While streaming continues to offer convenience and a world of opportunities for discovering new and classic content, for hardcore film fans, the satisfaction and certainty of physical media will remain the same. Plus, there’s never buffering or ads just at a crunch moment, and they don’t disappear from one month to the next. There is no better time to give them that gift.
2024 has seen several stone-cold gems remastered and released for the first time on 4K UHD, some with new features or presented in a way that will give the movie lover in your life goosebumps. Sometimes, it’s about what’s on the disc, including a film that looks better than ever, but never underestimate the visual power of a good-looking collector’s edition on a shelf.
So here are a few suggestions for what to snag for your cinephiles this season.
‘The Terminator,’ ‘Chinatown,’ and ‘Twister’ look stunning in 4K UHD.
Believe it or not, writer-director James Cameron’s seminal science fiction action classic The Terminator has never been available to own 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc until the film’s 40th anniversary this year. Remastered in Dolby Vision and with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, Arnold Schwarzenegger has never looked better as the titular cyborg sent back in time to kill Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor. Even though there aren’t any new special features to write home about the stunning presentation of the film itself, as a fan, I’ll definitely be back to this disc.
Chinatown may be one of those classic movies stuck on the “I must get around to watching that” list for many film fans. It happens, but this is the perfect opportunity to change that status. However, this 2024 50th anniversary release of director Roman Polanski’s iconic LA-set neo-noir thriller starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway is perfect for any procrastinating movie lover to soak it all in. Released in 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc for the first time as part of the acclaimed limited edition Paramount Presents collection, this Chinatown release is a rich and stunning remaster of a classic that makes a great gift.
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Director Jan de Bont’s Twister finally shows off the true majesty of his original opus with the film’s recent release on 4K Ultra HD for the first time. Not only a groundbreaking movie when it came to filmmaking, Twister was the first theatrical feature film to be released on DVD. For this release, de Bont oversaw the 4K restoration himself so that he could show audiences his definitive vision of the story of two storm chasers, played by Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt, amid a divorce forced to work together in the path of violent tornadoes. Twister has never blown you away like this before, packing even more audio-visual punch than it did in theaters, and this is one of the 2024’s best 4K releases. It’s a powerful force.
‘North By Northwest,’ ‘The Abyss,’ and ‘Bringing Out the Dead’ are now 4K UHD remastered … [+]
Considered to be one of the greatest thrillers of all time, director Alfred Hitchcock’s North By Northwest celebrates its 65th anniversary with a stunning remaster. As with several others already mentioned, this is the first time it has been available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc. In his fourth and final Hitchcock film, Cary Grant stars as Roger Thornhill, an innocent man mistaken for a spy. The three-time Oscar-winning classic has never sounded better, and it’s probably one of the year’s best transfers. Even if you have never seen the film, you’ll know the iconic imagery and breathtaking set pieces that wow more than ever.
In 2024, James Cameron completists finally got what they wanted when The Abyss received a 4K Ultra HD release, and it’s a beauty. Along with the late producer Jon Landau, the writer-director worked on remastering the science fiction film and gave it a one-day theatrical run before releasing it on physical media. Fans have been snapping up the three-disc The Abyss: Ultimate Collector’s Edition ever since, and it’s an absolute must-have for any cinephile. Cameron’s stunning visuals and groundbreaking visual effects have never looked more impressive, and the audio has never sounded so crisp. A copy can be tricky to get hold of but it is worth tracking down.
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Often overlooked when people run through his illustrious resume, director Martin Scorsese’s Bringing Out the Dead finally gets its flowers with a newly remastered 4K Ultra HD release. Not only has it been flawlessly upgraded using Dolby Atmos, but the drama, which has Nicolas Cage playing a Manhattan paramedic struggling to hold on to sanity over three wild nights, also contains a slew of fresh and insightful extras, including new interviews with Scorsese, Cage, and writer Paul Schrader as well as on-set interviews. The vivid two-disc set, another from the illustrious Paramount Presents collection, also marks the film’s 25th anniversary. The recipient might not have seen this before but this is the very best way to watch this at home.
‘The Crow,’ ‘Aliens,’ and ‘Blazing Saddles’ are all classics that have never looked better.
Cult classic The Crow has been entrancing audiences for 30 years but, until this year, has never received a 4K Ultra HD release either. This stunning remastering showcases director Alex Proyas’ tragically beautiful gothic aesthetic and frames, adding layers to Brandon Lee’s soulful performance as Eric Draven, the undead vigilante brought back to life to avenge his fiancée’s murder. The crystal-clear vision and sound mixes are a revelation and bring new richness and depth to the dark world of this legendary adaptation. It’s seductive and intoxicating. The release also includes a pretty cool brand-new three-part documentary featuring legendary production designer Alex McDowell called Shadows & Pain: Designing The Crow.
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A third and final entry for a James Cameron classic goes to Aliens, a sci-fi killer that almost needs no introduction. Another seminal piece of cinema getting a 4K Ultra HD physical media release for the first time ever this year, Aliens: Ultimate Collector’s Edition contains both the theatrical version and special edition of the movie that sees Sigourney Weaver reprise her role as Ripley. Now, some purists have balked at the use of AI to remaster elements however, overall, this is a cracking movie that benefits from a lot of what has been done. The pros outweigh the cons on this one, as controversial as that might be, and the sound is chillingly crisp thanks to the Dolby Atmos track.
And finally, one of the most influential comedies of all time from one of the greatest comedic minds of all time, director Mel Brook’s Blazing Saddles, should be in every film fan’s collection and watched at least once. The satirical postmodernist Western black comedy starring Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Slim Pickens, Madeline Kahn, and Mel Brooks has been remastered with comedic timing and the craft front and center. In this 50th anniversary release, the irreverent and controversial comedy gem’s sound is incredibly defined, thanks to the Dolby Atmos mix, and it doesn’t lose the film’s original grain in the 4K transfer. The clear, bold image has been remastered to enhance the picture’s texture and remove any of the washed-out appearance of some previous transfers. Together or on their own, these 4K remasters make the perfect gift for any movie lover this Christmas.
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