Creed
(2015 Rocky spin-off/MGM/Warner)/In
The Heart Of The Sea
(2015/Warner)/Independence
Day (1996/Fox w/Extended
Cut & 2 Blu-rays)/The
Martian: Extended Edition
(2015/Fox w/Extended Edition & 2 Blu-rays)/Point
Break (2015
remake/Warner/all
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray w/Blu-ray)
4K
Ultra HD Picture: B+ Picture: B/B/B+/B/B Sound: B/B+/A- &
B+/A- & B+/B Extras: C/C/B/B-/C- Films: C+/C/B/B-/C-
The
new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format continues to impress, even when the
film is one that might not always work, as we revisit five key titles
we covered before and get to see how the impressive higher fidelity
of the better playback works to their advantage...
Ryan
Coogler's 2015
Rocky
spin-off Creed
is likely getting a sequel after its decent box office was followed
by a solid home entertainment release. You can read my thoughts on
it at this link...
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/14101/Creed+(2015+Rocky+spin-off/MGM/New+Line/War
That
same regular Blu-ray is included in this set with those same extras.
The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray has no extras and the same DTS-HD
MA (Master Audio) 7.1 lossless mix as that Blu-ray, but offers an
upgraded
2160p HEVC/H.265, HDR (10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced 2.35 X 1 Ultra
High Definition image that has a little more stability, depth, detail
and particularly makes the actors and Philadelphia locales work
better. As a result of those two factors playing back better and
being comparatively more naturalistic, this is the better, easier,
nicer and more pleasant was to watch the film. The HD shoot still
has a few issues, but they are not too bad. Thus, this upgrade
works.
Ron
Howard's In
The
Heart Of The Sea
(2015) is a disappointment of sorts we reviewed in its 3D and 2D
versions at this link...
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/14118/In+The+Heart+Of+The+Sea+(2015/Warner+Blu-ra
That
same regular 2D Blu-ray is included in this set with the same extras,
though I was not as impressed with playback as my colleague. The 4K
Ultra HD Blu-ray has no extras and the same DTS-HD
MA (Master Audio) 7.1 lossless mix as that Blu-ray, but offers an
upgraded
2160p HEVC/H.265, HDR (10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced 1.78 X 1 Ultra
High Definition image that is netter than the 1080p Blu-ray with some
better depth and detail, but digital visual effects look weaker in a
tradeoff common to a few such films in the new format. It also
repeats the very able, well-recorded Dolby
Atmos 11.1 mix the 1080p Blu-ray offered. Thus, its an upgrade that
was worth it technically, though I was disappointed with the film's
inability to focus, go for gross humor and dottled around too much.
Roland
Emmerich's original Independence
Day
(1996) is still one of the better films of its kind and back when the
original Blu-ray format was launched, it was one of our favorite
early demos. You can read more at this link...
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/6720/Independence+Day+(1996/Blu-ray)+++I,+Robot
We
liked the film so much, that you'll find our coverage of a DTS DVD
import. It is of my opinion that the Blu-ray helped sell the format
early being so good. The double Blu-ray set that followed later is
included here versus our old basic single Blu-ray. So I can say that
the film does look better in its 2160p HEVC/H.265, HDR (10; Ultra HD
Premium)-enhanced 2.35 X 1 Ultra High Definition image presentation
here where color, detail and depth are so good that I was reminded of
how good my 35mm presentation was two decades ago. However, the
improvements here come with a problem different than bad CGI digital
effects that have held back several of the 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays in
picture quality. The film was shot in the Super 35 format, where no
anamorphic squeeze lenses are used to create the widescreen scope
image, but it is optically lifted from a smaller frame of 35mm film
(usually 3-perforations, versus 4-perf or 1.33 X 1 35mm (though it is
also done with 4-perf; both cases giving you more room to choose what
to 'cut out' as the scope frame) and a bit better than 2-perf aka
Techniscope or Chromoscope), done to allow certain visual effects to
fit more easily without distortion issues form those high quality
squeeze lenses.
However,
this also means more grain, so the grain issues many 1080p Blu-rays
ran into with 2-perf Techniscope/Chromoscope will be one the 4K Ultra
HD Blu-ray format will run into at 2160p as the grain will be more
obvious and viewable. Some of the grain comes from composite visual
effects work as the film goes a generation down in optical printing,
et al, while other stances are just the smaller section of the 35mm
frame. Still, this is better than the 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High
Definition image either standard Blu-ray version has offered before.
But
the far more obvious upgrade is the sound. Back in the day, Fox
issued a DTS-only 12-inch LaserDisc of the film that was sonically
stunning for the pre-lossless sound era and many felt (including
myself) felt the lossless DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mixes
on the previous 1080p Blu-rays somehow lost some of the sonic range
and detail one would have encountered seeing a 70mm blow-up of the
film with interlocked DTS 5.1 sound as presented on the old
LaserDisc. Well, the soundmaster has been taken out of the vault and
expanded.
The
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray version exclusively introduced the D-BOX-enhanced
DTS: X 11.1 mix that shows just how superior the film's soundtrack
was for its time. Loaded with detail, directional sound and amazing
sonics for its time, they are here with few flaws, added nuance
utilizing the overhead speakers and even when some elements show
their age or the sound is not totally balanced at times, it is a
revelation; especially for those who did not hear the 5.1 in its
early glory. Even if the grain of the 2160p picture puts a few
people off, the new soundmix here will quickly become the same top
rate demo material it has been in previous formats over the lats two
decades. I hope more classic multi-channel films get this amazing
treatment.
Then
there are the extras, starting with the longer version of the film.
Its a nice change of pace, but nothing earth-shattering (no pun
intended), but a solid change of pace. As for extras, the hilarious
feature length audio commentary by Emmerich & co-producer Dean
Devlin, plus second track with Special Effects Supervisors Volker
Engel & Doug Smith are featured on both the new 4K Ultra HD and
regular 1080p Blu-ray version, which also offer the ID4
Datastream Trivia Track for
the theatrical versions only in both formats going back to that basic
Blu-ray and DVD before it.
The
first of the two 1080p Blu-ray has a trailer for the sequel, while
the second extras-loaded 1080p Blu-ray repeats a theatrical teaser
(then adds some more) and final trailers for the film and adds TV
Spots, while scrapping the Alien Scavenger Hunt game. We also get
the new 30-minutes-long
Independence Day: A Legacy Surging Forward
featurette, Making
of ID4
featurette, Gag Reel, the Original Theatrical Ending that I did not
think worked as well (glad they changed it), Stills Gallery, Creating
Reality
clip, ID4
Invasion
piece, faux video newscasts, and the odd Combat
Review
piece.
Ridley
Scott's The
Martian: Extended Edition
(2015) arrives not long after the standard 4K Blu-ray version we
covered as one of our first 4K titles at this link...
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/14126/Exodus:+Gods+&+Kings+(2014)/King
That
also included Digital
HD
Ultraviolet Copy for PC, PC portable and other cyber iTunes capable
devices, while the single Blu-ray with a few extras include
Production Art Gallery, Gag Reel and 6 Making-Of featurettes, minus
two now included in the Making Of documentary featurette The
Long Way Home.
Both the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Extended standard Blu-ray have a
feature length audio commentary track by Scott, Drew Goddard &
Andy Weir, then the 1080 Blu-ray has a second Special Features disc
that also adds Theatrical Trailers, Deleted Scenes and the 3-part
Investigating Mars featurette.
The
2160p HEVC/H.265, HDR (10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced 2.35 X 1 Ultra
High Definition image on the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and slightly less
impressive 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image on the
Blu-ray are of the same picture quality, which is as good as it is
likely going to get in those formats. So that leaves us with the
sound upgrade worth discussing.
Though
the DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 7.1 lossless mix on the previous 4K
Ultra HD Blu-ray and all the 1080p Blu-rays were pretty good, they
were still a mixdown from the original 11.1 theatrical sound
soundmaster. The Blu-rays (4K and 1080p) thus retain the DTS-MA mix,
but this new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray offers a Dolby Atmos 11.1 track
(Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible), also with D-BOX like its DTS-MA
predecessors that is not only one of the best Atmos mixes to date,
but is up there with the best mixes of a Ridley Scott film going back
to the landmark 70mm Dolby (4.1) magnetic stereo surround mix that
was only found on 70mm blow-ups of the film.
That
mix (now 5.1 on Blu-ray, reviewed elsewhere on this site) was not the
same mix on any other version of Alien
and though Scott never did anything that sonically exclusive again,
the quality of the character of would continue to show up on his best
films (Blade
Runner,
Black
Hawk Down,
Gladiator,
Legend,
Hannibal,
even Thelma
& Louise)
and add to their narrative impact. The new version of the film is
just an alternate version to me, not any better or worse than the
theatrical version, but it is interesting as the two Alien
cuts would be and has Scott in better form here. If you had any
doubts about this upgrades 3-disc set versus the previous versions
released of the film, the 11.1 sound alone puts this over the top as
an upgrade worth the trouble and not just a lame 'double-dip'. Even
with some image issues, the soundtrack has more than a few demo
moments and moves to the front of the line as best sonic 4K Ultra HD
Blu-ray releases to date.
Finally
we have Ericson Core's 2015 remake of Point
Break,
which we also reviewed in its 3D and 2D versions at this link...
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/14129/Alexander+The+Great+(1956/United+Artists/MGM/
The
2D 1080p Blu-ray is included here with the same extras, while the
2160p HEVC/H.265, HDR (10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced 2.35 X 1 Ultra
High Definition image with no extras is the always slightly dark
shoot the film has, but you get some more detail, depth and slightly
better color that makes it a more realistic watch than the 2D or 3D
versions. The 1080p Blu-ray only offers a DTS-HD
MA (Master Audio) 7.1 lossless mix, though it was an 11.1 theatrical
sound release in its best bookings. Thus, we hoped we might get a
Dolby Atmos 11.1 or DTS: X 11.1 mix, but the new 2160p disc only
repeats the same DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 7.1 lossless mix as before,
so any fans or any chance on further improving the playback quality
is not here. Was the 11.1 soundmaster that limited?
-
Nicholas Sheffo
