but still soft and often out of focus at times.
No Spider-Man's out of a possible 5 releases. Nothing from The Dark Knight Trilogy. No Sully or John Wick 2 etc etc. All of them would be higher up my list than Blade Runner or Close Encounters.
 
Strange list both for inclusions and exclusions.
Blade Runner "jaw-dropping detail" is not something I'd say about it compared to say Transformers The Last Knight or others like Passengers. Detail is the best it's been for Blade Runner but still soft and often out of focus at times.
No Spider-Man's out of a possible 5 releases. Nothing from The Dark Knight Trilogy. No Sully or John Wick 2 etc etc. All of them would be higher up my list than Blade Runner or Close Encounters.

The forum tends to try to go high brow with these and I fully agree that whilst BR and Encounters are good they are not demo discs by any means for the format . Have to admit though Dunkirk is pretty special . JW2 still top of my list for showstopping PQ but Spider Man Homecoming ( though nice ) is not the best example of the format.
 
I personally thought Bladerunner looked a bit naff if Im honest. Its better than the other versions I have but certainly not great with regards to picture quality.

Deadpool looks and sounds amazing probably my favourite 4k film. I havent seen Dunkirk as of yet though.
 
Being a big fan of the original I actually ( to my surprise) found 2049 a better more rounded experience with an even more thought provoking storyline along with some great charecters and indeed acting . Visually even more stunning than the original and even now I find myself thinking about the 2017 offering more so than any other film of last year .
Easily the best film of the year for me, well this decade actually! But as good as the original? Not quite. But then again, nothing is! [emoji6]
 
Easily the best film of the year for me, well this decade actually! But as good as the original? Not quite. But then again, nothing is! [emoji6]

We have had thirty years to be engaged and enamoured by the original and is a part of our growth in films . A couple of watches at the cinema and I have to say I was gobsmacked that I could even ponder 2049 being a better experience . I'l get back to you thirty years down the line ;):D.
 
Blade Runner "jaw-dropping detail" is not something I'd say about it compared to say Transformers The Last Knight or others like Passengers. Detail is the best it's been for Blade Runner but still soft and often out of focus at times.
I think it's fair to say that this list is based on the overall package. Blade Runner and close Encounters are classic old films that have been restored to look and sound fantastic on this format (not reference but still very good), Transformers the Last Knight may be reference quality AV-wise but the film is a pile of sh*te, so it is no surprise it does not appear on this "best of" list.
 

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